# Dan Dickinson: The Primary Vivid Weblog
> Struggling with the dark and responding to the light.
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).
## Pages
### About Dan
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/about-dan/
Last updated: 2026-07-14T16:10:05.000Z
Hi. I'm Dan Dickinson.
In an attempt to differentiate myself from other Dan Dickinsons (of which there are quite a few), here are some facts for which I hopefully am unique:
1. I am forty-something years old, and have spent over thirty of those years with a web presence. I live in Jersey City, and grew up mostly in upstate New York.
2. I am the Executive Director of Institutional Communications at [Weill Cornell Medicine](http://weill.cornell.edu/?ref=vjarmy.com). I have been with the institution since 2004; this is effectively my seventh role.
1. Before that, I spent a few years at beloved Mac gaming company [Freeverse Software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeverse%5FInc.?ref=vjarmy.com).
3. I am a "retired" "sports" "journalist". I wrote for [Gothamist](http://gothamist.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) from 2011-2015, focusing on the NYC soccer scene, and co-hosted [*Seeing Red!*](https://seeingredpod.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), a podcast largely focused on the New York Red Bulls, for about two years.
4. I love exploring new restaurants and bars – almost as much as I love giving [recommendations](https://www.vjarmy.com/food-drink-guides/) about which ones are worth your time.
5. I can often be found in the [front row of independent professional wrestling shows](https://instagram.com/ringside.remy?ref=vjarmy.com) around the NYC area (and sometimes beyond).
6. I have spent over 30 years moderating online communities - from IRC channels to web forums to subreddits to Discords.
7. I am generally found online using the handle “Remy”, which I started using in 1993\. (I really liked [Gambit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambit%5F%28Marvel%5FComics%29?ref=vjarmy.com) from the X-Men.) This has caused [a lot of confusion](https://wrongremy.tumblr.com/?ref=vjarmy.com).
8. From 2004 to 2009, I ran a gaming community website called [**VJ Army**](https://www.vjarmy.com/vj-army-1-0/), as well as its sister site, **Pop’n Navy**. (This blog predated the community site.) The sites specialized in score tracking for Konami’s *beatmania IIDX* and *Pop’n Music* Bemani game series, respectively. VJ Army lives on as [Solid State Squad](http://iidx.solidstatesquad.com/?ref=vjarmy.com).
9. Relatedly, from 2004 to 2014, I hosted a wiki dedicated to music games, called [**RemyWiki**](http://remywiki.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). It is named after me only because I was more interested in getting it online than giving it a clever name. It lives on as a cornerstone of music game information, and is still named after me, but I’m no longer involved in any way running it.
## About This Site
**All the opinions on this site are mine.** They do not reflect the views of my employer, my wife, my friends, my family, or my cat.
I have had a web presence in some capacity since 1995, and I began writing in a time-ordered blog format in February of 2000\. Repeated migration between hosting companies, domain names, and CMS platforms sometimes causes content to break. Earlier posts may reference functionality that no longer exists or content that is no longer available.
Posts and comments may be removed or edited at any time [at my sole discretion](https://www.anildash.com/2011/07/20/if-your-websites-full-of-assholes-its-your-fault-2/?ref=vjarmy.com).
## Attribution
The site name *Primary Vivid Weblog* is a reference to Konami’s [beatmania IIDX 6th Style](https://remywiki.com/AC%5F6th%5Fstyle?ref=vjarmy.com), which was subtitled “The Primary Vivid IIDX”.
The domain name *vjarmy.com* is in reference to [a beatmania IIDX song of the same name](https://remywiki.com/VJ%5FARMY?ref=vjarmy.com). It originally appeared on beatmania IIDX 6th Style. (6th Style was effectively my first IIDX game; I guess it stuck.)
The site byline of *Struggling with the dark and responding to the light* is [adapted](http://www.the17.org/notice%5Fscores.html?ref=vjarmy.com) from Bill Drummond’s project, *the17*. No music by Bill Drummond has ever appeared in beatmania IIDX, sadly.
The site icon / drawing of me was done by [Stevie Wilson](https://swinku.co/?ref=vjarmy.com).
## Contacting Dan
I'm easiest to reach through [a number of social networks](https://www.vjarmy.com/socials/).
### Clippings
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/clippings/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T19:19:44.000Z
While this blog has always been my primary writing channel, I have written for other outlets off and on over the years. Below is a general collection of clippings from other places I've written.
# Tech Writing
[**Mac OS X Panther Hacks**](http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596007188.do?ref=vjarmy.com) \- adapted [my first Quicksilver tutorial](https://www.vjarmy.com/quicksilver-a-better-os-x-in-just-10-minutes/) for a chapter in the book.
**Macworld Magazine** \- “[Working Mac: Launch Your Productivity](http://www.macworld.com/article/1054266/janworkingmac.html?ref=vjarmy.com)” in the January 2007 issue. Contributed a short section about cool things you could do with Quicksilver.
# Sports Writing
Notable articles from my tenure covering the NYC soccer scene and other related topics:
- [Red Bulls 0 DC United 1: Mediocrity Returns](http://www.thevipersnest.com/2011/07/red-bulls-0-dc-united-1-mediocrity.html?ref=vjarmy.com) (The Viper's Nest)
- [Worst Timing Ever: RBNY Begins 2012 Season Ticket Sales](http://www.thevipersnest.com/2011/09/worst-timing-ever-rbny-begins-2012.html?ref=vjarmy.com) (The Viper's Nest)
- [Tim Ream Leaves Red Bulls For Premier League](http://gothamist.com/2012/01/26/rbny%5Fdefender%5Ftim%5Fream%5Fsold%5Fto%5Fbold.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [With Home Opener Looming, Red Bulls Ready To Go](http://gothamist.com/2012/03/23/with%5Fhome%5Fopener%5Flooming%5Fred%5Fbulls.php?ref=vjarmy.com#photo-1) (Gothamist)
- [MLS Still Set On A Soccer Stadium Somewhere In NYC](http://gothamist.com/2012/03/10/mls%5Fstill%5Fset%5Fon%5Fa%5Fsoccer%5Fstadium%5Fs.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [USMNT Fail To Qualify For Summer Olympics Soccer](http://gothamist.com/2012/03/27/usmnt%5Ffail%5Fto%5Fqualify%5Ffor%5Fsummer%5Fol.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [Chelsea FC Are Coming To Yankee Stadium](http://gothamist.com/2012/05/07/chelsea%5Ffc%5Fare%5Fcoming%5Fto%5Fyankee%5Fsta.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [Talkin' Trash: D.C. United vs. New York Red Bulls? Or, Should We Say, Proud Victors vs. Over-Caffeinated Losers?](http://dcist.com/2012/04/dcunyrb%5Fexchange%5Fwith%5Fgothamist.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (DCist)
- [The US Open Cup Shouldn’t Be For Sale](http://www.empireofsoccer.com/us-open-cup-sale/?ref=vjarmy.com) (Empire of Soccer)
- [MLS Week 15: fan previews](http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/jun/22/portland-timbers-seattle-sounders-ny-red-bulls?ref=vjarmy.com) (The Guardian) - contributor
- [World's Game In World's Park? MLS Proposes New Soccer Stadium In Flushing Meadows](http://gothamist.com/2012/06/27/mls%5Fstadium%5Fproposal%5Fflushing%5Fmeadows.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist) - cited by Jack Bell of the New York Times in [his coverage](http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/27/m-l-s-readjusts-its-focus-to-site-of-worlds-fairs/?ref=vjarmy.com).
- [A "Win-Win For Queens": Assemblyman Moya On Major League Soccer's Expansion Plan](http://gothamist.com/2012/06/30/exclusive%5Finterview%5Fassemblyman%5Ffra%5F1.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist) - interview with Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D-Forest Hills).
- [Kenny Cooper Cracks Philly: Red Bulls 2, Union 0](http://gothamist.com/2012/07/22/kenny%5Fcooper%5Fcracks%5Fphilly%5Fred%5Fbull.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [Bitter Reactions To NCAA's Punitive Penn State Sanctions](http://gothamist.com/2012/07/23/bitter%5Freactions%5Fto%5Fncaas%5Fpunitive.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist) - created Storify compilation of Twitter reactions to NCAA sanctions.
- [Photos, Videos: Making Goals, Building Self-Esteem At Street Soccer USA 2012](http://gothamist.com/2012/07/31/pictures%5Fand%5Fvideo%5Fhomeless%5Fathlete.php?ref=vjarmy.com#photo-1) (Gothamist)
- [MLS Week 24: fan previews](http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/aug/17/mls-week-24-vancouver-whitecaps-seattle-sounders-usa-mexico?ref=vjarmy.com) (The Guardian) - contributor
- [Red Bulls Easily Handle Union 3-0, Will Face DC In Playoffs](http://gothamist.com/2012/10/28/red%5Fbulls%5Feasily%5Fhandle%5Funion%5F3-0%5Fw.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [DC United Fans FURIOUS That Sandy Forces Playoff Swap With Red Bulls](http://gothamist.com/2012/11/01/hurricane%5Fsandy%5Fforces%5Fmls%5Fplayoff.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [MLS playoffs: Conference semi-finals – fan previews](http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/nov/02/mls-semi-final-fan-previews?ref=vjarmy.com) (The Guardian) - contributor
- [17 Years, No Cups: DC United Steals It Late, Ends Red Bulls' Playoff Run](http://gothamist.com/2012/11/09/17%5Fyears%5Fno%5Fcups%5Fdc%5Funited%5Fsteals%5Fi.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [Mike Petke Named Red Bulls Head Coach – And Why You Should Care](http://gothamist.com/2013/01/25/mike%5Fpetke%5Fnamed%5Fred%5Fbulls%5Fhead%5Fcoa.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [With New Lineup And Attitude, Red Bulls Are Ready For 2013](http://gothamist.com/2013/02/27/red%5Fbulls%5Fmedia%5Fday%5F2013.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [Talkin' Trash, Gothamist vs. DCist: Red Bulls vs. DC United Match Preview](http://gothamist.com/2013/03/15/talkin%5Ftrash%5Fgothamist%5Fvs%5Fdcist%5Fred.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [Boston Remembered As Red Bulls Rout Revolution 4-1](http://gothamist.com/2013/04/21/rbny%5F4%5Frevolution%5F1.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [Law Of Averages: Stacking Tim Cahill Up Against The Average MLS DP](http://www.empireofsoccer.com/law-of-averages-stacking-tim-cahill-up-against-the-average-mls-dp/?ref=vjarmy.com) (Empire of Soccer)
- [Major League Soccer Makes It Official: NYC FC To Join League In 2015 ](http://gothamist.com/2013/05/21/major%5Fleague%5Fsoccer%5Fmakes%5Fit%5Foffici.php?ref=vjarmy.com)(Gothamist)
- [MLS To Red Bulls Fans: Stop Calling Players A-holes, Or Else](http://gothamist.com/2013/07/09/mls%5Fto%5Fred%5Fbulls%5Ffans%5Fstop%5Fcalling.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [With Unforgettable Finish, Red Bulls Defeat Salt Lake 4-3](http://gothamist.com/2013/07/28/with%5Funforgettable%5Ffinish%5Fred%5Fbulls.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [Petke's Gamble Pays Off: Red Bulls 2, DC United 1](http://gothamist.com/2013/09/01/petkes%5Fgamble%5Fpays%5Foff%5Fred%5Fbulls%5F2.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [Photos: Drake Loses To Tim Cahill At FIFA 14 Launch Party](http://gothamist.com/2013/09/24/cahill%5Fdrake%5Ffifa%5F14.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
- [18 Years, 1 Cup: Red Bulls Win The 2013 MLS Supporters Shield](http://gothamist.com/2013/10/28/18%5Fyears%5F1%5Fcup%5Fred%5Fbulls%5Fwin%5Fthe%5F20.php?ref=vjarmy.com) (Gothamist)
### Food & Drink Guides
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/food-drink-guides/
Last updated: 2026-06-29T14:58:03.000Z
Over the years, I’ve built a decent reputation for being knowledgeable about good places to eat or drink. I frequently get "Do you know of a good..." texts from friends, and the truth is I keep lists handy to make this easier on myself.
## Beli
Around the time that Foursquare / Swarm decided to stop prioritizing guides and tips, I stumbled onto Beli as a social network, and that is perhaps the easiest place for my stack ranked experiences:
You can find me on Beli as [RemyDWD](https://beliapp.co/app/RemyDWD?ref=vjarmy.com). Note that Beli requires an account to see profiles; friends should reach out if they'd like an invite.
## Apple Maps
For those not on Beli, I have "guides" of the spots I am most positive on through Apple Maps. There are two lists: one for restaurants, and one for bars. There’s no categorization by city, style, price range, or dress code - both lists run the gamut.
Note that Apple Maps used to codify the snapshot of the list in a very long URL (which was weird!), so these could be slightly out of date if I haven't remembered to update the links lately.
- [A Restaurant For Everywhere](https://maps.apple/ug/EgPba.7ioGC1MwgLtfB4mC?ref=vjarmy.com)
- [A Cocktail Bar For Everywhere](https://maps.apple/ug/yxFDSWz36mADrZNNPVwIDC?ref=vjarmy.com)
### Socials
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/socials/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T19:19:07.000Z
As a frequent lover of new internet things, I am many other places than just my own website. Here's a quick list of where I'm currently active, last updated February 2026.
**Bluesky** \- [@vjarmy.com](https://bsky.app/profile/vjarmy.com?ref=vjarmy.com)
**Discord** \- @remyvja
**Instagram** \- [@remydwd](https://www.instagram.com/remydwd/?ref=vjarmy.com) (personal photos) + [@ringside.remy](https://www.instagram.com/ringside.remy?ref=vjarmy.com) (wrestling photos)
**Steam** \- [RemyDWD](https://steamcommunity.com/id/remydwd/?ref=vjarmy.com)
**Swarm** \- "[Dan Dickinson](https://app.foursquare.com/user/828?ref=vjarmy.com)"
**TikTok** \- [@remyvja](https://www.tiktok.com/@remyvja?ref=vjarmy.com)
**Letterboxd** \- [@RemyDWD](https://letterboxd.com/RemyDWD/?ref=vjarmy.com)
**Flickr** \- [@RemyDWD](https://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/?ref=vjarmy.com)
**Discogs** \- [@RemyDWD](https://www.discogs.com/user/remydwd?ref=vjarmy.com)
**Beli** \- [@RemyDWD](https://beliapp.co/app/RemyDWD?ref=vjarmy.com)
## Posts
### Attack! Attack! Attack!
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/attack-attack-attack/
Last updated: 2026-09-08T17:41:21.000Z
*Power Pro Lucha – Attack on Trios (Night 3)*
*September 6, 2026 • Arlen Specter US Squash Center • Philadelphia, PA*
*Show #85*
At some point in life, you realize that the mass transit infrastructure of this country creates some unusual warp zones. For instance: to traverse the PATH and MTA subways to get to Coney Island is roughly the same travel time as getting to Philadelphia on the Acela.
Emboldened by the possibility of an easy day trip, the success of [a similar trip to Rahway](https://www.vjarmy.com/wrestlepro-x/), and helped by the slim pickings of shows in the NYC metro area, that Acela loop was my Sunday to check out [Power Pro Lucha](https://powerprolucha.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), a relatively new promotion that has been favorably described as "Chikara without the baggage". This was the final night of their three-day 16-team trios tournament, which gave half the card a structured arc, and had a lot of eliminated talent available for the remainder.
The sudden [passing of Andy "The Butcher" Williams](https://www.tmz.com/2026/09/06/andy-williams-dead/?ref=vjarmy.com) on Saturday night loomed large. Andy's loss hit hard in both wrestling and music circles; the [number of uplifting stories](https://www.allelitewrestling.com/post/aew-and-the-wrestling-world-mourn-the-butcher-andy-williams?ref=vjarmy.com) shared over the weekend makes it clear how universally beloved he was, which is rare in this industry. As is tradition, we opened with a ten bell salute.
The show from there was breezy and fun. The standout match was a wild eight-man tag: Mala Fama and [ChocoPro's](https://chocoprowrestling.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) BestBros on one side, the legally dubious Tetrominoes and Action Jackson on the other.
I challenge anyone to watch a Mei Suruga match and not have the best time.
We also had the in-ring return of Terra Callaway, who has [been through so much](https://www.vjarmy.com/cannonball-fest/) over the last year; a bit of silliness with Thief Ant taking on the incredible named Baron Minde; a scramble that included Thad Claybrook, "The Sultan of Squash"; Skayde and Ultimo Ant taking on the Legion of Rot; and a spot-heavy (and interference-heavy!) face off between Danjerhawk and Poisynhawk. There's a lot of lucha hawks and ants!
As for the tournament itself: happy to see a lot of new-to-me talent in the teams of Big League Chew and GummiBruger, got thrown by the spooky gimmicks of Hands of Fate that it took me until the end of their first match to realize these were familiar faces, and the eventual win for The ~~Very Good~~ Dolphin State Champs was well deserved. (And I am not at all biased because I got stickered by Julezee during his entrance.)
A great night, and one I'm already eyeing a return trip for in November. We'll see!
Hanging with the Best Bros, Baliyan Akki & Mei Suruga
### August 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/august-2026/
Last updated: 2026-09-01T20:46:11.000Z
August, am I right? But we’ve made it through, and there was a lot of living to do outside of the [previously disclosed highs and lows](https://www.vjarmy.com/portland-2026/).
Here are some things I appreciated in August:
Us.
Watching a real pro go to work.
NYC's [best lobster roll](https://www.marysfishcamp.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) returning.
Staring off into the distance.
Meeting [Murder Grandpa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoru%5FSuzuki?ref=vjarmy.com).
Continuing to grind on Chunithm for that HOT OVER POWER.
The final edition of [Rohith's version of Slow Bar](https://www.kabin.nyc/coffee?ref=vjarmy.com).
Rainbow cookies for dessert.
Katsu rediscovering her cat tree.
Packing as much activity as we can to any given weekend.
Weird signs spotted through the window of a moving bus in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
Friendiversaries (happy 11, MC!)
Getting spoiled.
Memorial signs.
Cat naps.
[New bars](https://www.barmontonyc.com/?ref=vjarmy.com).
Q&A movie screenings.
Brunch at [Pinch](https://www.pinchchinese.com/?ref=vjarmy.com).
Skies that go on forever, and little fluffy clouds.
---
When I share these monthly posts on Instagram, I am blessed with the option to pick up to 90 seconds of precariously licensed music to add some additional layer of meta-commentary. I am freed from most of these chains here, but no one wants music automatically playing when you open the page, so I've usually just stuck to a chunk of the song lyric in the post summary.
But I have fallen for [a new Charli XCX track](https://itscharlibb.substack.com/p/ss26), so you get the whole thing:
[SS26 by Charli xcx on Apple MusicSong · 2026 · Duration 2:47Apple Music - Web Player](https://music.apple.com/us/album/ss26/6774745611?i=6774745616&ref=vjarmy.com)
> Spring Summer 26
> When the world is gonna end no hope for any of it
> Yeah we’re walking on a runway that goes straight to hell
> Nothing’s gonna save us not music fashion or film
>
> Spring Summer 26
> When the world is gonna end no hope for any of it
> Yeah we’re walking on a runway that goes straight to hell
> I know
>
> Cigarettes, out them out
> Can’t believe the things I’ve done, I don’t do them now
> But I didn’t do it, even if I did
> No it’s not my fault, I wasn’t there
>
> Think my politics could work as a press strategy
> And my heritage could give me quite the USP
> Can’t hide the fact I’d rather take the easy road
> Yeah I think I’ll be alright if I look good in the clothes
>
> Spring Summer 26
> When the world is gonna end no hope for any of it
> Yeah we’re walking on a runway that goes straight to hell
> Nothing’s gonna save us not music fashion or film
>
> Spring Summer 26
> When the world is gonna end no hope for any of it
> Yeah we’re walking on a runway that goes straight to hell
> I know
>
> I was hacked
> It was taken out of context obviously
> But I didn’t do it, even if I did
> Wrote a really good notes app apology
>
> Think my politics could work as a press strategy
> And my heritage could give me quite the USP
> Can’t hide the fact I’d rather take the easy road
> Yeah I think I’ll be alright if I look good in the clothes
>
> Spring Summer 26
> When the world is gonna end no hope for any of it
> Yeah we’re walking on a runway that goes straight to hell
> Nothing’s gonna save us not music fashion or film
>
> Spring Summer 26
> When the world is gonna end no hope for any of it
> Yeah we’re walking on a runway that goes straight to hell
> I know
### Portland, 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/portland-2026/
Last updated: 2026-08-27T21:54:05.000Z
A brief moment to let the mask slip: it's been a real struggle lately.
For the last eighteen months, serious family health issues were part of our lives. These slowly became insurmountable on one side of our family, and we've spent most of the last three months trying to navigate an unfamiliar state. There are moments that life gets put on hold, with the hope that things will return to some degree of normalcy eventually.
Given all this, we had only managed [one vacation in 2026](https://www.vjarmy.com/vegas-2026/), and we were striving to fix that before the summer vanished. After pricing out practically every destination I could think of – places we've never been, familiar cities, and foreign countries – the choice ended up being slightly predictable.
As best I can count from photographic memories, this is my eighth trip to Portland, Oregon. Often for vacation, sometimes for soccer, once for business, [once](https://www.vjarmy.com/pdx-november-2023/) solo to recover from a month of extreme burnout. Through life's quirks, we had not been to the city together since March 2022.
Of all our trips, this one felt like the best trip yet, a real accomplishment given how familiar my shoes are with that PDX carpet.
The trip had two chapters. The first half was a pseudo-make-up for spending our 24th wedding anniversary apart (*see also: the aforementioned life getting put on hold*). There was some quiet joy in Katie and I floating around the city together, spending time together in a way that has been pretty limited lately.
A city takes on a different shape when you're sharing it with someone new. For the [third](https://www.vjarmy.com/london-june-2023/) [time](https://www.vjarmy.com/vegas-trip-2025/), [Stevie](https://swinku.carrd.co/?ref=vjarmy.com) joined us for the back half of the trip, completing the chaotic trinity that is Team BestWorst. (This summer marked ten years of our collective friendship, so we'll call it a double anniversary sort of trip.)
The food scene in PDX remains hard to match, especially at a moment where NYC restaurants often feel in a death spiral.
Days later, I am still undecided about the best meal of the trip: our first night dinner at [OK Omens](https://www.okomens.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) (killer albacore crudo, luscious Dungeness crab salad)? Our first group meal at [Yaowarat](https://www.yaowaratpdx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) (those chive cakes! that char siu pork!)? Or just getting completely overwhelmed with food in the [Han Oak](https://www.hanoakpdx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) backyard?
And there were stunning dishes everywhere: the miso-smothered katsu bomb of [Tokyo Sando](https://www.tokyosando.com/?ref=vjarmy.com); a perfect pupusa serving as my breakfast at [Doña Lolas](https://www.yelp.com/biz/do%C3%B1a-lolas-portland?ref=vjarmy.com); the pillow-like frites at [L'Echelle](https://www.lechellepdx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com); the creamiest cup of milk chocolate ice cream imaginable at [Cornet Custard](https://cornetpdx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com); even the perfectly balanced habanero aioli at [Southpark Seafood](https://www.vjarmy.com/july-2026/), so good I contemplated taking a jar of it home.
The drinks, too. I loudly lamented [the passing of Expatriate](https://www.vjarmy.com/by-appointment-to-no-one-person/), and quietly morned [the loss of Deadshot](https://www.instagram.com/p/DOEmmB8kocy/?ref=vjarmy.com), but the cocktail scene is far from dead.
[Pacific Standard](https://kexhotels.com/eat-drink/pacificstandard?ref=vjarmy.com) is still punching far above its weight (*those gimlets are fun, but are absolutely not "fun sized"*). [Creepy's](https://www.creepyspdx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) did a victory lap for being named the town's best bar by spiking a Long Island Iced Tea with Midori – a clown move by my favorite clown bar. We were spoiled by a friend-of-a-friend at [Multnomah Whisky Library](https://mwlpdx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), where the idea of an amaro latte being a great idea was forced in my head. We dropped into [Collector](https://www.collectorbar.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) before dinner at Han Oak and found a fun little program doing fun little cocktail things. And we didn't get enough time at [Too Soon](https://toosoonpdx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), but the program and space were both lovely and I've got it earmarked for a return visit.
I also dragged our group on short notice to an unassuming yellow house deep in SE, which hides [Bible Club](https://bibleclubpdx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) inside it. Calling it *a speakeasy* probably conjures a certain 2010s-mustached-bartenders-in-suspenders-dark-space-dealers-choice mental image. Bible Club takes the term literally: almost antique furniture and stemware, signs demanding the repeal of the 18th amendment, old time music wafting out of an ancient stereo). It was stunning and easily our best cocktail stop in a trip full of great bars. Put it on your lists.
That spontaneity became a running theme throughout the trip. I try to not overbook vacation days, because I love the ability to just throw everything on hold to chase an interesting lead. To wit:
*Why is there a concert stage across from our hotel, and who's playing tomorrow night?* A few scheduling changes and we found ourselves at the PDX Live closer of [Vince Staples](https://www.vincestaples.co/?ref=vjarmy.com), adding a name that's long been rolling around my playlists to my Setlist account. (Shout out to local talent [Wynne](https://www.sinawynne.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) for a killer opening set.)
*Why is* *TikTok showing me a video about the Log Lady from Twin Peaks?* An easy schedule adjustment and we're heading to the [World Forestry Center](https://worldforestry.org/?ref=vjarmy.com) to celebrate Log Lady Day - we just missed the lookalike judging contest, but we did get free cherry pie.
*Are those little funky donuts?* [Yes they are](https://www.lilfunkydonuts.com/?ref=vjarmy.com)! I'll get three!
*Does that store across the street have a skeleton in the window?* Why yes, it does, and the [spooky store](https://www.dancingheron.com/graveraimentstudio?ref=vjarmy.com) owner absolutely noticed us almost running across the street to check it out.
Outside of arcade hopping (so much pinball!) and scattered shopping, we pinned most of the sightseeing to Sunday: a promised trip up to Washington Park, hitting the [International Rose Test Garden](https://www.portland.gov/parks/washington-park-international-rose-test-garden?ref=vjarmy.com), the [Portland Japanese Garden](https://japanesegarden.org/?ref=vjarmy.com), and the [Oregon Zoo](https://www.oregonzoo.org/?ref=vjarmy.com) (and the aforementioned trip to the World Forestry Center).
I'm not sure there's a better cure for what ails a person than a slow walk around the Japanese Garden.
Above all, Portland has kept weird, and strange, and funny, and lovely. It is still one of our favorite places. I hope to get back there soon.
### July 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/july-2026/
Last updated: 2026-07-31T22:05:23.000Z
### Taigastyle
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/taigastyle/
Last updated: 2026-07-20T17:05:14.000Z
*Produce Volume 2: TAIGASTYLE*
*July 16th 2026 • White Eagle Hall • Jersey City, NJ*
*Show #83*
Just a few weeks [after the debut](https://www.vjarmy.com/sky-high/), Produce was back for Volume 2, this time closer to home.
There are five matches on this card I would recommend checking out, and it's notable they're almost entirely different reasons:
- **Ranna Yagami vs. Johnnie Robbie**, for strong style striking and because Johnnie Robbie absolutely has *it*;
- **Marko Stunt vs. Beastman**, for the purest big man vs little man archetype match I think I've ever seen live;
- **Effy vs. Fred Rosser**, because sometimes a well-timed blade job does raise a match to the next level;
- **Mance Warner vs. Mad Dog Connelly**, for a war involving some genuinely gruesome spots;
- **Lee Moriarty vs. Jonathan Gresham**, for finishing what they [started in January](https://www.vjarmy.com/superpower-slam/) with the best Pure Rules match I've seen.
I'll miss Volume 3 live, but looking forward to Produce returning to White Eagle Hall for the last wrestling show under current venue ownership. May they tear the house down.
### By Appointment To No One Person
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/by-appointment-to-no-one-person/
Last updated: 2026-07-10T21:53:25.000Z
In my obsessive drive to catalog my life, it has become regular practice to stack rank every bar I have ever visited.
It's a metaphorical and existential exercise. How does one compare a heightened cocktail program to the neighborhood dive? Most things equal, are you picking the tequila bar or the whiskey bar? Does me going to a nearby place dozens of times outweigh the place I tried once on vacation? What do you do when a bar held in high esteem bleeds out the team that made it hum? What's the dividing line between "bar" and "restaurant" in 2026, anyhow?
Nevertheless, [the exercise is useful](https://www.vjarmy.com/food-drink-guides/). As I write this, my top five (of 125 total!) bars, with a combined 61 visits, are:
1. [Bar Snack](https://www.barsnacknyc.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) (New York, New York)
2. [Satan's Whiskers](https://www.satanswhiskers.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) (Bethnel Green, London, England)
3. [Expatriate](http://expatriatepdx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) (Portland, Oregon)
4. [Liquid Diet](https://www.instagram.com/liquid.diet.dtlv/?ref=vjarmy.com) (Las Vegas, Nevada)
5. [Katana Kitten](https://www.katanakitten.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) (New York, New York)
All five share commonalities, even if the contours of each menu can vary. High craft, capable teams, a feeling of home, thoughtful small details. In all but one instance, a great kitchen alongside the cocktails.
Each also has its *thing -* something that sticks out and encapsulates the vibe*.* For Bar Snack, it's the disco bathroom. At Satan's Whiskers, a constant classic hip-hop playlist fills the room alongside the macabre. At Liquid Diet, it's the high-low contrast of scientific riffs on classics, scrawled on cardboard hanging above the bar. At Katana Kitten, Japanese movie posters tower on the walls.
At Expatriate, it's the writing.
---
My first photo of the menu at Expatriate is from my second visit in September 2016\. We were tucked into a larger corner table, with brand new friends just made at the communal table across the street at Beast. Beast and Expatriate were linked by Naomi Pomeroy, one of the great minds of the Pacific Northwest food scene. Expatriate was co-owned by her husband, Kyle Linden Webster, who did the drinks and (I have to assume) the menu writing.
The goldenrod yellow menu had drinks on the left, and paragraphs across the fold to the right, arrows connecting the drink to the narrative and vice versa. Usually an explanation of the drink's origin; occasionally a quote or song lyric; sometimes a misdirection not obviously related to the drink; always in all caps, in what appears to be S&S Amberosa Sans 1; always a blend of emotion and detachment.
Alongside my photos that night of the "FALSE FLAG" *("Limit 2")*, and its ingredients list ("*Control Pisco, Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum, Clement Mahina Coconut Liqueur, Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, Coco Lopez, Marasha Maraschino, Angostura Bitters*") is a photo of the paragraph for the drink.
FOR THOSE INCLINED TOWARDS RISKIER GAMES OF CHICKEN, WE PRESENT THIS DELICIOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR PERSONAL SABOTAGE. A VARIATION ON THE INVETERATE "ZOMBIE" COCKTAIL, PERFECT IF YOU'RE THE SORT WHO'D RATHER BE IN LOVE BUT NEVER SAY THE WORDS. THIS IS YOUR OWN PRAYER TO YOURSELF.
Reading it now nearly a decade later, the same connection I felt that day dances in my brain, even without having a murderous tiki drink in my hand.
Cryptic lyricism and wryly poetic humor are my love languages, and regularly seeps into my own writing. (This also makes my writing a frequent source of concern for those who choose to read every post with the frame of worry. *Dan, are you okay?* I assure you, I am.) The drinks were great, the playlist was well curated vinyl played front to back, the decor was exotic – but it was this prose, harmonizing with my own inner voice, that made Expatriate a regular stop on PDX trips.
---
On the next visit in March 2018, my photos included entire menu and not just my orders on the night:
**BODY LANGUAGE - 13 USD**
*Reyka Vodka, Lustau Fino Jarana, Apple, Commissary Orgeat, Fresh Lime, Scrappy's Grapefruit Bitters*
> OUR MOST CAREFREE, APPROACHABLE COCKTAIL. THE TOAST USED TO BE, "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BE OF GOOD CHEER, FOR THEY ARE OUT THERE, AND WE ARE IN HERE." AN ANTIQUATED IDEA OF SEPARATION IF EVER THERE WAS ONE. AND SO WE ADAPT IN HEART AND SOUL, THE NEW TOAST: "TELL EVERYONE ON THIS TRAIN I LOVE THEM."
**BLOODY MARY - 12 USD**
*Reyka Vodka (or Pueblo Vieja Tequila or Beefeater Gin), Snap E Tom, Red Boat Fish & Crystal Steak Sauce, XXX Death Sauce, Fresh Lime & Orange, Horseradish, Smoked Salt, Habanero Bitters, Celery Bitters, Indian Spice Rim*
> CREATED IN PARIS, OR PERHAPS NEW YORK CITY, THIS SUNLIGHT COCKTAIL WAS NAMED AFTER MARY OF ENGLAND, WHO MARRIED A SPANIARD AND BURNED 280 SOME ODD PROTESTANTS AT THE STAKE. THAT IS, UNLESS IT WAS NAMED FOR MARY PICKFORD, CO-FOUNDER OF THE UNITED ARTISTS STUDIO, AND PROLIFIC ACTRESS OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.
**GAZELLE - 14 USD**
*Primario Mezeal Joven, Bols Genever, Combier Fruits Rouges Liqueur, Commissary Orgeat, Pineapple, Fresh Lime, Portland Soda Works Hibiscus Cardamom Surup*
> MIAMI, BLENDERS, FERNS, QUESADILLAS, A BIG STERO, WHITE, GOLD, BRAZIL, FUN, WEDGE SALAD W/ BAY SHRIMP, COCKTAILS, ALWAYS A LIVELY SCENE, LOTS OF DANCING, JUDICIOUS SMOKE MACHINE, NEON STRAWS, PLASTIC CUPS, THE PARTY YOU ALWAYS KNEW YOU WANTED BUT COULDN'T FIND IN PORTLAND.
> (FROM NOTES ON A BAR THAT WE NEVER OPENED)...
**DAVID HOWITT - 14 USD**
*J.T.S. Brown Bonded Bourbon, Whole Egg, Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao, Averna, Commissary Cinnamon Syrup, Whole Milk, Extracto Cold Brew*
> OUR FRIEND, BUSINESS PARTNER, AND SPIRIT ANIMAL, DAVID IS NOT ONLY A TALENTED AUTHOR AND BUSINESSMAN, BUT THE CREATOR OF THE ALL IMPORTANT "DETOX/RETOX" PARADIGM FOR LIFE. TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN YOUR PERSONAL JOURNEY BY DRINKING BONDED BOURBON AND EXTRACTO COLD BREW AT THE SAME TIME.
Alter Ego
**ALTER EGO - 13 USD**
*Larceny Bourbon, Aveze, Fresh Lemon, Townshend's Kusmiri Amaro, Local Honey, Fresh Ginger Syrup, Angostura Bitters*
> LINGERING IN THE MOMENT OF IMMEDIATE INFATUATION, THIS 5TH GENERATION WHISKEY SOUR WILL INFLUENCE YOU UNDULY AND WOO YOU COMPLETELY, THOUGH WITH LITTLE RISK OF PAIN OR DISAPPOINTMENT. LIKE NOTHING YOU'VE HAD BEFORE, YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF RETURNING AGAIN,
> WHETHER FOR A WEEKEND LOST,
> OR FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAYS.
**CARAVAN - 14 USD**
*Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac, Fresh Lemon, Pear, Mirto Sardinian Myrtleberry Liqueur*
> MY POLICY HAS BEEN THAT AS SOON AS A SYSTEM OR PROCESS WORKS, IT'S OUT OF DATE. I MOVE ON TO ANOTHER IDEA.
>
> \- DAVID BOWIE
Dual Loyalty
**DUAL LOYALTY - 13 USD**
*Letherbee Gin, Becherovka, Fresh Lemon. Commissary Cranberry Sage Ambrosia, Cocchi Americano*
> IN AN ERA WHERE MIGRATION AND INCREASED EFFICIENCY IN COMMUNICATION HAVE PRODUCED NEW FORMS OF IDENTITY THAT TRANSCEND TRADITIONAL NOTIONS OF PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL SPACE, THE IDEA OF CONFLICTING LOYALTIES BECOMES MORE A BROMIDE AND LESS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN.
> CALM DOWN AND SETTLE IN.
**HOWARD HUGHES - 12 USD**
*Pueblo Viejo Blanco Tequila, Commissary Orgeat, Aperol, Fresh Lime, Combier Loire Curaçao, Mint, Nutmeg*
> IN ADDITION TO BUILDING THE LARGEST FLYING BOAT THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN, HUGHES WAS A NOTED ADMIRER OF TIKI DRINKS, A FAITHFUL AT DON THE BEACHCOMBER'S ORIGINAL LOS ANGELES LOUNGE, AND EXACTLY THE SORT OF PERSON WHO WOULD START THE DAY WITH A TEQUILA MAI TAI. ARE YOU?
---
The pandemic would slow the near-annual trips to Portland. On an escape in November of 2023, on what I would not then know to be my final visit, the menu read:
**GOLDFINCH - 16 USD**
*Banhez Mezcal, Dolin Génépy le Chamois, Becherovka, Fresh Lemon & Lime, Commissary Baked Apple & Ginger Syrups, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Angostura Bitters*
> THE DIMINULATIVE GOLDFINCH CARRIES WITH IT OUTSIZE MEANING–EXCITEMENT, LIVELINESS, AND ENTHUSIASM FOR THE WORLD SURROUNDING US. IN A WORD, JOY. TAKE THEIR ARRIVAL, LIKE THE MOMENT THIS COCKTAIL IS SET DOWN IN FRONT OF YOU, AS A REMINDER TO ENJOY YOUR LIFE.
> SAVOR WHAT YOU CAN, WILL YOU?
**VERMILION - 18 USD**
*Roku Gin, Cocchi Americano, Kronan Swedish Punsch, Amaro Montenegro, Fresh Lemon, Angostura Bitters, Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas Bitters*
> WHEN FIRST CREATED, THE MATERIAL IS ALMOST BLACK.
> AS IT IS GROUND, THE RED COLOR APPEARS.
> THE LONGER THE COMPOUND IS GROUND, THE FINER THE COLOR BECOMES. THE PAINTER CENNINO CENNINI WROTE, "IF YOU WERE TO GRIND IT EVERY DAY, EVEN FOR 20 YEARS, IT WOULD KEEP GETTING BETTER AND MORE PERFECT."
**FALLEN FRUIT - 16 USD**
*Linie Aquavit, Amaro Ciociaro, Fresh Grapefruit & Lime, Makrut Lime Leaf Maple Syrup, St. George Absinthe*
> WHEN YOU REAP THE HARVEST OF YOUR LAND, YOU SHALL NOT REAP TO THE VERY CORNERS OF THE FIELD, NOR GATHER THE GLEANINGS OF YOUR HARVEST. YOU SHALL NOT PICK YOUR VINEYARD BARE, NOR GATHER FALLEN FRUIT; YOU SHALL LEAVE THEM FOR THE POOR AND THE STRANGER. - LEVITICUS 19:9-10
**CLIPPER - 16 USD**
*Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, Lustau East India Sherry, Luxardo Maraschino, Amargo Vallet, Bittermens Transatlantic Bitters, St. George Absinthe, Accompani Coffee Liqueur*
> UNTIL THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SUEZ CANAL DECISIVELY HANDED THE FUTURE OF SEA TRANSIT TO STEAMSHIPS, CLIPPERS RULED THE ROOST AS THE FASTEST WAY TO GET TEA, OPIUM, SPICES, SILK, MAIL, OR GOLD MINERS FROM PLACE TO PLACE. THEIR SPEEDS WERE A MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST AND COMPETITION, REPORTED IN NEWSPAPERS... YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THE MOST INTACT CLIPPER THAT SURVIVES TO THIS DAY, THE "CUTTY SARK."
Is this the Avalon or the Clipper? The night is blurry.
**AVALON - 16 USD**
*Plantation Original Dark Rum, Jagermeister, Fresh Lime, Commissary Grenadine, Coconut Cream, Ricard Pastis, Angostura Bitters*
> WHEN THE SAMBA TAKES YOU, OUT OF NOWHERE
> WITH THE BACKGROUND FADING, OUT OF FOCUS
> YES THE PICTURE'S CHANGING, EVERY MOMENT
> AND YOUR DESTINATION, YOU DON'T KNOW IT
>
> \-BRYAN FERRY
Probably the Swan Song. But maybe the Fallen Fruit?
**SWAN SONG - 18 USD**
*Beefeater Gin, Strega, Carpano Dry Vermouth, Fresh Lime, Commissary Mint Syrup, Regan's No. 6 Orange Bitters*
> THOUGH COMMON BELIEF HOLDS THAT THE SWAN SONG WAS ONE OF LAMENT, SOCRATES TELLS US THAT THIS FINAL GESTURE WAS IN FACT ONE OF HAPPINESS, SINCE BEING CONSECRATED TO APOLLO, THE BIRD WAS BOUND FOR ETERNITY, READY TO GO WHERE FATE CALLED. SIMILARLY, THIS IS WHY ANY ADHERENT OF THE GOLDEN MEAN SHOULD BE OF GOOD CHEER ABOUT THEIR SOUL...
I can't be 100% sure this is the Transmission and not the Clipper, but the odds of me overcoming my banana aversion for a song named and referencing my favorite Joy Division song are sky high.
**TRANSMISSION - 16 USD**
*Rittenhouse Rye Whisky, Benedictine, Cocchi Dopo Teatro, Giffard Banane du Brésil, Bittermens Transatlantic Bitters*
> WELL I COULD CALL OUT WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH
> THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNT ARE NO LONGER ENOUGH
> NO LANGUAGE, JUST SOUND, THAT'S ALL WE NEED KNOW
> TO SYCHRONIZE LOVE TO THE BEAT OF THE SHOW
>
> \-IAN CURTIS
**FLORENTINE CODEX - 16 USD**
*Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, Bonal Apertif, Lustau Vermut Blanco, Combier Orange Liqueur, Scrappy's Black Lemon Bitters, Bittermens Elemahule Tiki Bitters*
> CENTURIES HENCE, PERHAPS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES WILL COLLECT, AS A QUAINT HOBBY, CURRENTLY SUPPRESSED RECORDS OF THE OBFUSCATION AT PLAY FROM RAFAH TO THE RIO GRANDE, A 21ST CENTURY PENTAGON PAPERS FOR AN OBVIOUS HOODWINK, A RECORD OF HOW SWIMMINGLY THINGS WERE NOT GOING. THESE DOCUMENTS WILL NOT BE AS INSPIRING AS THE HISTORY OF THE PRE-COLUMBIAN AZTECS.
Even the "Dealer's Choice" option warranted this style of framing:
**DIPLOMATIC POUCH**
Necessarily Secret Materials
A.Q
> YOU MAY IDENTIFY POLITICAL ENEMIES. OR FELLOW TRAVELERS.
This was also the only visit where I hadn't eaten first and could order food, which did not receive menu narrative treatment. But the choice, longed for on every prior visit, has since haunted my dreams:
EXPATRIATE NACHO - 19 USD fried wonton chips, thai chili cheese sauce, spicy lemongrass beef, crema, makrut lime & tomato salsa, herbs
([Liquor.com has the recipe](https://www.liquor.com/wonton-nachos-recipe-5115314?ref=vjarmy.com).)
One last artifact from that visit:
> At one of my all-time favorite PDX bars and the guy next to me hit the bartender with four questions back-to-back: 1\. What’s the deal with the bar decorations? 2\. Does being a bartender make you ambidextrous? 3\. Does the shape of the glass matter? 4\. Can you make me another gin-forward drink? Bro.
>
> — Dan "Remy" Dickinson ([@vjarmy.com](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xz76lhxj5xcz7qc6ppd5oifs?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=vjarmy.com)) [10:21 PM · Nov 2, 2023](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xz76lhxj5xcz7qc6ppd5oifs/post/3kdaso4zmur2z?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=vjarmy.com)
> Bartender answered all four in stride and then made him an Alaska, because that’s the kind of unflappable bar I like to drink at.
>
> — Dan "Remy" Dickinson ([@vjarmy.com](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xz76lhxj5xcz7qc6ppd5oifs?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=vjarmy.com)) [10:22 PM · Nov 2, 2023](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xz76lhxj5xcz7qc6ppd5oifs/post/3kdasracqxi2y?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=vjarmy.com)
---
On Saturday, July 13, 2024, [a tragic river accident](https://www.pdxmonthly.com/eat-and-drink/2024/07/remembering-portland-chef-naomi-pomeroy?ref=vjarmy.com) took Naomi's life, and nearly took Kyle's. I know neither of them personally beyond their work; my heart broke all the same.
On February 10th of this year, a [Reddit user on r/Portland reported the bar was closed](https://www.reddit.com/r/Portland/comments/1r1kb30/expatriate%5Fis%5Fclosed/?ref=vjarmy.com) with a sign on the door that [Eater would describe](https://pdx.eater.com/restaurant-news/107413/is-expatriate-bar-killingsworth-closed?ref=vjarmy.com) as "definitive, in an abstractly elegiac sort of way":
> Life is just a party, and parties weren’t meant to last.
> Our privilege, these 4,595 nights. Thank you. Love, KLW et al. exsilium non permanet.
On June 29th, while refreshing my recommendations, my eyes widened when I saw "PERMANENTLY CLOSED" under Expatriate on the list. I would catch up the now months-old news. My heart broke all the same.
As the old post intro goes: *This is the latest in the continuing series of me saying goodbye to things I love.*
---
On [the Expatriate site](http://expatriatepdx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), the verb tense has mostly changed from present to past:
*"To the best of our ability (COVID was a defining factor for a couple of years) we *were* always opem (sic) from:*
*Five o'clock in the afternoon until midnight, 8 days a week."*
*"Expatriate *was* all about balanced cocktails, flavorful snacks, and good music."*
*"We *did not* accept reservations."*
A page labeled "Dine In/Take Out" had changed to a long paragraph dated "January 2nd, 2025", though archive.org snapshots indicate this didn't appear until after the closing:
> With no conscious thought, I announcd my arrival at the arch by screaming "Thank you!" at the top of my lungs. I looked at the golden lions perched on the lower fod zure columns. They had nothing to say. And though I wasn't headed toward any kind of intentional outcome, still not having realized what was happening, I screamed the words again, with more force than the first salvo, this, in spite of having just come from the top of my lungs. I settled into the rhythm of the acknowledgment as it transformed into something vicious, helped by inertia now, and so long refined a set of human instructions that it was a flawless response, operating in the complete absence of my input or oversight. In handling this moment lightly I was revealed to be a courier, though it seemsd to came without any special distinction. I did not need to know. I would have gotten in the way. I was surprised by how easily my voice left any familiar register, entering a lesser spoken range of sounds, meant to accompany some hopeless arrival into the pain of a damaging personal betrayal, or in the reversal of a lifetime, of assurances and preparation, a spiritual vivisection, (what's anesthesia?), as if a most holy, truly uncommon love, had capsized, instantly, making then these sorts of strange sounds, but with this bizarre mantra encasing them, every repetition slipping easily into an intensifying, unreliable spiral upwards. My eyes couldn't land, nothing made sense, I was immediately mwithout the physical ability to focus my pupils or on the screaming in this ambush of rage with my neck fully exposed, head turned up towards the rafters, waving a flaming piece of wood towards the physical corners of everything around me, the carefully arranged curves, in a reflexive effort to cleanse myself and the beautiful, tireless, timeless room and everything in it, brimming with more psychic energy than any place I've ever been but the Alamo and the Abbia Di'Sant Antimo, but I wasn't thinking about those places then because I was caught off guard by my own violence, and I was angry, if that word were a road sign in to indicate and I didn't know what the point of this was, but I was just screaming, at the top of my lungs, again trying to break through to a Tbinnworld beyond this otherworldly room and I came outside into the cold air to try to calm myself. I locked the door and I'm standing under the bells, still crying for this new year. I can't see really, through my tears, and I'm disoriented a turn further to be tapping this out without pen and paper, so please forgive any errors.
---
After nearly 2,500 words, there may still be a question to be asked of my intent putting this all together, or at least in this specific way. The answer, not particularly strong:
Existence is fleeting. I accept that everything eventually fades or fall aparts or quietly vanishes. (You should, too.)
As best I can tell, the menu narratives were not retained anywhere else. There are limited few pictures of the menu to be found online. The paragraph above sits on a website that too could blink out like a dying star.
*This* website also exists, lumbering on for over a quarter century, cataloging the things I choose to remember. This is one of those things, no matter how mundane or trivial it appears. So I have made some space, in the broader chronicle of my life, to enshrine those few cherished visits to the corner of NE Killingsworth and NE 30th Ave. I was not a part of the bar's life, but it was a part of mine.
Perhaps a person a decade from now will hear about this bar and this will help them understand a little more. Maybe I'll just find the post in five years and tear up, thinking "man, that place!". Either scenario is worth enabling.
Transcribing and archiving someone else's words is not as inspiring as the history of the pre-Columbian Aztecs. But, like the False Flag, it is my own prayer to myself.
*Exsilium non permanet* – exile is not permanent.
---
On the back of the Expatriate menu, a closing that has stuck with me:
© THE ROYAL TERROR THEATRE BY APPOINTMENT TO NO ONE PERSON WE WISH YOU BLUE SKIES. PORTLAND, OREGON, THESE YET TO BE UNITED STATES
### Independents Day
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/independents-day/
Last updated: 2026-07-08T21:43:33.000Z
*GCW Bash at the Ballpark*
*July 4th • Maimonides Park • Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY*
*Show #82*
Through questionable decisions and circumstances beyond control, we spent the evening of the much ballyhooed "America 250" edition of Independence Day on Coney Island, in the final throes of a brutal heat wave, outdoors.
Why? An independent wrestling show, *of course*.
After spending an hour in the bleachers waiting for the sun to stop shining directly on our ringside seats – I love wrestling, but not enough to voluntarily suffer heat stroke – I happily discovered a rarity for my show photos: good natural lighting.
I've shot so much under challenging stage lighting; I'm used to deleting 90% after the show. My camera roll is normally a lot of blurry people flying through the air with a few good shots in between.
Not today. The iPhone camera sensor thrived in the summer sun. These pictures were *fantastic* \- one of my favorite show sets I've ever shot.
For those who'd like some non-wrestling content, reflections nearly two decades ago on the redevelopment of Coney Island:
[Last Train To AstrolandThings will never quite be the same.Dan Dickinson: The Primary Vivid WeblogDan Dickinson](https://www.vjarmy.com/last-train-to-astroland/)
### June 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/june-2026/
Last updated: 2026-07-02T15:38:50.000Z
a month of always needing a haircut;
a month of finding the joy in mundane firsts;
a month of being so unfamiliar with euphoria that the entire city bought into the possibility;
a month of fine-grained details;
a month of clever riffs;
a month of cherishing every moment together;
a month of our extended circle opening their own places and them all being incredible;
a month of getting back to old haunts;
a month of being out of season;
a month of seats you aren't mad at, and of perfect weather;
a month of incredible skill, or luck, or maybe the combination of the two?;
a month of towering displays;
a month of core memories of the East Village at 11:30 PM on a Saturday night;
a month of patient love;
a month of appreciating every block;
a month of [being there at the start](https://www.vjarmy.com/sky-high/);
0:00
/0:38
1×
a month of feeling responsible;
a month of a time to be alive.
### Sky High
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/sky-high/
Last updated: 2026-08-14T14:38:10.000Z
*Produce Vol. 1 - The Octopus*
*June 29 • Pioneer Works • Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY*
*Show #81*
A great first show from a new company. The matches were solid, with ZSJ vs. Darian Bengston an easy favorite given my love for both guys. The crowd was surprisingly energetic for a debut, though I suspect at least half the crowd had been up past midnight the night before for the AEW show. And the venue, while a little more out of the way in Red Hook for a Monday night than most people would want, really pulled everything together well.
Abel Ferrera was there too, playing music to break up the card. Just one of those Brooklyn things.
Produce already has a hefty schedule charted out - bouncing between Jersey City and Brooklyn, with a trip to Montreal and Los Angeles now in the plans as well. They've set a pretty high bar for the first show - here's to hoping they sustain it.
### May 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/may-2026/
Last updated: 2026-06-02T01:56:34.000Z
> "So some people think that time is circular. But even when you think you've been through something before, and it feels circular, the knowledge of having been there before, and the differences that come from being there before, makes each rotation similar, but different. It puts you on a different level, and a different rung on the spiral."
0:00
/0:20
1×
### AEW Double or Nothing
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/aew-double-or-nothing/
Last updated: 2026-05-26T13:27:58.000Z
*AEW presents Double or Nothing*
*May 24 • Louis Armstrong Stadium • Flushing Meadows, Queens, NY*
*Show #80*
After six years, it's the sort of mantra that's just accepted: AEW pay per views don't miss. Still somewhat burnt from Vegas and fearing the venue, I nearly passed – but the FOMO is a strong motivator for ticket purchases, and I can count this year's Double or Nothing my fifth big AEW show, after [the first Wembley All In](https://www.vjarmy.com/all-in-2023/) and three Full Gears in Newark.
The show was jam packed, to the point where it didn't feel like it tipped past five hours. Some standout matches (unsurprisingly Ospreay/Joe, equally unsurprisingly Swerve/Bandido), some peak spectacle (the opening tag title match, Stadium Stampede), and a few nice surprises (happy to see human embodiment of NYC vibes Eddie Kingston make a pre-show show; even happier to see GCW mainstay Mance Warner join him).
That all said, the fear of the venue, tinted by two prior Grand Slam trips marred with logistical pain, was justified.
A deeply disorganized security and ticket setup significantly outside the venue warranting nearly 40 minutes to make it from the subway into the venue. An open-air tennis venue – the sides are open, not the roof – is great on a warm day, but on an unseasonably cold and rainy day, had most of my section wearing coats late in the show. And leaving Flushing Meadows Corona Park after midnight is *never* pleasant, even before you add a 10,000+ crowd and 7 train disruptions. Never like to feel compelled to sprint from my seat the moment the main event ends, but here we are.
The tightness of the venue did allow for a packed, loud crowd all night – and the cramped quarters meant no entrance ramp, which made for some excellent photos to remember the night with. (Not lost on me the two I've gotten the kindest comments about came from the opening pre-show match?)
[Full AEW Double or Nothing Photoset on Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/albums/72177720333844622?ref=vjarmy.com)
### A Night At Sukeban
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-night-at-sukeban/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T14:29:10.000Z
*Sukeban World Championship Fight*
*May 19 • Hammerstein Ballroom • New York, NY*
*Show #79*
Sometimes you go to a wrestling show that [isn't entirely a wrestling show](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/12/style/sukeban-wrestling.html?ref=vjarmy.com),
and Norman Reedus is chilling about four feet away from you, for some reason, and he's *really* into everything that's happening,
and the first joshi you ever met – actually, maybe the first wrestler you ever spoke to? – is the champion,
and the crowd is losing their minds over every move,
and someone you just saw bleed all over [Death Vegas](https://www.vjarmy.com/death-in-vegas/) is here, as the only person not being repackaged under a different gimmick specific to the in-company universe Sukeban tries to present,
and when I say the crowd is losing their mind over every move, I mean *every move*, even a basic arm drag,
and Yuu may have retired in Japan, but "Crush Yuu" is still performing in Sukeban, and that makes you happy,
and there’s a surprise unannounced yo-yo performance, so when the guy behind you tries to start a "THIS IS WRESTLING" chant, you quietly appreciate it,
and Norman Reedus is taking more pictures than you are, which is kind of unnerving because *that’s your thing*,
0:00
/0:31
1×
and there’s a quick two song concert by Molly Santana,
and there are no work rate purists in the crowd,
0:00
/0:35
1×
and there’s a DJ playing loud techno throughout each match, but the match is not choreographed to it, so it's a bit like a New Jack match happening at a rave,
and the show ends after 75 minutes with little fanfare, just a giant low-speed brawl involving everyone who was on the card,
and that’s okay – not every show needs to run past midnight,
and besides, the vibes (sponsored by Nike) were immaculate.
### Retirement FC Rides Again
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/retirement-fc-rides-again/
Last updated: 2026-07-14T13:33:26.000Z
[Retirement Allocation Money, what I’d change if I was commissioner & more | MailbagHow to be skeptical of xG models, what makes a good coach, plus who benefits most from the World Cup breakTacticsFreeZone™Matthew Doyle](https://tacticsfreezone.ghost.io/retirement-allocation-money-more-what-id-change-if-i-was-commissioner-more-mailbag/?ref=vjarmy.com)
In what will almost certainly end terribly for me, I am being dragged out of [retirement](https://www.vjarmy.com/benching-myself/) to make a "special" "appearance" on Matt Doyle's next Brown Liquor Special live stream, alongside my old DCist/OWFSS running buddy (and much more accomplished journalist) Pablo Maurer, **next Thursday (the 21st) at 9PM ET**.
Perhaps thankfully, my stumbling for coherent points about soccer will be behind the paywall, so please give Matt all your money if you really want to see this - and you'll get some great weekly soccer writing on top of that.
### April 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/april-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-03T01:19:46.000Z
Thriving.
Over someone's dead body.
Mirrorball Satellite
You're the hero of the story!
Took you long enough, Jack.
Head tilt for days
Luggage sticker check, Vegas pre-flight edition
Pinky swearing
Sometimes redeyes are good, actually
Live from the Wahway Wecweation Centaww
Not sure this sign is working
Sometimes you create an improvised poster tube
Number 654
Still incapable of catching them all
Still in my highball era
The uncanny sensation of being on a train and absent-mindedly watching the world go by as you pull out of the station, only to realize it was the train **next* to yours that was moving.
Keep Clam
Regular mood
My reaction reading the headlines
### Vegas, 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/vegas-2026/
Last updated: 2026-08-27T13:29:37.000Z
I'll probably have a lot more to say about Vegas - and nine (!) shows worth of photo posts - later this week. But for now, remembering a great first vacation of the year.
### The Immortal Clusterfuck
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-im/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T17:43:24.000Z
*Game Changer Wrestling / The Immortal Clusterfuck*
*April 18 & 19 • The Horseshoe • Las Vegas, NV*
*Show #78*
The Collective ends with The Clusterfuck. Beyond some sort of opening match (this year, a death match in a cage), the multi-hour run time is almost entirely the namesake match, which is normally around 100 performers entering at random intervals.
Eliminations can be via pinfall, submission, being thrown over the top rope and both feet touching the floor, leaving the building, or death.
I promised myself to survive the Clusterfuck this year; the midnight start is a challenge for someone who's rarely up that late anymore.
This year's Clusterfuck included a dance number, three dinosaurs, thrown lemons, a few retired legends, cowboys vs cowboys, The Invisible Man, Nyquil mist, Starman (from NES Pro Wrestling), the continued torture of Parrow by twinks, a brief Slap Fight, a fight between two well known wrestling journalists, a lot of kissing...
It was fantastic, and while I didn't make it to the end, it was one of my favorite shows of the weekend.
It was finally at 2:30 AM, with an unknown number of competitors left to enter, and a redeye flight home less than 24 hours away, reality crept in. My pilgrimage to wrestling had to end. Sleep was most necessary.
I crept out of my seat, took one long last loop around the event room at the Horseshoe, and made peace with another strange week of devoting a vacation to wrestling.
[Full Immortal Clusterfuck Photoset on Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/albums/72177720333335110?ref=vjarmy.com)
# Epilogue
Leaving shows at the Horseshoe required traversing a long hall back to the main part of the casino, no matter if I was chasing to walk back down the strip to my hotel, or if I needed to take an Uber somewhere else.
While making the walk this last time, I found myself behind a couple headed the same direction. Kindred spirits calling it a night on a lot of wrestling. One half of the couple was wearing Slowpoke onesie pajamas; perhaps not the weirdest thing to see on a casino in Vegas at 2:30 in the morning.
But the hair was a giveaway: it was Kidd Bandit, who I had just seen [retire from wrestling that morning.](https://www.vjarmy.com/big-gay-brunch-11/)
And I had a brief moment of reflection: I've been lucky enough to have now seen over 1,000 wrestlers share this very strange art. They've told stories, taken risks with their bodies, made me laugh, bled out, booked their own shows, and put so much of themselves into the world.
And sometimes, it has to end. An injury, a life choice, the end of a contract, visa issues – every match could be someone's last. Every show could be the last time I see a wrestler that I appreciate. Hell, every show could be *my* last.
Like the match posters always say: *Card Is Subject To Change*.
And so as I called an car to take me back to my hotel, I watched Kidd Bandit for one final time: peeling off from the main walkway onto the casino floor, disappearing behind one slot machine, then another, and then out of sight.
I don't know if our paths will ever cross again, and the same goes for every other wrestler, fan and crew member who make these weeks so unforgettable. But I'm thankful to have had so many of these moments, even if they happen at nearly 3AM in the Horseshoe.
### Big Gay Brunch 11
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/big-gay-brunch-11/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T13:33:04.000Z
*Game Changer Wrestling / Effy's Big Gay Brunch 11*
*April 18 • The Horseshoe • Las Vegas, NV*
*Show #77*
The Saturday morning of Collective week always bring Effy's Big Gay Brunch, the very best of LGBTQIA+ talent getting the spotlight.
There was a lot happening at this show – a twink gauntlet, a gnome-heavy opener, and a great main event between two wrestlers who deserve to not be relegated off TV and regular bookings.
But the lasting moment for me was a four-way match that would be the final bow for both Allie Katch (having lost her Loser Leaves GCW match at Spring Break) and for Kidd Bandit, who stole the show last year with her classic against ZSJ, announced months ago that this would be her final show anywhere.
### Spring Break X
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/sp/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T17:35:53.000Z
*Game Changer Wrestling / Joey Janela's Spring Break X*
*April 17 • The Horseshoe • Las Vegas, NV*
*Show #76*
I'm only finally getting some of these posts up more than a month after Vegas, and after this many shows, they kind of blur together.
But I remember my third Spring Break show vividly, even before I pull the photos for this.
I remember Vengador's springboard during the opener somehow snapping a turnbuckle, forcing the back half of the match to be improvised with two ropes, and Man Like DeReiss hitting a wild 450 splash off that second rope.
I remember a solid enough trios match with the Rascalz and Price, Oliver, and Mathers - but that it was tough to follow the opening scramble.
I would remember Atticus Cogar just missing a chair bridge spot even without four perfect pictures in sequence.
I remember a very solid tag team reunion of Jurassic Express. In February, I made a point of dapping up KJ Orso for killing it all J-Cup weekend; the man is truly a generational heel, and he made this match sizzle.
I remember Emil Jay getting the biggest pop of the weekend.
I remember the absolute cinema of Sandman's retirement match against The Invisible Man: the zombies, the juggalos, inexplicable Richard Holiday and Early Morning Guy Steele, the porn star valet turn, endless referees, Invisible Stan, and Mick Foley's music hitting, where I fully lost my mind.
I won't ever forget Allie vs. Effy; years of investment in their dynamic, and being front row for *that injury* at Hammerstein meant I didn't mind whatever crimes that Cagematch has panned the match with.
I was glad to see Mancer, and SDL, and Megan, and what felt like the natural surprise partner in Nick Gage. I'm never going to be upset to hear the start of *For Whom The Bell Tolls*.
And like practically everyone: I thought Brodie Lee Jr. looked stellar, in large part because Joey gave so much. No one could ask for a better start to their career.
[Full JSSBX Set on Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/albums/72177720333335150?ref=vjarmy.com)
### The Final Bloodsport
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-final/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T01:12:33.000Z
*Game Changer Wrestling / Josh Barnett's Bloodsport XV*
*April 17 • The Horseshoe • Las Vegas, NV*
*Show #75*
Through the quirks of GCW scheduling, and the routine Mania Week travel, I somehow ended up at the final five shows under Josh Barnett's vision for Bloodsport. This one being the "final" was only announced following the main, and then quickly tweaked from GCW folks that this is the last *under Josh*; they hold the rights to keep going with it.
Neither a sport nor usually that bloody, Bloodsport has always been an oddity. It's a show with a comprehensive list of rules that are never actively enforced. And it ends up being a demilitarized zone where talent from a lot of different companies come together to work together.
That said, I've always apprecited it if for no other reason than that the lack of ropes makes the photography really easy. And there was something extra special about this one knowing that Steve Austin watched Miyu Yamashita raise some hell.
### Good Lucha Things
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/good-lucha-things/
Last updated: 2026-05-08T14:30:49.000Z
*Game Changer Wrestling / Gringo Loco's WRLD On Lucha*
*April 17 • The Horseshoe • Las Vegas, NV*
*Show #74*
An all-lucha show, presented by one of [the hardest working guys](https://www.instagram.com/i%5Fam%5Fbasegod?ref=vjarmy.com) on the indie scene, started my third day of shows.
A mixed bag - a fun scramble to open, a strong trios match with some Dragongate folks, and somehow the first time I've ever seen Thunder Rosa perform. But the main (El Desperado vs. Vipress) didn't quite hit, another trios match felt out of sync, and a promising match between Galeno Del Mal and Jack Cartwheel was cut short with an unfortunate injury.
[Full "WRLD on Lucha" Photoset on Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/albums/72177720333336252/?ref=vjarmy.com)
### TJPW Live In Vegas 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tjpw-live-in-vegas-2026/
Last updated: 2026-05-21T17:31:28.000Z
*Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling*
*April 16 • Pearl Theatre at The Palms • Las Vegas, NV*
*Show #71*
Symmetry 363 days after [my 50th show](https://www.vjarmy.com/tjpw-live-in-las-vegas/): back to the Palms, back to the Pearl Theatre, and back to the floor for another 11AM go-round with Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling.
Probably the strongest of the three TJPW-only shows I've attended: all three titles defended, plus a fantastic three-way dance with three of the company's biggest names, plus a comedic trios match, plus an extra tag for good measure. A breazy and enjoyable show.
The Mizuki mid-air photo is undoubtedly my best shot of the trip.
[Full "TJPW Live In Las Vegas 2026" Gallery on Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/albums/72177720333341526/?ref=vjarmy.com)
### Death In Vegas
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/death-in-vegas/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T21:17:20.000Z
*New Japan Pro Wrestling / El Desperado's Death Vegas Invitational*
*April 16 • The Horseshoe • Las Vegas, NV*
*Show #73*
What happened in Death Vegas stays in Death Vegas.
### The Worst Show All Week
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-worst-show-all-week/
Last updated: 2026-05-20T21:16:17.000Z
*WORLD'S WORST WRESTLING show WORLDWIDE (Federation) / WWWsWWF*
*April 16 • Beer Zombies • Las Vegas, NV*
*Show #72*
At some point in the run up to Vegas Mania, Dark Sheik – the mother brain behind Hoodslam, and haver of deep thoughts – started planning the worst show all Mania week.
"I don't know that I can do all the worst wrestlers, but I can definitely have only shit stipulations."
– Dark Sheik
Independent wrestling is a gift, and I have always been very willing to throw money at good ideas, so this became the first wrestling show I have sponsored. My wrestling instagram handle was on all the graphics, including announcement of legendary talent like the AC Unit Swamp Cooler:
Heading to Vegas, going was a no-brainer but timing became a challenge: with a "7ish" start time, this was going to run right into the must-see 8PM show I had schedule myself into a month prior.
So my time at WWWsWWF – a ring set up on the production floor of a brewery – was sadly short lived. I got to watch them shout (the microphone had gone MIA, living up to the worst production plan) the introduction to the first match: the ***Pat McAfee Memorial Two 5'5 Guys In A Forty-Five Minute Iron Man Match***.
0:00
/0:29
1×
(I would explain this joke, but it might require a 500-word dissertation on kayfabe, current-day WWE politics, and the inevitable tension around "sports entertainment". Take my word, this joke is a killer. RIP Pat.)
I enjoyed the ten minutes - and one fall - I got of said ironman match between Kid Isaac and Sturdy Sal before I had to jump into a car to get to Death Vegas.
(I look forward to the inevitable DVD release to get to see the whole thing.)
### Starting with Whatever
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/starting-with-whatever/
Last updated: 2026-04-29T16:42:44.000Z
[*Pandemonium Pro's "Whatever, Forever"*](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=445307&ref=vjarmy.com)
*April 15 • Bizarre Bar • Las Vegas, NV*
*Show #70*
Show notes:
- I had opted for Pandemonium Pro as my first show off the strength of their card last year, and a lot of wild talent announcements that came early in the run up to April. A lot of names that I hadn't seen live before, and while the talent I had wanted to see got swapped out, *other* talent I wanted to see got swapped in. Kind of an embarrassment of riches.
- The setup at Bizarre Bar was the "loosest" of the week, and I say this having attended a show set up in the back of a brewery. No assigned seating, really terrible entrance line management, front row two feet from the ring, ring under a foot off the floor...it was a lot!
- Relatedly, this was the show I felt the most in danger for in a week with two full blown death matches. I watched a photographer right in front of me get his lens kicked on a spot, he tried valiantly for a minute to get it working again, and then had to retreat backstage for further repairs.
- I appreciated the East Coast/West Coast trios rivalry as one of the few East Coast people in the audience. J Boujii drew some solid heat off a very West Coast crowd.
- Other matches I remember fondly (without watching it back): Johnnie Robbie vs Natsupoi, Amira vs. Janai Kai vs. Saya Iida.
- The whole show is [freely available on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TTWWhOKX-M&ref=vjarmy.com), which is nice.
- I hung around after to meet [Alexis Lee](https://www.instagram.com/alexis%5Ffriggin%5Flee/?ref=vjarmy.com), who has built a nice quiet following online from working the Asian circuit. She is truly America's Favorite Skelly™.
- Thanks to Discord buddy AlwaysBeClothing for snagging my picture with Skelly, as well getting me high fiving Saya during her entrance.
[Full "Whatever, Forever" Gallery on Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/albums/72177720333334905/?ref=vjarmy.com)
### WrestlePro X
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/wrestlepro-x/
Last updated: 2026-04-07T16:26:45.000Z
*WrestlePro X Tenth Anniversary Show*
*April 4 • Rahway Recreation Center • Rahway, NJ*
*Show #69*
Nearing 20 years into the New Jersey residency of my adulthood, it's not lost on me how little of the state I've actually seen. Outside of the occasional trip up and down I-95, Blame it on the charms of NYC or the freedom of not owning a car.
It will not be surprising then that wrestling has been the gateway to getting out around the state over the last few years. Both of my trips to American Dream has not been for shopping but for the joy of a mall show. I learned there's a Rutherford, and not just an East Rutherford. I've found myself in [a high school gym in New Providence](https://www.vjarmy.com/cannonball-fest/). Atlantic City, Asbury Park, and Ridgefield Park are all in my potential future plans.
Rahway would be the spot to close out my triple show week, letting me trade the [vast space of the World's Most Famous Arena](https://www.vjarmy.com/doubling-up-at-the-garden/) for the Rahway Recreation Center, a modest house of independent wrestling history. New Japan, Ring of Honor, and Chikara have all run here over the years; lately, it's the regular home to WrestlePro, a modest little indie that's been grinding away for 10 years and creating a handful of stars that have gone on to bigger promotions.
The card was pretty stacked card to celebrate the decade anniversary – a half-dozen well known AEW stars, an Attitude Era WWE mid-carder tagging with his son, and a slew of indie journeymen at various career phases. Families huddled in the bleachers as plenty of kids ran around and shouted at the heels, only to be out-voiced by *That One Fan Who Can't Ever Stop Chanting*.
With this show in the rear view, the planned return to Las Vegas for what is clearly a very overbooked scheduled of shows looms. More on that later this week.
### Doubling Up at The Garden
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/doubling-up-at-the-garden/
Last updated: 2026-04-01T14:29:24.000Z
*Monday Night Raw + NXT*
*March 29 & 30 • Madison Square Garden • New York, NY*
*Shows #67 & #68*
It's a weird caveat to start with, but I have to declare I am not particularly enthused with anything "the Fed" has been putting together lately. Between their awful politics, the hyper-inflated business practices, and the lukewarm creative, it's not on my mental list as worth putting on as background noise.
So given all that, how'd I end up at back-to-back shows? Sometimes it's just about hanging out with the friend who has Mondays and Tuesdays off over worrying about *which* show you're going to. Unending thanks to Erin for being up for a double show week – we didn't make it to one show together in 2025, but we've managed three so far in 2026, and it's been wonderful.
### March 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/march-2026/
Last updated: 2026-04-01T13:19:05.000Z
Biscuits with a bow
Sus bros
Very normal commutes
Mid-crosswalk selfies
Grand Central catch-ups
Returning home
A sequel to my beloved "Sandwich" sign
Ducking around
Facetime concerts
Nothing still really matters
A guide to your local saints
The sign of a successful match
This house is not a home (it's a dream)
Very fffff'd commutes
The venn diagrams of my life
Dog day afternoons
Patience
Lego project assistants
Making my own magic
### February 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/february-2026/
Last updated: 2026-03-01T16:12:20.000Z
February: a lot of meals and drinks with friends both old and news; a lot of walking once NYC finally defrosted; a lot of time at shows; a lot of wishing certain things were different; a lot of living my truth.
### MSCHF's "20,000 Variations On a Paper Plane in Flight"
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/mschfs-20-000-variations-on-a-paper-plane-in-flight/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T22:19:49.000Z
> "*20,000 Variations On A Paper Plane In Flight* by MSCHF taps into the childhood nostalgia of toy kits, folding simple planes, and launching them from porches and playgrounds. Notably, the earliest paper planes are believed to have been designed by Chinese engineers 2,000 years ago, usıng a combination of bamboo and paper along with techniques for kite construction. The modern paper darts, as we know them today, only began to appear in American children's books around 1864.
> In a tribute to the Lunar New Year, the gliders of 20,000 Variations are designed to resemble hongbao, traditional Chinese red envelopes stuffed with money and given as gifts during special occasions. A befitting aesthetic, as viewers witness these cascading vessels of currency in the former Citizens Savings Bank, a 1924 historic landmark built in NYC's Chinatown.
> The performance consists of a seemingly infinite number of paper planes, whirling and diving as their trajectories explore the boundaries of a seven-floor atrium gallery. Imaginary contrails trace downwards from above, as the planes flutter down from the gallery's oculus, pausing briefly in front of the four one-word murals (Safety, Success, Thrift, and Wisdom), finally coming to a rest at ground level. The airborne choreography is set to Thousand Ripples, a soundscape by composer and pianist Yeonjoon Yoon. Performed on two Steinway pianos as a duet with himself, Yoon combines the live performance and autonomous playback with continuous replay and delay, resulting in an ever-evolving composition.
> The session is completed when guests pick up a plane (or two) and carefully unfold it to reveal a single-word invocation, drawn from 5,000 of the most commonly used nouns in the English language. By the fact of their ubiquity, this set of words en masse forms a loose reflection of the world.
> The red fleet of swirling energy that shapes *20,000 Variations* reminds viewers that joy is all around us, as we wish each other prosperity in the year ahead."
*(The above quoted show description, located on a wall near the entrance, is attributed to Karen Wong.)*
---
I've admired [MSCHF](https://mschf.com/?ref=vjarmy.com)'s spirit of weird boundary pushing for a while, so when a fairly traditional art performance invite came through their mailing list, I wondered if there was some sort of gimmick or catch.
Nope: just 42 minutes of pianos echoing off the old walls of 58 Bowery (now reborn as [The Wang Contemporary](https://thewangcontemporary.org/?ref=vjarmy.com); this was [its opening event](https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/celebrity-designer-alexander-wang-is-launching-an-asian-arts-hub-inside-this-chinatown-landmark-today-022026?ref=vjarmy.com)), with the last five minutes seeing hundreds of paper planes floating down from the rotunda. Most landed on the floor, some on top of the molding, and at least one in the large metal grids decorating the walls.
As there were only 18 scheduled performances (3 days ✕ 6 flights), the part of my brain that insists I memorialize life moments flared up. Events like these are fleeting; will I still remember the way I felt in a week, a month, a year? For the friends who couldn't make it, how could I describe this?
For lack of a better way, here's five minutes of video, equal parts quiet reflection and beautiful chaos:
---
I did grab four of the planes that had landed close to me (some people did stick to one, others were leaving the premises with double-digit stacks). The words, hidden under multiple folds, are labeled as an "**INVOCATION FOR THE FUTURE**":
**EARTHQUAKE.**
**LEAVES.**
**SAND**.
**SYMPOSIUM.**
---
As I (finally) fully unfolded the planes tonight to put this post together, I found another two paragraphs also tucked away, opposite the invocation:
"Yearly cycles create moments of anticipation that bring groups together. There's a kind of circadian rhythm to these gatherings, a heartbeat of the crowd-organism. The installation creates a version of this, a recurring happening that produces a natural cadence to the crowd dynamics within the space. We gather periodically; we look up in unison. Groups of people wax and wane throughout the year like phases of the moon or the selenic tides. The planes are oracular, requiring work to decipher. They are cryptic notes that descend from heaven, each unique, to be picked up by some fated visitor. They mean everything and nothing. Searching through the falling planes for a word that calls to you does not change your fate; in choosing, you tell the universe who you are."
May I continue to choose, and tell the universe who I am.
### New Sleep No More Book
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/new-sleep-no-more-book/
Last updated: 2026-02-18T14:34:57.000Z
[The Psychgeist of Pop Culture - Sleep No More](https://playstorypress.org/books/the-psychgeist-of-pop-culture-sleep-no-more/?ref=vjarmy.com)
> Punchdrunk’s *Sleep No More* is an immersive reimagining of Macbeth through Hitchcock’s lens set inside the 1930s-era McKittrick Hotel. Guests are invited to discover their own paths as they wear masks and roam freely through intricately designed rooms across multiple floors, piecing together the story through wordless choreography, cinematic set and sound design, and voyeuristic encounters. This volume explores various psychological underpinnings of the aesthetics, fandoms, and experience of *Sleep No More*.
Quick recommendation for this new book edited by Betsy Sullivan and Rachel Kowert about a theatre production and company that [I've written about plenty](https://www.vjarmy.com/tag/punchdrunk/).
Special thanks to my dear friend [Kathryn Yu](https://kathrynyu.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) for weaving [this blog's alleged importance](https://www.vjarmy.com/all-things-pass-only-vision-persists/) throughout her chapter:
([Free PDF version](https://doi.org/10.17613/pdj7a-nya52?ref=vjarmy.com) available for download.)
### Eternal Sunshine Of A Spotless Blog
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/eternal-sunshine-of-a-spotless-blog/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:30:47.000Z
Hi, old friends and internet strangers. Me again.
Yes, this is another in the long-running "***this*** time will be ***the*** time I successfully relaunch my blog!" series of posts, which I have written consistently every few years over the last quarter-decade.
This is my fourth CMS migration since [its creation on February 27, 2000](https://www.vjarmy.com/welcome-to-more-faster-2/) \- homegrown PHP "RemyNews" thing to Drupal (2002) to Movable Type (2003) to WordPress (2014), and now to [Ghost](https://ghost.io/?ref=vjarmy.com). (We're ignoring the pre-blog era of this site; counting that, I am past 30 years with a personal website, which is *terrifying*.)
Did the site *need* a CMS change? Not really. But I'm approaching five years in my post-tech career pivot, and I was spending more time patching my blog than writing on it, and the tech stuff is getting less fun every day.
### More and Faster (redux)
The motivation is relaunching the blog is usually "boy, these social media platforms are terrible for my content!" but eventually is sunk by "boy, I really am struggling to write anything". That may still end up being the case this go-round; when the day job is now communication, writing as a creative release is a tough ask.
But I have realized a lot of my creative energy has gradually shifted into Instagram. I still love photography to track what happened in my life. Monthly posts on [my main account](https://instagram.com/remydwd?ref=vjarmy.com), and (since 2025) show posts on [my wrestling hobby alt](https://instagram.com/ringside.remy?ref=vjarmy.com) are my chance to reflect, to write some cryptic captions, to share what's going on. Even when the blog writing slowed way down, I have photo-blogged through it all.
And I'm deeply uneasy with the idea of those memories being locked to a platform that remains so deeply hostile to not just the web (try watching IG content without logging in) but simply getting content to the people who want to see it (the algorithm remains fickle).
That's fixable.
I've rebuilt a lot of Instagram content as part of this migration: [my recent monthly photo posts](https://www.vjarmy.com/tag/monthly-recaps/), [most of my recent travel](https://www.vjarmy.com/tag/travel/), and even [some of my wrestling shows](https://www.vjarmy.com/tag/wrestling/). (In an effort to launch this thing, I will continue filling in the gaps in my blog memory with content I've already posted elsewhere post-go live.)
### Less Is More
But even with that new content smell, the Ghost version of The Primary Vivid Weblog is entering the world with just short of 250 posts. At its peak, I had nearly 1,500 in the WordPress site. This is not a technical limitation but a personal call.
The vast majority of my blog posts were from the first five years - split between finishing college and early life post-graduation. I hit my 1,000th post in July 2005\. Counting backwards the same length of time from today yielded just 19 posts.
Also, those pre-2006 archives were a mess:
- Nearly every post had broken links, after decades of the internet falling apart.
- At some point my Markdown formatting didn't import properly, and many posts didn't look right.
- There was a shocking amount of esoteric technical opinions and tutorials – PSP file structures, browser JavaScript benchmarks, explanations of setting up software I haven't touched in decades. Some of it carries sentimental value ([the first Quicksilver tutorial](https://www.vjarmy.com/quicksilver-a-better-os-x-in-just-10-minutes/)), some of it might have some historical value ([very rapid notes from the WWDC](https://www.vjarmy.com/notes-on-the-2005-wwdc-keynote/) where Apple switched to Intel processors), but most of it is worthless.
- There is also an excessive amount of political commentary and rants that are not worth holding onto. My leftist politics haven't changed, but I don't need to revisit the daily mistakes of Iraq War through my archives.
It's a hard thing to say as someone who's been keeping a website going this long to supplement his memory: **not all memories are worth keeping**.
The migration originally imported everything, but 1000+ deletions was a lot on top of fixing the formatting and readability for the posts that survived. So that got flipped: I have instead read each post and **hand-migrated the ones that felt important**.
Those first five years were rapid daily life blogging, because there wasn't really any other way at scale to stay in touch with people. Web 2.0 social media killed the benefit of doing it in isolation, but it didn't end the need for a way to document the poignant moments of my life and the images from it.
So: here we go again. Hope you'll follow along once more.
### Matt Doyle Released By MLS
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/matt-doyle-released-by-mls/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:30:56.000Z
[An end to my days at MLS, and my plan for what’s nextInto the great wide open…TacticsFreeZone™Matthew Doyle](https://tacticsfreezone.ghost.io/an-end-to-my-days-at-mls-and-my-plan-for-whats-next/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Heartbroken for Matt – he was one of the most collaborative people in MLS Digital while I was covering it, and has remained an incredible friend in the decade after I left it.
His termination is a clown-shoes decision from a league that is enshittifying itself at a breathtaking rate. Really looking forward to what he'll do with the leash off.
The spice bags are always on me, Matt.
### JCW Jersey J-Cup 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/jersey-j-cup-2026/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:30:22.000Z
*February 6 & 7 • White Eagle Hall • Jersey City, NJ*
*Shows #65 and 66*
2023's revived [Jersey J-Cup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey%5FJ-Cup?ref=vjarmy.com) was my semi-accidental introduction to indie pro wrestling. It's now a cornerstone of my annual show plans, helped in equal parts by being in walking distance from my place and also being the best indie tournament in the US.
### JCW SuperPower Slam
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/superpower-slam/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:31:08.000Z
*February 1, 2026 • Melrose Ballroom • Queens, NY*
*Show #64*
A great time for [a great cause](https://www.littleoakscenter.org/?ref=vjarmy.com). From the five-star energy of Jetspeed vs Janelasus, to the technique of Moriarty vs Gresham, to the chaotic fun of Hauser vs Connolly, a show with something for everyone.
### January 2026
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/january-2026-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:31:19.000Z
Starting the year as best one can
Santacon jokes go here
Life lessons
Upper East Side “amenities”
No Jericho, no problem
Holy cannoli
Sitting outside the Lego store on a Tito’s box at 8:25 AM
Santy Claws
I-poots & K-stew
Dim sum, but make it cute as hell
Wearing a Suit to Paul’s Da Burger Joint
"El spice bag"
Normal service on the 1 train
Snowy scenes in a Chinese restaurant.
Developing a taste for Molly
Sorry, Mom.
No lonely nuggets
What if we kissed under the large structure made of lobster traps?
🤘
### John Paul Brammer: "Imagine a cheeseburger."
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/imagine-a-cheeseburger/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:31:30.000Z
[God. Cheese. Burger.An exercise in ecstatic American theologyJohn Paul BrammerJohn Paul Brammer](https://johnpaulbrammer.substack.com/p/god-cheese-burger)
> "The O-M-Cheeseburger in which we live is a halved cheeseburger. Both sides lie face-down on a skillet of melted cheese. We learned at an early age that there was already cheese in the cheeseburger before it was dipped in cheese. A cheeseburger without cheese is a burger. A burger with cheese is a cheeseburger. A cheeseburger with cheese is something more. It approaches God."
>
> Advertisements for the O-M-Cheeseburger air during televised American football games. The O-M-Cheeseburger selected this vector to ensure knowledge of itself across the broadest possible spectrum of its chosen people. The American football arena is one of the few remaining sites where we can smelt down the *Pluribus* and hammer out an *Unum.* Nearly all other sites capable of this have moved online and don’t offer the service anymore. You no doubt have memories.
>
> Be rid of them.
### Games of 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/games-of-2025/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T03:07:39.000Z
2025 was a pretty awful year in the life sense, but an oddly great year for games - and I've got another list to share.
"Oddly great" feels apt when the industry is imploding daily. Studios are dying. Hardware is more expensive than ever. Executives acting like AI slop being everywhere should just be accepted as a rational evolution of the industry.
But there’s still joy to be found in the margins. Plenty of small games and passion projects left a mark on me this year.
**Honorable mentions:** Cauldron, Dispatch, Expedition 33, the Simpsons mini-season of Fortnite, Idle Inc., Hades 2, Lumines Arise, REMATCH, Tokyo Xtreme Racer.
*List in alphabetical order because they’re all good games worth your time.*
I’ve always had a love of full-motion video in gaming, and the words “weird FMV game” have perhaps never applied more than they do to [**Blippo+**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3323850/Blippo/?ref=vjarmy.com). You can have that weird sense of discovery as you flip through a list of unfamiliar and slightly foreign TV channels any time! No surprise at all it’s from Panic, a think tank of gaming weirdos previously disguised as a Mac shareware company.
“Extraction shooter” always felt like code for “It’s a shooter, but we added a bunch of Souls-like nonsense to make you hate it”. But [**Escape from Duckov**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3167020/Escape%5FFrom%5FDuckov/?ref=vjarmy.com) ticked a lot of boxes – a constant sense of progression, no online PvP to spare me from people who live in the game, and combat easy enough to handle but just sweaty enough to make it fights feel like they have stakes. Price point is great too.
I've long appreciated the Animal Crossing series but often wished there was more focus on quality of life and not torturing the player. ([YOU CAN STACK FRUIT?!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D%5FTDa3FCPmM&ref=vjarmy.com)) Someone answered my plea, and weirdly, it was...Sanrio? [**Hello Kitty Island Adventure**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2495100/Hello%5FKitty%5FIsland%5FAdventure/?ref=vjarmy.com) is the best Animal Crossing game I've ever played.
[**The Hundred Line –Last Defense Academy–**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3014080/The%5FHundred%5FLine%5FLast%5FDefense%5FAcademy/?ref=vjarmy.com) takes an insane conceit – “what if you lived underground but then were transported to a school in an abandoned wasteland constantly attacked by monsters and if you fail to defend it for 100 days humanity ends oh and death isn’t usually permanent anyhow good luck” – and manages to make it about 100x more insane as you work through the plot.
And then (spoilers, I guess?) you finish the game and you travel back in time and now there’s 100 *different branching ways to see the story through.* I finished the first run in 2025; we’ll see if I have the endurance to find my way through all 100 endings in 2026\. (I actually don’t love the combat!)
Kaizen Game Works was responsible for Paradise Killer, one of [my favorites from 2020](https://www.vjarmy.com/games-of-2020-paradise-killer/). Their follow-up, [**Promise Mascot Agency**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2585830/Promise%5FMascot%5FAgency/?ref=vjarmy.com), is not what I expected but exactly what I needed. The best card-battle Burnout-Paradise-adjacent business-management-sim cursed-fetch-quest deviant Yakuza-like you'll probably ever play.
[**Q-Up**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3730790/QUP/?ref=vjarmy.com) is...well...you kind of flip a coin, it comes up heads, it comes up tails...it's different every time.
No game had more to say about the state of gaming, of what it even means to play a game anymore, and of the world around those games. Added bonus: [soundtrack of the year](https://kariomart.bandcamp.com/album/q-up-ost?ref=vjarmy.com).
The vibes are immaculate in [**Skate Story**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1263240/Skate%5FStory/?ref=vjarmy.com), a thinky little skateboard game from Devolver where you're just trying to eat the moon, no big deal. A killer soundtrack by Blood Cultures got them into heavy rotation in my Apple Music library just from the demo version.
You've chased perfection for as long as you can remember, but the burnout overwhelms you. A strange man tells you it's okay and perhaps you'd like to make some tea. People come and go.
[**Wanderstop**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1299460/Wanderstop/?ref=vjarmy.com) is beautiful, cozy, reflective and I'm not sure I can bring myself to play it for any length of time because I worry I'm going to break down crying when I do. I'm sure I will get back to Alta and Boro soon, but...again, 2025 was a lot.
Burnout Paradise finally has an heir; for better or for worse, I think it had the baby with [Codemaster's Fuel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel%5F%28video%5Fgame%29?ref=vjarmy.com). But I loved both of those games, so [**Wreckreation**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1594040/Wreckreation/?ref=vjarmy.com) is my ideal open world racing thing. I just hope it finds a player base and survives with the recent dire studio news.
### December 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/december-2025-in-20-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:32:04.000Z
Computer Service
Banshee
No Other Choice
One Place, One Dream
Looking Down From The 63rd Floor
There are \_6 dumplings\_ SAMANTHA omg
Strangest Thing
\[ominous pepe silva noises\]
Simply having a wonderful Katsu time
Hoping I am half as cool as Dolo when I grow up
High falutin’
Holidays are better at home
A nice, nice, nice hockey game
A tree grows in Rockefeller Center
Spoiler free zone
Guinness nog is legit
Pichu snuggles
Poinsettia area
Is the cage protecting him or me?
### 2025 In Photos
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/2025-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:31:53.000Z
If there’s a reason I am still standing after this awful year, it’s all the incredible people who have been a part of these dark days. Love you all - here’s to better things for us all in 2026.
### November 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/november-2025-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:32:29.000Z
And STILL...
Turf Club
Lover Boy
Sundaes after Sunday brunches
But it’s Christmas Now
The Chocolate Taconite
Mister Paradise
Wow!
All Justice was served
The Soaking of The Andy
Snuggle Buddy
A new home away from home
I'm not a real doctor but I am a real wine
Three shows in one week
Deez nuts are nicely priced
This child is incredibly famous
And if we just keep on talking, then we'll still make it home
**waves hands like he's badly juggling*
With Love
### AEW Full Gear 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/aew-full-gear-2025/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T16:26:16.000Z
*November 22, 2025 • Prudential Center • Newark, NJ*
*Show #62*
Full Gear returned to Newark, and I was lucky enough to occupy the corner of the ramp for the night.
Notable circumstances: This is my third major show in that particularly desirable seat inside of one year, following [ROH Final Battle](https://www.vjarmy.com/roh-final-battle-2024/) and NXT Roadblock. My third time attending Full Gear in Newark. And the second time it was a double-show day, where GCW ran American Dream just a little further up I-95 that afternoon.
Thanks always to the talent who go to such lengths to entertain the crowd. The literal blood, sweat, and tears you put into this will never go unappreciated.
### Los Angeles, November 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/los-angeles-november-2025/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:32:42.000Z
Sometimes you make vacation plans. Sometimes they change dramatically a month before the trip. Sometimes life is so chaotic that you arrive on the other coast with just the fragments of a plan.
And sometimes it all works out - greatly helped by having some of the best friends I could ever ask for.
### October 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/october-2025-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:32:57.000Z
Baby's first Malort
Coffee cutie mornings
Tired Uber evenings
Questionable flavor combinations
I have forgotten all surgery
Historic Elegance Meets Contemporary Design
I don't know what this fry shape is called, but I love it?
Bliss in the abyss
Looking up more
Looking down more
All systems are lying
My standard Wisp order
Handshake agreement
I wish I didn't waste your time
East-West Express
I like my friends like I like my coffee, unhinged & aesthetic
One last gramigna
I see sinners in a church, I see sinners in a church
Hell yea, hell yea, hell yea
### ACW 52W Hardway
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/acw-52w-hardway/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T16:35:40.000Z
*October 10, 2025 • 52 Walker • Tribeca, NYC, NY*
*Show #59*
Was it a wrestling show? Yes.
Was it an art show? Also yes.
Was it a hardcore show where a mosh pit opened up in a Tribeca studio? Also also yes.
52W Hardway wasn’t a long time, but it was a culture clashing good time.
0:00
/0:15
1×
### September 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/september-2025-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:33:10.000Z
Goofing off on Friday
Waiting on Saturday
Charity on Sunday
Sleep with one eye open
Right where it belongs
First toast at the new local
Sofa rockers
One credit c
Saturday night’s alright (for sushi)
Orienteering with napalm death
Comedy wrestling is professional wrestling
IYKYK
Life's happening at the Death-O-Rama
I see you've played knifey-spoony before!
Points off for this being a photo in September
Wild card
Good door
Silly gooses
Sillier gooses
### Cannonball Fest
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/cannonball-fest/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T16:46:23.000Z
*September 14, 2025 • New Providence High School • New Providence, NJ*
*Show #58*
Speedball said it perfectly: “I f’ing love pro wrestling. Not just for the art form, but for the community.”
The show was a testament to that community, coming together to help Jeff Cannonball and his family following his ALS diagnosis. No tribalism, no company wars, just the loudly beating heart of independent pro wrestling. (Somehow my first show in an overheating high school gym, just to make it a little more on the nose.)
Thanks so damn much to everyone involved in a show I won’t soon forget.
[Full gallery on Flickr.](https://flickr.com/photos/remydwd/albums/72177720329043632/?ref=vjarmy.com)
### August 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/august-2025-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:04:40.000Z
I think taylor swift wrote a bridge about this
"Winners don't use Low Bones" -The FBI
Peach melbaaaaaaa
Inevitably at every brunch with MC
Summer of popups
You have TWO MINUTES to get SIX POINTS
I will never get tired of taking this selfie
I think Ted Leo wrote a song about this
Happy catty, chinatown
Happy catty, Jersey City
Cho chabudai gaeshi
Home cooked breakfast
Matchy matchy
If I had a nickel every time I saw Aubrey Plaza do a Q&A at Alamo Brooklyn, I’d have fifteen cents
They were closed, the neon lied
Hello, tuna heads
A bicycle built for two
Good luck, babies!
### Maine, August 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/maine-august-2025/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:33:23.000Z
Six days in Maine.
### DPW Beast Coast
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/dpw-beast-coast/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T22:32:22.000Z
*August 10, 2025 • White Eagle Hall • Jersey City, NJ*
*Show #57*
At the time of the show, this just felt like another spectacular showcase from the Deadlock boys. Hyan vs. Yuu, while Yuu was on her retirement tour? The immortal feud of Mei Suruga vs. Emi Sakura having a chapter in my backyard? Mad Dog Connolly vs. Dom Guarini in a dog collar match? A riveting Miracle Generation tag title match? The show just kept delivering.
But like with most of these show posts, I'm actually writing this months after the show, and this ends up almost certainly being my last DPW show, as the boys have called it quits for various reasons.
Nothing great lasts forever in independent wrestling, so I'm glad to have gotten two chances to GET IN.
### Josh Barnett's Bloodsport XIV
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/josh-barnetts-bloodspoort-xiv/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T22:40:52.000Z
*August 2, 2025 • Williams Center • Rutherford, NJ*
*Show #56*
Another solid Bloodsport show, the first I've attended where Josh Barnett did not himself compete. Really enjoyed Gresham/Dunne.
### July 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/july-2025-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:04:49.000Z
Hello hello
Goodbye goodbye
Soup of the day
Bathroom ambience
Sorry, I will not be taking any questions about the Bub Club
Award-winning punkrocker (yes he is)
Smithereens takes the title for NYC’s best lobster roll
Don’t order the miso chipotle baby
This is where you can find my content in any independent record store
Blanket monster
McDonald’s electronic tetris nugget
Aw, the broken glass really tied the bar together
Table 4
Tacos and tortas
Deliver me from a future with advertising that quotes ChatGPT
Snowballs in July
My office for the last fifteen years has been one block east of 345 park ave; i walk by it most mornings (this photo is from the morning after). I was home well in time before what happened there but let’s just say this week has been A LOT.
Not today, satan.
Not today.
### June 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/july-2025-in-photos-2/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:04:57.000Z
“The mom pour”
Authentic!
The best people
The best cow
Homesick for N.Y.C.
Blue skies, pouring rain
Aesthetic!
Liberty and justice have been 86’d
OBER
EATS
The cool ranch train
Brighten your day
Ideal Saturdays
Never forgotten
Subway lines
Chicken dinner
Gachapon life
Forever over it
You know what, I think I’m good, thanks.
### Molly White: "It matters. I care."
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/molly-white-it-matters-i-care/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:42:32.000Z
[It matters. I care.When we throw up our hands and say none of it matters, we’re doing the fascists’ work for them. They don’t need to hide their corruption if they can convince us it’s pointless to look. They don’t need to silence truth-tellers if we’ve already decided truth is meaningless.Citation NeededMolly White](https://www.citationneeded.news/it-matters-i-care/?ref=vjarmy.com)
> And these aren’t just a few social media responses, they’re expressions of a much broader resignation I’m seeing on- and offline: That caring is somehow naive. That documenting the truth is pointless. That hope is for fools.
>
> Let me be clear: **It fucking matters.** Truth matters. Documentation matters. Fighting corruption matters. That accountability seems out of reach right now doesn’t change that. When we internalize the belief that nothing can change, we stop demanding change. When we accept corruption as normal, we stop fighting it. When we dismiss documentation of wrongdoing as pointless, we give wrongdoers exactly what they want: permission to continue unchecked and with no record of their actions.
>
> I understand the despair in these kinds of responses. We’ve all watched impeachments fail, courts falter, institutions buckle, and politicians repeatedly trade away democracy for their next campaign check. But giving up on the very idea that truth and morality matter is not just cynicism, it’s surrender.
### May 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/may-2025-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:05:08.000Z
Perfect head tilt
Annual Carnegie selfie
Access required
Toxic spider art
Back to one & two
Twice baked rye bread
PDP-10
My favorite kind of cordial
Last of the Smitherbeans
Glorious to view
Multiplex
Eight by five
Why don’t you go noodle
Quiet breakfasts
College rankings, 2025 edition
Some nights are for both
A dance to recover the time
Better communications through label making
How it’s supposed to feel
### May 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/may-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:00:49.000Z
May only want to remember the good parts of this month.
### London, May 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/london-may-2025/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:33:36.000Z
The photographic memories of a week in London (and a bit beyond).
### April 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/april-2025/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:53:25.000Z
The softest start
Sometimes a man caught in barbed wire DMs you for the original photo
We brought a baby! To a bar!
Aw \*\*\*\*, here comes Pac-man
This is just a sly way of saying "we **will* dump a body in the woods", right?
The rare sister selfie
My heart has been blessed
Only one of these stickers didn't survive Vegas
Liquid diet
Subway diet
My Ober Eats driver seems confused
You better come back
Last will and testament at Barcade JC
This is the ideal cheese shop. You may not recognize it, but this is peak dairy performance.
Ten years of The Up & Up
And up
I, too, am a party machine
The key to a good menu flip
It's time, it's time
### Vegas, 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/vegas-trip-2025/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:33:54.000Z
My heart is full after four days in Sin City with the two best travel companions I could ask for.
### GCW vs. TJPW vs. DDT
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/gcw-vs-tjpw-vs-ddt/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T20:15:01.000Z
*April 19, 2025 • The Pearl Theatre • Las Vegas, NV*
[*Show #53*](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=416735&page=2&ref=vjarmy.com)
Sixth and final show of my Collective trip. My eternal thanks to the stars and the crew who put their blood, sweat, tears, and whole hearts into every show.
### Effy's Big Gay Brunch 10
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/effys-big-gay-brunch-10/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T20:13:55.000Z
*April 19, 2025 • The Pearl Theatre • Las Vegas, NV*
[*Show #52*](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=416734&ref=vjarmy.com)
Early this morning I took a call that reminded me that the world right now is complete shit. And then I descended into the Pearl Theatre for the fifth time in three days to find a little bit of solace in professional wrestling.
I beamed as Jamie Senegal showcased the most relatable gimmick: hungover and nursing a giant coffee.
I had a lump in my throat as Kidd Bandit couldn’t believe she forced The Frontman to need a rope break.
And there aren’t words for how Effy and Dark Sheik ended the show.
Every Big Gay Brunch could be the last. But it’s a really special event, and I feel blessed to have been at this one. Maybe not everything is terrible.
### Joey Janela's Spring Break 9
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/joey-janelas-spring-break-9/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T20:12:05.000Z
*April 18, 2025 • The Pearl Theatre • Las Vegas, NV*
[*Show #51*](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=416731&page=2&ref=vjarmy.com)
At least no one died?
### TJPW Live In Las Vegas
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tjpw-live-in-las-vegas/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T20:09:52.000Z
*April 18, 2025 • The Pearl Theatre • Las Vegas, NV*
[*Show #50*](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=416729&page=2&ref=vjarmy.com)
To know Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling is to love professional wrestling. Happy to spend my milestone 50th show with my favorite promotion.
### Josh Barnett's Bloodsport XIII
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/josh-barnetts-bloodsport-xiii/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T20:08:02.000Z
*April 17, 2025 • The Pearl Theatre • Las Vegas, NV*
[*Show #49*](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=416725&page=2&ref=vjarmy.com)
My third time at Bloodsport.
### WrestleCon Mark Hitchcock Memorial SuperShow 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/wrestlecon-mark-hitchcock-memorial-supershow-2025/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T20:06:53.000Z
*April 17, 2025 • The Pearl Theatre • Las Vegas, NV*
[*Show #48*](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=416724&page=2&ref=vjarmy.com)
An auspicious start to my Collective 2025 trip: two of the worst matches of 2025 back-to-back in one show, including one that I will forever wear being at like a terrible badge of honor. (The rest of it was okay?)
> I will forever wear being at this match like a terrible badge of honor.
>
> — [Dan "Remy" Dickinson (@vjarmy.com)](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xz76lhxj5xcz7qc6ppd5oifs?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=vjarmy.com) [2025-04-25T17:15:51.647Z](https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:xz76lhxj5xcz7qc6ppd5oifs/post/3lnnpybsnds2v?ref%5Fsrc=embed&ref=vjarmy.com)
### March 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/march-2025-in-20-ph/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:05:30.000Z
Time, tide.
Those are certainly words.
La Primera
Classy warnings
Where are we dropping, boys?
Smashed
Symmetric commute
Koji Cafe
Wrestling with sin and getting pinned
Donations of negligible value
Rule of thirds
"Eggs", no limit
Bar squirrel
Happy hour has been 86'd
Love an old sign
Clemente
Even Moodeng Is Quiet
Death by seven salsas
Daily reminders
### NXT Roadblock
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nxt-roadblock/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T16:57:13.000Z
*March 11, 2025 • The Theatre at Madison Square Garden • New York, NY*
*Show #47*
NXT Roadblock: a perfect two hours of wrestling. Hot crowd, five incredible matches, and a main event with two of the best in the world. Lucky enough to sit on the corner of the ramp for this one.
Feels like every company is delivering their best. Not sure there’s ever been a better time to be a fan.
### February 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/february-2025-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:05:46.000Z
Don’t ask about previous psyops
Beginning of the heartbreak
Does Sunday roast count as self care?
Living in the suicide dive zone
Missus Paradise
Two months is too long
Work metaphor, Pt. 1
Rum yum yums
The most important book nook
Free gluten-free oreos
Irish breakfast martinis at 4PM
I make an excellent lucha rest spot
Loops advance daisies
Valentine’s is better when you cook at home
Dramatic dream team
Cool jacket bro
Work metaphor pt. 2
Dilly’s Ding Dong
To have made it this far is to be exhausted by it all
### Remembering Adrian Purser
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/remembering-adrian-purser/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T21:15:29.000Z
Hard to find the right words on a day like this.
Adrian was a wonderful mountain of a man. Fierce hugger, dedicated gamer, enthusiastic friend. Always made time for us when we were in England. Lover of every sub-sub-sub-genre of metal. Devourer of the spiciest curries imaginable.
Our world is a bit darker without him in it.
I hope he’s chatting the ear off of David Lynch in the afterlife. He will forever be missed. All our love and support to Lisa.
### January 2025
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/january-2025-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:29:14.000Z
The goodbyes never get any easier.
Schmuckin’ around
Sergeant Pepper’s Conceptual Steakhouse Band
Five years of living with a potato.
A coward using subtext
Return of the duck
Return of the duke
Return of the Maki
Bird Up
Who are these children???
Howdy, neighbor.
Superiority complex.
The only acceptable bar bathroom selfie.
There’s always room for pan con tomate.
End of the century.
Let’s rock.
The most unfortunate typo.
Guilty as charged.
### December 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/december-2024-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:06:18.000Z
December: lighting it up, wrong sides, snuggle bugs, breakfast pizzas, entertainment purposes, food truck typos, dressed-up buildings, full combos, memorable service, soup dumplings, high highs, thoughtful straws, light shows, data transfers, big wins, urban cowboys, political prisoners, great curries, dying plants, and silly memes.
### Hidden Gaming Gems of 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/hidden-gaming-gems-of-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-06T22:17:09.000Z
[It's been four years](https://vjarmy.com/archives/tag/games2020?ref=vjarmy.com) since I've done an end of year gaming round-up, and the itch to write has returned, since 2024 was a pretty solid year for games.
That said: I'd rather focus this year on the titles closer to the margins and the tiny releases that are easy to miss if someone isn't directly telling you about them. I don't need to be the one to tell you [Balatro](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2379780/Balatro/?ref=vjarmy.com) is good, or that the [Like A Dragon series](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2072450/Like%5Fa%5FDragon%5FInfinite%5FWealth/?ref=vjarmy.com) is the best it's ever been, or that the new [Indiana Jones](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2677660/Indiana%5FJones%5Fand%5Fthe%5FGreat%5FCircle/?ref=vjarmy.com) game is pretty neat. (And I refuse to admit how much time I continue to sink into Fortnite.)
Games are in purchase order. All links are to Steam although many of these are available on other platforms.
---
[**Twenty Small Mazes**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2570630/20%5FSmall%5FMazes/?ref=vjarmy.com) – I can't say it better than the actual game description: "This is a puzzle game with twenty small mazes. They're good mazes, though." Free to boot.
[**The Brew Barons**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1636710/The%5FBrew%5FBarons/?ref=vjarmy.com) – an arcade-style flight sim in the name of building your business homebrewing beer. No, that doesn't make a lot of sense writing it out either, but trust me.
[**Minishoot' Adventures**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1634860/Minishoot%5FAdventures/?ref=vjarmy.com) – 2D Zelda-style exploration + twinstick bullet hell work shockingly well together.
[**Lorelei and the Laser Eyes**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2008920/Lorelei%5Fand%5Fthe%5FLaser%5FEyes/?ref=vjarmy.com) – somewhere between Resident Evil 2 and the Rusty Lake series lies this wonderful puzzle hunt. Of the video game spaces I spent time in this year, Hotel Letztes Jahr will be the most memorable. Bonus points for [the phenomenal soundtrack](https://music.apple.com/us/album/lorelei-and-the-laser-eyes/1745401906?ref=vjarmy.com) by Daniel Olsén, Linnea Olsson & Jonathan Eng.
[**\[ECHOSTASIS\]**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1558000/ECHOSTASIS/?ref=vjarmy.com) – the conclusion to the \[ENIGMA\] Trilogy (and practically three games in one itself), \[ECHOSTASIS\] is a sobering and unnerving first person existential crisis.
[**New Star GP**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2217580/New%5FStar%5FGP/?ref=vjarmy.com) – driving games are always a struggle; the balance between "arcade driftfest" and "simulation hell" is not one many devs can hit. But New Star Games holds the racing line perfectly in this F1-style joy.
[**Thank Goodness You're Here!**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2366980/Thank%5FGoodness%5FYoure%5FHere/?ref=vjarmy.com) – the funniest game of the year, by a country mile.
[**The DevCats "Full Of Cats" Series**](https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/25142/Devcats/?ref=vjarmy.com) – I stumbled onto DevCats last year, and my rule of thumb has quickly become "I see a new DevCats release, I buy it and play nothing else for a few hours". This happened three times this year: Stray Cats in Cozy Town; A Park Full Of Cats; and A Shelter Full of Cats. Finding little kittens hidden in a giant environment is tremendous stress relief, and the proceeds go to cat charities.
[**I Am Your Beast**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1876590/I%5FAm%5FYour%5FBeast/?ref=vjarmy.com) – I remain in awe of Xalavier Nelson Jr.'s range. This is my Hotline Miami 3.
[**UFO 50**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1147860/UFO%5F50/?ref=vjarmy.com) – not the lowest of profile releases, but having been stuck in development for years, flew under the radar more than I thought. A collective of the best indie devs make a fake console and knock out 50 unique games. I played nothing else for the two days that we lived at the airport trying to get home in October.
[**Nodebuster**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3107330/Nodebuster/?ref=vjarmy.com) – I pretty much always have an incremental or idle game in progress to fall back on. Nodebuster was the one of those I enjoyed the most this year.
[**Up To Par**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1384660/Up%5Fto%5FPar/?ref=vjarmy.com) – I am a sucker for rogulikes and a big fan of mini-golf, so roguelike mini-golf was always going to speak to me. Still being refined (the progression can be a little rough), but does what it says on the tin.
[**The Rise of the Golden Idol**](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2716400/The%5FRise%5Fof%5Fthe%5FGolden%5FIdol/?ref=vjarmy.com) – a great sequel to 2022's *The Case of the Golden Idol*, and quite a bit more accessible and enjoyable all around. Really looking forward to the DLC.
### ROH Final Battle 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/roh-final-battle-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T15:29:33.000Z
My 19th (!) and final \[CITATION NEEDED\] show of the year; I’ve done enough of these they finally gave me a championship.
### Dark Sheik: "Say What's In Your Heart"
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/say-whats-in-your-heart/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:41:46.000Z
> "*Say what's in your heart.*
> *Make art from your soul.*
> *Fight like hell.*"
[Dark Sheik](https://bsky.app/profile/darksheik.bsky.social?ref=vjarmy.com)
### November 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/november-2024-in-photos/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:06:00.000Z
November was a challenge on multiple levels. But surrounding myself with good people, good food, and good times made it tolerable.
### GCW's "You Wouldn't Understand"
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/gcw-you-wouldnt-understand/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T16:01:44.000Z
*November 29, 2024 • Roulette Intermedium • Brooklyn, NY*
*Show #40*
Nearly back-to-back with the Progress/Defy show.
### October 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/october-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:15:56.000Z
The non-travel parts of October.
### London, October 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/london-october-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T16:31:54.000Z
The vacation after the vacation. Three days in London is never enough, but we absolutely made it count.
### Paris, October 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/paris-october-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T16:17:01.000Z
A shared apartment in Montparnasse, family bistro meals, wandering with a college friend, obligatory injections of culture, Disneyland Paris in a constant downpour, crashed NYC bar pop-ups, and 36 miles walked.
Paris was an exhausting delight! Merci beaucoup to Mom and Dad for suggesting and planning what was somehow our first adult family trip.
### September 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/september-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T20:06:40.000Z
September: surprise shows, pumped-up mascots, summer ends, campaigns start, unread signs, simple breakfasts, never forgetting but not really remembering, old asses, committed bits, telephones and telegraphs, princess parties, tiny sausages, last calls, trapper keeper menus, good bad days, five Scabby inflatables on one block, good boys, notorious b.e.e.f., and we’re so tired, but I’ll say less.
### August 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/august-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T20:24:15.000Z
August: goodbyes for now, paradise lost, police warnings, breakfast discourse, highwire acts, burger poutine, alien milk, seeing red, sipping and guzzling, sweet potatoes, $20 whisky, flowering bars, tired puppies, family meals, and safe hands.
### Childish Gambino: New World Tour
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/childish-gambino-new-world-tour/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T20:34:02.000Z
*August 24, 2024 • Barclay's Center • Brooklyn, NY*
[*Setlist*](https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/childish-gambino/2024/barclays-center-brooklyn-ny-6ba91292.html?ref=vjarmy.com)
> I’ve been liberated,
> Over medicated,
> It was overrated
> Damn, what you want?
> I can tell by the look on your face.
An unforgettable Monday night: true fan tests, light beams, bouncing crowds, stage misdirection, and tens of thousands of middle fingers extended as the Barclays Center screamed along to the Lithonia encore.
As the song says: Gambino is a mastermind. Go see The New World before it ends.
### July 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/july-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T21:41:03.000Z
July: perfect skies, maximum sauce, sickos night, cranberry rum, well placed wheat pastes, ¡superbueno! Saturdays, chopped cheese lunches, blue swizzles at Katana, send off matches, and wondering where the time went.
### Full Implications at 3 AM
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/full-implications-at-3-am/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T20:08:31.000Z
> "Even though I did get his permission at the time, many people don't understand the full implications of their actions and decisions and permission they give at 3 am."
\-- Xalavier Nelson Jr., "[A Chaotic History of *Clickolding*, the Year’s Most Disturbing Game](https://www.wired.com/story/video-game-clickolding-oral-history/?ref=vjarmy.com)"
*(*[*Clickolding*](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3011440/CLICKOLDING/?ref=vjarmy.com) *is extremely good and extremely weird and everyone should play it.)*
### Amsterdam, July 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/amsterdam-july-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T16:42:09.000Z
Oh, Amsterdam - what a first visit! We loved your museums, your endless canals, your growing cocktail culture (especially Sins of Sal), your cat boats, your fine dining, your occasional boat fights, your Taylor Swifts, your capybaras, and your street art. We will surely return.
### June 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/june-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T22:18:41.000Z
### 20 Years of Changing Medicine
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/20-years-of-changing-medicine/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T15:53:59.000Z
Twenty years ago this morning, I walked through the door of 1300 York Avenue ready to start a new role as a system administrator. I was looking forward to wrangling a few Mac OS X servers and seeing what life in the world of technology in academic medicine was like.
I’ve gone from racking and stacking, to conference room AV design, to software development, to web transformation, to IT experience, to institutional communications. I’ve grown from systems administrator through a complicated set of titles (and one very significant career pivot) to executive director.
I’ve worked through plane crashes, transit strikes, fires, hurricanes, crane collapses, office floods, power grid failures, earthquakes, and a once-a-century pandemic.
I’ve been welcomed with open arms, greeted with air kisses, and had my shoulder cried on. I’ve spent hours on the stage of Carnegie Hall. I’ve met Tony Fauci.
I have tried to shield equipment from a leaking ceiling, getting soaked in the process, only to be later told that the gross anatomy lab was likely the source of the fluids. I’ve unloaded a large truck full of computers in the middle of a busy NYC intersection. I’ve squashed a sizable cockroach, and disposed of it quietly, before the executive I was waiting on arrived. “Other duties as assigned”, as they say.
I’ve learned that I don’t mind public speaking, perhaps because everyone else dreads it so much. I have built some slide decks threaded with inside jokes just to pop myself.
I’ve had multiple team members pass away. No management training course prepares you to deal with death. I’ve written / edited enough institutional obituaries to lose count.
Per others, I have “solved the web”. I was once told in an annual performance review that I was “never wrong”, which went straight to my head.
On occasion, I’ve been mistreated, had doors metaphorically slammed in my face, and even had my (professional?) heart broken. But patience and fortitude conquer all things.
Some months before I started, I was entrenched in an interview with someone senior. He posed the question: **where do you want to be in five years?** As is my way, I was honest and open: I didn’t know. I just wanted to see where the job would take me. The interviewer scoffed: *“You know that’s not a very good answer...”*
I stand by it. For two full decades, I’ve absolutely let WCM take me where it needed me. I have seen my fingerprints and contributions on things, and I accept that someday they will fade. But for now, I know that I have more to do.
### April 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/april-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:13:58.000Z
Arpil adventures.
### A Completely Unknown Neighborhood
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-completely-unknown-neighborhood/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T17:48:24.000Z
That weird moment when part of your neighborhood has been the fake West Village set for the upcoming Bob Dylan biopic, “[A Complete Unknown](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%5FComplete%5FUnknown?ref=vjarmy.com)”. (Filming was last week - so no Chalamet sightings - but they hadn’t taken down the storefront dressing when I rolled through for lunch.)
### March 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/march-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:19:38.000Z
March intermissi.
### February 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/february-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:30:06.000Z
### January 2024
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/january-2024/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T18:53:34.000Z
### November 2023
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/november-2023/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T13:54:25.000Z
November to remember.
### PDX, November 2023
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/pdx-november-2023/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T16:59:33.000Z
Reminded of how good my emergency vacation to PDX at the start of the month. Three full days to wander and do whatever felt right. Need to remember to take more time for myself.
### October 2023
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/october-2023/
Last updated: 2026-02-13T19:31:42.000Z
October moments.
### Goodnight, Ko
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/goodnight-ko/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T20:39:07.000Z
Saturday night, I had my very last meal at Momofuku Ko, which will close on November 4.
If my records are correct, that was visit number 49: 5 at First Avenue during the original run, and 44 at Extra Place. (My records are probably off, so let’s call that an even 50.) It was our go-to spot for anniversaries, birthdays, new years, job celebrations, people visiting NYC, people leaving NYC, and rainy day meals.
What I will miss the most is not the food (as excellent and iconic as it was!) but the feel, the aesthetic, the — god help me — *vibes* of it all. Refined yet comfortable atmosphere; attentive yet loving service; serious and playful and ridiculously over the top in perfect harmony. I felt so at home there, helped by the fact that I don’t think I ever once needed to dress up for the occasion.
And I would say I miss the people of Ko, but they aren’t dead. The diaspora of Ko alums is already huge, and we have plenty of places to go and visit. Ko team, my eternal thanks for making us feel welcome.
### September 2023
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/september-2023/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T14:15:00.000Z
A double sized set of September memories.
### All In 2023
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/all-in-2023/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T18:39:18.000Z
I honestly don’t know what caption I can write to do justice for AEW's All In.
I’ve only been going to live shows for five years; AEW didn’t exist at the time. To be on the ramp at the largest show in industry history — to watch these talented faces comprehend performing in front of 81,000+ fans — truly an unforgettable moment. Thanks to everyone who made it possible.
### London, August 2023
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/london-august-2023/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T17:55:39.000Z
It wasn’t entirely fair Katie missed the June trip to London, so - of course! - we ran it back. Plenty of catching up with friends, exploring new spots, taking in Cabaret on the West End, and dodging the English summer rain. A perfectly timed long weekend before the busy September ahead.
### Ring Those Bells
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/ring-those-bells/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T00:57:03.000Z
It's February 2023, and I’m standing in the back of [Barcade St. Marks](https://barcade.com/stmarks/?ref=vjarmy.com), quietly working my way through a two-credit game of [The Addams Family](https://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=20&ref=vjarmy.com) pinball. Like many who grew up in the golden age of solid state pinball, it’s an old favorite.
To my right is a Data East [Star Wars](https://ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2358&ref=vjarmy.com) machine, circa 1992\. It goes unoccupied until I start Ball 2, at which point I hear:
*“How does THIS work?!”*
It is clear whoever has approached the table is wholly unfamiliar with the concept of pinball.
Their date approaches, and tries - in a way that tries to assert knowledge while clearly not holding any - to explain.
*“Oh, these buttons, on the side? They move the flippers!”*
They collectively take another 30 seconds to realize they need to put coins in. By divine intervention, they find the start button.
Nothing happens. I try to focus on the game at hand, but alas.
*“What do I do?!”*
*“Pull that back!”*
*“What?”*
Perhaps worth noting here: *Star Wars* does not feature a traditional plunger, but instead a somewhat unique shifter handle with a launch button on the side. This, while unusual, is noted by the display flashing a picture of it with a giant arrow and “PRESS TO SHOOT” flashing on the display every few seconds.
The couple does not notice this. They just keep tugging on the handle in frustration.
At a break in my game, I do my most gentle and smooth lean-and-point.
*“There’s a button.”*
*“OHHHHHH. Thank you!”*
Their game begins, and it admittedly goes better than someone who has never even perceived the concept of pinball before could hope to do. The ball is staying in play and not just draining immediately.
And then it is not long before a friend of the couple slides up, and the following words are spoken:
*“This is just like that song, Pinball Wizard!”*
*“Yeah, I think it’s based on the song!”*
It was at this moment – with the implication either being the Star Wars pinball table, or the very concept of pinball itself, was inspired by The Who – that my soul left my body and I departed this mortal coil, leaving two free credits on the machine I was playing.
### London, June 2023
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/london-june-2023/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T19:49:18.000Z
Another birthday trip across the pond, but this time with [Stevie](https://swinku.co/?ref=vjarmy.com) as my partner-in-crime.
4 days, 34 miles walked, multiple museums and sights seen, friends caught up with, indulgent meals consumed, and too many cocktails / coffees to count thrown back. A perfect weekend, even if London swerved us with unusually sunny and warm weather.
### Trap Room
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/trap-room/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T14:17:58.000Z
_No content available._
### Meet Your Heroes
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/meet-your-heroes/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T14:20:35.000Z
“American Masters: Dr. Tony Fauci” premiers on PBS on 3/21; we hosted an advance screening and Q&A with our most notable alum Monday night. Recommend you check it out next week! And kudos to all of my excellent colleagues (many but not all in this picture) who helped make it happen.
### Seattle, 2023
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/seattle-2023/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T20:24:37.000Z
Joined Katie for a long weekend in Seattle while she was in the middle of a long work trip.
### Los Angeles, January 2023
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/los-angeles-january-2023/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T20:48:40.000Z
What is Los Angeles but a never-ending series of backlots and soundstages that you wander between with the people you love?
I may never understand the complicated roads or the extreme sprawl, but it gets harder to leave every time we visit.
### So...
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/so/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:42:58.000Z
*Edited December 2024 to reflect current reality.*
I am, apparently, Twitter user #79,903\. That's almost 16 years on the hell site - out of what is nearing 30 years online - so it is easily the longest internet platform I've ever engaged with.
Like practically everyone, I don't have much faith in what's to come. I don't expect it to fall apart overnight, but like most of the internet, nothing good can stay good forever. (And really, Twitter has been bad long before recent events. But it's also had critical mass in a way few sites have.)
I don't know quite what the future holds for Twitter. I will undoubtedly keep passively reading it and engaging when necessary. But my energy has already been going elsewhere for a while.
I'll spare you a treatise examining years of my mixed feeling about social media and leave it at this:
A. The majority of my social energy these days in [on Discord](https://discord.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). I'm **remyvja**, although my privacy settings are such you'll probably need to have a mutual server with me first.
B. I have a small, private Discord community of my own. I have no desire to cannibalize the other small communities I'm in. But if you want to join a small circle of folks that I'd vouch for, **drop me a note** wherever you normally contact me.
C. [I'm on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/vjarmy.com?ref=vjarmy.com) at (surprise) **@vjarmy.com**. After some fits and starts this has effectively replaced Twitter for me, which is to say most of my short form daily nonsense is there. It's also not lost on me this is perhaps the first social network I haven't gone by some form of "Remy" on.
D. I'm still on a bunch of other places. The ones I'm most active on: [Instagram](http://instagram.com/remydwd?ref=vjarmy.com), [Steam](https://steamcommunity.com/id/remydwd/?ref=vjarmy.com), [Foursquare/Swarm](https://foursquare.com/user/828?ref=vjarmy.com), [Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/remydwd/?ref=vjarmy.com).
E. Acknowledging I am not at all at the right age bracket, [I'm on TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@remyvja?ref=vjarmy.com), and it's mostly where my wrestling clips have been going.
F. [~~I'm also on Cohost~~](https://cohost.org/Remy?ref=vjarmy.com)~~. It's got a very non-serious vibe that I've missed. The longer, navel-gazing stuff will probably still end up here.~~ RIP Cohost.
G. [~~I'm also, as of March 2023, on Mastodon~~](https://me.dm/@remy?ref=vjarmy.com)~~. I'm as surprised as you probably are.~~ Mastodon never truly clicked for me and I've let the paid account I generated though Medium lapse.
That's all for now. Good luck and do your best.
### Joe Pera Talks To You About Netflix's Questionable Decisions
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/joe-pera-talks-to-you-about-netflixs-questionable-decisions/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T00:59:22.000Z
> I don’t know what’s to be learned from Jeffrey Dahmer in 2022\. I think the money should be given to people who want to build the world with a little imagination, and not just make the same Jeffrey Dahmer story over and over again.
\-- [Joe Pera](https://www.gawker.com/culture/joe-pera-dahmer-netflix-evan-peters?ref=vjarmy.com)
### The White Cypress Bar
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-white-cypress-bar/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T01:04:36.000Z
I find my way through Troy's maze of alleyways and come in through the side door. To call the space small would be gross exaggeration; just four place settings fit around the tiny L-shaped bar.
With just a few other guests around, the bartender is cleaning up. I squeeze my way to the end, past a wall covered in cloth squares, past the main door, planting myself on a stool and giving my weary feet some rest.
He clearly has a routine, as though he's cycled through this eternally: up come the plants, then the shot glasses, then the menus, then the trays. Perhaps I'm too late? He wipes down the bar with a damp cloth from end to end.
A fresh shot glass is pulled from underneath the bar. But rather than fill it, he places it on its side and gives it a spin. Through the windows we can still see the bustle of people passing by - perhaps to the larger, louder bar down the block - as we wait quietly for the glass to settle.
The bottom of the glass points my way. The bartender catches my glance, and beckons me to the center of the bar. We lean in as he takes out a napkin.
*"When you reach the end, there are only two things that matter,"* he whispers as his red pen flutters over the napkin. *"The things that you regret. And the things that you are thankful for."*
He unfolds and refolds the napkin, creating two squares. He points to the one to my left.
*"Something you regret."*
He holds his hands over the napkin as shelter as I take the pen and write. He folds the napkin over my writing, then points to the other side.
*"Something you're thankful for."*
Again, I scribble under his cupped hands. I return the pen as he folds the napkin back into a small square and smiles.
*"We will take good care of this for you."*
I nod. He raises a bottle.
*"One for the road?"*
"Please." It is the only word I've spoken in a while.
He pours the clear liquid into a measure, and the measure into the shot glass. I raise the glass in a silent toast, lower my mask, and down the...sake? Grappa? Pisco? Whatever it is lingers on my tongue for minutes.
He rounds the bar with my napkin in hand, approaches the wall covered in cloth squares, and pins it to an open spot.
There is nothing more to be said. The guests filter out; the bartender continues about his business; and after a moment, I take my leave - this time through the front door.
*Punchdrunk's* [*The Burnt City*](https://onecartridgeplace.com/theburntcity/?ref=vjarmy.com) *is playing at Woolwich Arsenal in London for the foreseeable future.*
### Jamie Brooks: "Streaming Services"
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/jamie-brooks-streaming-services/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T01:22:02.000Z
[Great reflections from Jamie Brooks on the current state of music](https://thenewinquiry.com/blog/introducing-streaming-services/?ref=vjarmy.com):
> Furthermore, the qualities you like about streaming services––the convenience, the selection–– were only offered to you in the first place because the record business was forced to compete with piracy. They had to offer you a better user experience than piracy. We collectively negotiated those benefits by threatening to leave their entire business model, as listeners, en masse. You had leverage then. You have none now.
And on what music can (and should) be:
> I want people to have the opportunity to learn to love music and play music with other people at school. I want more people to understand and experience all the things I love about it that have nothing to do with making money or going to parties or becoming famous. Music can just be about learning to be more comfortable with your body, or about having a way to make new friends as you get older, or about finding ways to connect with our predecessors when they’re no longer around to guide us themselves. A song can be like a storage container for memory that begs you with its very essence to find something truly spectacular to fill it with. We can do these things for each other. That is so wonderful to me.
Jamie is responsible for [main pop girl 2019](https://magicalpessimism.bandcamp.com/album/main-pop-girl-2019?ref=vjarmy.com), one of my all-time favorite Bandcamp finds.
### My Next Professional Chapter
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/my-next-professional-chapter/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T22:48:58.000Z
How it started:
My first title in the IT department was "e-learning Server Administrator".
How it's going:
My first title in the communications department is "Director, Digital Strategy".
### Los Angeles, August 2021
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/los-angeles-august-2021/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T23:04:41.000Z
Third trip to Los Angeles, best trip to Los Angeles. A weekend filled with big hugs, cars in vaults, scooter violence, bonus dessert, ASMR planetarium shows, cheering for tiny cars, express passes, tiki drinks before noon, plush red banquets, fancy ice creams, first cousins once removed, speakeasy vibes, restaurant cats, and last minute candles.
### Jacob Kaplan-Moss: "Embrace The Grind"
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/embrace-the-grind/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:41:12.000Z
[Embrace the Grind - Jacob Kaplan-MossSometimes, programming feels like magic: you chant some arcane incantation and a fleet of robots do your bidding. But sometimes, magic is mundane. If you’re willing to embrace the grind, you can pull off the impossible.Jacob Kaplan-Moss](https://jacobian.org/2021/apr/7/embrace-the-grind/?ref=vjarmy.com)
> Sometimes, programming feels like magic: you chant some arcane incantation and a fleet of robots do your bidding. But sometimes, magic is mundane. If you’re willing to embrace the grind, you can pull off the impossible.
### Games of 2020: Kentucky Route Zero
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/games-of-2020-kentucky-route-zero/
Last updated: 2026-02-06T21:58:07.000Z
*In a year without travel, a game about the road.*
I'm not sure what triggered the original thought that the best way to end the year was to try and write about video games. I'm not sure why I continue to try.
When I was a younger and higher energy blogger, staging twenty-five sequential posts to run throughout December was fairly effortless. Now, even with just five titles on my list this year, I've stretched the exercise into the second month of 2021.
In 2013, as I rushed to wrap my thoughts, I gave all of a half-paragraph on the first chapter of an episodic game I had spent a quiet evening with:
> And, in an experience that isn’t over yet, **Kentucky Route Zero** (PC/Mac) helped re-invent the point and click adventure. (The way to best enjoy KRZ: pour a glass of iced tea, add a shot of whiskey, turn out the lights, and let the game take it from there.)
I would not play much more of KRZ after 2013\. I have a vague memory of getting a little into Act II and deciding that, perhaps I'd just wait for the release to finish.
KRZ was meant to release at a fairly regular clip, with five planned acts. But the road stretched longer than I anticipated: Act V would not emerge until January 28th, 2020.
---
This blog first formed when I was 19 years old. Dropping the big "WELCOME TO MY VERY MOODY HOMEPAGE" energy of my teenage years for a date-organized format seemed the most efficient way to communicate about my college experience.
From there, the path has meandered. The tone shifts gradually but sometimes abruptly, steering into absurdity or surreal moments.
Characters drift in and out - most remain familiar, though some I haven't spoken to in years. Some names don't ring a bell without staring at them for a while.
Framing devices change; a few posts are written as a play, while another (about an attempt to get tech support) is written as a text adventure.
There's a routine deference to the power of music at poignant moments. Music has always helped me say the things I can't find the words for.
There is love and there is loss.
---
Kentucky Route Zero started in 2013 with a man named Conway trying to make a delivery to 5 Dogwood Drive. He stops at a gas station to ask for directions, because he is lost.
Over five acts and four intermissions, the story has meandered. The tone shifts gradually but sometimes abruptly, steering into absurdity (I recall bears in a conference room?) and dream logic (the titular road must be uniquely navigated).
Yup. Bears in a conference room.
Characters drift in and out, some being completely skippable and others leaving the core group with little notice.
Framing devices change: one intermission is a play with audience, while a middle portion of Act III plays out as a text adventure.
There's a routine deference to the power of music at poignant moments: the performance at the Lower Depths bar; the funeral in Act V.
There is love and there is loss.
---
What makes Kentucky Route Zero stand out - even after a nine year lifecycle (the Kickstarter campaign was in 2011!) - is that you will catch reflections of your life in it. At the risk of imbuing it with a level of magical thinking, you will see what it wants to show you.
Alex Navarro wrote that it "[radiates a kind of sympathy that isn't like much else I've played](https://www.giantbomb.com/articles/alex-navarros-top-11-ish-games-of-2020/1100-6100/?ref=vjarmy.com)". That sympathy makes its moments, big and small, resonate and form into their own constellation of personal meaning. Austin Walker [connected his reflections to a story about his tooth](https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvgjma/kentucky-route-zero-pays-off-on-nine-years-of-hope-and-doubt-review?ref=vjarmy.com). Scott Benson [connected his reflections to the passing of his cat](https://www.giantbomb.com/articles/scott-bensons-top-10-games-of-2020/1100-6094/?ref=vjarmy.com).
I have been through a lot of life since I started this very self-indulgent blog. (My hair has gone to what I have been told is a very tasteful shade of grey; "salt and pepper", they say.) I am over twice the age I was when this site came together. My photo archives stretch back nearly as long as the site, and I've been looking at both a lot lately.
I consider my two decades of adult life and I feel, well, *old*. I can still feel every quiet moment of togetherness with friends I can no longer regularly see. I can taste the pain of loss in every post I chose to lead with "This is the latest in the continuing series of me saying goodbye to the things I love."
And I see the thread of pressing on, to rebuild when facing adversity, to find 5 Dogwood Drive. I don't quite know where the path forward is going to take me. But I know I must keep going.
Kentucky Route Zero is about the roads we travel and the journeys we take together. Get a drink, turn down the lights, and let the game take it from there. I hope you love it as much as I did.
*Kentucky Route Zero is available on PC, Mac, Switch, Playstation, and Xbox One. I spent ten hours with it in 2020.*
### Games of 2020: Umurangi Generation
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/games-of-2020-umurangi-generation/
Last updated: 2026-06-18T02:04:03.000Z
*In a year of unrest, a game about documenting it.*
[Umurangi Generation](http://umurangi.tapiki.io/?ref=vjarmy.com) is a first person game where you explore a near-future world through the lens of a camera. There are gameplay elements, but they are secondary to the act of trying to understand the world around you.
When I first moved to NYC, it was through the lens of a camera that I was able to contextualize the city’s shape and heartbeat. That sense of anxious discovery and witness comes across strong throughout Umurangi.
It is impossible to ignore the profound societal challenges of 2020\. Umurangi – released in May, with an expansion released in November – may be the game that [best reflects the state of the world in its release year](https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkdvgv/how-umurangi-generation-captured-2020s-despair-and-neoliberal-decay?ref=vjarmy.com).
*Umurangi Generation (and the expansion Umurangi Generation Macro) is available on Steam, with a Switch release in the works. I logged around 6 hours.*
### Breaking Traditions
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/breaking-traditions/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T22:58:20.000Z
If we can’t be at The Dead Rabbit for New Year’s Eve - as we have for five of the last six years - then at least we can bring the Rabbit to us.
Happy new year, friends. Wish you were all here with us.
### Games of 2020: Fuser
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/games-of-2020-fuser/
Last updated: 2026-06-18T02:13:01.000Z
*In a year where live music fell silent, a game that kept the beat going.*
(This is not Fuser.)
If I were to rewind back to early 2002, there’s a scene I’d be able to point out where my outlook on music games was planted.
I would’ve been in front of my Playstation 1, trying out five key Beatmania for the first time. Already deeply familiar with DDR, the gameplay mechanics of doing something to the beat were not new. But pushing a button to trigger a “keysound” – some small sample, sequenced into the notechart – was very different. Properly following the game’s instructions got you *better sounding music*, rather than solely *higher score*. That clicked something inside my head.
I am the first to admit that, on average, I am not good at music games. Even though much of my “gaming legacy” is around being a “Bemani veteran”, I grew tired of the grind long ago. I am not going to regain whatever marginal skill I previously had in beatmania IIDX, or start a quest to grind out the hardest DDR songs. Yet I still love the games where I can fumble my way through “playing” a track.
This outlook change happened again when Harmonix’s *Rock Band* first hit the market. Now, it wasn’t merely making music play, but doing it *together*. Playing at a part was a thousand times more interesting than chasing gold stars on Expert.
Harmonix’s [**Fuser**](https://www.fuser.com/en-us?ref=vjarmy.com), released this November, has pushed my music game views forward once more. Here, we’ve moved past keysounds entirely, and in a world where stems – the individual instrumentation or vocals – from any song can be stacked on top of each other. The work that Harmonix did to automate beat-matching, pitch, and tempo in Dropmix migrates to Fuser and integrates so well it feels magical. Almost any combination of tracks can sound good.
The gameplay elements of Fuser are effectively secondary. Sure, you can quest through some sort of music festival narrative fulfilling requests from the producers and fans in the crowds. But it is less interesting and more tutorial-ish than the two modes I have spent the most time in: social mix making, and co-op freestyle.
Social mix making happens weekly, where based on some given criteria, you can put together a mix and unleash it into a queue-based voting system. The game’s traditional scoring mechanics go out the window. Here, you’re only going to place well for the week if you put together something that sounds good.
Separately, co-op freestyle has you and up to three people switching off at the virtual turntables, putting down what you think sounds good. You can cheer for each other, and there’s some algorithmic determination of the “hottest moment”. Those elements are ignorable; just getting to noodle around with friends trying to re-assemble old songs in new ways is a blast.
Harmonix has already built a pipeline of DLC releases and is making changes in light of community feedback, so there’s no doubt I’ll be coming back to Fuser again and again in 2021\. Music gamers looking for thrills beyond AAA hunting should check it out.
*Fuser is available on Steam, PS4, Switch, and Xbox. I’ve spent 17 hours in it as of writing this.*
### Games of 2020: Paradise Killer
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/games-of-2020-paradise-killer/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T01:39:44.000Z
*In a year where facts were in question, a game about truth.*
By the time [Paradise Killer](http://paradisekiller.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) hit the market, it was September 2020\. For perspective in the future when these memories feel less fresh, that’s six months deep into COVID-19 and two months from the presidential election. The world felt in limbo, society near a breaking point.
Diving into the bizarre world of Paradise 24, striving to solve The Crime To End All Crime, I approached it as an escape. It ended up as something more meditative.
Gameplay, quickly: open world detective game with minimal hand holding. Investigate a bloody crime scene. Interview suspects as you chase multiple leads. Name the guilty and bring justice to a dying island.
Much has been said elsewhere about Paradise Killer’s unique styyyyyyyle:
> “The world of Paradise Killer is a queer-friendly, cosmic horror bonanza; a heady mix of sun-drenched Miami Beach paradise meets madness from beyond the stars. The lurid aesthetic and vibrant soundtrack is decidedly at odds with the traditional cosmic horror tropes of imposing libraries, fish-headed monsters, and gruff investigators.”[Haydn Taylor, GameIndustry.biz](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-12-17-making-weirdness-work-the-sun-drenched-horror-of-paradise-killer?ref=vjarmy.com)
Relatedly, I stand by [my earlier declaration](https://twitter.com/Remy/status/1328413670972551174?ref=vjarmy.com) that Paradise Killer has [the best game soundtrack of 2020](https://kaizengameworks.bandcamp.com/album/paradise-killer-original-soundtrack?ref=vjarmy.com). That alone is enough to check it out.
What made the game feel most unique, though, is the philosophical question placed in front of you by Justice as you begin your investigation: **“fact or truth?”**
If you miss out on a fact somewhere along the way, does the truth change? Does *your* truth change?
If you have a fact that is inconvenient for a character that helped you – that might implicate them – do you include it in your truth?
To be forced to grapple with these questions in a video game was refreshing. To have largely free reign to find justice, rather than being stuck on pre-designed narrative pathways with a tidy ending to the mystery was a true joy.
For a first title from a two-person studio, Paradise Killer is ambitious as hell and succeeds more than it fails. And that’s the truth.
*Paradise Killer is available on Steam, Switch, and PS4\. I clocked about 12 hours on the Steam version.*
### Games of 2020: Hades
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/games-of-2020-hades/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T01:44:34.000Z
*In a year we could not escape, a game about escaping.*
Like so many others this year, I spent chunks of it trying to break my way out of hell. Supergiant’s [Hades](https://www.supergiantgames.com/games/hades/?ref=vjarmy.com) is the easiest game metaphor for 2020.
I have been no stranger to roguelikes over the years, so the run-die-learn-upgrade cycle of Hades fits like a glove. Struggling to cut a path through the four levels of the Underworld, that familiar sting of learning through failure was intoxicating.
Supergiant — [previously of Bastion ](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2011/12/games-of-2011-bastion.php?ref=vjarmy.com)— continues to excel at every dimension of game design. Gorgeous graphics, [another spectacular Darren Korb soundtrack](https://supergiantgames.bandcamp.com/album/hades-original-soundtrack?ref=vjarmy.com), balanced mechanics, smooth gameplay. This high quality is almost a base level expectation of Supergiant now, so let me praise what came as a surprise:
First, a downright intimidating amount of voice acting. A run-based game should invite repetition, but through my 40+ escape attempts I haven’t heard a single bit of repeated dialog.
Second, I am appreciative of their commitment to scalable and managable difficulty. I was at risk of bouncing off the game entirely after 20 failed runs, so I opted to enable **GOD MODE**. The game didn’t shame me, didn’t disable my ability to earn progression, and didn’t even make me invincible – just gave me a little bit of an extra boost for each failure. The lack of judgment kept me going, and now I find myself grinding “heat”, a configurable difficulty system to keep later runs entertaining.
Last, I am genuinely impressed they found a way to wrap the run-centric nature of the game into the story itself, allowing for a unique narrative and a clever game loop to develop.
It’s as refined a game as you’ll find in 2020\. If only that were enough to top my list this year. But it was a tough year.
*Hades is available on PC and Switch.* *I clocked about 30 hours in the PC version.*
### Pandemic Push/Pull
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/pandemic-push-pull/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T22:47:02.000Z
I work in healthcare, and the vast majority of my work this year has been in support of the COVID-19 response at a major NYC healthcare system.
My social circle for the last decade has been NYC’s service industry.
Since this summer, I have tried to straddle this contradiction. It’s been challenging trying to support friends while minding the state of the virus. What do you say to the people demanding bars be closed to limit the virus while your friends face financial ruin?
This weekend’s declaration that NYC’s indoor dining is being forced closed once more? Pretty cut and dry nonsense. Indoor dining isn’t the source of the recent resurgence. NYC’s restaurant scene isn’t riskier than the rest of the state’s.
So this weekend, we’ve been trying to support, to spread the love, to say farewell. It’s not clear when this nonsense will end. But without government support, the lifeblood of this city is unlikely to survive.
I am broken hearted it has come to this.
> “When we were young the future looked so bright
> Now that we're closer, we can see that it's on fire
> I used to think the best was surely yet to come
> And now sometimes I think I'll die before it does”
### The Primary Vivid American Newspaper
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-primary-vivid-american-newspaper/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T19:37:11.000Z
> The world of immersive theatre is now a broad church indeed. It’s a word Barrett consistently resists using. “We’ve never been one to try to define,” he says. “I think if you can define it, then it’s less exciting for an audience. I’m driven by trying to ask questions of form, and trying to pre-empt things, or explore nooks and crannies that have yet to have a torchlight shone into them. Immersive is such a buzzword – but there’s a new word coming.” And for Barrett, where this new language will come from is through more cross-discipline exploration, in particular the fusing of immersive work with game mechanics. **The seeds of this were sown years ago when Sleep No More was listed as the game of the year in an American newspaper round-up. “They reviewed the show as if it were a video game,”** Barrett remembers. “And it was a real penny-drop moment. And so we tried to deconstruct the mechanics of games and understand them and really see what could be taken to evolve the form. Audiences are craving autonomy and agency.”
\-- [Anna James interviewing Punchdrunk's Felix Barrett for The Stage](https://www.thestage.co.uk/big-interviews/felix-barrett?ref=vjarmy.com)
Previously: [All Things Pass. Only Vision Persists.](https://www.vjarmy.com/all-things-pass-only-vision-persists/)
### This Vicious Crime Wave
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/this-vicious-crime-wave/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T22:52:02.000Z
Risked my life after work to document this vicious crime wave - worse than Afghanistan, people are saying! - caused by violent radical left anarchists. It’s a miracle I made it home alive.
Park Avenue, looking south
Madison Avenue, looking south
5th Avenue, looking north
Rockefeller Center
6th Avenue, looking north
Times Square
The Oculus
### Milestones
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/milestones/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:44:37.000Z
How do you celebrate a “milestone birthday” while the world burns?
---
Streets fill with protests demanding recognition that Black Lives Matter, while a government that feeds off division is determined to neither listen nor lead. Voices raise to demand an end to police brutality, which becomes an excuse for further police brutality. Millions are jobless while thousands die weekly from a pandemic that is still not under control.
A year ago, I expected my 40th birthday to be filled with some level of existential dread, but also a welcome chance to reflect on my peculiar life. As I emptied my tank over the last three months focused on COVID-19 at work, I planned a week off knowing that even if I wouldn’t be able to travel or even get out of the apartment much, perhaps I could recharge.
The world had other plans. I’ve spent the week like so many of you: listening, watching, learning, giving, amplifying.
So here I am at 40: broken hearted at the state of the world, yet hopeful for a better tomorrow.
Eternally grateful for my incredible circle of friends and my supportive family, yet feeling isolated because I miss everyone tremendously.
Trying to document how I feel, yet being anxious about every word I write because it all feels really self-indulgent.
Struggling with the dark, and responding to the light.
### 17.08.27.05.20
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/17-08-27-05-20/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T22:54:57.000Z
### Abundance
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/abundance/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:47:53.000Z
I wish I could find constant motivation to write something of substance that isn’t a eulogy. Alas, today is not the day.
[Floyd Cardoz passed away Tuesday due to COVID-19](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/dining/floyd-cardoz-dead-coronavirus.html?ref=vjarmy.com).
I cannot begin to describe how bizarre it is to link to a NYT obituary for someone I know.
How strange it is to have someone you can refer to as a friend, someone you’ve shared a meal with, be taken from the world like this.
How weird it is to think about the times we’ve shared. To think back to the last time I saw Floyd – and how, even though it had been a few years at the time, he spoiled us with food and still treated us like family.
I’m excising the usual shower of anecdotes and tangents from this post. ([Dave Chang did it better than I ever could](https://twitter.com/davidchang/status/1242804861466443776?ref=vjarmy.com).) I’m just going to skip to the end and leave this post with this:
If you don’t think COVID-19 is serious – that it’s “just a flu”, that it won’t take people from your life – it’s time to wake up.
### 59.11.14.03.2020
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/59-11-14-03-2020/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T15:55:56.000Z
_No content available._
### Ko Booklet 2020
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/ko-booklet-2020/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T15:52:26.000Z
“A compilation of mostly useful and some useless things.” Love you too, Ko.
### 08.14.23.02.2020
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/08-14-23-02-2020/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T15:27:51.000Z
_No content available._
### 48.09.01.02.2020
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/48-09-01-02-2020/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T15:20:33.000Z
_No content available._
### 56.17.16.01.2020
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/56-17-16-01-2020/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T15:17:55.000Z
_No content available._
### Introducing Katsu
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/introducing-katsu/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T17:36:09.000Z
Wanted to introduce everyone to the newest member of our family, Katsu. She’s one year old, has already experienced life as a young cat mom, and loves cuddling and being silly in equal parts.
Katie and I hope many of you will be able to meet her soon, but you can follow our little cutlet at [@a.kat.named.su](https://www.instagram.com/a.kat.named.su/?ref=vjarmy.com) (since all cats need their own social presence).
### 2019 In Review: Games
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/2019-in-review-games/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T19:38:00.000Z
Look, there are plenty of good-game-writing-folks out there doing the good-game-writing thing with thoughtful year-end lists. If you want to understand why you should play the many great games released this year – Control, Disco Elysium, The Outer Wilds, take your pick – go read those.
You know I’m only going to recommend some off-the-wall nonsense.
BEST DRUMS: I want the [action-generated jazz drumming](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2019/03/21/how-the-frenetic-jazz-of-ape-out-elevates-its-violence/?ref=vjarmy.com) of [Ape Out](https://store.steampowered.com/app/447150/APE%5FOUT/?ref=vjarmy.com) to follow me everywhere in life.
BEST CATCHPHRASE: Poor Lindsay. The quest giver from Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night clearly has some issues. Yes, her village has been ravaged by unholy creatures of the night. But if I’m executing your revenge scheme, the least you could do is avoid shouting the same instruction to me every time I pick up a new bounty from you…
BEST KNOCK-OFF: Don’t get me wrong: [Slay the Spire](https://store.steampowered.com/app/646570/Slay%5Fthe%5FSpire/?ref=vjarmy.com) laid a lot of crucial groundwork for a whole new genre of rogue-like deck-building card games. But I had way more fun with [Pirates Outlaws](https://fabledgame.com/en/pirates-outlaws/details?ref=vjarmy.com), perhaps because it was mobile first.
BEST NOSTALGIA: It is rare to find a game targeted directly at a key part of your teenage years. My hat is off to everyone behind [Hypnospace Outlaw](https://store.steampowered.com/app/844590/Hypnospace%5FOutlaw/?ref=vjarmy.com), because wrapping myself in such a perfect recreation of the mid-to-late-90’s internet felt like coming home.
BEST REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE TO APPLE ARCADE: [Card of Darkness](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/card-of-darkness/id1364257627?ref=vjarmy.com), [Mini Motorways](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mini-motorways/id1453901000?ref=vjarmy.com), and [Dear Reader](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dear-reader/id1470280172?ref=vjarmy.com).
BEST ROYALE: I finally found a battle royale game I loved; it just felt a little odd that it was a 2D cartoon-y fire fight involving animals. [Super Animal Royale](https://store.steampowered.com/app/843380/Super%5FAnimal%5FRoyale/?ref=vjarmy.com) technically entered early access in late 2018, but it was a mainstay for me throughout the year. Charming, quick to pick up, and strong with “I can’t believe I survived this” moments.
BEST STRAND GAME: If Hideo Kojima defined “strand game” as games about the connections between us, then [Kind Words (lo fi chill beats to write to)](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1070710/Kind%5FWords%5Flo%5Ffi%5Fchill%5Fbeats%5Fto%5Fwrite%5Fto/?ref=vjarmy.com) is the best released this year. (Sorry, BB.) The idea of sending anonymous words across the internet to console and help your fellow humans is, well, *terrifying*. Yet Kind Words is well moderated and genuinely kind. We could all use to spend time in it.
BEST SWERVE: Who would’ve expected Zachtronics to drop one of the best narrative games of the year in [Eliza](https://store.steampowered.com/app/716500/Eliza/?ref=vjarmy.com)? I still need to finish it, but from the opening “gig”, it was clear this was going to stand out.
BEST UNNECESSARY MOVIE ADAPTATION: I’m not sure anyone *needed* a multiplayer version of The Cube. But [Half Dead 2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/914260/HALF%5FDEAD%5F2/?ref=vjarmy.com) dropping you and some strangers into a maze full of death traps with only shoes to help you avoid death. It’s harder to find a game these days, but it provided some ridiculously fun multiplayer sessions for under $5.
BEST VIBE: There’s something uniquely wonderful about wizzing down a path in [Descenders](https://store.steampowered.com/app/681280/Descenders/?ref=vjarmy.com), a (forgive me for leveraging the given pun) rogue-bike. The sense of speed, the sounds of your wheels whizzing just under the liquid drum & bass soundtrack, and the balance of freedom and fear of face-planting into a tree…it’s a wonderfully balanced experience, and one I keep coming back to.
BEST WORK-AS-PLAY: [Wilmot’s Warehouse](https://store.steampowered.com/app/839870/Wilmots%5FWarehouse/?ref=vjarmy.com) drives you to build order out of chaos as you try to sort an ever-growing warehouse of stuff. That’s right: sorting a warehouse is now an enjoyable gaming experience.
### 2019 In Review: Movies
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/2019-in-review-movies/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T01:54:19.000Z
When I think back on the movies of 2019, here are the moments that stand out (**s*poilers ahead***):
The opening dance sequence, from [Climax](https://letterboxd.com/film/climax-2018/?ref=vjarmy.com).
The lake house scene with Tim Heidecker and Elisabeth Moss, from [Us](https://letterboxd.com/film/us-2019/?ref=vjarmy.com).
Wondering how, at the end of [Detective Pikachu](https://letterboxd.com/film/pokemon-detective-pikachu/?ref=vjarmy.com), Tim Goodman never realized that Detective Pikachu sounded *just* like his father.
The final half hour of [Booksmart](https://letterboxd.com/film/booksmart/?ref=vjarmy.com), which stuck the landing perfectly.
Reaching the end of [Always Be My Maybe](https://letterboxd.com/film/always-be-my-maybe-2019/?ref=vjarmy.com) and reflecting, in the kindest way possible, “That was great, but…he was [Doctor Miracles](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7TUlDB1M54&ref=vjarmy.com)!” (I will always take the opportunity to reference Channel 102 shows.)
Having that ping of NYC-location-recognition every time [Late Night](https://letterboxd.com/film/late-night/?ref=vjarmy.com) showed the building the show was allegedly produced out of, since it’s my actual office building.
The “twist”, if I can call it that, right before the credits in [The Farewell](https://letterboxd.com/film/the-farewell-2019/?ref=vjarmy.com).
Nineteen minutes from the end of [Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood](https://letterboxd.com/film/once-upon-a-time-in-hollywood/?ref=vjarmy.com), when the needle drops on the Vanilla Fudge version of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” and the movie transitions from breezy hangout to the sort of escalated madness that you usually expect out of a Tarantino flick. (Brad Pitt’s LSD-laced performance seals the deal here.)
The sun coming up in [Ready Or Not](https://letterboxd.com/film/ready-or-not-2019/?ref=vjarmy.com).
When the filming starts in [One Cut Of The Dead](https://letterboxd.com/film/one-cut-of-the-dead/?ref=vjarmy.com) and the conceptual framework for the whole movie finally clicks into place.
The butcher shop fight in [The Night Comes For Us](https://letterboxd.com/film/the-night-comes-for-us/?ref=vjarmy.com).
Katie turning to me during [Jojo Rabbit](https://letterboxd.com/film/jojo-rabbit/?ref=vjarmy.com) (my second watch, her first) as Jojo chased the butterfly and quietly asking “We haven’t seen his mother in a while, where is she?”, and me not being able to hold a poker face for the two seconds needed for the film to answer that question.
The few minutes of tension during [Parasite](https://letterboxd.com/film/parasite-2019/?ref=vjarmy.com) when the fired housekeeper comes back and begs she just needs to check on one thing – and then begins uncovering the secret passage.
[Knives Out](https://letterboxd.com/film/knives-out-2019/?ref=vjarmy.com). Genuinely the whole thing.
Bob Odenkirk’s first line of dialog in [Little Women](https://letterboxd.com/film/little-women-2019/?ref=vjarmy.com).
### Christmas in London, December 2019
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/christmas-in-london-december-2019/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T15:10:46.000Z
A wonderful way to end 2019: flaming pud, holiday carnivals, and trivial pursuits.
### Buttons, 2003 – 2019
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/buttons-2003-2019/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T15:48:29.000Z
*This is the latest in the continuing series of me saying goodbye to things I love.*
This morning, I had to say goodbye to the cat who changed my life.
Nearly seventeen years with Buttons makes writing this eulogy tough, both in terms of quantity of stories and deepness of the pain. Specific, funny anecdotes about him are scattered across my archives, in way too much detail (as was my old writing style). I’ve written plenty about his quirks and the silly moments he gave us. What I haven’t ever described well is what a genuine, loving creature he turned out to be.
I grew up in a household that only ever owned dogs. My parents were crazy about setters, and through my childhood, my only interaction with a cat would be at a friend’s house. Given that I had never taken care of one, they were foreign and curious.
Buttons came into our lives in May of 2003 when he jumped into Katie’s arms at the Ithaca SPCA. We knew instantly, as did he, that we were going to get along well. One look from those big moon eyes turned us into cat people.
He was attentive, not aloof. He’d walk me to the door as I was leaving most mornings. I would find him always waiting at or near the door when I got home. He’d be downright chatty, to the point that I could carry on a faux conversation by treating every “wow?!” as his half of our complex dialog.
He was a snuggler. He got very used to covering me diagonally, from my right shoulder across my chest, as I tried to sleep or read. Eventually, I would learn to get in position for this – and he would know that me climbing into bed was time to snuggle with his dad. He had an intensely loud purr, which is the closest I’ve ever been to feeling ASMR. He would always manage to find some way to perfect nestle in with Katie while she slept, no matter what arrangement of pillows / blankets / angles. He would happily climb into the lap of any house guest we had over, charming them instantly.
He loved to explore. He may have flooded an apartment during his adventures under a sink. He famously found his way into a dead space between kitchen cabinets the day we moved to Jersey City. He would come up with elaborate paths to climb and climb and climb, ending on top of stove hoods and book cases. He learned how to open closet doors.
Between adventures, he loved to watch the world. In Astoria, he loved to hang in our window sills, taking in the energy of northwestern Queens. In Jersey City, he frequently had a view of the New York Bay, and seemed to love watching the boats go around. He would find any pocket of sunlight and soak it up for as long as he could. We’d make sure he had comfy windowsills to lounge in.
Despite his unclear origins — we never got a conclusive answer about whether his nubbin tail was caused by genetics or an early-life accident – he routinely had a great bill of health. He wasn’t picky about food or cat litter. He was a worry-free and low maintenance pet 99% of the time.
He had a sense for when we were sad, or mad, or sick, or in pain. He would do his best to intervene and make things better. He always did.
He constantly was loved, and made us feel loved in equal strength. My heart hurts so much today because he had made it so big, so full.
Through him, I’ve learned to appreciate the simple joys found in daily routines. A chatty companion at the door. A snuggle at bedtime. A quiet day in the sun. It’s these quiet moments that I will miss the most with him. He was my anchor, a source of stability in an unstable world.
He left the world painlessly, covered in kisses and tears from his cat parents. He will be missed forever.
### David Roth on Hearing Yourself Over The Noise
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/hearing-yourself-over-the-noise/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:49:15.000Z
[Deadspin | That Andy Dalton FeelingDeadspin | That Andy Dalton FeelingThat Andy Dalton FeelingDavid Roth](https://deadspin.com/that-andy-dalton-feeling-1839490056/?ref=vjarmy.com)
> It’s hard to know what to say, here, because none of it beyond “thank you and goodbye” is necessary. One of the painful things that comes with hearing your own voice for a living—in your head as you write and edit, on podcasts, in little videos that start playing on a website either with or without your consent—is that you wind up editing yourself very harshly even when you are not really editing. Thoughts or feelings that you have, very much for real, scan as mawkish or hackish or unworthy, which in point of fact they would be were they to appear in a blog post or some conversational bit, but which also doesn’t matter, because those things are what you are thinking or feeling. I am doing a lot of that. It’s exhausting. It is tough to hear myself over the noise of it.
### Treya Lam on Remembering Why
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/remember-why/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:50:42.000Z
Recommending [this Void Academy interview](https://voidacademy.com/a-more-conscious-audience/?ref=vjarmy.com) with my friend [Treya Lam](http://www.treyamakesmusic.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), as they reflect on the sustainability of being a musician.
> "As an introvert who is constantly working through issues of self worth as well as other mental health challenges, it is often challenging to carve out an authentic space in an oversaturated industry that generally celebrates the shiniest stars. The only way to work through this and stick to the marathon is to remember why I create music in the first place – to process and make sense of the chaos, to connect with and inspire others to help create a more compassionate and balanced world."
### Living Forever
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/living-forever/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T15:49:30.000Z
> "Seeing a lot of fun Ryan moments passing through my timeline. Still think about him a lot and his perspective on life. **His passing did teach me that living forever really means being part of everyone’s most cherished memories and I am forever grateful to him for it."**
[Vinny Carravella](https://twitter.com/VinnyCaravella/status/1014293584730820608?s=20&ref=vjarmy.com).
### Inexplicable Things I’ve Removed From My Facebook “Advertising Interests”
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/inexplicable-things-ive-removed-from-my-facebook-advertising-interests/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:48:37.000Z
Two months ago, I swung through the [Facebook “Ad Preferences” interface](https://www.facebook.com/ads/preferences/). I have been so diligent in marking most individual ads as irrelevant – because they are genuinely irrelevant, not because I merely dislike advertising – that the ensuing advertisements were flying off the rails.
I returned today to knock a few more off my list, knowing that these things attach to your profile like ticks in tall grass. I continue to wonder why any of these exist as something an advertising campaign can be built off of, and if you’ve never looked at yours, you should.
In the name of documenting what I’ve removed:
I have removed an advertising preference for **Bark (sound)**.
I have removed 10 years of **Football Manager** releases, from 2005 to 2016, but excluding 2015, which was not in my advertising preferences. This is ironic because I am in the game’s regen database starting in the 2015 release. (Weird story.)
I have removed technical concepts, including **COM file**, **HTTP 404**, the 2014 release **OS X Yosemite**, and **1080p**.
I have removed **Bible**, **God**, and **First Epistle to the Thessalonians**.
I have removed multiple places I have never been: **New South Wales**, **Chino California**, **Germany**, **Entre Rios Province**, **South West England**, **North East England**, and **State of Mexico**.
Not to be outdone by specific locations, I have removed geographic concepts: **City**, **Country**, and **U.S. State**. Also, somehow, **List of United States cities by population**.
I have removed five seasons of **The Amazing Race** (14, 17, 18, 21, 22). While I did watch TAR back in the day, I stopped around season 10.
I have removed both **Love (band)** and **Love**.
I have removed a number of purely weird concepts or things, including: **Fictional film**, **Food craving**, **Gift**, **Institution**, **Mammal**, **Online**, **Resource**, **Remake**, **Ticket (admission)**, **Time signature**, **Special edition**, **Sound**, **Vertebrate**, and **Wristband**.
I have removed **Socialistische Partij Anders**. I’m sure they’re delightful, but I don’t think I need the ads.
I have removed multiple pieces of media I’ve never seen, including **The Ringer (1931 film**), **Ghost (1990 film)**, and **Godzilla (1954 film)**.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I removed an advertising preference for **Facebook**.
### That’s Reeeeeeeeal Nice
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/thats-reeeeeeeeal-nice/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:13:25.000Z
[PUNCH explains the weird inside-joke history of the “Turkey Dew”:](https://punchdrink.com/articles/do-the-wild-turkey-bourbon-whiskey-mountain-dew/?ref=vjarmy.com)
> In June 2017, Seaburg visited Kentucky to attend Camp Runamok, the annual “summer camp for bartenders.” At the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Seaburg attended the screening of the brand’s latest Matthew McConaughey commercial and was amused by the actor’s famously unique vernacular. Later, Seaburg and some fellow attendees decided to look up the video on YouTube to see what other people were saying. One seemingly innocuous comment would set everything in motion: “Y’all need to try some wild turkey \[sic\] mixed with Mountain Dew. I call it a Turkey Dew. Trust me you will like it.”
>
> The Runamok group immediately made a Mountain Dew run and began dispensing the drinks as a “layback” (a shot poured directly into someone’s mouth), accompanied by a line McConaughey utters in his Texas stoner drawl: “That’s reeeeal nice.”
I love bizarre highballs and laybacks so I fear that it won’t be long until I demand one of these, even if I have to BYOD.
### Natasha Lyonne on Imperfections and Differences
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/imperfections-and-differences/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:51:59.000Z
[‘Russian Doll’ Is Natasha Lyonne’s Most Personal Work. She’s Been Writing It for a Decade.The actress on what it’s like to be reborn: on-screen and IRL.ELLEEstelle Tang](https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a26125030/natasha-lyonne-interview-russian-doll/?ref=vjarmy.com)
> I think the biggest idea of *Russian Doll* would be that we start to talk about removing some shame around the underlying idea of our own brokenness, and realizing that we’re all broken in our own ways and that’s part of our power and our beauty: our imperfections and our differences.
### All Things Pass. Only Vision Persists.
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/all-things-pass-only-vision-persists/
Last updated: 2026-02-18T15:08:03.000Z
Last Friday on the [Giant Beastcast](https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-giant-beastcast/id996770623?mt=2&ref=vjarmy.com), Dan Ryckert recounted his recent first trip to *Sleep No More*. (The discussion [starts around 48:00](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.giantbomb.com/shows/episode-194/2970-18767/premium-podcast&ved=2ahUKEwjVt8WipuOSAxWElIkEHSKoNmUQFnoECB4QAQ&usg=AOvVaw17k2NlE6dozHepYjZu3%5FUI).) I appreciated the conversation happening on a gaming podcast because the connection of the Punchdrunk show to gaming concepts has always been part of my worldview. [Michael Abbott's post drawing those parallels](https://www.brainygamer.com/the%5Fbrainy%5Fgamer/2011/07/bloody-play.html?ref=vjarmy.com) was part of what drove me to the show originally. I was so enamored with the execution of this theatre/game hybrid, I [named *Sleep No More* my "Game Of The Year" for 2011](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2011/12/games-of-2011-sleep-no-more.php?ref=vjarmy.com) over titles like Bastion and Skyrim. (The piece also included what could be charitably called a walkthrough as well as a list of achievements.)
This morning, with the memories of SNM still dancing in my subconscious, I finally cracked open my copy of [The Punchdrunk Encyclopaedia](https://www.punchdrunk.org.uk/the-punchdrunk-encyclopaedia/?ref=vjarmy.com). Published this past December, the book covers the history of Punchdrunk, their projects, and their immersive theatre design concepts in an enjoyable non-linear way. The encyclopedia format, with cross-references between entries and occasional full-page related topics, allows you to wander between concepts like you would an immersive set.
My read was fairly linear, going A-Z and spending time on the concepts I wanted to know more about. And just as I was about to put the book down, at the "References and Further Reading" appendix, my eyes flicked to the corner and grew wide:
*Why was I being referenced in the official history of Punchdrunk in any capacity?* I quickly fired a text to Kathryn Yu, friend / managing editor of [No Proscenium](https://noproscenium.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) / my original shepherd into the world of immersive theatre.
After some random entry checks, I struck gold on the entry for *gaming.* With a closer read than my first pass, found this quote:
> "We didn't set out to build work to be like first-person computer games. Instead, as our productions became more intricate and detailed it was a lens through which audiences began to view and compare the work. We recognise that the work offers fully realised realities within which audiences are immersed. Immersion of this depth is addictive and those interested in gaming feel the work offers a physical alternative to gaming. Just as games are played many times over, audiences return again and again to Punchdrunk worlds; with *Sleep No More*, NYC, an audience member who frequented the production reviewed it as one of his top ten games \[see Dickinson 2011\]."– Peter Higgin, Punchdrunk Director of Enrichment
Finding yourself referenced in a book without warning would've been enough to weird me out for the day. But then came a text from Kathryn: "I FOUND IT" and a link to [a recent Guardian article](https://www.theguardian.com/games/2019/feb/08/playable-shows-are-the-future-what-punchdrunk-theatre-learned-from-video-games?ref=vjarmy.com):
This was a turn I wasn't prepared for.
> But something strange happened after Punchdrunk brought Sleep No More to New York in 2011.
>
> “We had an amazing weird moment when the papers and blogs were doing their round ups of ‘best album of the year’, ‘best film of the year’ and so on,” \[Felix\] Barrett remembers. “In one of them, Sleep No More got ‘best game of the year’”. The article described the show using gaming vocabulary and vernacular. Its hidden secrets were “Easter eggs,” while discovering a new floor was “levelling up”, and the choice of where to go made it an “open world”.
>
> “When we were described as a video game I started going back to games to find out more about them, to unpack it, and learn more about game mechanics,” says Barrett. He realised while Punchdrunk wasn’t “ever directly inspired by an open-world game”, open worlds give birth to choice, which creates a new way to tell stories – similar to what he was trying to achieve in theatre.
> – Alysia Judge, "['Playable shows are the future': what Punchdrunk theatre learned from games](https://www.theguardian.com/games/2019/feb/08/playable-shows-are-the-future-what-punchdrunk-theatre-learned-from-video-games?ref=vjarmy.com)"
Some Googling reveals that I appear to have been the only person who ever declared the show "game of the year". Which means *Felix Barrett read that blog post and considered it an "amazing weird moment".*
Wait, there's more:
> "That crazy space between video games and theatre, I reckon is the next frontier. \[...\] I’m taking literal game mechanics to enter theatre … That’s totally what we’re doing. Asking questions in that space. \[...\] I actually don’t think there’s a vocabulary for it yet. For a while, ‘immersive theatre’ was bandied about, but whatever this new thing is called, playable shows are the future."– Felix Barrett
So...Felix Barrett read that blog post, considered it an amazing weird moment, *and* it may have triggered him down a path of deeper consideration of how to marry game mechanics theater, *and* that's what Punchdrunk is working on now?
That's one *hell* of a one-on-one.
I lay no claim to originating the idea of comparing immersive theatre to gaming. (Again, Michael Abbott's post put the idea in my head long before I ever attended.) And I don't dare believe that my words alone sent Punchdrunk down whatever creative rabbit hole they're currently exploring.
But there's something bewitching about my words echoing back seven years later in this way, in the book in my hands and the subhead copy on my screen. To know that I left even a small imprint on the Punchdrunk team, in the subconscious way that their shows did on me, makes me glow a little.
*(Felix, Peter – if either of you somehow end up back on this small corner of the internet and read this, I'm not sure what to say except: thank you both.)*
### Punk Flyers Digital Collection at the Cornell Library
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/punk-flyers-digital-collection-at-the-cornell-library/
Last updated: 2026-02-11T16:53:21.000Z
Just discovered that the Cornell University Library [has a digital collection of over 2000 punk, new wave, and hardcore show flyers](https://digital.library.cornell.edu/?f%5Bcollection%5Ftesim%5D%5B%5D=Punk+Flyers&view=gallery&ref=vjarmy.com).
> Cornell’s Rare and Manuscript Division offers deep [collections on modern music](https://rare.library.cornell.edu/collections/music?ref=vjarmy.com), including a growing number of archives on punk and post-punk music and culture. The show and event advertising flyers in this digital archive are drawn from two of Cornell’s prominent punk collections: [The Johan Kugelberg punk collection](http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/RMM08060.html?ref=vjarmy.com#s2), which includes hundreds of fliers, posters, zines, original art and more, and [the Aaron Cometbus Punk and Underground Press Collection](http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/RMM08107.html?ref=vjarmy.com), which includes punk, new wave, and hardcore flyers and other ephemera from the San Francisco Bay area and beyond.
### Recommended: Ed Scissor
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/recommended-ed-scissor/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:19:12.000Z
In the summer of 2017, I stumbled through tangential blog posts recommending music and somehow landed on Edward Scissortongue, bucketed broadly, and perhaps confusingly, under UK’s grime scene. (About a year later, his performing name shortened to just “Ed Scissor”.)
He quickly entered a hallowed tier of reverence in my music library: complete discography loaded, with about ten different songs hitting the coveted “keep this in my constant rotation” rating. A year later, I would impulse buy four of the albums on vinyl from his record label and have them shipped over. (His releases are not going to appear in the shops over here.)
Ed’s music is layered in a way that puts its hooks into you quietly. There is his delivery and lyricism: dense, literary, tense, deep baritone, driving. There’s a semi-regular theme of societal breakdown and post-apocalyptic life, but it’s weaved so well into the lyrics you might not immediately notice [unless you go dig into Genius](https://genius.com/7147818?ref=vjarmy.com). This is well illustrated in “The Calculator” off *Theremin EP:*
The production on his backing tracks suit his lyrical style well. The melodies lean more towards trip-hop than grime, with international elements and rich instrumentation coming in frequently. Tension, mystery, melancholy all come through the songs. Samples are used sparingly but meaningfully – snippets of Godspeed!, You Black Emperor’s “Dead Flag Blues” bookends the title track of the Theremin album. Here’s “Gypsy Tart” off his collaboration with Jam Baxter, Laminated Cakes, where a vocal whine coils into the melody:
Lastly, his albums each have their own thematic cohesion, independent from each other. This is best illustrated on *Tell Them It’s Winter*, which Lamplighter paints a cold, dark winter picture underneath Ed’s steady delivery. Here’s the title track:
More tracks to explore if you like what you’ve heard: “[Rosegarden](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/rosegarden/578908158?i=578908209&ref=vjarmy.com)“, “[Wastewater](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wastewater/578908158?i=578908212&ref=vjarmy.com)“, “[Sink](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sink/1316465303?i=1316465837&ref=vjarmy.com)“, “[The Dust Don’t Lay](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-dust-dont-lay/1110667860?i=1110669036&ref=vjarmy.com)“, and “[The Wipeout Soundtrack](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-wipeout-soundtrack-feat-toyface/842552781?i=842552791&ref=vjarmy.com)“
### The Private Psychedelic Stack
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-private-psychedelic-stack/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:20:46.000Z
Among my limited office decorations is a complete CD-ROM boxed version of Hypercard 2.4\. People spotting it have one of two reactions: “OH MY GOD, HYPERCARD!” or “What’s Hypercard?”
Triggered by the latter response today, I went on a brief Wikipedia dive and discovered that Hypercard was – in part – [inspired by an acid trip](https://www.mondo2000.com/2018/06/18/the-inspiration-for-hypercard/?ref=vjarmy.com):
> It occurred to me the weak link for the Blue Marble team is wisdom. Humanity has achieved sufficient technological power to change the course of life and the entire global ecosystem, but we seem to lack the perspective to choose wisely between alternative futures. But I was young, without much life experience or wisdom myself.
\-- Bill Atkinson
### Self Defense Against A Decaying Internet
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/self-defense-against-a-decaying-internet/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:22:47.000Z
In terms of blog neglect, 2018 appears to have been a banner year. Despite well over 20 article false starts, I published exactly one blog post in the entire calendar year. (Well, two, with this one.)
This is not limited to my blog, though. I have grown quieter on all networks I still participate in. My conversations are increasingly in private messages, in group chats, or in a draft tweet that quickly gets deleted.
Why? Two reasons, I think.
One: we – royal internet We, to the extent that there is one overarching culture – have mutated to a point where I’m not entirely sure I fit in to that culture. Worse, I’m not sure I want to.
Two: the social networks are [part of the problem](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/technology/facebook-privacy.html?ref=vjarmy.com), and the people running them have signaled pretty clearly this year they have [no desire to fix them](https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/04/twitters-ugly-incentive/?ref=vjarmy.com).
My natural response to both of these has been to clam up, to shut down, to say less. This is hard for someone who’s proudly waved an online presence for nearly three decades.
So may I wave this dusty, underutilized presence that’s mine once more. May I turn the comments off and the frequency up. May I micro-blog less and macro-blog more.
May I find my voice once more in 2019.
### The Web is a Flat Circle
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-web-is-a-flat-circle/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T15:45:17.000Z
Twenty-something years ago, around my junior year of high school, I applied for an Independent Study project. The proposal: build a website for my school district.
That project was old enough that it predated archive.org, so I can’t even pull a screenshot out of the archives. But a few times a week, I trudged along in assembling a website for the three schools in the district.
This was, strangely, not new work for me at the time: I was already holding a part-time job for the one web design firm in my tiny town. So roughing out a site structure, scanning photos via a SCSI flatbed scanner, hand-writing the HTML code and picking the right hex colors was a relatively familiar feeling.
The site launched at tburg.k12.ny.us, which was a particularly weird domain, even then. (In a weird bit of internet trivia, the hosting was provided by [John R. Levine](https://www.johnlevine.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) of “Internet for Dummies” fame, who not only lived in my town but later became the mayor.)
It wasn’t a particularly great site or deep site – you get what you pay for having an angsty teenager design your theoretically professional website – but it felt good to build an internet presence for the place I spent most of my time.
Today, after 13 months of work, 639 tickets, and more meetings than I can genuinely remember, we pulled the trigger on the relaunch of [weill.cornell.edu](https://weill.cornell.edu/?ref=vjarmy.com).
Nothing about it is what would qualify as a marvel of modern web engineering. There’s no blockchain, no bespoke node.js content management system, no deep social integration at the cost of your personal data. It’s just a nice website that tells some important stories about a medical school. (I’m big on storytelling this year.)
I’m grateful to have had a great team working with me every day to pull this off, even when I’m spitballing new ideas late in the project.
I’m grateful to have management above me who trusted my vision and my approach, even when what I’m explaining is confusing and foreign.
And I’m grateful that I got the chance to leave my imprint, however temporal a website may be, on an institution like WCM.
### 2017 in Five Sentences
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/2017-in-five-sentences/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T03:46:00.000Z
For as long as I’ve kept this blog, I’ve tried to find some positive way to put a bow on the milestones of my life, including the end of the year.
I have tried my hardest to look back over this year and find some unifying narrative of hope, of growth, of betterment in my life or the world around me.
I haven’t been able to find it.
2017 has been far more struggling with the dark than it has been responding to the light.
Onward to 2018.
### The Dickinson Bill Method, v. 2.0
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-dickinson-bill-method-v-2-0/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T15:46:33.000Z
In the fleeting memories of my childhood, there’s one moment that strikes me as weirdly formative.
It was a family reunion on my Dad’s side; I was maybe 12 years old. The collective – my parents, my Dad’s four siblings and their spouses, and an excessive number of my cousins – were grabbing breakfast at some forgettable restaurant.
As the meal ended, the adults got into a heated argument over who was going to pay the bill. There was a weird source of pride among the family about grabbing the bill, with an outright refusal to let anyone split it, to the point where it would nearly turn into a fist fight. Cards were drawn, cash was readied, fingers were pointed demanding others stand down. It was equal parts tense and hilarious.
The server came by, and someone asked for the check. And then, the punchline: my 80 year old grandmother had gotten up at the beginning of the meal and slipped the server her card, trumping everyone else.
---
If behavior has to be inherited from your family, there are worse ones to pick up than wanting to grab the check. As I rolled into adulthood, this became the ongoing game with my parents, for both me and Katie. She once proudly blindsided my parents by grabbing the bill in the same way as my grandmother – forever after referred to as “pulling a Dickinson”.
This method has also proven somewhat useful when I’m out with friends, as years of being the Designated Bill Splitter when out in large groups has made me despise the practice. It’s easier/nicer to just pick up everything and tell everyone not to worry about it. (This goes doubly when I’ve picked the spot we’re hanging at, as sometimes my picks are not the most wallet conscious.)
There’s a roadblock, though: I’m not the only one who tries to do this. For the segment of my friends that want to do the same, or take offense at being told that everything’s cool, it can be considered an dick move. And so we start getting into battles about who’s grabbing the next check, or trying to keep a running total in the name of balance – and that sucks too.
So after some consideration and refinement, I’ve come up with what I will dub **The Dickinson Bill Method 2.0**. It greatly simplifies settling the bill, allows for acceptable contributions from those who want to contribute, and leaves everyone feeling reasonably good.
Life’s too short to fight with your friends over money.
---
**The Dickinson Method 2.0**
1. One member of the party will pick up the bill, in full, including tip. We will refer to this person as **the Payer**.
2. Other members of the party (**The Party**) are told that while the bill has been covered, they can contribute what they feel comfortable giving and/or what they think they owe to the Payer.
3. Members of the Party are not allowed to look at the bill, either in sum or in detail, to try and crunch an exact amount they owe. Contributions must be made off gut feeling.
4. Because contributions are optional and made off of gut feeling, the Payer may not indicate that a contribution is “too low” or “too high”. No grudges may be held by any person over the size of a contribution.
5. Contributions can be made by whatever method is acceptable to the Payer. If using cash, $1 bills may not be exchanged. (No one wants a wallet full of singles.)
6. If the outing consists of multiple locations with multiple bills, the same Payer should pay for all stops, with contributions being made when the last bill for the outing arrives.
### Gothamist, 2002 – 2017
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/gothamist-2002-2017/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:29:08.000Z
*This is the latest in the continuing series of me saying goodbye to things I love.*
[Gothamist](http://gothamist.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) has been shut down. ([DNAInfo](http://dnainfo.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), too.) You can read [the statement](http://assets.dnainfo.com/message.html?ref=vjarmy.com) or [the NYT coverage](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/nyregion/dnainfo-gothamist-shutting-down.html?ref=vjarmy.com). I’ve had a day to digest and I am still having trouble identifying a singular emotion. So instead, some free-form reflection:
There was no website more crucial to assimilating as a newcomer into NYC than Gothamist. It helped me feel like I understood the city in a way other news rarely did. (I actually tried reading the Times on the subway some mornings right after I moved here. The paper version. That didn’t help.)
Gothamist had a soul, an energy, and its own real voice. That was the amalgamation of a lot of really talented, really funny writers who connected in a shared love (and sometimes hate) of NYC. I was lucky to read their work, and luckier still to get to work with some of them.
Gothamist was a success story of “the blogging era”: a site that gradually grew from hobby to blog to major thing to outlet to longform news site. It lasted fifteen years, an eternity in Internet time.
Gothamist was how, either directly or indirectly, I made my longest lasting friends in NYC. Countless people I identify as friends have a traceable lineage through Gothamist. Many I met at social functions the site held. Two of my closest friendships are directly through my work with the site.
Gothamist was how I became a soccer journalist and why so many people care what I have to say about the sport, even two years after giving up. Without that platform, without that freedom, you wouldn’t have heard my voice. But the loss of the outlet that I wrote for feels less significant than the loss of the thing I relied on to navigate this crazy city.
Gothamist changed my life, was a part of my identity, and I ache now that it’s gone.
> *Every meeting between friends must end with a parting, and so, my friends, today we take our leave. This is life. None of us profits from ignoring or hiding from the facts, so why should we bother? Life is what it is, a gift that is given to us for a time – like a library book – that must eventually be returned. How should we treat this book? If we are able to remember that it is not ours to begin with – one that we’re entrusted with, to care for, to study and learn from – perhaps it would change the way we treat it while it’s in our possession. How do you treat a precious gift from a dear friend? This is a good question to ask, and today is a good time to ask it.*
>
> – Margaret Lanternman
### The Fifteenth
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-fifteenth/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T19:36:15.000Z
Those of you who have been around us a while may recall that [I’ve written one of these posts before](https://www.vjarmy.com/the-tenth/). In the name of not treading over the same old path, I’m not going to rehash that post in format or content. Instead, I’ve picked fifteen of my favorite Katie photos from the last five years, with a few words to explain why they’re close to my heart.
I will say this, though: I didn’t think it was possible to love her any more than I did when I wrote that last post. And I am glad to have been wrong.
We made a big tour of the Pacific Northwest in 2016, and while in Vancouver we rented bikes to go around Stanley Park. Or that was the plan anyhow – Katie’s Soul Cycle addiction had her constantly racing ahead of me, to the point where she lost me. We still laugh about it.
That smile kills me every time.
It’s hard not to love how excited Katie can get about the little things, like the endless array of inflated things outside of the Balloon Saloon in TriBeCa. (She famously went inside on my birthday, argued about what she specifically wanted, and then brought an array of balloons back across the street to the bar we were parked at.)
You should’ve seen her eyes light up when the inflatable bunnies appeared in Battery Park.
Katie epitomizes “sweet”, even if she wants to believe she is perpetually sour or gloomy. (She’s recently taken to Sanrio’s Aggretsuko as her spirit animal.)
Mid-2015, Katie finally went all out on dying her hair and went for the shocking pink. There’s been some blue added to the back since, but this has become her signature look, and I love it.
The main thing that my soccer retirement has allowed is more flexibility on the weekends, which has lead us to a lot of restaurant sampling. Here we were at Carbone for lunch.
Two Katie trademarks: a striped shirt, and a glass of rosé (or as she typically puts it, “summer water”).
These two are practically inseparable, and always find some new and adorable way to cuddle together.
Girl knows how to sip a cocktail.
We go on so many adventures together, but I do cherish the little moments, like the few blocks walk home together post-adventure.
We got a chance to piggyback on a work trip to have a long weekend in London earlier this year and it was one of our best trips yet. We’re following that model this weekend and heading to Toronto with barely any plans.
To get serious for a moment: 2016 was largely marked by health issues, which were pretty stressful but that she triumphed over. 2017 is marked by her finally pulling the trigger on a long-needed surgical procedure, which she was mostly terrified about.
And the thing is, she powered through the recovery and was back to her routine within days. Her inner strength and drive just floor me. I wish I was half the person she was.
### A Long Weekend In London
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-long-weekend-in-london/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T20:52:22.000Z
I spent a long weekend in England last weekend.
There was a brief stop in Windsor, where Katie was finishing up a work trip.
But we were largely in London, staying at the Mondrian on South Bank.
We visited some excellent bars.
And we drank many excellent cocktails, like this “Chico de Ganso”: Ron Zacapa rum, black cherry emulsion, chocolate, orange, lime, Orinoco bitters, yoghurt powder.
We ate many things.
We spent time with many friends.
We even managed to catch up with my parents, a quarter of the way around the world.
And we explored a great city that I have steadily grown to love.
### Remembering The Good Of 2016
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/remembering-the-good-of-2016/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:35:32.000Z
The prevailing sentiment among my social circle as we end a year of celebrity death, dismay, and non-stop electoral insanity is “fuck 2016”. With each day bringing some new blunt emotional trauma, I get and fully understand it.
On personal reflection, though: it’s not been a bad year. It’s been a surprisingly decent year. And I’ve been terrible at keeping track of the year that was here, as opposed to other social mediums. I’m reasonably worried about losing track of the year and just writing it off as “that year Trump won and every celebrity died”.
So, with that in mind, some personal highlights from the year that was.
**I started walking everywhere.** It was commonplace for me to identify Manhattan’s density and generally understandable street grid as one of the things I love about the city. But up until 2016, I rarely took regular advantage of it.
No more: I have walked, and walked, and walked some more. I built in extra walks into my morning commute. I started learning the streets in areas I hadn’t regularly traversed: the Lower East Side, the east end of Chinatown, Tribeca, the waterfront of the West Village. A regular work day has me clocking 4 miles; a busy weekend day has me moving towards 10\. And while I can’t get away with saying “the city is my gym!”, it’s a constant adventure to find out just how close everything is.
**I returned to a semi-knowledgable state about restaurants.** With schedules being what they were, I had gotten into a bit of a rut with restaurants. Fighting for reservations seemed like a waste of energy, and I had missed a lot of places during the “OMG SO HOT RIGHT NOW” phase, which is when I would’ve previously been trying to get my foot through the door. A comfortable pattern of a few routine places where we were treated well had kept me going for a few years, but my ability to arbitrarily recommend restaurants was suffering.
I made it a point this year to try as many new places as I could. That took me to Momofuku Nishi on opening weekend, with chicken & dumplings (above) I still dream about. I visited High Street on Hudson, for a underrated roast pork sandwich lunch. I partook of fancy vegetarian food at Nix and tried Jersey City’s latest at Matthews. I got in on the ground floor at Superiority Burger and in ordering from Ando thanks to working in Midtown East. I scarfed tingly noodles while balanced on a windowsill at Very Fresh Noodles in Chelsea Market. I verified the clam pizza as Pasquale Jones was as good as everyone said (possibly better), and joined the hype train at Emmy Squared, which is undeniably the best pizza in NYC right now. And not two weeks ago, I got welcomed with open arms into the newly reopened Union Square Cafe (also above).
It wasn’t just new places – I finally caught up on the old as well. Bobwhite Counter blew me away after three years of sitting on my to-do list. Mr. Taka (above) cemented itself as my go-to ramen spot, even in the same year I finally dragged myself to Ippudo. I doubled up on Danny Bowien’s spots (Mission Chinese and Mission Cantina were both worth the trips) and on Major Food Group’s places (Santina does great brunch; Carbone is life-changing at lunch). I finally got to try Betony not long before they announced their closure, and got that weird deja vu when you go to a restaurant that used to be another place you frequented (RIP, Shelly’s). I often went small: I loved the low-key charms Superiority Burger (somehow I developed a taste for veggie burgers in 2016?), the basement hideaway that is Sakagura, and the quiet Japanese joy of Hi-Collar. I even finally put a flag down for “regular dim sum spot” at Shanghai Asian Manor on Mott Street, right by Chinatown Fair.
Somehow in all of this, I also managed to achieve “regular” status at Momofuku Ko, which is quite the accomplishment given [my documented struggles](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2008/03/koboom.php?ref=vjarmy.com) of 2008\. If I had to choose, it’s my favorite restaurant for special occasions in NYC.
**I cooked plenty, too.** I got bolder with my home cooking: peppermint chocolate bars, strawberry pie (above), spring chicken soba, sous vide duck breast, pasta sauced with sweet corn, and mapo ragu. I’ve passed the point of slavishly adhering to the recipe book, and feel more comfortable throwing things together that I know will work. I’m a long way from marveling myself at being able to put together a tasty BLT sandwich, which happened less than a decade ago.
**I doubled down on being a cocktail nerd.** My increasing love of cocktail culture didn’t slow down in 2016, and like the restaurants, I ticked a lot off my list. Blacktail spun off many of our Dead Rabbit friends to a new cuban-styled destination, and I can’t think of a better place to grab a daiquiri or a highball. Suffolk Arms is the high-end pub of my dreams. And in the catch-up bucket, I can finally count Angel’s Share, Amor y Amargo, Porchlight, and Ex-Patriate (in Portland) as having been conquered.
I’d be remiss in not mentioning that something had to balance out all this high-end drinking, and that turned into a steady embrace of Mother’s Ruin. Mother’s straddles a lot of lines, starting with its location: within the neighborhood edge of hyper-trendy SoHo, but practically (and atmospherically) on the Lower East Side. It can feel like a dive bar (dressed Tecates are the most common order), but it’s not sleazy (Sunday mornings feature remarkably chill acoustic guitar sessions by a friend of the bar’s). It’s fun (crazy drink names! a slushy machine!) and fast (free-pour everything!) while still having cocktail sensibilities. It can be blisteringly busy or incredibly chill. And most importantly: the food is great, the drinks are delicious, the staff are some of my favorite human beings, and Santacon is banned. Dead Rabbit will always be our impress-the-out-of-town-guests spot, but Mother’s is our weekend hangout spot.
With a steady rotation of drinks comes a desire to make more of them at home, and I’m gradually becoming a better home bartender. Replacing my awful shortcut margarita (tequila + triple sec + limeade) with an actual properly built margarita was overdue. Our home bar now almost has as many shelves of modifiers as it does base spirits. I even managed to modify one of Sasha Petraske’s recipes into something I could batch into a flask, take on a train trip over the holidays, and quickly stir over some ice for some extra holiday cheer.
**I went to exactly one soccer game.** The good part here is that the number was just that: one. There was no intention to go cold turkey this year; I kept waiting for the day to come where I missed the sport enough to trek to any stadium. But that day never came, and the one game I attended (the third-division championship USL Cup) was more out of convenience than anything else. Perhaps I was too busy with all these other activities? Any concern that I would have regret the decision to step away from the game is completely gone. I keep up with the sport but don’t find much reason to care, other than making sure my friends aren’t suffering the same burnout I did.
I still remain active on soccer social media (to the confusion of many), but if you haven’t noticed how much my tweeting has slowed, perhaps you aren’t paying attention.
**I fell in love with music again.** How cliché is it to be a thirty something white dude that started collecting vinyl because he missed the “physical nature” of music? Sadly, I’ve made that exact case on multiple occasions this year.
I started the year having just received my turntable and a small pile of records; now, my collection stands north of 150 albums. It’s part nostalgia tripping (the NIN, Prodigy, DJ Shadow, and Orbital albums of my teenage years), part making up for lost time (albums from Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer I had failed to pick up at the appropriate time), and partially new exploration (Clams Casino and Gold Panda were both on heavy rotation this year).
I started traversing record stores not just in NYC – following some closures mid-year, Turntable Lab and Rough Trade are my two mainstays – but anywhere I traveled. Angry Mom Records in Ithaca was a pleasant surprise, Amoeba Records in LA was everything I had hoped and dreamed, and I took an afternoon in Portland to do a four store crawl before promptly walking into a FedEx store to ship everything home.
My revived desire to go to concerts continued. I managed to catch the debut US show of Aristophanes, a Taiwanese rapper who’s music is impossible to encapsulate in a few sentences. And we loved the Manhattan debut of a friend’s wonderful concept band where she and her husband cover Ryan Adams songs in the style of Taylor Swift. (It’s a long story.)
**With friends, I beat Moonwalker in the arcade.** $5 of tokens across the three of us was enough to take down a game that had been a thorn in my side for over 25 years. Take THAT, Mr. Big.
**Most importantly, I reconnected with close friends and made a few new ones.**
It was left unsaid when I retired from the soccer beat last year: I had grown more distant from my friends. Soccer coverage in a theee team market doesn’t give you lots of room for socializing; so many of our plans were made around games rather than the other way around. And while I’ve always contended that not seeing friends for months (or years) in NYC is completely normal, this was bordering on sad.
So this year, I’ve made amends. We’ve scheduled as much time as we can on weekends with friends. We’ve done quarterly karaoke. We’ve gone to guest shifts at other bars. When we’ve travel, most of our day to day plans are seeing old friends who live locally.
I know I get overly emotional about my friends at times, with gushing words seeming out of place against my general air of stoicism and realism. But I know how lucky I am to have all these wonderful people in my life, and it’s what keeps me going every day. So forgive my sap as I call out two specific groups of friends.
Kathryn Yu and Dan Budiac have been the source of so many adventures this year: constant excursions to bars and restaurants and places we wouldn’t imagine. Dan was my partner-in-crime for my first Record Store Day; Kathryn constantly leads the charge on immersive theatre adventures. We’ve been friends for over 10 years, but to have spent so much of 2016 with them (in various states of food and drink comas, like the above New Years celebration at Momofuku Ssam Bar) has been a rare treat. I can only pray there’s more of this in 2017\. Love you both.
And last but absolutely not least: we became friends with Stevie Wilson in 2016, and that in and of itself made it a good year.
The other half of #TeamUnicorn, Stevie went from bartender we recognized to bartender who knew us (a toast of “here’s to people who don’t suck” may have been the start of our relationship), to an acquaintance we were always happy to see, to a friend we cajoled out post-shift, to a good friend we hung out with on days off, to the sort of close friends that get scheduled to meet significant others within 24 hours of their arrival. Somewhere in there, I learned she was an incredible artist, author, and all-around person. This was in just over six months.
There will be a longer post about Stevie in 2017 – we know she’s not long from a west coast move, and I’m saving my emotional outpouring until that point in time. But for now, I just want to remember the wonderful whirlwind of her becoming one of my best friends.
### Loyal To My Sorrowful Country
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/loyal-to-my-sorrowful-country/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:38:44.000Z
Eight years ago, immediately following the first election of Barack Obama, I wrote a blog piece entitled [The Great Release](https://www.vjarmy.com/the-great-release/). While I had memories of writing it, I hadn’t re-read it in the years since.
The short version of the post: it had been around eight years since I had started this blog; writing was my catharsis, and I wrote to ensure I couldn’t forget the emotions I felt on that night.
Those exact emotions, I had forgotten. Sure, there were symbolic actions (“as the tears came to my eye”) and (now) foolish declarations that the country had “spoken resoundingly” and rejected fear mongering. But the description of those eight years under Bush felt like a repressed memory:
> I can not ever forget what the last eight years have done to this country. It has divided us, such that my own relatives feel that calling me a “commie pinko” is acceptable discourse. It has destroyed our good standing around the world. It has warped our values: intelligence and eloquence had become something that we no longer wanted in our leaders.
So. Here we are again. Back where we started, as though the last eight years not only hadn’t happened but had somehow caused us to backslide. Our international good standing is shattered, buffered slightly by the UK beating us to the punch some months ago. Our values have warped farther, where playing to hateful views is not only viable enough to win you the nomination, but the presidency as well. And the “commie pinko” comment from one of my in-laws was not merely said but screamed at my wife last night.
Unlike eight years ago, my emotional spectrum over the last twenty four hours doesn’t feel worth jotting down in detail. Dread, regret, sadness, indignation, exhaustion – they all eventually gave way to knowing the sun would come up and the world around me would try to find a way to continue. (As I grow older, my emotional range in narrowing; less jittery highs and lows, more smooth curves.)
The emotion I do want to focus on is the recurring theme as I check in on my friends: heartbreak and resolve.
There’s the heartbreak of my LGBTQ friends who now will wait in fear for the inevitable rolling back of their rights.
There’s the heartbreak of my married friends who have to find a way to explain this to their kids.
There’s the heartbreak of my female friends who are terrified that birth control will be outlawed.
There’s the heartbreak of my immigrant friends who have had their impressions of what this country represented fractured.
There’s the heartbreak of friends who have to face antagonistic family over the holidays, who now feel empowered to spew hate about minorities, immigrants, and imagined threats.
The heartbreak was pretty uniform, but a collective resolve is showing through soon after. Whether that’s resolve to protest, resolve to work to understand the other side, or resolve to dedicate themselves to a cause, it’s starting to show up in my conversations as much as that initial heartbreak. There’s not talk about “second amendment solutions”, little serious talk about running away to Canada – everyone’s just ready to put in the work. Society can’t change on its own.
As for me: while I need to figure out a path to make a difference on my area of biggest concern (trying to reverse decades of slow-building voter suppression efforts), the thing I’m going to focus on for now is supporting the people I care for. Despite 2016 having plenty of low points, I refuse to lose sight of the incredible group of people I get to call my circle of friends.
So to the older version of myself, who will eventually pull this post up in a future election cycles: remember that you don’t win every time. Remember that what feels like progress can disappear in the blink of an eye. Remember to put in the work. And remember to be there to help with the heartbreak, because that is when you may be needed the most.
---
When I wrote that piece eight years ago, I chose a fairly deep cut from the LCD Soundsystem discography for the post title. The lyrics may not have worked as well as the title did, but it stuck enough to make it through.
This year’s post comes from [a 2003 Ted Leo song](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dix65c5qy7o&ref=vjarmy.com). The lyrics work better here, but they’re slightly at conflict with the title of the song:
> No more shall I be, loyal to my sorrowful country
> No more shall I be, loyal to my sorrowful country
>
> And I’ve walked from coast to coast
> And I’ve seen, yes I’ve seen…
> No one’s business but my own
> Where I’ve been, where I’ve been…
>
> And no more shall I be, loyal to my sorrowful country
> No more shall I be, loyal to my sorrowful country
>
> In the days when we were young
> We were free, we were free…
> Now that Georgie’s reign’s begun
> We won’t be, we can’t be…
>
> And no more shall I be, loyal to my sorrowful country
> No more shall I be, loyal to my sorrowful country
>
> Though I’ve lived my bygone years
> In this land, in this land…
> I’ll uproot it without tears
> And I’ll change it if I can!
>
> And, no more shall I be, loyal to my sorrowful country
> No more shall I be, loyal to my sorrowful country
### Hunter Rawlings, on Liberal Education
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/hunter-rawlings-on-liberal-education/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:40:39.000Z
> As you have no doubt noticed, many people in the U.S. have lost faith in liberal education. From governors to legislators, from pundits to parents, Americans increasingly view higher education as purely instrumental—as a ticket to a job, nothing less, nothing more. This vocational view sees college as a commodity: you purchase education the way you buy a car, and the return on investment is measured in strictly financial terms:
>
> How much do graduates make?
>
> How much do individual majors make?
>
> What percentage of new graduates get jobs?
>
> Why major in subjects that do not lead directly to high-paying jobs?
>
> The Arts College does not see itself as a vocational school. Neither do our other colleges, which depend significantly upon the Arts College for many of their fundamental courses.
\[…\]
> What is liberal education? I take “liberal” in its original Latin sense as an education for free people; that is, people who do not live in a dictatorship, but have an active role to play in the life of their society. Liberal education liberates students to think for themselves as individuals, to develop their creative capacities, and to contribute to public life, not just earn money as a cog in a machine.
\[…\]
> A university’s curriculum says a lot about what that university purports to be. The Stanford faculty recently published a well-conceived report on the Stanford curriculum. Princeton is about to release its report on the same topic. In its turn, I would like to see Cornell give strong and clear answers to the following questions:
>
> For tomorrow’s world, what should a well-educated person know?
>
> What should she be able to do with her mind?
>
> To contribute to her society?
>
> These are tough questions. They are particularly pertinent now, given the state of this country, when our national discourse has descended to the language of the gutter. It is the responsibility of universities to do what they can to raise the level of discourse. Here are a few thoughts:
>
> First, we need citizens who can read closely and critically; otherwise they will be easy prey for political and Internet nonsense.
>
> Second, we need citizens who can reason intelligently and ethically; otherwise, we will continue to suffer from shallow arguments and dishonest leadership.
>
> Third, we need citizens who can speak and write clearly and persuasively; otherwise, they will be incapable of convincing others of their views.
>
> Fourth, we need citizens who can do independent research; otherwise, they will depend upon someone else to tell them what the facts are.
>
> Fifth, we need citizens who can analyze quantitative arguments common to math and the sciences; otherwise, they will be unable to assess issues of critical importance.
>
> Finally, we need individuals who have intellectual curiosity and a lifelong desire to keep learning; without those assets, they will not escape the vapid consumerism and celebrity culture that is all around us.
>
> Those are general goals, as I see it, of a liberal education.
*–* [*Cornell University President Hunter Rawlings, “State of the University”, October 28th 2016*](http://president.cornell.edu/state-of-the-university-address-2016/?ref=vjarmy.com)*. Comments have been condensed and reformatted.*
### Benching Myself
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/benching-myself/
Last updated: 2026-07-14T15:40:53.000Z
Soccer is a never ending sport. On a match level, the clock never stops during play; on a competition level, there’s always someone playing globally.
The longest measure of defined time in soccer is the *World Cup cycle*, the four year period from the end of one World Cup to the end of the next. Experimentation yields to eventual stability, as qualification and continental competitions dot the timeline. It crests in the World Cup, and then it’s time to reflect and rebuild. Coaches move on, players retire, and we go again.
The end of 2015 marks the end of a four year cycle of my own: being a soccer writer. In those four years, I’ve gotten to do quite a bit. I’ve [talked to legends](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2014/12/media-lessons-from-the-king.php?ref=vjarmy.com), picked brains of coaches, and debated with fans. I’ve broken news, coined terms, weaved narratives, and written a [few](http://gothamist.com/2015/04/20/4%5Fgames%5F4%5Fdays%5Fa%5Flook%5Fat%5Fthe%5Fstate.php?ref=vjarmy.com) [things](http://owfss.tumblr.com/post/78849205083/exclusive-the-2014-mls-cocktail-book?ref=vjarmy.com) that, even to my hyper-critical mind, are worth reading. I’ve [co-hosted a podcast](http://seeingredny.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) for a year and a half, gotten to do color commentary on a professional soccer match, and hosted pre-match coverage twice. And I’ve helped grow a [small, passionate soccer community](http://reddit.com/r/MLS?ref=vjarmy.com) into a giant, passionate soccer community.
Which is why now feels like the right time for me to leave the soccer business, at least in the semi-professional sense. Effective today, I’m marking myself inactive.
---
*“Wait! You can’t just do that! How can you just walk away from your job? And why would you want to, it sounds incredible! What kind of a spoiled prick are you?”*
Slow down there, Imaginary Abusive Soccer Person Who Cares Enough To Raise Objections.
One of the most eye opening things that I discovered upon being inside the press box is that almost no one is there as their primary job. A sizable chunk have day jobs – IT guys, mechanics, small business owners, etc. There’s a subsection of journalists who do soccer, but usually either cover other sports (typically NFL or NBA) or do other things at their outlets (copy editor, webmaster). The sports journalism business is not doing great, and in a sport that still counts as “niche” in the US, soccer gets a very ad hoc press corps.
This was a shock when I first entered the box, but also relieving, because it meant I wasn’t going to be an anomaly. The soccer things I’ve done for the last four years haven’t been a job, but a really professional hobby. That likely sounds insane if you’ve never heard me say it before, but it’s not something I’ve been hiding. Anything you’ve read from me, any podcasts you’ve listened to with me on them – those were all done as an outlet, as stress relief from the rest of my life, as something to pour my energy into. I am not a professional sports journalist by trade.
What that all means was also this: I always have had the ability to walk away, if this no longer felt like the right thing to do.
---
The “why”, or even “why now” is tough to answer. I struggled with writing this post at all, because I don’t want to sound bitter, and I’d love to just fade away quietly. But walking away in silence is tough after spending such a long time writing and talking about soccer.
So let me boil it down to three quick things: one negative, one positive, and one sort of in the middle.
The **negative**: over the course of the year, I hit some major levels of burnout, to the point where seeing a game on my calendar lead to a groan rather than excitement. I made a joke in my last pre-season piece that I would be “covering all three soccer NYC teams to the utter detriment of his personal life this season”, and boy, was that prescient. I’ve worked 29 games this season, which is about 50% more than a typical season over the last four years. Podcasting has its own stresses, and /r/MLS hit that tipping point of subscribers where it becomes a constant battle to keep the place falling into disarray.
Emotional, mental, and even physical exhaustion were not uncommon, and it lead to me indulging some old personality traits in order to defend myself. I’ve made some unhealthy decisions and many times have not liked what I see when I look in the mirror. And so, I need a change.
The **positive**: I went to three soccer games this year not as a media, but just as someone in the crowd. And I realized, especially during the days where the stress was high, how much I missed that.
During our two week vacation to Cascadia, I got to take in Seattle vs. Orlando from just above the Emerald City Supporters. A week later, I stood with the Timbers Army and sang my way through Portland vs. Houston. And not long after that, I paid for tickets to go watch NYCFC vs. Columbus with a friend and wandered around Yankee Stadium, taking in the game from different perspectives.
After having to have been “on” for so many games (live tweeting, observing, checking replays, locker room scrums, arguing over social media, laying out narratives), it was nice to just be able to watch a game, to eat some overpriced stadium food, and to be able to go out before and after the match.
The **grey area**: one of my favorite restaurants in Jersey City closed in November. The end of Thirty Acres in and of itself didn’t make me give up on soccer, but [the story](https://web.archive.org/web/20151026222920/http:/www.chefsfeed.com/stories/319-chefcolumns-the-pemoulies) from co-owner (and generally awesome person) Alex Pemoulie describing the lifecycle of the restaurant got me thinking (emphasis mine):
> So, that’s it. That’s the story of Thirty Acres. We took risks—some of them incredibly stupid, but all of them worth it. We are not the people that we were when we opened this restaurant. We know a bit more than we did then, but more importantly, we know how much we still don’t know.
>
> And we did do it after all, we opened Our Dream Restaurant. **It just turned out that in the end, once we had done it, it didn’t make us happy.**
I can’t say the soccer journalism role never made me happy – it absolutely did. And even this year, there’s been some wonderful days. It just on a whole isn’t a positive anymore. It’s not filling a hole or gap I feel. And I’m ready to move on before the burnout and negativity overtake all the good memories and leave me resentful.
---
So what does this all really mean?
The most immediate is that I’m resigning as a moderator on /r/MLS, the community I’ve served as a moderator for four years. (There’s a post specifically about this from me over there.)
The next most pressing is that after a year and a half, I’m departing Seeing Red, the long running RBNY podcast. I look forward to being able to listening to the show again now that my voice isn’t a part of it. Mark and Eric will continue to be great, and listeners will get some relief from the whiplash hosting lineup that 2015 involved.
Lastly, I will not be applying for season credentials for any area team in 2016, and I won’t be writing regularly for Gothamist (or any other outlet) about soccer.
I’m not leaving “soccer Twitter”, and I’ll be back on /r/MLS, but I’m forcing myself to take a few weeks off after today, at least until the start of 2016\. I need that space to decompress. But I will be back, at least as a voice in the crowd. Eventually.
(I should note that despite all of this, there are some question marks looming above my head, and so I can’t say that this is a permanent decision. If something earth shaking happens in the NYC soccer scene, I may still write a one-off for Gothamist. I hope to contribute the occasional non-soccer thing over there, as I’ve enjoyed writing on other topics – already talking with the food team about some future pieces. But returning to soccer is not part of my day-to-day plan going forward.)
I also must note that this is not secret code that I’ve taken a job with any club or league; that I’ve been sacked; that I’m buying season tickets for any club or joining a supporters group; that I’m leaving the NYC area; that I’m dying of some terminal illness; or that this means anything other than what it says above.
---
I want to close out with some thanks, because the one thing that kept me going with this very strange hobby is regularly being around some incredible people.
To Dave Martinez, who has mentored me for four years and occasionally gotten something worthwhile in return: thank you, thank you, thank you. I wouldn’t have lasted as long as I could without your support. I wouldn’t have understood half the things going on without your guidance. And I wouldn’t have grown as quickly as I did without your help. Thanks for the trust, the laughs, and the faith. You’re a rockstar. Let’s finally get that brunch soon.
To Pablo Maurer, a guy I met through a hastily planned “trash talk” piece between the soccer guys at Gothamist and DCist: you’re the most underrated and most under-appreciated guy in the business. I wish I had a tenth of the creative spark and drive you did. Thanks for everything – the FIFA games, the endless jokes, and the constant perspective. Let’s catch a game together next year and/or do donuts in the RFK parking lot.
To Katie: thank you not only for your support as I’ve been wrestling with this, but for the four years prior. I know it’s been rough at times. I look forward to being next to you at games again, not in front of you.
To Jen Chung, Gothamist’s fearless EIC: thank you for putting your trust in me, for letting me associate with such a great news site for so long. Your kindness, support, and advice meant the world to me. (Additional thanks to the rest of editorial for helping get my pieces out into the world.)
To Mark Fishkin: Seeing Red has always been your show, Mark. Thanks for letting me be a small part of it for a little while. It’s been an honor to be a footnote on its storied history, and I’m really looking forward to the show in 2016.
To Eric Giacometti: I was honored to ever have you come to me for advice. I’m not going to pretend for a second I mentored you in any capacity, because you’re already way beyond what I’ve done. Keep writing great things.
To Brian Tsao: had any other communications person been running the team when I came knocking, I don’t know that this would’ve happened at all. Thanks for letting me get my foot in the door.
To Malena Barajas: thanks for all the lunches and being someone to lean on. May you never be in crisis.
To MC Bousquette: never, ever change.
To the communications staff over the years at RBNY (Frank, Corey, Joe, Jason, Gordon, Scott, Molly, Paul, and the team who helped produce two Seeing Red Live episodes), at NYCFC (Marty, Sam), and at the Cosmos (Dee, David), thank you all. It’s a shame the fans will never know how hard you all work. Additional thanks to folks at other clubs (Chris Thomas, Jonathan Kaplan, Trey Fitz-Gerald, Daniel Robertson, Lizz Summers, Frank Stanzl) who worked with me over the years on AMAs.
To the MLS league communications office (Dan, Susan, Sal, and especially Jane) – thanks for dealing with my random inquiries over the years. It’s been a pleasure.
To everyone past and present at MLS Digital and KICKTV who I’ve gotten to know (Greg, Andrew, David, Matt, Ben, Hans, Amanda, Folg, Sarah, Abner, Erin, Chris, Billy, Kuba) – you all rock. Apologies for ending up at so many of your parties. (I swear, it was mostly accidental.)
To the /r/MLS mod team: thanks for an incredible ride. Too often people were quick to credit me for team decisions, but it’s always been a team effort. I promise not to jam the “report” button too often now that the “remove” button is gone from my toolset. If you’re in town, drop me a note – beers are always on me.
There’s a countless list of soccer reporters both local to NYC and across the country that are all people doing this not because of the paycheck (in cases where there is one), but because they love the sport. There’s too many of you to list without the guarantee of forgetting someone, so I will hedge and just say: thank you, all of you. It’s been an honor to be a peer.
To all the players and coaches: whether it was a locker room interview, an AMA, or a podcast appearance, thanks for sharing. I’ve learned so much about this sport.
And to the fans, the followers, the subscribers, the listeners, the debaters, the trolls: thank you for the discussions, the arguments, the feedback, the occasional love, and at the very least, listening to anything I had to say. It’s been a memorable four years, and I hope I brightened your world even a little bit.
If you’re still reading this, and want to share a drink and some stories, I’ll be at the Seeing Red Holiday Party tonight. Hope to see you there.
### The Friend
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-friend/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:50:28.000Z
This isn’t the post I thought would be the one to break my blogging silence, but it’s the one I need to write.
---
It was Sunday evening, and the perfect conditions were combining into a moment of perfect joy. The weather was spectacular. The venue, a 12th story rooftop in the heart of the city, gave us perfect views in every direction. There was barbecue, and drinks, and a few close friends up there with us. The USWNT was destroying Japan, my phone pulsing every few minutes with news of another goal.
And then, the subject turned to “The Friend”.
“Anybody hear of any leads on The Friend lately?”
“No, but did you guys know about this Tumblr…?”
While it’s far from the reason the friendship existed, there was a common bond among the group on the roof that evening: each couple had either been ripped off, or was close to someone who had been ripped off, by someone deep in the social circle that criss-crosses between NYC’s tech, food, and photoblogger communities.
The Friend disappeared from the Internet about two years ago – right after I got ripped off.
---
I’ve alluded to the incident in passing on this blog before, and I’ve thrown out a subtweet or two in frustration, but this will be the first – and potentially last – time I write about it at length. It’s hard to want to write about how foolish I was, how much of a sucker I momentarily became, and the negative impact that moment has had on me as a person. But the events of the last 72 hours have left me craving what little catharsis I can wring out of my own hands.
---
It was two years ago today that I got a text message from The Friend, threatening to throw themselves into the Gowanus.
The Friend, at this point, was someone I had known for over five years and considered extremely close. We chatted semi-regularly, saw each other on occasion at friends’ parties, and hung out when we could. In a city where you can easily go years without seeing friends, that’s a pretty good interaction rate.
The resulting IM conversation was, in hindsight, perfectly crafted. There was urgency: a client check bounced, a new place to live about to collapse. There was constant self debasement, declaring their life a failure. There was desperation about an amount of money that was neither huge nor insignificant. And in the end, an invocation of a friend I didn’t know, who had agreed to float half the amount in perfect timing with my growing inability to help.
I checked our finances. I checked with the wife. It was an amount we could live without but that we would certainly want back. So I agreed to float the other half.
My phone rang almost instantly – it should’ve been a red flag for a person who was notorious about never picking up the phone. But I was just happy to help. I wrote up a quick agreement (balance due in 30 days, failure to pay would allow the use of unspecified “further actions”), ran to the ATM, withdrew the cash, and met The Friend in the shadow of St. Paul’s Chapel. It was chosen for subway convenience rather than moral significance, but the detail is not lost on me.
The agreement was signed, the cash was handed over, we chatted briefly and everything was fine as we parted ways.
That was the last time I saw The Friend.
---
Three weeks later, as the due date set in, a text message conversation threw alert at me. While casually talking about meeting up (at which point I was going to gently remind about the debt), The Friend mentioned that they couldn’t meet for coffee because they were totally broke.
That would, in the end, be the last text message I would receive from The Friend.
My head tried to ignored the signs but my fingers fired off a reminder about the debt. There would be no answer.
As the debt hit the due date, more texts were sent. Emails fired off. Phone calls made and going to voicemail. Katie joined in, futile as it was. There would be no answer.
It was only days after the radio silence begun in earnest that I thought to ask mutual friends for leads, and non-mutual friends for advice. The responses sent my stomach to the floor.
“Oh no, not you too,” said more than one mutual friend.
“Is it The Friend?” said a non-mutual friend who I had spoken to in only generalities.
How could I have been so stupid?
---
The two years that followed became an attempt to put the incident out of mind, with occasional lapses into anger, dejection, and sheer disbelief.
Soon after, I reached out to the friend of The Friend who had allegedly floated the other half of the cash, which was of course not at all true. (He still apologized for a role he hadn’t intended to play in the deception.) I heard from a few other people who had been ripped off by The Friend, who had shared connections with me. Others had been hit for more, or in worse ways. I occasionally felt lucky that I hadn’t gotten it worse, which made me feel terrible.
The Friend went silent on social media. Occasionally there would be a sighting at an event, or on a mailing list, and I’d get a heads up from someone I had alerted. We investigated getting a PI or filing in small claims, and both were more costly than the amount we’d recover.
We hung the worthless agreement on our fridge, a sad reminder to not be so trusting and perhaps a hope that someday, The Friend might do the right thing. I felt myself pull back from putting a lot of trust in new friends. I became more cynical, more selective, less open to want to hang at length at social functions.
Every now and then, the incident would flare up at home, triggering arguments and anger at a circle of friends and acquaintances who had failed to warn us, failed to tell us not to trust The Friend. Of course, there’s no good way to have that discussion, no easy way to say something simultaneously essential and cruel. But it didn’t matter when the anger got the better of us. It would pass when other battles in life took priority.
About a year after the incident, another email would come in from someone who got burned badly by The Friend, asking to chat. They were thinking about setting up a Facebook group, or a Tumblr for fellow victims. About six months later, a Tumblr appeared, matching the emailer’s story. We found it, but didn’t think much of it.
Until this weekend, on that rooftop.
---
Monday morning, a friend from the rooftop posted a link to the Tumblr onto Facebook. The resulting thread ignited and burned strong for a day.
More victims appeared in the thread, nodding in agreement or expressing anger that nothing had ever been done to stop The Friend. Bewildered people who knew The Friend’s name went wide-eyed in disbelief. (A few people joked about how the thread had reunited so many people who hadn’t spoken in years.) And those who had known The Friend the longest, many of whom had been burned lightly and let it go, decried the public shaming of someone who had struggled with depression. They objected to witch hunts in a social community that was above it. They dubbed the Tumblr that had used questionable tactics in the battle for some form of justice or retribution as toxic.
(In case there’s any confusion as to why I’m not using The Friend’s name or linking to the Tumblr, it’s because multiple people took the stance that ruining The Friend’s reputation is worse than the crimes committed. While I whole heartedly disagree, I don’t want this to be about that – although I recognize the same argument that this is dehumanizing The Friend might apply.)
The only meaningful update was someone who had been in contact The Friend in January, indicating that they were now homeless and was in a “bad bad place” for having burned so many bridges.
When I read that, for a brief moment, I felt…well, not sad. Not happy either, but not terribly torn up about it.
And then I realized how much this had been eating away at me, and that all of this angst and pain and conflict inside me desperately needed a release.
The Facebook thread was taken down last night, smothered and stomped out before someone could dump more gasoline on it.
---
So here we are, two years past a threat to jump into the Gowanus that turned me into a fool. Allow me the following attempt at catharsis:
To the people who opted to defend The Friend on the grounds that public shaming is the wrong tactic, I understand and respect where you stand. We have all made mistakes, and no one wants their dirty laundry aired on the Internet. I would love a proper conversation with The Friend, a sincere apology, maybe even the money back. But two years of radio silence have sent the message that isn’t on the table. What you’re asking is for victims to not speak up, to sit back and just accept a crime being committed. I hope you can understand why I have such a hard time with that.
To the people who opted to defend The Friend on the grounds that their relationship was not a con or a swindle, I understand and respect where you stand. I thought the same thing, for as long as I could. I’m not even sure I can still bring myself to believe that it was intentionally a con. I just think it became convenient. I fear I became a relationship that was worth more to cash out than to keep. I hope you don’t become the same.
To the people who are harboring someone like The Friend in their social circles: speak up. Don’t assume your friends know about the damage they have caused. It doesn’t need to be vindictive, but it does need to be clear and up front.
To the person running the Tumblr, I understand and respect what you’re trying to do – and I wish someone had done it before I got taken advantage of. But I do wish you’d use better tactics, ones that wouldn’t compromise your message to those who can’t believe someone they hold close could be so awful.
To The Friend, I hope you get the help you need and can fix the damage you’ve caused in so many lives. And I hope you never do this to any one, ever again.
---
One of the things that makes the whole situation more complicated is that most of the social connections that drove this incident were triggered through social networking. It’s easy to find new acquaintances and friends-of-friends, to develop relationships.
The problem is, there’s rarely nuance to the connection on social networks. You follow on Twitter. You are friends on Facebook. You are a connection on LinkedIn. There aren’t labels on your social graph, no way to indicate that the connection may be waning or broken. You see a large number of mutual friends and you assume the person is on the up and up.
I, along with many others, have kept The Friend in my social network graph long after being burned. It’s out of a false hope that there will be a slip, a re-emergence, a tell that The Friend is still out there. Those slips have happened, but they’re ultimately worthless. It’s clear they’re hiding from more people than just me. Meanwhile, those connections in my graph become tacit endorsements – an opportunity to use me as a silent reference, vouching for their character. Now that I’ve wrung my hands, I just want to wash them clean.
With this post, I’ve unfriended The Friend on all the social channels I can think to. I don’t want that association hanging over my head. The margin utility of tracking isn’t worth the pain.
Time to move on.
### When I Was Done Dying
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/when-i-was-done-dying/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:51:27.000Z
While most everyone became rather obsessed with the Adult Swim short “Too Many Cooks”, it was the quasi-follow up “[Unedited Footage Of A Bear](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gMjJNGg9Z8&ref=vjarmy.com)” that resonated with me more, It’s considerably more nightmarish: a pharmaceutical ad that goes completely off the rails and never considers coming back.
A stand-out part of this was because of Dan Deacon’s excellent – and unnerving – music. I wasn’t a fan previously, I did check out his most recent release, Gliss Riffer, and became more than a little obsessed with his 3/4 time metaphysical sea shanty, “When I Was Done Dying”.
Adult Swim, being the sort of people who will bring strange things to life, assembled the Off The Air team and put together a video for it, which is about as fitting as it gets.
### 2014 In Words
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/2014-in-words/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:52:58.000Z
“It’s been a great year! Thanks for being a part of it.”
So offered Facebook repeatedly over the last week, as various friends clicked/tapped the “Auto-generate my year in review, please” call to action. Everyone in their respective social networks were treated to a algorithmically generated review of the pictures they chose to upload and the life events they allowed Facebook to ingest.
I have never been much for the programmatic, and while I appreciate the visual nature of Facebook (and I’ll do my own, hand-selected photos post not long after I write this one), I still enjoy the dying art of writing a blog post about what happened in a given year.
I’ll remember 2014 for a few things, but mostly the exhausting emotional toll that enveloped the world. From the Ebola scare, to Ferguson, to the current behavior of the NYPD, to the respective NFL and NBA scandals, to the hand-wringing about a Franco/Rogen film, it’s just been a complete wear to read the news and try to feel some level of optimism about, well, anything.
At a more personal level, a few things stand out:
2014 was the year we went full cocktail nerd, after years of dabbling. Our obsession with spending Friday night at The Dead Rabbit got us to what Jack has referred to as “super-regular” status. (Also quoting Jack: “You guys are family. You know the drinks better than I do now.”)
We have branched out to other bars as recommendations floated by and friends moved between bars. Attaboy, Underdog, Distilled, Bachanal, and Mother’s Ruin have all earned pushpins on my mental map of NYC. We also went to Speed Rack 4, which was incredible.
Conversely, it was not a year where we tried a ton of new restaurants. Marta was decent, Little Park was impressive, and I’m appreciative that Hudson Eats opened to give us a lot of decent options for takeaway dinners. But by and large, we were still at the usual spots constantly. (I did finally get to try Prosperity Dumpling, which is mind-blowing.)
At the day job, two radical changes at the end of 2013 (one planned, one less so) made 2014 a very different year in terms of my focus. My team has grown significantly, and we transitioned from The Old Way Of Doing Things to The New Way Of Doing Things close to seamlessly enough to make me happy.
It being a World Cup year, soccer activities took over my life far more than I would normally expect. My final count for actual watched games this year: 16 league games, 4 playoff games, 1 national team game, 2 Champions League games, 1 All-Star game, 3 friendlies. (That’s a troubling 40.5 hours of professional soccer watched live.) I also played in two media games, made too many podcast appearances to count (and one TV appearance), and churned out 81 posts on Gothamist.
Unsurprisingly, after that much soccer, I’m a bit burned out and unsure on the best strategy going forward. While I love covering the sport and being a part of that community, it’s a strain on the rest of my life, and with the NYC beat expanding to two MLS teams next year, I haven’t yet figured out what 2015 will look like. I’ll figure it out soon, but it’s been looming most of this month and the answers are still a bit muddled.
2014 was also the year the Port Authority decided, out of complete kindness, to completely ruin our weekends by [shutting down our local PATH station](http://gothamist.com/2014/02/06/no%5Fweekend%5Fpath%5Fservice%5Fbetween%5Fwtc.php?ref=vjarmy.com). I am glad to consider that we may finally be able to have people over again on the weekends.
That, then, is what I can remember about the blur that was 2014\. Pictures and a much reduced survey of what happened with my gaming life in future posts.
### Media Lessons From The King
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/media-lessons-from-the-king/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:54:54.000Z
Today, Thierry Henry announced [he would not be returning to the New York Red Bulls](https://www.facebook.com/ThierryHenry/posts/873006482752233) following the expiration of his contract. The move was not a surprise, but still has left many that surround the team a bit down.
So much ink has already been spilled about the legacy of the last four years: [his talent on the field](http://instagram.com/p/wABjFOtQBr/?ref=vjarmy.com), [his role with the club](http://metrofanatic.com/story.jsp?ID=6533&ref=vjarmy.com), [his impact on MLS](http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2014/12/01/6660381/the-mls-wrap-henrys-looming-farewell-set-to-usher-in-new-era-for-?ref=vjarmy.com). He’s been an anchor since I returned to caring about the league in 2010, someone that I couldn’t believe I got to watch perform week in and week out.
But as I’m writing this on my personal site, I want to reflect on the other lasting mark Henry has left on me: he was the rare player that demanded more out of everyone involved with the team, including the media.
If you follow league beat reporters, particularly those who deal with RBNY routinely, you’re aware of his reputation when dealing with the media in the locker room. Some would label him “cranky”. Some declared him “rude”. An incident where he declined media availability after a 1-1 draw against Chivas USA in 2012 sparked a brief dust-up between media and supporters about whether or not beats had any right to speak to players at all.
[](https://vjarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Screenshot-2014-12-01-17.39.07.png?ref=vjarmy.com)
I won’t claim to “know” Henry from my three years of sticking a microphone towards his face, but I at least grew to have an understanding of him.
Thierry didn’t relish dealing with the media hovering around his locker, but he accepted it. (European locker rooms aren’t open to media, but MLS mandates the doors open 15 minutes after the match ends.) He was typically the last player to speak after a match, sometimes waiting a solid hour after the final whistle, which triggered its fair share of pissed off “You’re waiting HOW LONG?” text messages from soccer media widows. But Henry always seemed to have a level of professional respect for those of us who did stick around.
Thierry had his cliches – “as I said to you before”, “I don’t know if you remember”, and “not having a go at any one” being the three go-to for any Henry impersonation – but he genuinely considered every question. I can’t remember him being on auto-pilot or content with performances – he always latched on to something the team could improve on. If the team did badly, he was open about it. If the team won 4-1, he would complain about the conceded goal. If the team won 4-0, he would caution about celebrating too much, because he knew it wouldn’t be long before the team regressed.
His knowledge of the game was impossibly deep. He would run down talent on opposing rosters not that they had just faced, but that were coming up. He would commend systems and coaches elsewhere in MLS. He would frequently drop analogies involving NBA teams, the other sport he truly loved.
Following a recent home game, as he was getting ready at his locker, I watched him look up at the closed circuit TV, that was showing the annual NYPD vs. FDNY match. And he watched it just long enough, and gestured at the TV, that I could’ve swore he was analyzing the match.
Nearly as much as he loved challenging defenders on the field, he took a deep pleasure in challenging dumb or trite questions.
Thoughts on the match? “It was 90 minutes.”
Have you ever played in a game as crazy as that one? “I’ve played in a lot of games.”
Do you enjoy the new away jersey the club just released? “I don’t know, I haven’t worn it yet.”
An intricate question about his position moving wide left as he used to at Arsenal? Gets swatted down because he insists he didn’t play there at Arsenal.
My own personal dressing down (which I was surprised to find I still had the audio for) came after a softball about what he had seen from the reserves during a friendly he didn’t play in. He had often loved talking up the younger players who didn’t get a lot of field time, but apparently not as much as he loved giving me crap about trying to gain insight from a friendly:
What Thierry taught me, more than anyone else in the RBNY locker room, is the value of asking a question with a non-obvious answer. You can’t lose the germane questions entirely to get an interview rolling, but unless there’s something I can’t answer in my head, I’ve learned to just listen.
Perhaps the most noticeable thing in his final year with the club was how focused he was on the team, and not himself. As the “What are you doing next year?” questions came up nearly every week, his answer was always the same: “We’ll talk about that after the season ends.” Even in the announcement today, the thought was the same: he didn’t want to take the focus off the team’s performance. He didn’t want a farewell tour, teams bringing him gifts, endless fawning media tributes. He wanted to put his head down and be one of the eleven guys on the field.
There was [an article in the club’s corporate magazine](http://www.redbulletin.com/us/us/sports/thierry-henry-talks-soccer-in-america?ref=vjarmy.com) that had perhaps my favorite quote that wrapped up how he saw himself:
> I keep on reiterating to everybody, I didn’t save anyone’s life, I’m not a hero, I’m none of those things. I was just out there to play the game and while I understand I gave some people joy and I ended up loving the club I played for most of my career, I didn’t go to war to protect my country. That’s worthy of elevation to the status of ‘hero’, you know? I just want people to remember me for playing some soccer and that’s all. Another player will come along and erase all those records but as long as people can recall me in some way it means that I’ve done something right.
Thanks, Thierry. It’s been a pleasure.
### Not Cool, Comedy Central
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/not-cool-comedy-central/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:56:18.000Z
On Sunday night, Katie and I went to the Paley Center panel for Broad City. We’re big fans of the show, and it was a good panel. (If you’re a fan of the show, ask me about the Hannibal anecdote.)
During the panel, Katie [took a nice Instagram photo](http://instagram.com/p/vMrISdmoT2/?ref=vjarmy.com):
[](https://vjarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Screenshot-2014-11-10-19.58.38.png?ref=vjarmy.com)
It was so nice, that Monday evening she noticed that Comedy Central had liked her photo. She’s taken a lot of pride in putting things on Instagram lately, as she’s been building a decent following. But then she tapped through to Comedy Central’s instagram account and [saw this](http://instagram.com/p/vPRK0xlTzq/?ref=vjarmy.com):
[](https://vjarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Screenshot-2014-11-10-19.58.46.png?ref=vjarmy.com)
A filter, a different crop, and a logo doesn’t change the fact that this is very clearly Katie’s photo – unless someone was sitting at the exact same angle and took a picture at virtually the same instance.
And I’m willing to guess that isn’t the case, because you’ll notice the link is now broken. That’s because [after bringing attention to it on Twitter](http://twitter.com/Remy/status/531974943391903744?ref=vjarmy.com), Comedy Central yanked it down and replaced it with this:
[](https://vjarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Screenshot-2014-11-11-10.20.43.png?ref=vjarmy.com)
Notice how quick they were here to credit the Paley Center’s photographer in *this* instance – just not the original.
Look – it’s 2014\. Social media teams should be well aware by now that if you’re going to repurpose a photo from another user, attribution is a pretty basic courtesy. Yet not only did Comedy Central not attribute Katie’s photo, nor did they issue an apology (which is all Katie would like) – they decided to replace it entirely with someone else’s. They got caught, and rather than do the right thing, tried to erase the evidence – all the evidence except the like on Katie’s original photo. (At least, as I’m writing this. I wouldn’t be surprised if they revoke the like should someone read this post.)
I have [personal experience](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2010/08/license%5Ffee%5Ftruck%5Fnuts%5Fphoto.php?ref=vjarmy.com) that people within Comedy Central know how to properly respect copyright. I’m just saddened their social team thinks this is acceptable.
### Amanda Cohen on Us vs. Them
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/amanda-cohen-on-us-vs-them/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:59:07.000Z
Amanda Cohen’s [rumination on a one-star review she received on Yelp](http://www.eater.com/2014/10/2/6880983/amanda-cohen-dirt-candy-nyc-yelp-reservations-and-restaurants?ref=vjarmy.com) is a solid read:
> So on behalf of 99% of restaurants I want to tell customers: No one’s out to get you. There’s a reason some restaurants do weird things. They may not make sense to you, but could you trust us? Restaurants have one goal in life, to make money. And the easiest way to do that is to help you have the time of your life. And to chefs, this is a service business. It’s not about our egos, or our margins, or our precious, precious food. It’s about making people happy. That’s all most of our customers want.
I think this goes well beyond the restaurant industry into lots of creative disciplines.
### Losing My Edge
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/losing-my-edge/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:01:19.000Z
Let me start with a basic truth: I am not the nerd I was when I was 20 years old.
When I started blogging in 2000, it was something resembling a brave new world. I cut my teeth with learning web programming concepts by building my own crude CMS.
A few years later, I would move to Drupal, and try to stay cutting edge with releases. I’d destroy my database one too many times and eventually moved to MovableType, but even though, I still had the deep nerd passions. I was working as a sysadmin, coding VJArmy and Pop’n Navy, and felt like I had a reasonably strong grasp of the technical skills that were necessary for such things.
Then 2006 came, and I moved out of the *directly technical* field into the *somewhat technical* field.
Then 2008 came, and I moved out of the *somewhat technical* field into the *technical management* field.
It’s been 14 years since I wrote that rudimentary CMS, and 8 years since I was last a sysadmin. And as the world has changed, my ability to feel any gusto for the idea of configuring Apache and/or patching kernels and/or fprotting tarballs has diminished to zero.
So much like when Movable Type’s troubled history eventually lead me to [a snap migration to WordPress](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2011/01/the-end-of-the-crisis.php?ref=vjarmy.com), today’s news about the [ShellShock vulnerability](https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/current-activity/2014/09/24/Bourne-Again-Shell-Bash-Remote-Code-Execution-Vulnerability?ref=vjarmy.com) lead me to come to terms with another harsh reality: my energy for dealing with sysadmin work for my own website has emptied.
The box this site *was* running on was not in any shape to continue. The thought of rebuilding a VM from scratch when I haven’t built a server in nearly a decade sounded painful.
---
The upshot: I had an easy plan B.
At the day job, we’ve been [Pantheon](http://getpantheon.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) customers for over a year, and their platform is familiar, powerful, and hit the core use case I needed: keep my blog running. (The other stuff, we will come back to.)
The migration process – from registering a personal account, to spinning up the new site, to importing, to configuring and pushing to production, to activating payment and cutting over the DNS, took about 45 minutes. (I’m not including the 5 minutes where I completely screwed up the initial configuration process.)
Quick. Easy. Mostly painless.
---
The downside: the other stuff that ran on the box – including RemyWiki – is not running on this host.
RemyWiki may not be familiar to the people who read my blog – it was tucked away on the site, almost a separate world – but it is/was a very active and busy MediaWiki install that documented English language Bemani information.
The challenges of running it boil down to three:
1. It has the same problems as above – not only does it need sysadmin time and energy to maintain the host, but it also needs its own care and feeding for patching, something I had fallen way behind on (and patching MediaWiki is hellish).
2. It is a natural magnet for spammers, to the point where I had to turn off registrations and ask people to email me if they wanted access (which I was never very quick in turning around).
3. It probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep running an informational resource for a hobby that I’m no longer actively involved in, or at the very least, have it so closely tied with my personal site.
So with that in mind: if there are Bemani community folks out there who want to pick up the pieces and get the thing running somewhere else, please reach out. I want to give it a good home, as I know people have poured nearly 10 years of care and feeding into the content. It’s more than a little devastating to know I can’t give it that any more.
### Walking In The Sand: Belated Thoughts On Punchdrunk’s “The Drowned Man”
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/walking-in-the-sand-belated-thoughts-on-punchdrunks-the-drowned-man/
Last updated: 2026-02-15T20:17:28.000Z
In October, as part of our vacation to London, we took in two viewings of Punchdrunk’s latest production, *The Drowned Man*. Despite promises to write about it, I never did.
The show ended its run tonight. So what better time to finally try to draw some thoughts together than tonight, after the show can never be seen again?
The general format is, for the most part, as it was for *Sleep No More*: the masks; the loops; the roughly three hours; a vast space to explore.
The story is not Shakespeare, but instead Georg Büchner’s *Woyzeck* crossed with Nathanael West’s *The Day of the Locust*. The narrative is expressed through two parallel tracks running almost in mirrors through the space. It is not a 1920’s hotel in Scotland (actually a six story building in Chelsea), but a 1960’s American movie studio and surrounding village (actually an abandoned post office opposite Paddington Station). The cast feels exponentially larger: eight per “side” of the story, with fourteen in the middle, for a combined cast of around thirty.
With the mechanics out of the way, here are my scattered memories of the two visits, eight months removed:
After far too many visits to SNM, the struggle of trying to figure out a new space was such a joy. My mental map for the McKittrick is a seared memory, so to be faced with four gigantic floors and no sense of where anything was felt very liberating. It was also terrifying for the first hour, as the fear of missing out comes on strong.
I had always felt a little disappointment that there wasn’t more to be found in Sleep No More that was truly *hidden* – I’m aware of one passageway, and I was taken through it in my first visit. But the space in Temple Studios was full of these rooms – hidden behind curtains, across darkened hallways, and through tunnels in the sand. This made me ridiculously happy on multiple levels, and all of the rooms had that level of Punchdrunk set dressing love that I remembered so fondly. The reel-to-reel room, the sunflower room, the foley room; the entire desert floor, the church, the wardrobe; the Masonic Temple, the board room, the drugstore…so many of the rooms are unforgettable.
The soundtrack was impeccable, a mix of early 60’s American classics (think Shangri-Las and Avalons) and, strangely enough, the soundtrack from *Perfume – The Story of a Murderer*. “[The Method Works!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnjeoZCdmg4&ref=vjarmy.com)” is the most parallel to the use of Bernard Herman’s “Prelude and Rooftop” from SNM.
Casting was unsurprisingly strong, and it’s hard to not to want to give Sam Booth (in the above video) credit for his portrayal of Leland Stanford. He looms large over the goings-on, and hit just the right air of confident, disarming, and haunting.
It is rather tragic that TDM has come to a close, and while part of me wants to hope they’ll shut down SNM and convert the space, I also know that there aren’t many places in NYC that could contain that show. The space was truly massive, and as the obsessives on the TDM Spoilers FB group have detailed with the map, used very creatively. The majority of one of the floors was converted to an abandoned car park specifically for two characters to do one-on-ones in. I want to see the show live on, but I know the odds are slim.
If there is a lasting memory to be had of the show, it is this:
On our second visit, I applied the Don’t Stick Around For Scenes You’ve Already Seen rule, zipping out of a room if I got even the sense that I had perceived it before. Within my first half an hour, I came across a distraught woman in the saloon, being strongly compelled onto a stage. I stood close by and watched as Faye Greener – being played that night by Miranda Mac Letten – lip synced her way through *Walking In The Sand* by The Shangri-Las. It ended with her in tears, being comforted by her husband Harry, and returning to their run down room in the local motel.
That moment itself wasn’t the lasting memory. It was later in that show, when I happened into the same part of the loop and again saw Faye move towards the stage. And despite my better judgement and knowing I should go see someone else? I stayed put. It was that strong – that convincing – that I couldn’t look away.
And ultimately, that’s what I want out of theatre, and why I keep going back to immersive shows. I want the heart to win out over the head.
*The Drowned Man is now closed. You can never go home anymore.*
### Know Your S***
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/know-your-s/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:05:25.000Z
A decade ago, I [inexplicably got invited](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2004/03/me%5Ftonight%5Fappl.php?ref=vjarmy.com) to present at Apple Store SoHo. For an hour, I tried my best to regale Apple Store customers with game demos, a few jokes, and my best sales pitches. It was my first real-world post-college “presentation”.
It was pretty bad, from what I can recall.
These days, I can’t seem to stop talking. I’ve given two work-related talks in the last month. I’ve appeared on four podcasts in the last week. I actually like speaking in public.
What’s the difference between now and then? *Knowing.*
It’s knowing what you’re talking about, and trusting in that knowledge. It’s easy to fill yourself with doubt when speaking publicly, and worry that you might make a fool of yourself. Truth is, so long as you can speak naturally, you won’t.
It’s knowing your audience. Who’s listening, and what are they expecting? What do they want to get out of it? Figure that out, and focus on it.
It’s knowing your tools. Some expertise in PowerPoint or Keynote goes a long way, sure. But know what your laptop does when you plug it into a projector. Know if the venue even has a projector. (Sometimes it doesn’t.)
It’s knowing how to tell a story. Maybe there’s a hook, maybe there’s a twist, maybe there’s a moral or punch line. Your job is to get your audience to that payoff in an interesting way.
It’s knowing when to talk, and when to let things breathe. Silence feels uncomfortable, especially in front of a crowd. Giving your ideas space lets them develop and sink in. Avoid talking just to fill the silence. Avoid stating the obvious.
It’s knowing how to improvise. Network connections go down, so figure out what you’d do without the live demo. Questions come out of left field, so be game for anything. Figure out how to deal with curveballs.
And here’s the curveball in my advice: presenting isn’t any different from the rest of your life. All these skills? You need them just as much when you’re not waving your arms at slide decks.
Don’t treat it as a separate activity. You’re always presenting. You probably just didn’t know it.
### Cheers to The Dead Rabbit
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/cheers-to-the-dead-rabbit/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:07:14.000Z
Despite it seeming to have been burned into my genes, I have never been much for drinking. Call it something between a character quirk, a lifestyle choice, and an explicit desire to not act like a complete fool. It was only within the last five years or so that I began to appreciate alcohol a bit more.
New York, being a rather thirsty city, has endless opportunities for those who need a drink. Dive bars, frat bars, pubs, trendy cocktail lounges, speakeasies – the city manages to run the gamut from slouchy to upright, from $2 PBR to $15+ for a mid-shelf cocktail.
Over the last decade, I had not yet found *that one place* to drink, the bar that feels like home. Something not snooty, not a dive, but just kind of nice. Somewhere with character, but not a gimmick. Somewhere preferably with decent food (because drinking on an empty stomach is deadly). A decent location. Those sorts of things.
It was April 27th of last year when I first stepped foot into [The Dead Rabbit](http://www.deadrabbitnyc.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), and knew pretty quickly that I had finally found \*that one place\*. Downstairs was pints and meat pies, an absurd collection of irish whiskey, and high-quality takes on classic cocktails. Upstairs was teacups of punch and dollar oysters, someone at the piano, and bartenders in red shirts and suspenders moving so rapidly between tincture bottles it’s occasionally indistinguishable from magic.
I defy anyone to try the Irish Coffee and not fall in love.
So try to ignore their daunting list of industry honors after only being open one year: “Best New Bar”, “World’s Best Cocktail Menu”, those sorts of things. Try to put the long wait to get upstairs out of mind. It’s worth it. It’s incredibly worth it. And I say that as someone who’s not much of a drinker.
To Jack, to Pam, to Chris, to Anna, to James, to Laura: happy birthday, friends, and thank you for everything.
### Moments With Mike
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/moments-with-mike/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:13:19.000Z
It’s a brisk day in March 2011, and I’m in Harrison. And I am *terrified*.
It was my [first ever team event](http://gothamist.com/2011/03/16/red%5Fbulls%5Fkick%5Foff%5Fdonations%5Fto%5Fnyc.php?ref=vjarmy.com#photo-1) for the Red Bulls – and not merely a team event, but Media Day. I didn’t know what Media Day was when I accepted the invite from my friends at Gothamist, but I had figured it out early that morning and it sent me into colon lock. I thought it was a press conference; instead, it was a free for all where you walk up to whoever and ask whatever.
There’s Thierry Henry, world football legend. There’s Rafa Marquez, who at the time wasn’t a complete villain. There’s Juan Agudelo, just back from scoring with the national team. Here’s me, barely six months into following the team, trying to look like a sports journalist. I was a disaster.
I head toward the coaches – and after weighing my options, I went to Mike Petke. Petke, the local boy. Petke, who had just retired from the club he loved. Petke, who had been given the (seemingly honorary) title of “Individual Development Coach” in the front office like so many retired MLS players do.
I threw him a softball question – the only kind I had, having never interviewed anyone before – about the Parks Department donation announcement. (I thought this was the main focus of the event; it certainly wasn’t.) As I flubbed my way through my first ever team interview, Mike didn’t look at me funny, didn’t put me down – just answered the questions kindly.
Quickly running out of material, I recall the [two](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4R7zYrSF50&ref=vjarmy.com) [videos](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS53Cj4zoxw&ref=vjarmy.com) about him trying to adjust to front office life, and asked if we should expect him to show up in any other team videos. This time, he laughed – and gave me an answer that was more prescient than either of us knew at the time:
“Hey, you never know where I’ll pop up.”
---
[](https://vjarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/jeldwen%5F2011.jpg?ref=vjarmy.com)
It’s a warm wet day in June 2011, and I’m in Portland.
It’s the weekend of the first RBNY-Portland match. I’ve [written about this trip before](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2011/06/so-about-that-portlandrbny-tilt.php?ref=vjarmy.com), but there’s one story I left off.
At one point, feeling rather emboldened by being in the team hotel as a fan (I hasn’t yet fully crossed to media), I figure – maybe I can take advantage of this a little bit more than just random collisions. I try to think of who on the team is on Twitter – and there aren’t many at that point.
But there was, of course, Mike, now an Assistant Coach with the team. So I tweet at Petke, offering to buy him a drink in the hotel bar. But I never hear back, and it didn’t really cross my mind again. We did see him after the game, and he gave Katie a big hug and me a handshake.
Two weeks later, I’m digging around on Twitter, and click over to Petke’s timeline. And then I realize why I never heard back from him: because he mangled the tweet and the mention never hit my timeline:
Petke joked this year that he didn’t know how to get his phone to stop beeping when he got mentioned on Twitter. Social media isn’t his thing.
---
[](https://vjarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/jeldwen%5F2013.jpg?ref=vjarmy.com)
It’s a rainy evening in March 2013, and I’m in Portland. It’s the weekend of First Kick, and New York is again away at Portland.
Not two months earlier, [Petke was named head coach](http://gothamist.com/2013/01/25/mike%5Fpetke%5Fnamed%5Fred%5Fbulls%5Fhead%5Fcoa.php?ref=vjarmy.com) – a surprise, given that the typical set of also-ran European names had been thrown around. And on the eve of his first match running the franchise, I am again in the team hotel, waiting for Mike with [Matt Doyle](http://twitter.com/MLS%5FAnalyst?ref=vjarmy.com) and [Jeff Carlisle](http://twitter.com/JeffreyCarlisle?ref=vjarmy.com). He’s running a little late.
Finally, he steps out of the elevator – and as he’s getting introduced to us, he gives me what seems like a smile of recognition. It throws me a little. “*Why would he remember me?*” I wonder.
This time, the questions come a little more naturally to me, having been doing these sorts of interviews for a year and having a much better knowledge of the team. I ask about continued crazy matches between RBNY and Portland. I try to catch him with a question about Tyler Ruthven, who had seemingly won back his contract after being terminated at the end of 2012, but then was suddenly on the outside looking in.
Mike just smiled. He nearly always smiles when taking media questions, whether he likes the question or he doesn’t. He handled them well enough (especially the Ruthven question), but I could tell he was a little nervous going into his first match. A little wound up.
I head back up to our room to find Katie so we can have dinner, but she’s not there. I switch my phone back on, and there’s a text from her, from just before Petke appeared, to the effect of:
“Just ran into Petke. He’s on his way up to see you now.”
Of course, *of course*, Katie would find him before I would.
---
[](https://vjarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/lastrbnypractice.jpg?ref=vjarmy.com)
It’s a lukewarm morning in October 2013, and I’m in Harrison.
It’s this past Saturday, the final weekend of the regular season. The Red Bulls have one game left on Sunday against Chicago – win, and they bring home their first championship in their 18 year history. Lose or draw, and unless other results went their way, it would be the same old story for the club.
It’s the final regular season practice, at Red Bull Arena, and I’m the only member of the media in attendance. (Full media availability was the day before, so there’s less appeal for media attendance.) But I’m not there primarily for interviews – I’m mostly there to get a sense for how the team felt rolling into their last game of the season, the one that might deliver them a trophy.
They were relaxed. They were joking and having fun. They were working, but it was a different air than I had ever seen the team in.
I ask for Mike for an interview, and then there I am, again alone, putting my microphone in his face. Mike had refused to talk for weeks about the chance of winning a trophy until they got into the playoffs – and even after locking a playoff spot, he was nervous to talk about it. So I tried for a different angle:
“When you look back over your career, in terms of anticipation, where does tomorrow night rank for you?”
He laughs. He gives Brian Tsao, the team communications director, a look that pretty clearly reads “Can you believe this guy?”
I try, poorly, to clarify: “Not asking about jinxing it, just – how much are you anticipating it?”
“Listen,” Mike says. “I anticipate – I’ve anticipated – I anticipated every game. I get wound up for every game. That’s exactly how I’ll answer that. This is 90 minutes, three points, that’s what we need.”
I don’t push further. He’s said more than enough.
---
It’s a cool evening in October 2013, and I’m in Harrison.
If you [read my coverage](http://gothamist.com/2013/10/28/18%5Fyears%5F1%5Fcup%5Fred%5Fbulls%5Fwin%5Fthe%5F20.php?ref=vjarmy.com), you know how this ends. The Red Bulls give up a goal to a former player, sending a wave of familiar dread through the stadium. Then [Thierry Henry scores a golazo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKkrjgoCROM&ref=vjarmy.com). [Ibrahim Sekagya scores a goal-line scramble](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diROrzU0uwo&ref=vjarmy.com). [Lloyd Sam scores a beauty](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwCH3Fe8SE4&ref=vjarmy.com). [Eric Alexander goes one-on-one and wins.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO0SqQjJXO8&ref=vjarmy.com). [Jonny Steele scores with ease](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYrKZWt-ENc&ref=vjarmy.com). Five unanswered goals from five different players. The margin is so big, Chicago scores a consolation goal and the crowd barely notices.
The final whistle blows. The stadium doesn’t so much roar as it lets out an excited sigh of relief, that the team has finally ripped off the label of Never Won Anything. A few seats down from me, Dan Ryazansky – who runs Metrofanatic.com, which has meticulously chronicled 18 years of club futility – is beside himself, half in tears, half smiling. The Supporters Shield, snuck into Red Bull Arena secretly by a group of supporters just in case, appears near the South Ward, and it is hoisted again and again. Petke dedicates the win to the crowd, apologizes to his wife, and promises his kids the best off-season ever if they can give him just five more games – he’s already focused on the playoffs.
This moment obviously wasn’t mine alone. I shared it with everyone else in the stadium that night. But it was certainly *the* moment, so far.
I’m not a “96er”, like [Mark](http://www.empireofsoccer.com/fishkin-winning-the-shield-and-what-it-means-to-me/?ref=vjarmy.com) or [Miguel](http://www.thevipersnest.com/2013/10/oh-ya-beauteh.html?ref=vjarmy.com). I was there in 1996, missing the [Curse of Caricola](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFTjjLQs65o&ref=vjarmy.com) by a single game, but then I wouldn’t return for 14 years. I spent a year and a half as a fan, and then the last two years as a member of the media that was (perhaps not so secretly) hoping this team would finally win. And now they have, under Mike’s wound-up heart-on-his-sleeve leadership.
When I considered my trajectory with the team – from casual fan, to season ticket holder, to media noob, to occasionally being the only beat reporter at practice – I realized this week that Mike has pretty much been there for each and every step I took. More than any player, he’s the one that’s most represents the connection I have to the club. And that’s even after I missed most of his playing days.
It’s great to see the Red Bulls finally put something in the trophy case. But to have Mike be the one that lead them to it means so much more: to the club, to the players, to the supporters, and yes, to me.
So congrats, Mike. To be honest with you? You’ve earned this.
### NYC 10: The Best
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyc-10-the-best/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:15:48.000Z
*Last month marked 10 years since we moved to New York City. I’m writing on a variety of topics to reflect on a decade in one of the best cities in the world.*
New Yorkers are generally stereotyped by being rude; in truth, they’re just strongly opinionated. With that in mind, here are a number of things I am right about, in alphabetical order.
The best Apple Store in NYC is [West 14th Street](http://www.apple.com/retail/west14thstreet/?ref=vjarmy.com), as it is rarely crowded or busy.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/5487419004/?ref=vjarmy.com)
The best arcade is [Chinatown Fair](http://www.chinatownfair.biz/?ref=vjarmy.com), although this is mostly because it’s the *only* arcade worth a damn at this point. It’s lost something since its hole-in-the-wall years (as pictured above), but it still has a good selection of music games and a couple fighters.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/9722851526/?ref=vjarmy.com)
The best bar in NYC is [The Dead Rabbit](http://www.deadrabbitnyc.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). Busy Irish pub downstairs, crazy speakeasy cocktails upstairs. If you’re downstairs, get the Irish Coffee; if you’re upstairs, get the Ginger Daisy.
The best barbecue in NYC is [Mighty Quinn’s](http://mightyquinnsbbq.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). The brisket and pulled pork is unreal.
The best coffee in NYC – and this is, admittedly, a very tough pick – is the Iced Latte at [Cafe Grumpy](http://cafegrumpy.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). Any Stumptown or Blue Bottle location is also acceptable.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/243665515/?ref=vjarmy.com)
The best comedy venue in NYC is [UCB Theatre](http://www.ucbtheatre.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). I’ve seen Aziz Ansari, Paul Scheer, Bobby Moynihan, Julie Klausner, and plenty of others build their careers there.
The best doughnut in NYC can be found at [Doughnut Plant](http://doughnutplant.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). I am partial to the Vanilla Bean & Blackberry.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/5023774143/?ref=vjarmy.com)
The best food truck in NYC is [Schnitzel And Things](http://www.schnitzelandthings.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). Chicken platter, fries and cukes, spicy mayo.
The best fried chicken in NYC is [Hill Country Chicken](http://www.hillcountrychicken.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). Eat downstairs. Don’t skip the pie.
The best lobster roll in NYC is [Luke’s Lobster](http://lukeslobster.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). Practically perfect.
The best mocha in NYC (which is very different from best coffee) is at [Lucid Cafe](https://plus.google.com/102173295987998834106/about?gl=us&hl=en&ref=vjarmy.com). I don’t know how they make it but it is downright magical.
The best movie theatre in NYC is Regal Battery Park Stadium 11\. Somehow, it is still a secret, despite everyone I know agreeing on this point.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2256574178/?ref=vjarmy.com)
The best museum in NYC is [The Cloisters](http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/visit-the-cloisters?ref=vjarmy.com), not because it’s got a particularly vibrant collection or strong curation, but because it is so far out of the way that you don’t feel like you’re in the biggest city in the world.
The best music store in NYC, and the best place to buy movies, is [Kim’s Video and Music](http://www.mondokims.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). I miss their old location, but they are vital for DVD and vinyl collectors.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2598539655/?ref=vjarmy.com)
The best park in NYC is the [Brooklyn Botanic Garden](http://www.bbg.org/?ref=vjarmy.com), especially in the spring.
The best pizza in NYC is at [Motorino](http://www.motorinopizza.com/?ref=vjarmy.com).
The best ramen in NYC is at [Hide-Chan Ramen](http://hidechanramen.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). You get a free topping Monday through Wednesday. Get extra pork.
The best overall restaurant in NYC – and by “overall”, I mean balancing the service and quality of food against price – is [Gramercy Tavern](http://gramercytavern.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). I have a solo lunch here every year on my birthday, and it’s where we go on our anniversary. Yes, Per Se is gorgeous, and Le Bernardin does amazing things with seafood, and I eat at North End Grill every week – but Gramercy just hits this balance of everything so well that it’s a solid level above the rest.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/7812430886/?ref=vjarmy.com)
The best rooftop bar in NYC is [Gallow Green](http://mckittrickhotel.com/gallowgreen/?ref=vjarmy.com). Gorgeous in the summer. Yes, it’s expensive – it’s a rooftop bar. That’s how these things work.
The best sandwich in NYC is the prime rib sandwich at [the Rosticceria inside of Eataly](http://www.eataly.com/rosticceria?ref=vjarmy.com). This is a sandwich I come into the city for on my days off. It’s only available until about 5 PM, so plan accordingly.
The best subway line is the N. While I take the E every day because of its copious cell signal coverage (and that its the best choice for my commute), it’s hard to beat the path the N cuts diagonally across the island.
The best sushi in NYC is at [15 East](http://15eastrestaurant.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). Be forewarned, it’s expensive – sitting at the counter for lunch is the best way to try it.
The best video game store is [Video Games New York](http://videogamesnewyork.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). The shelves are legendary, and sometimes pricey, but their selection is unmatched.
### NYC 10: The 10 Worst Types Of People In NYC
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyc-10-the-10-worst-types-of-people-in-nyc/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:17:09.000Z
*This month marks 10 years since we moved to New York City. I’m writing on a variety of topics to reflect on a decade in one of the best cities in the world.*
Tourists. Not all tourists; just those who fail to understand that the city may not operate in the same way their hometown does, and then opt to get huffy about it. (These are the ones always complaining about how rude NYC residents are.)
People who don’t move in to the center of a subway car when there’s a mass of people on the platform.
Those who walk by a giant line for something, ask what the line is for, and then respond with “Oh.” Were you going to get in this massive line if it was some really compelling thing? No, you weren’t. Keep walking.
People on subways platforms who shout at people in the train to move into the center of the car when there’s no room.
Grifters. I have run into two in my life. One I dodged, one I did not.
People who cut their fingernails on the subway.
Food cart vendors who seem to be unable to do anything other than burn the hell out of chestnuts, leaving whatever street they’re on smelling of burning death.
Those who stand to the left on any escalator.
Stand-up comedians in Times Square who, in a desperate attempt to hand out free tickets so they get stage time, ask everyone they see “Hey, do you guys like comedy?”
But the worst people in all of New York City, the lowest of the low? The leeches who stand around Ground Zero and sell “NEVER FORGET” souvenir magazines to unsuspecting tourists. It is the most literal profiting off of a tragedy I have ever seen, and it is disgusting.
### NYC 10: Concerts
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyc-10-concerts/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:19:27.000Z
*This month marks 10 years since we moved to New York City. I’m writing on a variety of topics to reflect on a decade in one of the best cities in the world.*
If my [blog archives are to be trusted](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2003/10/holy%5Fgod.php?ref=vjarmy.com), within the first two weeks of being in NYC, I had found my way to my first concert (Paul Van Dyk at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square) and my first book event (Neal Stephenson at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square for the release of *Quicksilver: Volume One*). Both were free, letting me get in very close contact with two artists that I had a deep love for almost immediately after arriving in my new home.
As a first hit, that was one hell of a drug.
New York is constantly busy with events, so much so that there’s no possible way that you will ever attend all, let alone most, of the things you might be interested in. I tried, lacking any better judgement, to do them all for a couple of years, before growing too old/too tired/too annoyed to keep that up.
Concerts are particularly tough. Plenty of concerts start way too late: regardless of day of the week, main acts for rock shows tend to go on around 10 and DJ sets are lucky if they start by 2AM. NYC is dotted with venues with shitty sight lines, crowds are ill-mannered, expensive drinks, and bathrooms that are indescribably bad.
But every now and then, you get that one really *really* great show, and your faith is restored, at least for a little while. And being in the Media Capital Of The World, most every band you will ever want to see will come to town at some point.
With all that in mind, some high points and low points of concerts I’ve attended in NYC.
**THE ABSOLUTE BEST SHOW I’VE EVER BEEN TO AND PROBABLY WILL EVER GO TO**
LCD Soundsystem’s final show at MSG, easily. You can grab the documentary of the show easily enough, and it’s worth watching, but James Murphy’s drive to churn out three of the best dance (and I mean that in the actual-music-that-makes-you-want-to-dance sense, not the unn-tsst-brostep-or-generic-trance sense) albums of the 2000’s turned his band’s final show into something unforgettable. It was an almost painfully long set, emotional to be in the audience of, and one of those shows that was truly a “had to be there” experience.
**THE SECOND BEST SHOW I’VE EVER BEEN TO AND THE FALLBACK SHOULD I EVER START HATING LCD SOUNDSYSTEM, WHICH WON’T HAPPEN BUT I NEEDED TO CONTEXTUALIZE THIS SOMEHOW**
Daft Punk at the Cyclones Stadium on Coney Island. This was the heyday of the Alive tour, with the pyramid and the mashups and the blowing of minds. An outdoor show with perfect weather, with the set just hitting its peak as the sun went down, and a perfect light show – it was magical.
**THE SHOW THAT MOST MADE MY SIXTEEN YEAR OLD SELF HAPPY, AND THUS RUINED MY FUTURE ENJOYMENT OF THE BAND IN QUESTION**
I have had three opportunities to see Nine Inch Nails play in NYC. The first, a fairly regular show at MSG in support of their 2000-era albums, was alright but perhaps a touch forgettable.
The second show came during the “retirement” tour, and as we crammed into Webster Hall in August of 2009, we were treated to the thing I would have most wanted when I first discovered Trent Reznor: a concert of *The Downward Spiral*, sequentially from *Mr. Self Destruct* all the way through to *Hurt*. It was beautiful, and perfect, and even as the band played stuff off the other albums to cover the second hour of the show, it was sort of set in my mind that when it came to the formative band of my angsty teenage years, it wasn’t going to get better than that.
The third opportunity is in a month or two. And it is an opportunity I’ve passed on, because after I’ve seen you on a retirement tour – especially one where you do wish fulfillment the likes of which that Webster Hall show managed – you’re off my desired ticket list. It’s not getting better than that.
**BEST SHORT NOTICE SHOW**
LCD Soundsystem again, this time for the show announced a day before it happened for Music Hall of Williamsburg. A tune up before the This Is Happening tour, where most of the new songs were played for the first time. Great small crowd, the band was in high spirits, and it was like a meeting of the LCD Fanclub, since you had to act really quick to have made it in.
**WORST SHOW**
Chemical Brothers, Hammerstein Ballroom. Half due to the guy drugged out of his mind who kept trying to squeeze in front of us *when we were standing at the barricade*, who ended up getting removed by security because he wouldn’t stop being a complete jackass.
But beyond him: such a shitty DJ set. Sure, the video display was kind of neat, but it was basically a “push play and then spent the night waving your arms in the air” sort of a night.
### NYC 10: Twenty Years Ago, A First Visit
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyc-10-twenty-years-ago-a-first-visit/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:21:45.000Z
*This month marks 10 years since we moved to New York City. I’m writing on a variety of topics to reflect on a decade in one of the best cities in the world.*
I’ve been told that some people have grand dreams of where they want to live when they’re growing up. There’s usually some story about a brilliant visit, some magical moment that sparks the thought in them that they want to live there later in life.
I didn’t have any dreams of moving here before it ended up happening. And I certainly didn’t have a magic moment, although I do remember my first trip to NYC somewhat clearly.
It was July 4th weekend of 1993; we were visiting the area to see a friend of my parents in Yonkers. And one of the days we were downstate, we drove into Manhattan to…well, I don’t quite remember the point, exactly. Some very light sightseeing.
We parked in Midtown; we walked along Fifth Avenue, not really doing much shopping. There was a stop in a Software Etc. on 48th Street, where I remember being mortified at the price of SNES games ($100!). We ate lunch at the cafe where the skating rink is. And walking back to the car, my mother tried to give the leftovers of my giant hamburger to a homeless guy, who promptly rejected it.
That was really about it. It was a tremendously short visit, and perhaps a bit self-explanatory why I didn’t get any lofty dreams of NYC at that point in my life.
Last year, though, I began making a detour on the way into the office: getting off the E train a stop early, walking over to Rockefeller Center, grabbing a coffee from the Blue Bottle that had recently opened in the Concourse, and then walking the few blocks cross-town to my office. And on one of these caffeine-motivated walks, I remembered that little time I spent on Fifth Avenue about twenty years prior.
And *this* is the thing, above all, I’ve grown to love the most about this city, that it is shaped and defined by memories, even those one would chalk up as innocuous. Even as New York rebuilds and reshapes itself – as the facades and storefronts change, as the skyline changes shapes, as people come and go – ultimately, your own mental map and memories are what make the city what it is for you.
### The Bearded Face Of A Media Villain
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-bearded-face-of-a-media-villain/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:24:24.000Z
If it’s not already painfully clear to my friends, I love anecdotes. I love minutiae and trivia and obscure statistics. And I think that’s a big part of why I’ve taken to this whole sports journalism thing as a hobby: soccer is full of metrics (that are often meaningless), and every game I cover gives you a moment or two to hang on to longer term.
Take Thierry Henry. Thierry has won practically everything there is to win in the sport: Premier League, Champions League, World Cup. He is an intense competitor, and more than a little prickly in the locker room. So much so that I’ve only ever asked him two questions in the 18 months I’ve been “on the beat”, the last of which earned me a mild bollocking which included the phrase “I don’t know if you know what it’s like to play in a pre-season friendly”. (No, Titi, I don’t, but thanks for asking.) Even getting sassed at by Thierry is a fun memory, not a point of shame.
Sometimes, though, you don’t know an anecdote is happening until 9 months later. And that happened to me recently thanks to one Tim Cahill, although it wasn’t intentional on his part.
Cahill joined the team a year ago today in what was a bit of a shock move, leaving Everton where he was essentially an idol. But from the moment he stepped into the NY locker room, he became a great presence – funny, verbose, dedicated, and honest. In a sport where a lot of guys can’t interview or don’t want to deal with the press, Tim quickly achieved a level of what I would describe as “mutual respect” with the beat reporters. (Let’s leave [the Muppet incident](http://gothamist.com/2013/04/28/tim%5Fcahill%5Fquiets%5Fthe%5Fmuppets%5Ftoron.php?ref=vjarmy.com) aside.)
As every Metro/RBNY season seems to go, the team would fall out of the post-season quickly. In a return match against DC United, the series could’ve been won had Cahill and Henry not encroached on a penalty kick in the second half. Kenny Cooper retook it, had his shot saved, and then things started to fall apart, leading DC to score and NY to be eliminated. [I wrote at the time](http://gothamist.com/2012/11/09/17%5Fyears%5Fno%5Fcups%5Fdc%5Funited%5Fsteals%5Fi.php?ref=vjarmy.com):
> A few despondent Red Bulls applaud the fans who hadn’t already fled Harrison, but most retreat to the locker room morosely. The sight of Kenny Cooper crying in a locker and being consoled by Thierry Henry drove home the disappointment and frustration over another wasted campaign.
As most of the media reported that night, Cooper wouldn’t speak to the media – and no one can blame him, although the missed penalty kick certainly wasn’t his fault. Cahill said as much that night when he was the first player who opted to do interviews: why would anyone need to talk to Kenny? We all know how he felt. We could see it.
Fast forward to June. MLS, who struggles for media coverage on a regular basis, announced they were setting up a new media house to create original programming, the first of which was dubbed “MLS Insider”. Bringing in Jonathan Hock who worked on ESPN’s 30 For 30, it involved short documentary pieces. It all sounded very cool – but I was thrown slightly when I spotted myself standing behind Tim Cahill in some of the promo footage the league was pushing about the series. I had trouble figuring out the context (as there wasn’t audio), but I did notice that I had a pretty full beard at the time.
Late June, the first episode aired, and the very first segment was one on Tim Cahill. It was very well done, talking about his reasons for coming to MLS, and his experiences, and his childhood – highly recommended.
In the middle of the segment, the piece rewinds back to that playoff game. Cahill talks about encroachment and the loss – and then the scene in the locker room:
> The press want to speak to Kenny. But they want to bombard him – there’s probably about 30 people waiting to ask him how he feels. No offense – but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand the way Kenny feels. I told the press, you’re not interviewing Kenny – and I’ll take the rap for it.
And as the camera cuts to the locker room, I suddenly realize why that beard looked so familiar. *It was my “playoff” beard.* And then I cringed, as Cahill serves as hero to the bullying media scrum around him – faceless all except for my dumb ass standing in the background. While media being over shoulder during player interviews is fairly common, it doesn’t normally happen after the player has just finished telling the camera what dicks the media were being.
You can watch the full segment below; the bit in question is at 3:44 in:
Depending on events that happen during this transfer window, I may get one back over on Tim – but that’s a story for another day.
### Thanks, Ryan
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/thanks-ryan/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:09:12.000Z
Yesterday, I was heartbroken (as were a hell of a lot of folks) to learn that [Ryan Davis](http://www.giantbomb.com/ryan-davis/3040-93335/?ref=vjarmy.com), co-founder of Giant Bomb, lover of SUMMER JAMZ and New Balance sneakers, [passed away suddenly last week](http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/ryan-davis-1979-2013/1100-4685/?ref=vjarmy.com). He was 34 and had gotten married four days prior.
It’s hard to explain what a good, passionate guy Ryan was. I became a huge fan of his largely because of his tireless video project, [This Ain’t No Game](http://www.giantbomb.com/videos/tang/?ref=vjarmy.com), where he forced himself to endure every video game-based movie. (If you’ve never watched TANG, now is an excellent time to do so.) His voice and sense of humor pervaded Giant Bomb’s podcast and video work, which became staples of my gaming world over the last five years.
[So](http://www.thanksryan.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) [many](http://caseymalone.com/post/54926467226/i-spent-the-weekend-processing-this-news-which?ref=vjarmy.com) [people](http://www.moss.fm/post/54993384722/the-public-outpour-of-emotion-over-the-death-of?ref=vjarmy.com) [have](http://patbaer.tumblr.com/post/54938107080/rip-ryan-davis-i-only-met-you-in-person-like-5?ref=vjarmy.com) written about the spot Ryan held in their lives, and it speaks volumes to how beloved he was in a community that largely thrives off snark and bitterness. And while I didn’t know him personally (my only interaction being mumbling something at him at PAX East a few years back about being a big fan), I do have one small fairly dumb story. It’s not dissimilar from [my one Steve Jobs anecdote](https://www.vjarmy.com/my-one-good-steve-jobs-anecdote/), although it’s not nearly as good.
April 1st is, of course, April Fools Day and/or Internet Asshole Day, full of terrible “pranks” around the internet. (I don’t do April Fools jokes after [the prank to end all pranks in 2004](https://www.vjarmy.com/1461-days-ago/).) The gaming community ends up particularly burdened with site owners trying really hard to do something witty and wacky, and it drives most of us up the wall. Including Ryan.
> at some point today, you will begrudgingly say “ok…that one was pretty good.” and the cycle of abuse begins anew #liarsday
>
> — Ryan Davis (@taswell) [April 1, 2013](https://twitter.com/taswell/statuses/318750809884082176?ref=vjarmy.com)
Having just finished Bioshock Infinite, I decided to try my luck at cracking a timely joke, which will (of course) only make sense if you’ve finished Infinite.
> @taswell There’s always a fake hardware announcement. Always a false site shutdown, always a pirate or ninja joke. #AprilFoolsInfinite
>
> — Dan Dickinson (@Remy) [April 1, 2013](https://twitter.com/Remy/statuses/318753008664064000?ref=vjarmy.com)
It may have been exhaustion from other bad jokes or the fact that Bioshock Infinite jokes hadn’t yet gotten obnoxious (we’d hit that milestone maybe an hour or two later), but it apparently amused Ryan enough to get a retweet out of him. And the subsequent back and forth of further Infinite/April-Fools-Is-Terrible jokes with my compatriot [Benjamin Birdie](http://benjaminbirdie.tumblr.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) also got retweets from him.
That initial retweet has been stuck at the top of my ThinkUp dashboard since April – something with the recent betas broke the insights from updating, and I’ve been too busy to really sort out fixing it. But perhaps it’s not broken; maybe the accomplishment of making Ryan chuckle on the worst day on the Internet for jokes is an achievement worth holding on to.
Anyway.
Dumb personal Twitter-based anecdotes aside – I’m not sure what the gaming industry will be like without Ryan in it, but I hope he inspires more people in it to be more honest, funny, and actually have a good time. More folks like Ryan, and less [Dorito Popes](http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-10-24-lost-humanity-18-a-table-of-doritos?ref=vjarmy.com), please.
### A 20 Year Old Gaming Mystery, Solved At Last
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-20-year-old-gaming-mystery-solved-at-last/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:26:42.000Z
While I don’t have a hard and fast date for an anniversary, this year feels like it’s roughly the point at which I’ve hit 30 years of playing video games. (Having just passed my 33rd birthday, this is a rather large amount of my life.) In that time, I have played countless games across most every platform ever released, and I have a surprisingly good memory of nearly every game I ever played.
Or perhaps I should say, every game, save one.
---
There was one DOS-based game that, despite repeated attempts to dig it up online, I had failed on more than one occasion to unearth the name of. What I could remember was this:
- It was a Sierra game, although that was likely more as a publisher than as a developer.
- It supported CGA graphics (as that was all I had), including a particularly garish red in the whopping 4-color palette.
- It was a side scrolling action RPG, sort of like the Ys series. That may sound like it made it more generic, but keep in mind what a rarity that was on a platform like DOS – so this game was kind of a big deal.
- The box art, to my recollection, had basically no connection to the game, although it was very generic fantasy-ish.
- The game would’ve had to have predated 1992, as that’s when I fell out of love with PC gaming.
That was all I had to go on for the last 20 years to try and figure out what the hell the game was called.
Tonight, while puttering around on NeoGAF, I saw a thread called “[Games that no one has played on NeoGAF except you](http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=606161&ref=vjarmy.com)“. Clicking in, I couldn’t help but think how great it would’ve been had I remembered the name of that game.
But I didn’t have to. Someone else called it out, with a screenshot, 48 replies in: the game was [Zeliard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeliard?ref=vjarmy.com).
Check out those CGA graphics!
Check out that box art!
And the best part? Check out this amazingly straightforward marketing text from the back of the box:
> Once in a while, a game comes along that you can truly get in to. A game that gives you all the entertainment of an arcade game, and all the adventure of a role-playing game. A game that keeps you coming back again and again. ‘*Zeliard*‘ is that kind of game.
>
> *Zeliard*looks like a lot of ‘sword and sorcery’ video games you’ll find in your local arcade. But as you ‘hack and slash’ your way through eight levels of underground caverns, other elements will come to life. Accumulate wealth with every hideous creature you slay; outfit yourself with increasingly powerful weapons and magic; gain the strength to defeat even the most deadline enemies, and finally, emerge a hero.
>
> *Zeliard* is an incredibly fun action-packed game you’ll have a hard time tearing yourself away from. Get into Zeliard — because you *can*.
There’s even a very small little [fan community](http://zeliardgame.tripod.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), and a [Flash remake](http://www.autoexecgames.com/?ref=vjarmy.com).
Zeliard was indeed published in the US by Sierra Entertainment around 1990, but it was originally developed in 1987 by a Japanese developer called Game Arts. In the gaming industry, that length of time would usually be the kiss of death, but [Game Arts continues to exist](http://www.gamearts.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), being the studio responsible for the Grandia and Lunar series.
So in a strange way, Zeliard was my first real exposure to Japanese gaming mentality. (And obviously, it stuck with me.)
Now if I could just find that old BBS door called n-space, I’d have put all my gaming mysteries to rest.
### Movement
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/movement/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T03:54:01.000Z
There are few things harder to understand as a kid than having to uproot and move. Getting familiar with a new town, fitting in at a new school, making new friends – these things are hard enough when you’re an adult in control of the situation. As a kid who doesn’t quite yet understand how the world works, it erases nearly everything you knew and forces you to start over.
Growing up, I was made to go through this three times. The first time was when I was four, so the loss of friends and classmates was negligible. When we moved again around age seven, it was across state lines; the friends I had made in our little community were largely left behind. And then, at age 9, we picked up once more to go about an hour south.
Where we landed that last time was in the Ithaca area – Trumansburg if we’re being slightly (but not completely) more honest with the geography. I once again found myself having to reset my group of friends, coming in mid-year into a new school system, and having to get used to a new house.
This final house was a huge change from all the previous houses. Gone were the small townhouses or fabricated colonials; this was a 19th century farmhouse, with a sprawling nineteen acre field for a backyard. Barns in various states of disrepair and a small silo dotted the path up the property past the driveway. There were a few small tree lines – near the house, in the backyard, up in the field. A small creek ran down one side of the property line, and the whole plot was split by an odd stone wall that hinted at a previous structure.
We wouldn’t move again – allowing me continuity from 4th grade through high school graduation – and before too long, I would take to calling Trumansburg my hometown just on volume of years compared to previous towns. College gave me about 30 minutes of distance from the house, close enough that trips home were semi-regular. Post-graduation, Katie and I would try to live in Maryland before and shortly after our wedding, but the poor economy eventually forced us to flee up I-81 back to the farmhouse. We quickly found jobs and an apartment in Ithaca, and I moved out for the last time in 2002\. A year later, we’d leave the Finger Lakes for NYC.
When you move out of your childhood home, it start to change in pieces each subsequent visit home. Your old bedroom slowly converts into something else – an office or a storage room or an art studio. Rooms get remodeled, furniture gets replaced, walls get repainted. It can be a little jarring, but like the [Ship of Theseus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship%5Fof%5FTheseus?ref=vjarmy.com), it still *feels* like your home, even as many of the components change.
And Trumansburg, as weird and funky and tiny as it can be, has remained my hometown. Maintaining a connection with Cornell through work has kept it on my mind for years, and there are other little things – like Gimme! Coffee opening locations in Manhattan, or a team member who laughingly confessed they travel there every year for Grassroots – that kept me connected to the Ithaca area. Ultimately, it’s been the family roots that kept me visiting upstate.
Those roots are starting to pull back; the big news from my parents earlier this month was that they’ve closed on a new house in Maine.
So the clock has started to tick on the old farmhouse, and the fields where I learned to drive and got into trouble after school, and the sleepy little village where I would take piano lessons and play soccer. It will all still exist, but the family connection to the area will be gone within the next few years. Visits will slow and eventually stop. There’s nothing preventing travel there, just less reason to visit.
After so much change in environment when I was young, it’s a little difficult to ponder. The place I finally felt was stable enough to be my hometown will be a place I don’t visit anymore. I don’t expect I’ll ever build that same connection to the area of Maine my parents are in – like when I travel to Maryland, it will feel foreign and just a little off. It won’t be *home*.
But this is perhaps the best time for a change. This September will mark a complete decade since we moved from Ithaca, heading to NYC on a lark and a chance. Unlike those moves when I was younger, this one was our choice – and we continue to choose year after year to stay here. I can look past the natural disasters and strife and stress to see how wonderful this place is on a daily basis.
Trumansburg was my home as a child. New York is my home as an adult.
I am okay with this – I think.
### 2012 In Pictures
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/2012-in-pictures/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T02:11:23.000Z
A year of new challenges, adventures, friends, and adversity; one that has given me a profound sense of my place in the world. Here’s to another great year.
### Out Of Sorts
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/out-of-sorts/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T02:14:38.000Z
One of the things I’ve always loved about New York City is the balancing act between the routine and the unexpected. The smooth action of swiping a Metrocard, the jingle of the door at your local bodega, the timing of the lights at a familiar intersection – these mundane acts get balanced against the extraordinary circumstances and events that pop up somewhat regularly in the life of a New Yorker.
It is a balance, though – and too much of either can bring away at your sense of being. And for the last month, my personal scales have basically been knocked over, with uncommon circumstances eliminating much of the routine from my life for a solid month.
Hurricane Sandy came and went at the end of October – a stronger and more noticeable storm than Irene last year. Having lost power and water and being told it was going to be a week before there would be restoration, we nearly fled the area for shelter with Katie’s parents. But our instincts to give it one final night before fleeing turned out to be wise, as the power snapped back on at 3 AM, sparring us from trying to uproot on short notice.
While our building was spared, our neighborhood was not, with many of our friends being out a week. Worse, the PATH train – so vital to getting into and out of Manhattan – remained closed with no word for a solid week. When service was finally restored, the three stations I need service to were not on the list. While walking to a station with service is a tolerable hassle, a 10PM service termination has made regular evenings out impossible.
As the train started to get back into service, the Red Bulls post-season ended unceremoniously, giving up a goal with 5 minutes left to their biggest rival. This was not so much of a surprise – the team has fallen out of the playoffs at this point nearly every year. But having my well worked routine of sports journalism end abruptly was just one more pain point in a month that was already going south.
And then came the sickness. Two weeks to the day after the storm hit, I came down with a dry, painful cough that seemed like it would be easily shaken. It would not, of course, and I spent the majority of the week in bed, coughing every few minutes. In the second week it transformed into muscle aches and a night cough which deprived Katie of what little sleep she could get.
Monday will mark four weeks from the day Sandy hit, and it only now feels like the balance is being restored. The sickness is mostly cleared, enough that karaoke last night didn’t kill me. The PATH just announced our stations are opening on weekdays again, which is a start.
The routine is coming back, just in time for some big crazy events to keep life interesting. I can’t tell you how good it feels to have my regular life back.
### A Good Night For Ghosts: Early Thoughts On Then She Fell
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-good-night-for-ghosts-early-thoughts-on-then-she-fell/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T02:17:01.000Z
In large part due to an addiction to Kickstarter that has been described as “compulsive”, I recently backed the production of [Then She Fell](http://thenshefell.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) by [Third Rail Projects](http://thirdrailprojects.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), an immersive theatre experience that revolves around Lewis Carroll and *Alice in Wonderland*. As part of my backer perks, I was invited to a dress rehearsal last night – below are some broad thoughts and observations about the performance (mostly contrasted with *Sleep No More* as a reference point) in advance of the opening later this week.
A few introductory notes:
1\. I’m staying away from detailing specific scenes/sets/story points; this will mostly be about the experience. Some might consider this spoiler-y, so if you want to go in with no preconceptions at all, stay away from the rest of this post. **SPOILER WARNING**.
2\. This was a dress rehearsal, which meant the show wasn’t quite ready. There are a handful of minor complaints I’m leaving out of this post as the team gave every indication it’ll be tightened up for the opening. (We were allowed to give feedback at the end of the show and those points have been lodged there.)
3\. The show is already sold out for the entire run and it seems unlikely that they’ll be extending it into perpetuity as Punchdrunk has with SNM. If this interests you and you don’t already have tickets, you are most likely out of luck.
Down the rabbit hole we go.
---
Those familiar with SNM will recognize common elements between the two productions. There are scenes with multiple actors that are conveyed through dance instead of dialog, and there is a certain amount of climbing up the walls and furniture for most of those numbers. The set is a series of rooms, somewhat arranged into logical areas (one side seemed more “hospital”-like than the other). And the show does somewhat loop and repeat scenes, as you’ll recognize from points in the soundtrack and other noises you hear. (The closest connection to Sleep No More on the evening: the weird circumstance that found Kelly Bartnik and Tori Sparks seated at our table before the show started.)
But that’s about where the similarities end, and there are three very large differences that play into the structure of the show to make it feel very different from SNM.
First, the audience is limited to 15 people a show. (The McKittrick, comparatively, packs in a couple hundred at a time.) There are more rooms in the set than there are audience members, and nearly more cast members (11 company members are detailed in the program). As such, you will never be stuck with people trying to jostle or out-position you for perspective on a scene as has become a regular SNM occurrence. In fact, there won’t be a scene where you have more than three other audience members in the room with you, and many scenes you will be taking in alone.
A large part of the reason for this TSF hands down one rule at the beginning of the show that seemed bizarre at the time: *you may not go through any closed doors*. At first this seemed to be rather inhibiting – I’m very used to testing doorknobs or pushing through doors at SNM, and lacking that freedom seemed like it might take away from the experience. But in fact it was just the opposite – the show is very focused, where every room you are put into will have a purpose and a scene. It’s less exploratory, sure, but that also means you’re not seeking/chasing cast members around the set. The show will play out for you over the two hours running time, and your path will still be different than everyone else’s. So it’s still very immersive, just in a different (more passive?) way.
And as for that much beloved anonymity that Punchdrunk provides the SNM audience? There are no masks at the Kingsland Ward. The cast go far beyond just acknowledging you being in the room – they will talk to you, particularly when you’re alone with them. They will ask you to do things and will want to have a conversation with you. You are free to shy away from interacting, but the best moments of my evening were when I embraced the situation and played along as much as I could.
The ensemble are a talented group, and all fill their roles well – but I would be remiss in not giving an extra shout out to Elizabeth Carena. She fills the role of the Hatter in a pitch-perfect manner, giving a truly memorable performance full of manic energy.
So: that’s about all I can say without actually spoiling specific details, as much as I would like to. *Then She Fell* opens in previews Wednesday and in full on Saturday. It is [completely sold out](http://thenshefell.com/tickets/?ref=vjarmy.com) through mid-November, so you’re either going or your not at this point.
For another perspective, Kathryn Yu [also posted her thoughts](http://kathrynyu.tumblr.com/post/32650073550/in-another-moment-down-went-alice-after-it-never?ref=vjarmy.com) about the rehearsal.
### NYT: “Jersey City, a Love Story”
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyt-jersey-city-a-love-story/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T02:20:03.000Z
I’ll have something of personal substance up this weekend, but wanted to make sure everyone read [this lovely little thing](http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/20/jersey-city-a-love-story/?ref=vjarmy.com) on my current town from the Times.
> It stands to reason that moving to Jersey is the one not-cool thing that will never inexplicably become cool among New Yorkers. And I had done it. It no longer seemed necessary to have a different bar to go to every night of the week. It seemed like it was time to learn to live within my means. If this is what aging entails, the Village Voice was right.
### The Tenth
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-tenth/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T02:26:06.000Z
Ten years ago today, I married the love of my life. Reflection, anecdotes, and more old pictures of the two of us inside.
## The Pain Of Being Time Obsessed
Our very first photo together, June 1998
I have always had a certain level of obsession with time. It may or may not have been instilled in me by my father, who would constant quiz us (to much protest) at the dinner table about what had happened on some arbitrary date. “And where we were six months ago today?” he would ask, knowing my sister and I would only groan and roll our eyes. After some half-hearted guesses, he’d remind us of some specific vacation spot or minor life event. It was torture, but it apparently had an impression. (It’s worth noting that my Dad recently became a Foursquare addict, mirroring my meticulous record keeping of locations. Like son, like father.)
Back in the early part of last decade, I had a page cobbled together out of some PHP where it would automatically calculate what percentage of my life various things had gone on for. How long had I been in school? How long had I gone since last overhauling my web site? And how much of my life had been spent in what I hilariously labeled as a “real-life relationship with Katie”? (So glad I felt the need to clarified *that* one.)
This blog, while it does not get as much love as it used to, is a constant record and reflection of that obsession. Whenever I write longform – be it about [my life](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2010/06/now%5Fwe%5Fare%5F30.php?ref=vjarmy.com), [my hobbies](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2010/11/i%5Fstill%5Fbelieve.php?ref=vjarmy.com), [previous employers](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2010/02/a%5Flove%5Fletter%5Fto%5Ffreeverse.php?ref=vjarmy.com), [travel](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2010/01/tokyo%5F2010%5F26%5Fhour%5Fparty%5Fpeople.php?ref=vjarmy.com), or otherwise – it is usually through the context of time. Those posts then become marks on my personal calendar, stretching back in time to be the primary document of my life.
Tragically, across the multiple years of data loss and migration between blog software, there’s a large gap in my archives from mid-July to late August of 2002\. Despite the fact that most of my old posts are embarrassing to read through, I had hoped there was at least something about such a major life event as our wedding. And I was convinced that there wasn’t – that maybe I had just been so busy with the wedding and the honeymoon that I never got around to it.
Turns out, I did write something. After digging around in the Wayback machine, I did find a portion of a post labeled “The Fantastical Wedding Report”. But since archive.org didn’t capture every last page in my then-Drupal install, all I found was the intro, written on an evening I was crashing on a couch in NYC on a business trip for Freeverse. And while I’m sure the rest of the post was glowing, I can only cringe at what is left of the post:
> Alright, I think it’s time I finally got my act together and wrote up the whole big wedding experience. I certainly don’t have anything better to do for the next hour.
>
> As a bit of background, things had been extremely tense in Maryland for the two months before the wedding. Anytime anything would deviate from the original course, it turned into a massive war. Thus, the discovery that we had neglected to count ourselves and our parents in the head count caused a massive rift…these things were not going well.
That’s it. That’s all I have left on the internet about what my wedding was like. And that, for someone who loves to look back at archives of what I wrote and what I was feeling, is a terrible thing.
In full fairness to my 22-year-old self: that excerpt \*is\* true. Wedding planning was rough. In retrospect, it was certifiably insane to try to plan a wedding in the conditions we were under (in college, no jobs, long distance, et cetera). It was a wonder it happened at all – but it did.
And it was pretty damn amazing.
## Perception and Tradeoffs
Us at a wedding.
Because we got married relatively close to the completion of college, ten years of marriage becomes a pretty clear dividing line between childhood and adulthood. So for as long as I’ve identified as being an adult, Katie has been right there beside me. She is inseparable in my mind from the life we’ve made together. This is a lovely feeling but also means I can’t really remember life without her. Not what I would call a terrible affliction, but an interesting one to consider.
This does also mean I avoided some things many of my friends have had to deal with. I entirely skipped the dating scene in college and after. I never got to try to live on my own. I have missed out on the NYC tradition of trying to convert strangers into roommates.
All considered, I’m pretty okay with this.
## About My Everything
Us at a Red Bulls game, 2011
When I started mentally drafting this earlier in the week, I planned to spend the rest of this post going on and on with a broad portrait of how Katie means everything to me. Gushing adjectives, heaping praise – on the event of our 10th anniversary, it would be a totally reasonable (albeit typical) way for me to wrap up one of these posts.
But last night – when I called for an impromptu at-home karaoke night (a semi-regular occurrence), she mischievously decided to post this on Facebook:
I see how it is.
So rather than try to enumerate all of the roles Katie fills in my life, let me instead rib her a little bit with some of the more obscure things I love about her.
I love the way she passes out on the couch watching TV, with the cat carefully cradled in her arms. ([Here’s what that looks like](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/39416065/?ref=vjarmy.com).)
I love the way she mocks my choices in karaoke standards (which I will readily admit are terrible) when hers are just as amazing. Have you ever see her do *Du Hast*? Because let me tell you – it’s more epic than any performance of a Toto song I could ever hope to do.
I love how, when she’s having a girl’s night out, she inevitably wants to have complicated tipsy text message conversations with me – even though the point of said nights are to hang out with her friends.
I love her unending appetite to plow through entire runs of television shows on Netflix. This is a girl who watched every episode of the Cosby Show in less than a month.
I love our shared distaste of bananas. You know how you know you have a great marriage? You both hate the same fruit.
I love that she turned into more of an energetic sports fan than I could ever hope to be. Because of my press credentials, we don’t get much of a chance to sit together at Red Bulls games any more – so we part ways when we get to the gate. And after I get the lineup sheet, I know it’s only a matter of time until my cell phone rings, demanding explanations and cursing up a storm that her preferred lineup isn’t the one the coach has chosen for that night.
I love that either of us can break out into song or references from The Eric Andre Show and the other will jump right in.
I love that sleepy smile she gives me when she wakes up on Saturday mornings.
I love her baking and cooking, which for reasons I can’t understand she has no faith in. She makes a mean snickerdoodle.
I love that she got addicted to Diablo 3 without any real prompting from me.
I love that she’s willing to debate me about whether the KLF were geniuses or idiots. (This comes up more than you might think.)
And I love that every day, I can be assured she’s going to make my day better in some way.
## What's Next
Us in 2011.
Ten years may be a long time, but years down the road, it’s going to look like a drop in the bucket.
Early next week, we’ll be heading out on the longest vacation we’ve ever taken together. We’ll be making a three city run – to the Rose City, the City Of Glass, and the Second City. Plans remain mostly light, but will certainly end up packed full of things to see and do.
And then, it’ll be back to the real world – where we will keep going on adventures, causing trouble, and smiling at each other until our hearts stop. The first ten years have been great – and the rest will be even better.
Love you, Katie. Happy anniversary. Thanks for ten amazing years – here’s to plenty more.
### Trophee Des Champions
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/trophee-des-champions/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T03:44:14.000Z
Great game this afternoon between Olympique Lyonnais and Montpellier. Very happy I got a chance to snap this after the celebration was done.
### By Popular Request, Nine Years Late: Why I Hate Midnite Blaze
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/by-popular-request-nine-years-late-why-i-hate-midnite-blaze/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T03:48:19.000Z
3,295 days ago, I penned a blog post reviewing a newly released Bemani remix CD, “V-Rare 5”. Within the context of that review, I wrote the following to open my discussion of track 6, “Midnite Blaze (SySF Mix)”:
> And this will be a really tough sell because I HATE Midnite Blaze.
This may seem to casual observers like an awfully specific and odd sentence in the over 1,500 blog posts to point out. I would agree. Which is why I was left dumbstruck by a tweet I received this evening from *@Tim\_at\_where*:
Well, Tim, since you asked…well, wait, I haven’t listened to that particular DDR standard since probably around 2005\. For the sake of remembering it, here it is on YouTube:
Ah. Right.
I hate [Midnite Blaze](https://remywiki.com/Midnite%5FBlaze?ref=vjarmy.com) mostly because of the vocals. [Scott Dolph](https://remywiki.com/Scott%5FDolph?ref=vjarmy.com)‘s rapping was always way down my list of favorite things, and it’s pretty laughable here (*“Step by step as I approach / I say to myself I need a coach”*). The delivery is way too fast and comes in at really weird pitches. Listen to the second section of his rap – it’s all over the place, like he’s reading the words from the page for the first time and not sure which way his voice should go. And he *wrote the lyrics himself*, if his RemyWiki page is to be believed. For the record, I never liked Drop The Bomb either.
The refrain comes in at such a high register it gives me a headache, and just as lyrically bizarre. And for what it’s worth, the synth line also feels derivative – it’s a touch too close to Naoki’s *Broken My Heart*.
For whatever it’s worth: in the 9 years since I wrote that review, the only DDR music that remains in my iTunes library are the 2nd Mix and DDRMAX soundtracks, as well as the BEMANI BEST FOR 10TH ANNIVERSARY compilation and various Diverse System remixes. All the Dancemania albums and V-Rares EPs are gone.
And hey: anyone else has random questions about what I meant a decade ago, don’t be shy! I’m more than happy to elaborate – if I can remember what I was talking about!
### So, About That “Mugshot”…
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/so-about-that-mugshot/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T03:50:49.000Z
In mid-February, I changed my profile picture on most social networks to the above photo and casually mentioned there was a story that I might be able to tell in the future. Given that my glasses were off, I was in front of a white wall, and was trying to neither smile nor frown, the response was somewhat predictable: “Did you get arrested?”
No, I did not get arrested. But today’s the day I can tell the story.
Across 2011, I chipped in articles to [Gothamist](http://gothamist.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) about the New York Red Bulls. I made a trip out to Harrison to cover Media Day before the home opener. I helped write some blurbs for “Last Night’s Action”, the daily sports round-up, in a pinch. Around September I started writing full match reports, starting with [the Rafa Marquez drama](http://gothamist.com/2011/09/22/rbny%5Ffalls%5Fto%5Fsalt%5Flake%5Frafa%5Fmarque.php?ref=vjarmy.com) and ending with [getting knocked out of the playoffs](http://gothamist.com/2011/11/04/red%5Fbulls%5Fknocked%5Fout%5Fof%5Fmls%5Fplayof.php?ref=vjarmy.com).
Writing these was a fantastic mental outlet. It’s no surprise that I love to write and tell stories – I’ve been doing it here since 2000\. My love of soccer and my interest in the team turned into a very natural topic to want to write about, and I even got a few pieces of fan mail thanking me for the coverage.
During the off-season, I came to the conclusion that it might be worth stepping up this engagement slightly, and after some discussion with my editor, got the go-ahead to apply for formal press credentials for the 2012 season. The oddly taken picture that had people believing I spent a night in the slammer? Actually just part of my application process for the credentials.
I was notified yesterday that my application was accepted. So my insufferable chatter about soccer will likely only get worse, as **I will officially be covering the Red Bulls (and other soccer matters) for Gothamist this season**. As my first formal press gig since 2001, I am eagerly looking forward to waving a microphone in the faces of a bunch of players I’ve been following closely for much of the last two years.
This does mean I’m going to be leaving The Viper’s Nest (where I occasionally penned a piece or two) on a free transfer. Heartfelt thanks to Matt, Miguel, Tim, Brian, and the rest of the crew, who not only provide a constant stream of great discussion and passion for the team, but acted as fantastic guides to the long (and rather perplexing) history of this club. I was “chuffed” and “over the moon” to get to join them, and the RBNY world is better with them in it.
So with that story out of the way – [keep watching for my coverage](http://gothamist.com/tags/redbulls?ref=vjarmy.com) over the course of the season. If there’s one thing I’ve learned watching this team, it’s that win or lose, there’s always an interesting story to be told.
### Shut Up And Play The Hits
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/shut-up-and-play-the-hits/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T03:53:34.000Z
> On April 2nd 2011, LCD Soundsystem played its final show at Madison Square Garden. LCD frontman James Murphy had made the conscious decision to disband one of the most celebrated and influential bands of its generation at the peak of its popularity, ensuring that the band would go out on top with the biggest and most ambitious concert of its career. The instantly sold out, near four-hour extravaganza did just that, moving the thousands in attendance to tears of joy and grief, with NEW YORK magazine calling the event “a marvel of pure craft” and TIME magazine lamenting “we may never dance again.” SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS is both a narrative film documenting this once in a life time performance and an intimate portrait of James Murphy as he navigates the lead-up to the show, the day after, and the personal and professional ramifications of his decision.
It probably goes without saying that there is no movie I want to see more this year than [this one](http://www.shutupandplaythehits.com/?ref=vjarmy.com).
### 2011 In Pictures
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/2011-in-pictures/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T03:57:05.000Z
Not a bad year, all considered.
### Games of 2011: Sleep No More
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/games-of-2011-sleep-no-more/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T01:19:47.000Z
*I've spent a lot of time in 2011 playing games, but not a lot of time writing about them. Instead of my usual end-of-year game recommendations, I'd like to tell some stories or share some thoughts about the ones that meant the most to me this year. This is the last post in the series.*
Surprise: my Game Of The Year isn't a video game. (I never said they were all going to be electronic.) And yes, it's Punchdrunk's [**Sleep No More**](http://sleepnomorenyc.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), which I've talked about on this blog [twice](https://www.vjarmy.com/the-witch-in-the-green-dress-thoughts-on-sleep-no-more/) [before](https://www.vjarmy.com/the-nurse-who-loved-me/), and is perhaps the closest thing to a real life video game I've ever found, and perhaps ever will.
Those of you who follow me on social networks have probably missed out on the incessent gushing about the show I tend to do in person. It has become an all-consuming experience; I have made a somewhat absurd four visits to the McKittrick Hotel for performances, including one just over a week ago. Some might feel this is three times too many. (Others might argue it's four times too many.) I am fully and well hooked on this thing, and I won't be surprised if I notch a fifth trip sometime in 2012\. The friends who have been tend to be understanding and share a desire to go back. Here's why:
People who have played games for a significant length of time have certain behaviors become hard wired into their play style. If you grew up with Wolfenstein and Doom, you become accustomed to pressing on every wall, hoping for a secret passage to open. RPG addicts know to search every container in the hopes of finding something useful or interesting. Stealth-action gamers are used to slinking along behind characters, hoping to figure out their secrets. And so on.
These skills are generally not acceptable to use in real life; most of us don't spend our days exploring strange spaces, investigating someone's bedroom, or following strange people about their business. This is where Sleep No More fits in perfectly - it's a meticulously designed playground where you can make use of these habits and skills. This is a space where you want to be looking, touching, feeling, and exploring at every turn.
There's no way to win this game, of course - the show ends after three hours, and you are gently ushered out of the hotel space. There's also no way to see every last thing that happens during the show in a single visit. But you may have pieced together how some characters interact, or found a secret passage, or even helped run messages between characters.
Punchdrunk has designed the show to allow the audience the freedom to indulge in anonymity and voyeurism - the masks, the mandate that there is no talking inside the space, the use of light and shadow. The experience makes it easy to detach from yourself and become your own avatar, so long as you can break down some of the psychological barriers that tend to prevent people from doing the things you should do in this world. (More on these later.) The cast has a trick up their sleeves, of course: they are fully allowed to interact with you, and will choose to do so with those that are clearly engaged and unafraid. As you are told in the elevator, fortune favors the bold.
This is not a world for the faint of heart. The company now warns that the audience may experience "intense psychological experiences". There is violence (multiple murders), nudity (both genders), and absinthe served at the bar. There are strobe lights, smoke machines, and in one scene, some incredibly loud drum and bass music. There is running up and down flights of stairs, and the slight-but-ever-present danger of being hit by one of the staff as they perform their dances (as Katie learned when she was kicked in the arm during our last visit). The show lasts at most three hours, which may be more than those with low stamina can withstand.
But no matter how much my feet hurt when I exit back into the streets of Chelsea, there is nothing else like it I've ever experienced in my life. I feel so fortunate to have gotten to go as much as I have, and yet I always want to go back as soon as I can. Everyone who enjoys games as a hobby should make a point of going before the show ends its run, whenever that may be.
The remainder of this post, as some sort of twisted holiday present, are essentially my complete set of notes about the show - how it's structured, how to plan your visits, and even a set of imaginary achievements. The information in that section is extremely spoilery, and I agree with the common wisdom that you should take in your first visit to the show essentially blind - it's more fun that way. So save the details in the rest of this post until you've gone once.
[*Sleep No More*](http://sleepnomorenyc.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) *is currently extended through February, and may continue to extend as Punchdrunk sees fit.*
**SPOILERS BELOW.**
# Understanding the Structure
Sleep No More loosely follows Macbeth, but because there are a number of characters added, it's not exactly a 1:1 performance. It is recommended you brush up on the play before you go, but keep in mind that none of the cast members announce themselves, so you may be following someone who turns out to not be in the play. Try to detach yourself from the expectation that the show *is* Macbeth.
The show runs three hours (generally 7:00 - 10:00); in that time, the show will loop three complete times before hitting the final scene. Each character follows the same path over each loop; use this information to your advantage to avoid things you've already seen, and to get in position if there's a scene you know you've missed previously. With no easy start or end to the loops, you may want to keep an ear peeled for the sound of a bell ringing, which can be heard throughout the space when a particular scene occurs.
The McKittrick has six floors, although you are likely only going to see five of them in your visit. Where you start is randomized and, to be honest, doesn't matter so much. There are staircases on both ends of the floors which will help you traverse the space, as well as a few special staircases elsewhere.
Floor 1 is really a double floor, containing the Ballroom as well as a mezzanine. The ballroom houses a number of scenes (including the finish) and the "forest". The mezzanine houses Duncan's tent and quarters, a small chapel, and some space that overlooks the ballroom.
Floor 2 is the Hotel floor. It contains the McKittrick lobby, restaurant, staff area, and bag check. It also connects back to the Manderlay Bar - one staircase will open directly into the bar, and there's an entrance behind a red curtain near the back offices of the hotel.
Floor 3 is the Residence floor. It contains the Macbeth's and Macduff's living quarters, as well as a graveyard.
Floor 4 is the Town floor. It contains multiple businesses - a funeral home, a tailor's, a candy store, an apothecary, and a taxidermist. It has a somewhat hidden bar within a maze of boxes. A number of non-Macbeth characters have businesses on this floor. Also on this floor is Hecate's Bar, which looks much like the Manderlay but is clearly not.
Floor 5 is the Asylum and Hospital. It features a number of spaces devoted to psychological care, as well as a large hedge maze in the middle of the floor. You will typically find the nurses here. This floor is also worth noting because it has a number of easily accessed bathrooms, down the hallway between the room of beds and the room of bathtubs.
Floor 6 is off limits, but occasionally someone will be let out of elevator onto this floor. I cannot tell you what is on it - haven't been.
# Planning Your Visits
I strongly recommend booking your tickets for 7:00, as the sooner you get into the space, the more time you have to explore. Despite this being NYC, where lines are almost always assured, the line for Sleep No More doesn't begin to form until around 6:25 before the 7:00 show. I have been first in line for three or the four shows I've gone to, and being first in is strongly recommended. (Certainly makes taking advantage of the bar easier.)
At the coat check, you should check your bag and coat. Stick your watch and cell phone into your bag if you're the sort of person who incessantly checks either, as it's better to let time pass once the show starts than to clock watch. If you wear glasses, check those too - they don't fit under the mask. After you get your playing card ticket and grope your way through a dark hallway, you'll emerge in the Manderley Bar. This is safe haven, and you may stumble back into here during the show, especially if you're feeling overwhelmed. You will find two characters here who don't appear elsewhere in the show - Calloway and Violet. Both are happy to chat with you, if you so desire.
Groups will be called to the elevator by rank of card given (Aces, then Twos, and so on up the deck). You will be given a mask; don't put it on until you are told to. You can adjust it using the little plastic thingy in the back - try not to tighten it too much, as it will get hot and sweaty during the show.
While the first visit is still best spent blind, It may be worth structuring subsequent visits with particular focal points. There are essentially three main methods I've found through which I approached the show, which changed my experiences each time:
- **The Search**: spend your time focused on the set and the scenery. If a scene takes place near you, watch it, but avoid tailing characters out of rooms. Explore every space. Open drawers. Read books and letters. Pick up telephones. And so on.
- **The Tail**: focus on following characters through their loops. Stay close to them and help them out if they reach out. Don't look away if they stare into your eyes. Feel free to switch characters if someone more interesting comes along, or there's a crowd forming around your character.
- **The Swerve**: remembering that you can treat this show as a game, press on the boundaries of the world and see what happens. If a character drops something, pick it up and bring it to them. If a character is stationary in a room, approach them and interact with \*them\*. Walk with a purpose so others follow you. Stand in empty rooms and wait for other audience members to hover around you, wondering what you're doing (I personally do this in the Ballroom at least once every visit). In essence, become a part of the show.
# The Four Psychological Barriers
I refered earlier in this piece to needing to break down some barriers. These will likely happen naturally, but they can be unnerving (and exhilirating!), so some pre-warning is warranted:
1. **Become okay with interacting with the set.** Sitting in someone else's chair and opening up all the desk drawers feels very wrong the first time you set foot in the space. You may gingerly touch parts of the set, or pick up a piece of paper to read it. This is relatively easy to get over, but can be a little bit of a sticking point. You'll know you're past this one the first time you check every cupboard, drawer, and container in a room.
2. **Become okay with following a few feet behind someone.** Years of crime dramas have told us the right distance at which to tail someone is from afar, so they don't pick up on you doing it. There's no room for subtlety at the McKittrick; you will lose the person you're tailing if you hang too far back. Stay close at all times. You'll know you're past this one when you chase a cast member down four floors of stairs.
3. **Be ready to interact with the cast.** I've seen cast members look at the crowd of people around them, and a handful of people will look away. Having someone look through the mask into your eyes is a piercing reminder that you are not actually invisible. Getting past this one will mean you're ready for a one-on-one, where the cast member hauls you off and performs privately with you.
4. **Be ready for your mask to come off.** Some one-on-ones can involve the cast member removing your mask. As unnerving as them looking into your eyes can be, the mask coming off is worse, leaving you feeling naked and unprotected - they fully see you, and you fully see them. You may even have to speak. But once this has happened, you have essentially conquered all. The show is now yours.
# Do's and Don'ts
**DO** come with friends, but **DON'T** walk hand in hand with them around the space. Split up - you can share your experiences later, collectively. **DO** agree where you will meet after the show, be it a particular table in the bar or outside on the sidewalk - most people won't have their cell phones on them.
**DO** be courteous to other audience members, especially on the narrow stairs. **DON'T** stand in front of another audience member during a scene and block their view.
**DON'T** talk while you're in the space, and **DON'T** take your mask off during the show, no matter what you saw on Gossip Girl. If you absolutely have to talk to someone, head to the Manderlay bar.
**DO** check every door handle to see if it will open. You never know.
**DO** pay attention to how the stewards in the black masks move, because they often have to get in position before scenes start. But **DON'T** try asking them for help - unless you're asking for directions to the bathroom or the bar, they're unlikely to say a word.
**DO** feel empowered to interact with the set, but **DON'T** be a dick. For instance - there's a guestbook on the front desk of the hotel space. There's a pencil nearby. Writing your name in the guestbook is not an uncommon thing for people to do - but don't scrawl obscenities in it, or complain about the show. Keep your interactions in the spirit of the show.
# If Sleep No More Had Achievements
It would take a solid month of posts to talk about the things I've seen (and heard about) at the show, so in lieu of a specific tour guide for what to see, here's some gaming-style achievements to help guide you towards certain activities. (I'm even assigning point values just to denote rarity.)
*Where'd Everyone Go?* (5)
Be the first person in your group out of the elevator.
*I Want Candy* (5)
Eat a piece of candy in the candy store.
*A Toast* (5)
Catch the banquet scene (not the finale).
*Dirt On Your Shoes* (5)
Explore the graveyard.
*None Shall Pass* (5)
Be blocked or ushered by a steward in a black mask.
*Broken Wings* (5)
Find the bird's wing in Malcolm's detective agency.
*Wild Beast* (5)
Find your way through the hedge maze.
*Out, Out, Damned Spot!* (5)
Hear Mrs. Macbeth ramble after she goes insane.
*Now Is The Time* (10)
Catch the rave scene.
*Sweet Respite* (10)
Duck out into the Manderlay during the show and listen to the band.
*Choco?* (10)
Get fake blood on you.
*Killer* (10)
Catch a murder scene.
*Let's Keep Dancing* (10)
Catch a performance of "Is That All There Is?" by a cast member.
*Out Of Place* (10)
Find a prop that clearly doesn't come from the early 20th century.
*Enchanted* (10)
Have any of the witches (or Hecate) touch you.
*Glenn Miller Fan* (10)
Watch the bellhop dance as he cleans up the lobby.
*Practically Perfect* (20)
Find a famous nanny in the guest registry.
*Dust to Dust* (20)
Hold a character's umbrella in the graveyard.
*Crack In The Wall* (20)
Find the hidden AV room in the ballroom area.
*May I Have This Dance?* (20)
Dance with Calloway.
*Hail The New Thane* (20)
Watch Duncan get murdered.
*Passage* (20)
Go through the secret passage on the fourth floor.
*Just You And Me* (30)
Have a one-on-one with a cast member, with no other audience members around.
*The Lady In The Red Dress* (30)
Receive a note from a cast member for Hecate, and deliver it to her.
*Masks Off* (50)
Have a cast member take your mask off during a one-on-one.
*This Will Protect You* (50)
Receive a necklace from a cast member.
*This Is Your Floor* (100)
Find a way onto the sixth floor.
### The Nurse Who Loved Me
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-nurse-who-loved-me/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T01:07:27.000Z
*"Please wait here"*, the nurse whispers softly in my ear, having lead me by the hand to a doorway through a crowd of people. I nodded silently.
She enters the room, shoos out a person, gestures for me to wait one second, and closes the door. I stand facing it, waiting, quietly smiling to myself. Others hover around me in the tight, dark hallway of the asylum, curious as to what will transpire.
The door reopens, and she takes my hand again, pulling me inside, and closing the door behind me. We are alone. This seems very familiar, for the moment, for multiple reasons. I had visited this room under other circumstances barely half an hour previous. A small office, no bigger than 8'x8', with a desk and a psychiatrist's couch. But it was brighter now, a stark contrast to the general darkness of the fifth floor.
She turns me around to face her in the middle of the room, and our eyes lock as she reaches up slowly and removes my mask. I immediately feel exposed, vulnerable, almost naked. Realizing I may be too easily read, I manage a small, subtle smile to match hers. She gestures to the couch, and I sit down in the middle. She sits to my left, our eyes still locked. My mind fights with itself, trying to figure out what's going on while relinquishing control to whatever may be coming next. Is she studying me? Is this a psych evaluation?
She gets up, and gestures at the pillow to my right. I shift over, laying horizontal, folding my hands on my stomach as one generally assumes you do when on these sorts of couches. She walks down the length of the couch, studying me (dressed, as directed, in all black - black suit, black shirt, black tie, black shoes and black socks), then again gazing at my face. She draws closer, and closer, and begins to lean in near my face. I turned my head slightly, expecting her to whisper to me again.
Instead, her hand went to my cheek and she kissed me softly just below my right eye.
She walked back to the foot of the bed, and began to reach up in the corner to something tall, covered by a plaid blanket. The soundtrack playing in the room moved to a high enough volume that I realized it was unfamiliar and slightly unnerving. I maintained my composure as best I could as she removed the blanket - and just the blanket, with no surprises underneath - and began carefully laying it over me. When she reached my face, the blanket went over top of it, and a near moment of panic subsided as she folded it back. A quick pass up and down the couch and she had tucked me in (albeit with my arms still folded on my stomach).
She reached over my head and turned on a lamp, directed it at the wall, and pointed at the wall, where scrawled in chalk was a premonition about Duncan. The soundtrack swelled and crashed as I read it multiple times and tried to comprehend.
I turned back to my host, who again looked deep into my eyes while hovering over me. And then, she coughed. And again. One final, stronger cough, and a metal nail emerged from her lips, falling into her hand. We both looked frightened.
Quickly, she pulled the sheet back, pulled me up off the couch, and retrieved my mask off the desk. I stood there patiently as she placed it back over my head and gave me a quick look to make sure everything was in place. She leaned in again to whisper one final instruction, and in the moment I felt ready to do just about anything she could've possibly requested.
*"Don't tell anyone."*
Oh, my dear, sweet nurse. That is the one thing I could not do.
[*Sleep No More*](http://sleepnomorenyc.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) *has been extended at the McKittrick Hotel through December 30th.*
### My One Good Steve Jobs Anecdote
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/my-one-good-steve-jobs-anecdote/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:06:53.000Z
A few hours ago, Apple announced that Steve Jobs had passed away.
While I had the opportunity to see Steve present seven keynotes – two MWNY, five WWDC – the one anecdote I have is about what didn’t happen at one of those keynotes. (It’s admittedly second-hand information and I never personally verified it, but I subscribe to the Tony Wilson/24 Hour Party People notion of choosing between the truth and the legend.)
People who have been reading this blog for ages will remember that in January of 2004, I traveled to Macworld San Francisco to work the Freeverse booth; the main title we were pushing was ToySight, our somewhat-ahead-of-its-time camera controlled minigame collection. It won Best Of Show, and many hours were spent flapping my arms to show the game off to people.
Despite the long-standing belief that Apple has never given a damn about games on the platform, they did – slightly. To that end, there was an Apple Games team, focused on developer relations, and at the time run by Rich Hernandez. (Rich was a great guy, and has since moved on to Microsoft.) Rich really liked ToySight, and wanted to see what he could do to see if it could be included in the keynote that year.
So Rich started trying to get it up the chain, showing it to his bosses, and their bosses, and their bosses still. Everyone loved it. It eventually reached the top tier – being reviewed by Steve for inclusion.
After being shown the game, or at least told about it, Steve’s reaction was apparently one of full interest, on one condition: that Phil Schiller be the one to demo it on stage. Long time Apple fans may recall Phil having to [jump off a ledge holding an iBook](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MR4R5LdrJw&ref=vjarmy.com) to demonstrate the build quality, so I suppose this was part of Steve’s general love of making Phil look silly on stage.
Phil, regrettably, refused. The demo slot instead went to Aspyr for a Tony Hawk port. And so we grumbled and silently cursed Phil under our breath for denying us our brief shining moment at the keynote. But I love that thought of Steve: so ready to find ways to rib his team and push them out of their comfort zone.
(Thanks to Bruce Morrison for reminding me of this story.)
---
In all the rush to label him with titles like “this generation’s Edison”, I think people have missed half of Steve’s worth. He certainly brought innovation after innovation to the marketplace, showed the world that the conventional wisdom for how the tech industry “had” to run was flawed, and rebuilt a company on the verge of bankruptcy into the biggest technology company in the world. But just as importantly, he has served as a hero, a role model, and inspiration to a tremendous portion of the technology sector (myself included). It’s not just the products Apple brought to market under Steve’s leadership that will be felt for generations to come, but the products of the people he inspired.
It goes without saying that I will miss him greatly.
Some other reactions worth reading: [Walt Mossberg, ](http://allthingsd.com/20111005/the-steve-jobs-i-knew/?ref=vjarmy.com)[Pat Kiernan, ](http://www.patspapers.com/blog/item/remembering%5Fsteve%5Fjobs%5Fmy%5Ffirst%5Fapple/?ref=vjarmy.com)[Brian Lam](http://thewirecutter.com/2011/10/steve-jobs-was-always-kind-to-me-or-regrets-of-an-asshole/?ref=vjarmy.com).
### 3,653 Days Later
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/3-653-days-later/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T04:05:49.000Z
Ten years ago, [I couldn’t find any words](https://www.vjarmy.com/dot-dot-dot/). I’ve found a few for today.
Here’s what I remember of that day during my senior year of college: I remember our house being firmly wrapped up in the third day of party drama fallout, which quickly fell to the side. I remember waking up to ten breaking news alerts from CNN in my inbox and only being able to think “This isn’t good”. I remember ringing the doorbell to the house repeatedly after I had turned on the news in an attempt to wake everyone up. And I remember contact the Freeverse office to make sure everyone was okay.
The timing of the day – not long after I had turned 21, not long before I would graduate and get married – makes it a pretty natural chapter break between college and adulthood.
I suppose the thing that strikes me now is that I’ve had the chance to spent eight years in the city that was born out of that tragedy. It’s hard for me to fathom the ways that the city has changed before and after September 11th. I will only ever know the after, as will many of my friends who moved here long after the towers fell. This doesn’t bother me – it’s not some sort of badge or achievement I long for.
This New York is where I found myself, made my career, built up an incredible circle of friends and peers, and launched adventures I couldn’t have dreamed of while I was toiling away in college.
This New York is *my* New York. And I love it completely.
### Dat Hurricane
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/dat-hurricane/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T04:01:01.000Z
I’ve received some frantic IMs and tweets from friends over the last few days about what we’re going to do about the hurricane. Allow me to document our decision making process:
At 1PM today, the Jersey City Police Department issued a mandatory evacuation for ground/first floor units in our neighborhood. We live on the 10th floor of our building – the first eight floors are a block-wide parking garage and common space for the building, then two separate towers start the actual units at floor 9.
At 3PM today, our building forwarded that order on trying to turn it into a mandatory evacuation for the entire building. They requested everyone vacate by 4PM.
Unlike the mandatory evac orders for Zone A in Manhattan (issued yesterday) or first-level apartments in Hoboken (issued this morning), this came \*after\* the MTA had shut down the subway, \*after\* the PATH had shut down, and \*after\* NJ Transit had shut down.
There are emergency shelters, of course, but they are neither near us nor are the buses they are running for them anywhere near us (4 stops on the light rail). Additionally the shelters are not taking pets, and Buttons’ safety and health remains one of our top concerns. (One was just announced as taking pets, opening at 5PM today – a bit late.)
Additionally, like many NYC-area residents, we don’t own a car. So driving west to some unknown destination (we don’t have any friends or family in NW New Jersey) isn’t an option.
The fear from the building (and generally from the area) is more about the flooding and potential power outages than wind damage to the building. Our windows are thick and, per the building, able to withstand high winds. (Jersey City is remarkably windy on average.) We have supplies – water, canned food, charged devices – that we prepared yesterday.
So I would emotionally prefer to have somewhere safe we could go and relax for the weekend – my stress level has been a bit high, having recently completed a week long conference that involved an earthquake. But the logical, rational side of me knows that trying to flee at this point is a losing proposition compared to sheltering-at-home.
So at home we shall stay, for better or for worse. It is not a great decision, it may not even end up being a good decision, but it is the best decision we can make given the options. And to be honest, if the primary disruption that comes from this is a blackout, I think I have ample experience.
### Why Do Things The Easy Way?
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/why-do-things-the-easy-way/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T04:09:06.000Z
**“It has almost bankrupted us, almost killed us, and estranged us from family and friends, but we had to do it.”** – Dave and Steph Dewaele
If there is a musical project worth your attention this summer, it is [RSWX ](https://www.2manydjs.com/index-radiosoulwax.html?ref=vjarmy.com).
To describe it briefly: Dave and Steph, two of perhaps the most ingenious DJs on the scene today, have opted to not merely release an hour-long mix every week, but also with an appropriate visual accompaniment. There are free apps for iOS and Android allowing for download and streaming, and the web site provides a rotating scheduled stream of the mixes.
Being 13 mixes in, there’s a solid half day of music up already; some quick recommendations:
- *Introversy* – as many song intros as they could jam together in one hour
- *(Nothing Worse Than A) Bad Rap* – as many horrible late 70s/early 80s rap songs as they could find.
- *Librarian Girl* – library music, as in instrumentals generally licensed for backgrounds in TV or movies.
- *This Is Belgium Part 2: Cherry Moon On Valium* – perhaps my favorite of the mixes thus far, this mix is 20-year old Belgian rave and Hi-NRG songs that have been slowed down from their typical 140-150 BPM down to a “sexy” 115\. This would be amazing even if it weren’t for the visual accompaniment of people doing the appropriate rave dances to the music.
New mixes are released roughly every Monday. Enterprising souls might be able to pick apart the mobile versions to reap the rewards of pure MP4 files.
If you’re into electronic music in the slightest, and have a sense of humor, don’t miss this.
### Purple Skies
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/purple-skies/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T04:10:26.000Z
Taken at last night’s RBNY Legends Game at the Harrison Soccer Courts. Loved how this turned out.
### Anil Dash on Community Moderation
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/anil-dash-on-community-moderation/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T04:12:25.000Z
Anil has penned the wonderfully named and 100% correct “[If Your Website’s Full Of Assholes, It’s Your Fault](https://www.anildash.com/2011/07/20/if-your-websites-full-of-assholes-its-your-fault-2/?ref=vjarmy.com)”:
> When people are saying ruinously cruel things about each other, and you’re the person who made it possible, it’s 100% your fault. If you aren’t willing to be a grown-up about that, then that’s okay, but you’re not ready to have a web business. Businesses that run cruise ships have to buy life preservers. Companies that sell alcohol have to keep it away from kids. And people who make communities on the web have to moderate them.
Really, go read it now if you have anything to do with online community building or moderation.
> So, I beseech you: Fix your communities. Stop allowing and excusing destructive and pointless conversations to be the fuel for your business. Advertisers, hold sites accountable if your advertising appears next to this hateful stuff. Take accountability for this medium so we can save it from the vilification that it still faces in our culture.
### The Witch In The Green Dress: Thoughts on Sleep No More
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-witch-in-the-green-dress-thoughts-on-sleep-no-more/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T01:15:25.000Z
On Saturday night, I stepped into the McKittrick hotel with five friends. Three hours later, I found myself back on the sidewalk of 27th Street, catching my breath, my heart still racing, my mind still spinning.
If you keep an ear to what's going on around NYC, then you may already know that the McKittrick is home to Punchdrunk's "immersive theatre" experience, [*Sleep No More*](http://sleepnomorenyc.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). Audiences are invited to don a mask and explore 100,000 square feet of a recreated abandoned hotel, while a cast of twenty-three actors stride from room to room and silently act out Macbeth by way of Hitchcock. Some audience members choose to follow one or two characters and see what happens; others opt to explore on their own, rifling through drawers and cabinets and suitcases. The choices are up to each attendee.
Much has been written about the experience, and I am loathe to rehash. You might want to heard [the observations on the inherent voyeurism from Ben Brantley at the Times](http://theater.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/theater/reviews/sleep-no-more-is-a-macbeth-in-a-hotel-review.html?ref=vjarmy.com), or [Michael Abbott's lovely argument as to why anyone who calls themselves a gamer needs to go see it](http://www.brainygamer.com/the%5Fbrainy%5Fgamer/2011/07/bloody-play.html?ref=vjarmy.com). You may be interested in the amazing set and prop design, which would lead you to [this NYT slideshow](http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/20/theater/20110320-sleepnomore.html?ref=theater). And there are plenty of other impressions around the web, almost all positive.
My normal way to talk about these sorts of experiences is to meticulously walk my way through everything that happened, trying to gather all the details so they form a single authoritative post. I am going to skip on that method for Sleep No More. I may have caught multiple scenes, I may have followed most every character at least once, I may have dug through a lot of drawers - and I may have even found an easter egg or two. But that experience was mine, and when you go, you will have your own - and it will be different, and unique, and yours. I do not want to taint that or come across as recommending a course of action.
But I will share one story from last night, after the jump. (This might constitute a spoiler, so if you're looking to go in blind, stop reading here.)
---
Despite the invitation to search through the sets and run after whoever you'd like, much of the audience tries to preserve a certain amount of space from the actors. The actors, on the other hand, are not against occasionally reaching out and interacting with audience members, typically by grabbing their hands and running with them into other rooms, but sometimes by crying on their shoulders or gesturing to them for assistance. Sometimes more. For lack of a better term, I will refer to these as *one-on-ones*.
I would argue that being involved in a one-on-one - even if it's just a run between rooms - transforms Sleep No More. You are likely to spend most of the length of the show building up courage, ignoring your typical urges against digging through someone else's desk or materials, starting to believe that you are a spirit and that you are just observing this world. A one-on-one shatters that space between you and the world instantly, and perhaps more so depending on what happens to you.
And so last night, just over an hour into the performance, I watched as two characters danced and fought in the candy store, eventually leading to the witch in a green dress (officially in the program as "Sexy Witch", and for the night in question played by Ching-I Chang) feeding a special piece of candy to the other character, who coughed and sputtered as though he was poisoned, and ran away down the hallway. Many audience members followed after him, but I and a few others waited for the witch to leave, and began to follow her down the hallway.
As we hit a turn in the hallway, she turned and spun to look at us. I realized I was perhaps too close and she grabbed my hand, looking me straight in the eyes. The mask might as well have not been there. She gave me a mostly kind, partially mischievous smile and pulled me towards an open door, then towards another door at the other side. She gestured again as though I should wait as she looked for something. I looked over my shoulder, and saw a few audience members filing in after us. I turned back around, and she was putting a key into the door, opening it, and again pulling me inside - and quickly closing and locking the door behind us.
I was alone, in a bedroom, with a witch, who I'm pretty sure had just poisoned another actor. My heart rate went up, just a little.
She stood me in front of a mirror, still smiling and gesturing for me to watch the reflection. She began to look closely at my hair on one side of my head, and then the other, searching for something. Eventually she lifted something up from my hair, out of the reflection of the mirror - and brought down, in front of my face, the same piece of candy I had seen in the earlier scene.
We both smiled, my eyes perhaps giving me away. If this was a spell, it was working. She reached under my mask and placed the candy to my lips. I accepted it without a moment of consideration. (To the best of my recollection during this sensory overload, it was an orange fruit gem.)
Moments later, she was pulling me away from the mirror, towards a closet - one that doubled as a secret passage, leading into the back room of the Mortician's Office. I leaned against the back wall and she began her dance for a new scene, and I blended back into the crowd of anonymous masks.
I slipped out halfway through the scene, now completely empowered to keep creating my own experience and view of what was transpiring in the McKittrick. It was not my only one-on-one of the night, but it was the one that transformed the experience on its head for me.
---
Depending on who you ask, [Sleep No More](http://sleepnomorenyc.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) is either running through September 5th, or October, or until they "run out of surprises". There is one performance a night on weekdays, and two a night on the weekends. Tickets are $75-95 a person.
I recommend a lot of things that happen in NYC, and this advice is occasionally ignored or procrastinated upon. I cannot repeat enough how much you should go to this - if this at all sounds interesting to you, book tickets **now**. Schedule your visit **now**. Go **now**.
You do not want to miss this.
### Brian Phillips' "Your Stupid Rage"
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/brian-phillips-your-stupid-rage/
Last updated: 2026-02-07T18:59:46.000Z
> I am here to save your life, and I’m not kidding. This isn’t about the state of discourse on the internet, or nostalgia for some imaginary pastoral of 1950s civility, or making sure I don’t get yelled at in blog comments. This is about you, and how you are going to live in the world. I mean how you’re going to live as a sports fan, but let there be no limit to the revelation: I mean how you’re going to live in every other way, too.
Brian Phillips’ [screed on rage in soccer](http://www.runofplay.com/2011/05/05/your-stupid-rage-2/?ref=vjarmy.com) is one of those pieces I would love to force everyone I know to read. It’s through-and-through wonderful, and touches on the disturbing trend of how politics have become a sport, how internet culture has infected everything, and how miserable it is to let rage consume you.
Not to spoil the end, but this is too beautiful to not quote:
> The secret is to care, I mean really care, about something other than your club. That thing can be the game itself, or the truth, or just being a reasonable person. You can care about something other than your club and still be *totallysupercommitted* to your club. It doesn’t mean not supporting your team through thick and thin; it just means being able to tell the *difference* between thick and thin, and not thinking that your favorite forum, or your group of like-minded supporters, is so important that it throws reality on the wrong end of a greater-than sign. It means doing this for fun, and not for revenge or for a sense of deep-down defining identity, even if you’re a crazy tattooed ultra. You can be a crazy tattooed ultra and still be fine, for that matter. You just can’t be an idiot.
### The17, Score 334, “Share”
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the17-score-334-share/
Last updated: 2026-02-07T19:09:44.000Z
Let me begin by stating that I don’t expect this to make much sense to anyone other than myself.
In 2004, Bill Drummond (he of the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu and the KLF, [previously discussed](https://www.vjarmy.com/the-big-dipper-of-mixed-metaphor/)) took years of consideration of the state of music and began a project called [the17](http://the17.org/?ref=vjarmy.com). It began with a notice:
(Regular readers may note the commonality of the final two lines of the notice with the quote that adorns this site as a byline.)
Bill’s idea is that because of advancement like Napster and iPods, the concept of recorded music is essentially finished. The17 strives to move beyond recorded music:
> I imagined what The17 could be in this new dawn where recorded music belonged to a bygone era. The17 may be restricted to using only the untrained human voice but in another sense it is totally free to make music anywhere, with anybody.
“But what \*is\* it?” you ask. At the core, The17 involves executing a written score – but instead of musical notes, the directions are in text. Most (but not all) scores involve seventeen people. Most (but not all) involve recording sound and then deleting it after playback to those who created it.
The rules, from the [Second Notice](http://www.the17.org/notice.html?ref=vjarmy.com):
- Can be performed by people with no musical experience;
- Can be performed by people with extensive musical experience;
- Require only the human voice;
- May have little reliance on melody, harmony, or rhythm;
- Will never be recorded for any kind of posterity or broadcast;
- Will never be commodified by the music industry;
- Will never be performed for an audience;
- Exist only for the experience of those performing them;
- Create a new relationship with music.
There is [an accompanying book](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1905636261?ie=UTF8&tag=dandickinson&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1905636261&ref=vjarmy.com), released in 2008, that describes Bill’s travels pursuing this idea.
Why I bring this all up now: while writing some details about the site, I was reminded of the17 because of the byline. Upon visiting the site, I was happy to see that news has continued to be posted, that Bill is still actively pursuing this.
And suddenly, I was reminded that in 2009, I submitted a score to the site via email, but had never heard anything back. I dug through the scores listed as “submitted by the individual members of the17”, and there it was, [score 334, “Share”](http://www.the17.org/score.php?score=334&ref=vjarmy.com):
(I have also been credited with Score 333, but I don’t have any record of submitting it, so it may have been in error.)
To some, an art project like this may seem like madness, stupidity, or at best a waste of time — but I am touched to have had my submission accepted by someone I hold in such high regard.
### The Lead Story On A Slow News Day
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-lead-story-on-a-slow-news-day/
Last updated: 2026-02-07T19:16:14.000Z
So yesterday, there was [a big snow storm](http://gothamist.com/2010/12/27/remembering%5Fblizzageddon%5Fthe%5Fboxing.php?ref=vjarmy.com). Most of the East Coast freaked out, which is somewhat reasonable for getting over a foot of snow in about 12 hours.
Today, there was word going around that there was going to be some sort of [geek snowball fight](http://www.observer.com/2010/media/geek-snowball-fight-madison-square-park-230-pm?ref=vjarmy.com). At first glance, I was a little put off – one VC emailing a tech mailing list does not a snowball fight make. I was strong armed by (close friend) [Alexandra Klasinski](http://www.alexandra-k.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) to show up, and so we trudged out of our warm apartment into the very snowy world.
The snowball fight itself was mostly a non-event – there were about 30 people, and the snow wasn’t packing terribly well. Shake Shack was nice enough to bring us little cups of hot cocoa during a break. Lots of people took photos, including myself. It was a nice enough time, I suppose. Afterwards, a small group of us trudged over to Hill Country Chicken to sit in the rec room and dry off/warm up while downing fried chicken and watching Arsenal clobber Chelsea.
After a longer than usual PATH ride home, I [dumped my photos](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/archives/date-taken/2010/12/27/?ref=vjarmy.com) and giggled with Alex and Katie over the whole event. Then [a video showed up from ABC 7](http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/nyc-snowball-fight-madison-square-park-12487312?ref=vjarmy.com), who had two vans nearby and decided to shoot some B-roll of the fight. Why? Because it was a slow news day.
Just as we finished laughing about that, a somewhat peeved tweet hit my timeline:
Curious – I hadn’t seen CNN there. [Clicked through](http://money.cnn.com/2010/12/27/technology/tech%5Fsnowball%5Ffight/index.htm?ref=vjarmy.com), jaw dropped:
Katie, [Adam Kuban](http://www.adamkuban.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), and I – three people I would not typically describe as part of “NYC’s tech crowd” – are the lead photo on a CNN Money article. Why? Because it was a slow news day.
It turned out to also be on the front page (and still is, as I write this), which means we were the *lead photo on the lead article on CNN Money* today. Why? Because it was a slow news day.
Life is strange.
### What If There’s Bears?
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/what-if-theres-bears/
Last updated: 2026-02-07T19:18:00.000Z
I am a huge, huge fan of [Atlassian’s tools](http://atlassian.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), and I’ve worked pretty hard to make them a part of culture at my office. They’ve just started a [series of blog posts](http://blogs.atlassian.com/news/2010/10/technical-writing-enterprise-wiki.html?ref=vjarmy.com) on using a wiki for technical writing, and I loved this bit:
> Do you feel nervous at the thought of customers adding angry comments on your documentation wiki? Spammers running riot? Here’s the flipside for you to consider: customers answering other customers’ questions in the wiki, external developers adding code samples to help flesh out your document, partners volunteering to write new documentation.
I think that when it comes to implementing any new technology (especially from being inside IT), there’s a lot of fear and belief that someone, somewhere, is going to misuse/abuse it. But we often lose site of the advantages that will come from the tool and clever use by your community.
“But what if…?” is the common thing I hear when talking about new technology, and my tongue-in-cheek response is now going to be “What if there’s bears?”, in due deference to this old Will Hines video:
Stop planning for doomsday. Pre-empt the obvious abuses, and handle the subtleties as they come.
### Fifteen Years of Hacking The Planet
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/fifteen-years-of-hacking-the-planet/
Last updated: 2026-02-07T19:19:43.000Z
Fifteen years ago today, “[Hackers](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113243/?ref=vjarmy.com)” – a much mocked, yet much beloved piece of mid-90’s cheese – hit theatres. Entertainment Weekly’s Owen Gleiberman [gave it a D](http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,298989,00.html?ref=vjarmy.com), declaring it a “dismal mess”, adding “…what’s most grating about Hackers, however, is the way the movie buys in to the computer-kid-as-elite-rebel mystique currently being peddled by magazines like Wired.” Roger Ebert [opted to give it 3 stars](http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19950915/REVIEWS/509150302/1023&ref=vjarmy.com), calling it “smart and entertaining, then, as long as you don’t take the computer stuff very seriously”.
Everyone has their favorite cult movies; this one is mine. If you haven’t seen it, it’s on Netflix instant queue as of a few weeks ago. You owe it to yourself to watch this fantastical attempt at a technothriller and delight in dialog such as “Turn on your computer. Set it to receive a file.”
What’s most intriguing to me about Hackers has been an anti-curse: people who have appeared in it has mostly gone on to great things. In the time since the movie was released:
[Jonny Lee Miller](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001538/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“Dade Murphy”) went on to play Sick Boy in Trainspotting.
[Angelina Jolie](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001401/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“Kate Libby”) became a household name and won an Oscar.
[Jesse Bradford](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103038/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“Joey Pardella”) did a stint on The West Wing, and starred in Flags of Our Fathers.
[Matthew Lillard](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000498/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“Emmanuel Goldstein”) rose to fame in Scream and then raked in cash hand over fist in Scooby Doo.
[Fisher Stevens](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001770/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“Eugene Belford / ‘The Plague'”) has been on Lost, Ugly Betty, It’s Always Sunny, and won an Oscar this year for Best Documentary.
[Lorraine Bracco](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000966/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“Margo”) went on to play Dr. Melfi on The Sopranos.
[Wendell Pierce](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0682495/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“S.S. Agent Richard Gill”) went on to play the beloved William ‘Bunk’ Moreland on The Wire.
[Penn Jillette](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0422710/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“Hal”) hit it big on Vegas, and helped create the critically acclaimed “Bullshit!” on Showtime.
[Marc Anthony](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004711/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“S.S. Agent Ray”) had his musical career blow up, and married Jennifer Lopez.
[Felicity Huffman](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005031/awards?ref=vjarmy.com) (“Prosecuting Attorney”) won an Emmy for her work on Desperate Housewives.
[Naoko Mori](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0605283/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“Tokyo Hacker”) showed up as the beloved “Tosh” on Torchwood in 2006.
[Sam Douglas](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002243/?ref=vjarmy.com) (“English Teacher”) was in Eyes Wide Shut, Mission Impossible, The Fifth Element, and Snatch – oh yeah, and essentially was Scott Shelby in this year’s PS3 hit Heavy Rain.
Whatever you do today, make sure you hack the planet.
### “LICENSE FEE: TRUCK NUTS PHOTO”
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/license-fee-truck-nuts-photo/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T01:23:33.000Z
Through a process that defies explanation, I have licensed [the above 2005 “truck nuts” photo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/16299726/?ref=vjarmy.com) to Comedy Central’s [tosh.0](http://www.comedycentral.com/tosh.0/?ref=vjarmy.com) for use as a punchline in the [Jet Ski Parking “Video Breakdown”](http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=343581&title=video-breakdown-jet-ski-parking&ref=vjarmy.com), which aired last week as part of episode 218\. (It’s at 0:55 in the clip – blink and you will miss it.)
The check arrived today, and it does in fact read “LICENSE FEE: TRUCK NUTS PHOTO”.
(This differs slightly from the licensing agreement which stated the licensed material was a still photo of “truck with comedic testicular decoration on tailgate”.)
Sometimes I wonder what I did to ensure my life would be so constantly surreal.
### Now We Are 30
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/now-we-are-30/
Last updated: 2026-02-07T19:21:36.000Z
Thirty thousand feet up, I am sitting in the corner. Sandra Bullock’s “The Proposal” is playing soundlessly on nine-inch screens throughout the cabin. I am seated next to an older European woman who keeps using her tray-table as a pillow and a nondescript man. The seatbelt sign is on. A poor simulacrum of dinner is sitting in my stomach despite my watch saying it’s barely 4PM. In five hours, I will stumble in to my hotel room for a few hours of sleep before jet lag snaps me awake and I get ready for the week ahead.
This is not how I had intended to spend my thirtieth birthday.
[WWDC 2010](http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/?ref=vjarmy.com) was announced to be the week of my birthday for the second time in my life, and as is tradition, I am heading to San Francisco to attend. The trip that encompassed my [25th](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/two%5Ffive.php?ref=vjarmy.com) was unforgettable, if for no other reason than [the keynote where Apple dropped the Intel bomb](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/keynote.php?ref=vjarmy.com). This is my fifth trip to WWDC, my seventh trip to San Francisco, my eighth time to California. It is both a blessing and a curse, a week full of seeing distant friends while simultaneously running myself into the ground. I am already looking forward to next weekend.
Last night, my mother decided to scan the first photo ever taken of me, being held by my father and screaming shortly after my birth. This morning, I asked Katie to take a new portrait of me. (I tend to reuse the same picture of myself everywhere online for years at a time, and the old one was getting long in the tooth.)
So this is what thirty years looks like:
To all my friends, know that you are all always in my heart even if circumstance keeps us apart. I could not imagine for a greater group of friends. I love you all.
To my family, who have always supported me unconditionally, know that I could have never become who I am without you. I love you all.
To my wife, who has stuck with me through every twist and turn I’ve thrown at her, know that you are my everything. I can’t wait to be home with you, and I’m already counting down the hours. I love you.
### All Of Time And Space
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/all-of-time-and-space/
Last updated: 2026-02-07T19:25:28.000Z
The truth is, I don’t actually watch a lot of TV. I can’t remember a time that I did, at least not after college started. The list of shows that pull my full attention can be counted on one hand with fingers to spare.
But one of those shows is [Doctor Who](http://bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/?ref=vjarmy.com).
How I fell into Doctor Who was predictably random: while reading up on long-running British gameshow Countdown, I noticed [a callout back to Doctor Who](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countdown%5F%28game%5Fshow%29?ref=vjarmy.com#In%5Fpopular%5Fculture), read up on it, and jumped over to Amazon to grab “Season 1” – the reboot in 2005 with [Christopher Eccleston](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001172/?ref=vjarmy.com) as The Doctor. It was downhill from there, as Katie and I shotgunned our way through the first two seasons and then promptly fell into step with the third season as it aired in England.
[As the gag goes](http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/unisex/popculture/988c/?ref=vjarmy.com), you never forget your first Doctor. And even without much context from the previous series, I loved Eccleston in the role, so much so that I was a bit crushed when he regenerated at the end of that first series. But I grew to love [David Tennant](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0855039/?ref=vjarmy.com) all the same over his tenure, even while slogging through some really awful episodes.
Word that David was leaving the show made the news about a solid year before he left, and a young fellow named [Matt Smith](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1741002/?ref=vjarmy.com) was shortly announced as the 11th Doctor. My immediate reaction: mixed. The Doctor would be portrayed by someone younger than I am, someone without a lot of notable acting experience – a little peculiar. On the other hand, former show-runner Russell T. Davies, (who I had grown to dislike a bit) was on the way out and Steven Moffat (who penned most of my favorite episodes) was on the way in. I felt very wibbly-wobbly about the transition plan.
Katie, who was a huge Eccleston fan, and had rallied against Tennant for all of five minutes (“he had me at ‘Barcelona'”), was adamantly opposed. And so we went through the “season of specials” with a heavy heart, because we knew the end was coming soon. (Outside of the brilliant “The Waters Of Mars”, most of the specials were terrible. This didn’t help things.)
While the new season has started on BBC One, BBC America will only begin airing the series in the US this Friday. This is far better than their usual track record, which is typically a year behind. Even more shocking: they’ve been advertising! On the side of MTA buses!
And then it turned out they were doing a press tour, in NYC, and one of the stops was going to be right in my pocket: [the Paley Center](http://paleycenter.org/?ref=vjarmy.com), home of many past events you may have heard me blather about.
So last night, with a full house, we sat down and watched the premier episode of the new season of Doctor Who. Now, I had already seen it, and I gather that most of the fans in the audience did too. In fact, a woman sitting near me indicated she had already watched it 12 times. But there was something extra special about watching it with that group – during a sequence right near the end (you’ll know which one if you’ve seen it), the cheer from the crowd was tremendous.
Onto the important part, the panel: Steven Moffat (executive producer/writer/showrunner), Matt Smith (The Doctor), and Karen Gillan (new companion Amy Pond) in conversation with Clark Collis from Entertainment Weekly. Just about half an hour long, mostly audience Q&A. And I have some mental notes! (The lightest of spoilers ahead.)
- Matt referred to the role as “a privilege” and “the greatest part for a man in British television history”; he definitely seems to be humbled to have the role.
- The large majority of questions from the audience were for Steven, and not for the cast.
- Steven didn’t have to adapt the scripts he had already written for Matt at all, but did have to adapt them for Karen since she’s Scottish.
- Matt seems to really love NYC; when asked if they would ever want to come back to NYC to film an episode, Matt gave an emphatic “YES” without missing a beat. Steven noted that even if they set an episode in NYC, they would probably just end up in front of a green screen.
- Steven made some great points about how he doesn’t believe there’s such a thing as the “nth Doctor”, but instead sees it as “the Doctor, and his 11th face”, and how since putting on new clothes can make you feel like a new person, putting on an entirely new body would likely do the same.
- One poor woman in the audience apologized for knowing nothing about the show and then proceeded to ask for background about the show. After being admonished for asking the wrong question in this room, Steven gave such a brilliant answer – you don’t need to know the backstory. The new season started the same way the first season did – some nice people find a police box, go inside, and meet The Doctor. It’s a show that can take place at any location, at any point in time, and “every other television show format can go home and hang its head in shame.”
- Caitlin Blackwood, who played the younger Amy Pond, is actually Karen Gillan’s cousin, but they had never met. (Apparently her family just doesn’t get together a lot.)
- Steven wouldn’t say a word about the Neil Gaiman episode other than that it’s “very very good”, but added that they were more than willing to American writers.
- The now infamous “fish custard” scene? Actually fish and custard.
- “Geronimo!” is not a Coupling reference, and Steven swears it’s not really a catchphrase – he wrote it into one scene, and Matt’s been saying it ever since.
- Alex Kingston was a joy to work with for the two episodes they shot with her. Steven added that the character of River Song was originally a shortcut to have a character that trusted The Doctor immediately, but the idea ended up taking over the episode.
- Steven is afraid that whenever the show ends, The Doctor will be responsible for every event in history – so don’t expect too many “historical” episodes out of him. When asked what historical events the cast would like to do, Karen said Woodstock, and Matt offered Atlantis.
- Matt made a point of acknowledging the wonderful musical score of Murray Gold, who – surprise! – happened to be in the audience in the row behind us.
After the panel ended, a reception was held, and by some miracle the cast stuck around. And after gathering autographs on the cover of the most recent Doctor Who Magazine, we nabbed a picture:
So, yeah: met the team who’s carrying the torch of the longest running sci-fi show in history. A pretty decent Monday night.
Doctor Who premieres on BBC America this Saturday (4/17) at 9PM EDT.
(One last thing: a huge heartfelt thanks to everyone – especially Bob Eng – at the Paley Center for putting together such a brilliant event. The Paley Center is a wonderful resource, and I cannot recommend [becoming a member](http://paleycenter.org/join-us/?ref=vjarmy.com) enough and helping an institution that’s striving so hard to try and preserve modern media and culture. Museums have been hit extra hard during the economic downturn – philanthropy is way down across the board – so consider backing what I firmly believe is a very necessary cornerstone.)
### 10 Years
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/10-years/
Last updated: 2026-02-07T19:30:27.000Z
[My blog](https://vjarmy.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) is ten years old today. (Today also roughly marks me having been online for half my life.) I have a lot of navel-gazing to do in the body of this post, but to sum it up – if you’re reading this, ***thank you***, from the bottom of my heart.
---
Here, then, is the somewhat embarrassing story how this all got started:
When you enroll in Cornell’s Engineering school, you should be prepared for three semesters of general education before you “affiliate” with a major. Affiliation is a typically minor hurdle in the grand scheme of things – the pain of college admissions should still be fresh in your mind. Not all majors are created equal, of course, and many majors may have pre-requisites and requirements for successful affiliation with the major. (Those first three semesters can’t be a complete waste.) Cornell’s Computer Science program has a storied history of shifting requirements from year to year at whiplash-capable speeds. Among the many stipulations when I was enrolled was a multi-phrase conditional about math grades, to the effect of “Overall math average must be a B- or better; no more than one math course score can be below a B-.”
I had placed out of the initial course in the Calculus series, so I began the second course immediately, expecting to breeze through as I had in AP Calc. No such luck; a term later and I would have a C+ on my record. I was mortified – math was supposed to be my strong subject – and tried to redouble my efforts for the next term.
Again, failure – another C+ appeared, and I became worried. I scheduled a meeting with various advisors and deans to explore my options, and was assured that if I was able to bring my overall math average up in the last term before affiliation, things should be okay. With perseverance and a bit of luck, I squeaked out a B in the last term. The GPA math put me right on the line: a 2.55, closer to a B- than a C+. I crossed my fingers and put in the affiliation application.
Winter break came, and while sitting at my desk on campus at work that January, an email came in trumpeting my rejection from the major. It wasn’t a shock, but I was just now hitting the question I had ignored before: *what now?* I considered a wide array of options: a general major, changing colleges within Cornell, transferring out to another university. While I mulled, I scheduled a meeting with the Director of Undergraduate Programs for the CS school.
Three days later, I found myself in his office, and after some trivialities, I was told that since I had three C+’s in my Math courses, it was pretty open and shut that I would not be able to affiliate. Sharp eyed readers may have noticed that my grade from the last term was not a C+, but instead a B.
After correcting him, I watched in silent horror as a pencil was picked up, something was erased on a piece of paper, and something resembling a “B” was written into its place. As he turned to his computer and typed some things into Excel, the following crossed through my head:
*This Computer Science school, the one I have been aspiring to go to for the last five years, is tracking my grades on paper. I was rejected affiliation to a computer-focus major because of a clerical error on paper. Computer Science. Paper. COMPUTER. PAPER.*
He turned around and offered me a conditional acceptance to the major. I accepted and left, speechless.
(In writing this up, I am amused to see that [the current affiliation rules](http://www.cs.cornell.edu/degreeprogs/ugrad/CSMajor/index.htm?ref=vjarmy.com) are such that this situation never would have happened.)
---
In a way, that was the day that everything changed. The old argument about how [the next phase of your life is always going to be tougher](http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=1775&ref=vjarmy.com#comic) fell apart before my eyes. I became more critical of my core education, realizing that CS was largely theoretical and designed to prepare you for graduate school. I strayed as much as I could within the confines of my major, trying to take things that could be applied in general in the outside world.
In a desperate stab to come out of college with at least one functional programming language under my belt, I purchased some web hosting that would give me capabilities beyond the basics provided by the school. I jumped in gently with some PHP tutorials and some very basic MySQL, and began writing a very basic content management system.
Ten years ago today, this blog first appeared, and [this](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2000/02/welcome%5Fto%5Fmore.php?ref=vjarmy.com) was my “Hello World”:
> Alright, I’ve got my news script working, so I’m officially making this an open page, just like I did last time.
>
> As you can tell, I’m hosting this bad boy on CSoft, a nifty little host that was suggested to me by my roommate. They’ve been great, and if you’re at all interested in an account, give me a couple days to get up referrer links so I can maybe pay for this service via this web page.
>
> Now that I’m here, I have PHP and MySQL, so I can dynamically do everything. This is good, because now I’ll be able to post news much quicker and easier. Huzzah.
> My next task is to move the quotefile to the database, although I may shift some more of my old content over first, and PHP-ize it all. Stay tuned.
This wasn’t my first web presence by any measure – my first site went up in the fall of 1995\. But it was the first time my web site was constructed with date-ordered posting, and even if I didn’t know to refer to it as a “blog” at that time, there it was.
I would switch from the home-grown system (which at one point was dubbed “RemyNews”) to Drupal in 2002, and then to Movable Type a year later, where I have stuck since. Most of the features that were not part of the blogging core – the quotefile, the movie reviews, a curated directory called “RemyHoo”, the blogroll – are all long since dead. Traces of them can be found scattered in the archives.
---
Reading back through the archives is a mixed bag. My tone and focus changed on a yearly basis, and a lot of the first three years was amateur at best. I’m embarassed to have found the words “I know you love me” in the archives on more than one occasion. It was intensely self-focused in the beginning – I was trying to use the site as a way to replace email to my friends and family about what I was doing. The concept of writing for the world in general wouldn’t sprout until a few years after I left college, and realized that there was some joy to be had contributing more broadly than just “here is my schedule for the next week”.
As hard as it’s been to read back through it, the effect this site has had on me is clear: my writing has improved tremendously. I’ve actually been asked professionally how I’m able to write and present information so effectively, and I’ve pointed to blogging as a place where I developed those skills.
(Sure, a sprawling piece like this may not be the place to make points about being concise or effective. But the editing process, finding a tone, and piecing together convincing arguments? I assure you, having done this over 1,500 times has made it second nature.)
---
To this day, I still haven’t entirely squared with a single focus or topic, which I’ve been lead to believe is a cardinal sin in having a “successful blog”. After ten years, I’m extremely comfortable with that. This has never intended to be more than an outlet for me to put pen to paper. I was never looking for “success” or traffic.
Occasionally traffic did start flooding my way, but rarely for the reasons I would expect. In the time since I started capturing statistics, the ten most popular posts (by pageviews) have been:
\* The very first Quicksilver tutorial
\* How to create an iPhone webclip icon for your website
\* The second Quicksilver tutorial
\* The third, trigger-specific Quicksilver tutorial
\* Arguments about CAPTCHAs being used in a movie about fake IDs
\* My Animal Crossing DS friends code
\* A brief glance at the music phenomenon of “jumpstyle”
\* A pull-apart of the iPod game format
\* A tutorial for how to download songs for Taiko No Tatsujin PSP
\* Recounting Jeffrey Steingarten being cruel at a panel
What people generally want to read – count how many “top #” lists are on the front page of Delicious at any given time – is not what I enjoy writing. Writing tutorials and top ten lists is easy, and once you’ve done one or two, you can write the rest on autopilot. I would rather write about my life experiences and the things that personally excite me than troll for traffic with another tutorial.
---
At the end of the day, I don’t know who to consider as part of my audience. Are the friends that I have aware that I have a blog, and do they read it regularly? Do the people I went to high school with who may be seeing this as a Facebook note realize there’s 10 years of nonsense accumulated somewhere else? Are there friends out there that I’ve lost track of, still checking in on me occasionally? Will people who follow me on Twitter read posts without me hand-linking them?
Regardless of what your relationship is to me: if this reaches you on any site or any capacity, and you’re reading it – **thank you, thank you, thank you**. I am deeply appreciative of anyone who takes the time to read what I have to write. I hope you’ll continue to stop by when the mood strikes.
### A Love Letter To Freeverse
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-love-letter-to-freeverse/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:15:02.000Z
[Touch Arcade](http://toucharcade.com/2010/02/22/ngmoco-raises-another-25-million-and-buys-freeverse/?ref=vjarmy.com) and [Techcrunch](http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/22/ngmoco-25-million-series-c-buys-freeverse/?ref=vjarmy.com) have details on [ngmoco:)](http://ngmoco.com/?ref=vjarmy.com)‘s acquisition of [Freeverse Software](http://www.freeverse.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). This has a lot of implications for the iPhone software market, but I’ll let the business wonks talk about that.
Freeverse is entwined in the last 15 years of my life in ways that few things can compare. Their games and software toys helped keep me sane during high school. When my life went into a slight free-fall during college, I became anchored with an internship with them.
In 2002 – just out of school, married, and failing to find a job in a down economy – Ian and Colin swooped in again, bringing me on full time. I have joked about the number of hats I wear in my current position, but thinking back, things weren’t much different then. I was a server admin, a support specialist, a PR writer, a game tester, a community manager, a PHP developer, an asset manipulator, a game producer, a documentation writer. It was a small company. We all pitched in wherever we could.
I proposed to Katie at the Freeverse booth at Macworld New York in 2001\. It was certainly not the most romantic place in the world, but we were surrounded by our close friends. Out of everywhere I could be in NYC at the time, that seemed like the most appropriate. I may act a little shy when telling the story, but I have no regrets.
Freeverse is the reason we moved to New York City in 2003\. Had I not been asked to start working out of the office, so many of the incredible things over the last six years wouldn’t have been a part of my life.
Freeverse is responsible for many of my friendships – people I worked with, people who came to the company after I left, people who dated or married employees, people who I ran into at office parties.
Everyone has The Dream: the job you envision the first time someone asks you what you wanted to be, the first time you realize that you need to have a plan. My Dream was to make video games. And for four years, I did that – [games that made it at retail](http://freeverse.com/mac/product/?id=38&ref=vjarmy.com), [games that got bundled on Macs](http://freeverse.com/mac/product/?id=4015&ref=vjarmy.com), [games that no one has heard of](http://freeverse.com/mac/product/?id=4009&ref=vjarmy.com). I squeezed in easter eggs and references to my friends. I wrote horrible jokes in press releases. I flew across the country and waved my arms around at trade shows to demo games. I got to be a featured presenter — twice! — at Apple Store SoHo.
I got to live The Dream. I cannot put into words how much, to this day, that means to me.
There was one project I started at Freeverse in 2004 that never got to finished due to my departure. Despite the extreme popularity of the Internet even after the company started, Freeverse had always churned out demo CDs and DVDs. They were easier to mail, and a lot of our customers had been on dial-up.
2004 was the 10th anniversary of Freeverse, and we had every old CD from the history of the company at the office. So I set out to compile what would be the ultimate love letter to Freeverse. I began scraping together all the software off the discs, ripping CD tracks, and finding anything that seemed worthwhile towards the history of the company. At one point, I was handed a pile of old pictures, which probably only made it home with me because I had a scanner.
Pawing through our bookshelf Friday night, I found a stack of them. Then this news hit tonight. So I’m considering this post the completion of that project.
Few things in my life have bloomed as much fruit as Freeverse, both while I was there and the years that followed. I wish the entire team all the best as they enter the next phase of existence, and keep releasing games that are worth playing. Try not to rule the world *too* much, guys.
### Tokyo 2010: Finale
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2010-finale/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:48:37.000Z
Today was the first day since Christmas where I did not have something to see, somewhere to go, or anything to do. The hum of the heater has replaced the drone of aircraft; the distant squeal of the Jersey City lightrail turning the corner has replaced the rushing sound of the JR Yamanote line.
Piled across the kitchen counter are the things we brought back – cute dolls, strange snacks, and a pile of CDs. Our suitcases remain nearby, still mostly full of our clothing and charging cords. They will be unpacked in due time. The fridge has been refilled, the laundry is slowly getting done, and I am mysteriously not jet-lagged even in the slightest.
I will not return to work until Wednesday, and while I’m starting to respond to work emails again, for now, I sit contently.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4224076329/?ref=vjarmy.com)
I have spent over five days in a place that was foreign yet welcoming, busy yet quiet, energetic yet polite.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227052647/?ref=vjarmy.com)
I have walked through neighborhoods I never thought I would set foot in, wandered without purpose in pedestrian malls, and blended into crowded trains and stores.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227045417/?ref=vjarmy.com)
I have inhaled the cloud of smoke in pachinko parlors, downed sake and shochu, seen some really weird things on TV, and inadvertently walked into the adult section of more than one anime store in Akihabara.
And yet it still feels like there is more to do. Even with another week, another month, I wouldn’t have been able to see it all. So we will continue working on our Japanese, keep our eyes peeled for new things to see when we are there, and start plotting for the next trip.
I can’t wait.
(Very special thanks to all of you who left comments, suggestions, questions, and encouragement on my blog, on Twitter, and on Facebook over the last week. It felt like you were there with us.)
### Tokyo 2010: 26 Hour Party People
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2010-26-hour-party-people/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:40:43.000Z
A blow-by-blow description of what is necessary to get from Shinagawa, Japan to Jersey City, New Jersey:
**1/3 11:30 AM JST** (1/2 9:30 PM EST) – checked out of the Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo. Discovered that the Airport Limousine bus would not be running due to a marathon. Directed to use the train system instead.
**1/3 11:50 AM JST** (1/2 9:50 PM EST) – with two heavy suitcases in tow, departed Shinagawa Station on the JR Yamanote, bound for Tokyo Station.
**1/3 12:15 PM JST** (1/2 10:15 PM EST) – arrived at Tokyo Station. Purchased two [Narita Express (“NEX”)](http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/?ref=vjarmy.com) train tickets. Proceeded to platform.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4244551167/?ref=vjarmy.com)
**1/3 12:33 PM JST** (1/2 10:33 PM EST) – boarded NEX.
**1/3 1:27 PM JST** (1/2 11:27 PM EST) – arrived at Narita Airport. Queued up at Air Canada ticket counter.
**1/3 2:00 PM JST** (1/3 12:00 AM EST) – ticket counter opens. I am told I should check my coat since I may not be allowed to bring it onto the plane to Newark. Despite both suitcases being full, I manage to do so.
**1/3 2:20 PM JST** (1/3 12:20 AM EST) – while going through security, I am forced to throw out my can of FFXIII “Elixer” soda. The only reason I had it with me was because, as a duty free item, I was supposed to have it with me in case Customs wanted to see it. I discard it, sadly. I am happy to note that Japanese airport security does not force you to remove your shoes.
**1/3 2:30 PM JST** (1/3 12:30 AM EST) – we pass through Japanese immigration and customs. I am not asked to show my duty free items, meaning I’m not needlessly carrying an extra bag full of things.
**1/3 2:40 PM JST** (1/3 12:40 AM EST) – I purchase a new set of headphones at “DUTY FREE AKIHABARA”, having misplaced my regular iPhone earbuds. An hour later, I would find them again.
**1/3 2:50 PM JST** (1/3 12:50 AM EST) – we settle down to eat at one of the three restaurants in the terminal. I have a cheeseburger; it is acceptable. I am fascinated by [gum syrup](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4244552723/in/set-72157622956596587/?ref=vjarmy.com).
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4244553231/?ref=vjarmy.com)
**1/3 4:25 PM JST** (1/3 2:25 AM EST) – we begin boarding for our flight. We are in row 42 out of 44, troubling for someone who needs to catch a connecting flight less than two hours after landing (4:45 PM EST). Our legroom is less than ideal, and I miss being in an exit row.
**1/3 5:10 PM JST** (1/3 3:10 AM EST) – we take off. Watching a video about Toronto arrivals, I learn that I have to clear US customs while in Toronto, rather than in Newark – which includes claiming my baggage and then re-checking it post customs. Again, troubling given the amount of time we have for the connection, never mind the unknown additional security.
**1/3 8:10 PM JST** (1/3 6:10 AM EST) – I begin to get scattered amounts of sleep, in two to three hour pockets. I am frequently interrupted by food service.
**`TIME ZONE SWITCH ... JST -> EST ... -14 HOURS`**
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4244552123/?ref=vjarmy.com)
**1/3 2:30 PM EST** (1/4 4:30 AM JST) – the pilot announces that we are being asked to hold in the air for an extra 15 minutes, which means we probably won’t reach the gate until 3:30\. I notice that the in-flight map says we’ve gone 15,000 miles, which would mean we had been traveling over 1000MPH on average. You would think a navigation system could deal with the international date line and the fact that we’re now in the past, but seemingly not.
**1/3 3:45 PM EST** (1/4 5:45 AM JST) – we deboard and speed walk towards immigration.
**1/3 3:55 PM EST** (1/4 5:55 AM JST) – we arrive at the US connections baggage claim. I notice that our flight is delayed by two hours to 6:45 PM, thus replacing the fear of not making the connection with the frustration of not getting home when we had intended.
**1/3 4:15 PM EST** (1/4 6:15 AM JST) – our luggage finally appears. I withdraw my coat and replace it with the bag of goods I had needlessly been carrying. We clear customs without incident.
**1/3 4:25 PM EST** (1/4 6:25 AM JST) – we go through another regular security screening. This time, the shoes come off.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4244553605/?ref=vjarmy.com)
**1/3 4:30 PM EST** (1/4 6:30 AM JST) – on the way to the gate, we see two large gender-separated lines. The one additional measure that has seemingly been added post-Christmas scare, the “Enhanced Search” is an individual bag check and pat down. I am asked to turn on each electronic device once (phone, Kindle, PSP). I am asked to undo my belt, to lift the soles of my shoes, to spread my legs and grab the table. I am asked how the David Foster Wallace book (Broom Of The system) I am reading is. (I am unclear whether that was a security test, small talk, or a sincere question from the guard.)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4244554067/?ref=vjarmy.com)
**1/3 4:50 PM EST** (1/4 6:50 AM JST) – I finally clear the screening, having been in a longer line than Katie and opting to go to the bathroom before queueing. It is noted that had our flight been on time, we would have missed it.
**1/3 5:00 PM EST** (1/4 7:00 AM JST) – we spring for an hour of Boingo wifi. Twitter updates are quickly sent, email is checked.
**1/3 6:00 PM EST** (1/4 8:00 AM JST) – flight is pushed back again, this time to 7:45\. I get in line at Tim Horton’s and buy a 10-pack of Timbits. They make me feel much better.
**1/3 7:30 PM EST** (1/4 9:30 AM JST) – an announcement informs us that the plane has arrived, albeit at a different gate, and it will be here shortly. We remain incredulous.
**1/3 7:45 PM EST** (1/4 9:45 AM JST) – flight is pushed back to 8:00\. The crew heads down to inspect the plane.
**1/3 8:05 PM EST** (1/4 10:05 AM JST) – we board. We are in the last row. The pilot informs us that the plane picked up a lot of ice on the way in, so we have to stop at the central de-icing station before we can take off.
**1/3 8:35 PM EST** (1/4 10:35 AM JST) – we take off, having been de-iced. We are offered free headsets and free drinks (including wine/beer/cocktails) as an apology from Air Canada.
**1/3 10:10 PM EST** (1/4 12:10 PM JST) – having just passed the 24 hour travel mark, we touch down in Newark. The pilot informs us that we are being held on the tarmac for 15-20, though, because our gate is not available. There is a collective groan. During this time, we learn that Terminal C at Newark [is shut down](http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/04/new.jersey.airport.breach/index.html?ref=vjarmy.com) due to a security situation. I am happy to be traveling to terminal A.
**1/3 10:45 PM EST** (1/4 12:45 PM JST) – we deboard.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4245329154/?ref=vjarmy.com)
**1/3 11:05 PM EST** (1/4 1:05 PM JST) – our luggage appears. We get in the taxi line, doing that wonderful NYC thing where you avoid having a conversation with the illegal limo hacks trying to prey on unsuspecting tourists. A man behind me tells one of them off, to which the driver gets defensive, saying he’s just “trying to do us a favor” since it is cold out. I laugh, while mentally noting that it is about 40 degrees colder than it was in Japan.
**1/3 11:30 PM EST** (1/4 1:30 PM JST) – we arrive at our apartment building. We collect our mail, unlock the door, begin unpacking, and invite over Bruce and Alanna to exchange gifts and catch up.
It has been exactly 26 hours of physical time passing since we left the hotel.
### Tokyo 2010: Odd Remainders
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2010-odd-remainders/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:38:44.000Z
There’s this expectation most Americans have that there are many strange things that you will encounter in Japan. This is not untrue. An abridged list of these things, some of which have been mentioned previously in passing:
Above, in the feature image: UFO Catchers filled with Snuggle Bear dolls.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4224852728/?ref=vjarmy.com)
The Chelsea Hotel, in Shibuya.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4224857832/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Bloodtype Bath, previously mentioned, currently available at RanKing RanQueen in Shibuya.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227818006/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Hiphopsicles, which “makes eight funky-fresh ice cubes”. Available at KIDDYLAND.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227055955/?ref=vjarmy.com)
The Tamagotchi Store, which appeared to be selling Tamagotchi Doughnuts, in Harajuku.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4239201448/?ref=vjarmy.com)
A giant pair of nail clippers in our hotel room, with text that reads:
> I want to sing with
> a romantic scene.
> It perfectly fits
> my private time.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4232745729/?ref=vjarmy.com)
A fountain, labeled as having “Naturally Pure Hudson River Water”, at Tokyo DisneySea.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4224074857/?ref=vjarmy.com)
And yes, our hotel room did feature a [Toto Washlet](http://www.totousa.com/Default.aspx?tabid=88&ref=vjarmy.com) toilet, in its own room separate from the bath and shower. With “front and rear cleansing options” and a heated seat, it makes American toilets pale in comparison. I wish we could get one in our apartment.
### Tokyo 2010: A Scattered Final Day
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2010-a-scattered-final-day/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:36:31.000Z
We had held today as a final wrap-up day, mostly with the intention to clean up things we had missed, not found, or otherwise not gotten around to. This may be less interesting than the other days – my apologies.
After [the Fukubukuro madness](https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2010-fukubukuro/), we took a short ride up to Harajuku to grab a few additional gifts for people. Because of the proximity to the Meiji shrine, the area was flooded with people – as we would learn, Saturday foot traffic practically everywhere in Tokyo is about five times the volume of what we experienced mid-week.
We then returned to Shibuya once more to hit the Tower Records (or, as our bank transactions romanized it, “Towa Reko”). With the death of large-scale music shops in NYC – HMV closed around 2003, Tower in 2007, and Virgin Megastore in 2009 – I found it thrilling that Tower and HMV are not only alive, but thriving. More functional than any Tower I had ever been in previously, the store featured lots of listening stations, plenty of recommendations, and well defined floors. (Entertainment, unfortunately, is one place where the Japanese costs far outpace ones in the US – most Japanese CDs float between $20-30, tax inclusive. Games and movies run a similar premium. Strangely, American CDs tend to be about $15-20, even after tax.)
As far as pickups: the new [Fantastic Plastic Machine](http://www.fpmnet.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) album, “FPM”, just came out a week prior and was a no-brainer. Katie managed to find [House☆Disney](http://www.disney.co.jp/records/housedisney?ref=vjarmy.com), a remix album by Japanese house artists. She also picked up the heavily advertised [flumpool](http://www.flumpool.jp/?ref=vjarmy.com) album.
After some more flitting around in Shibuya – visiting the Seibu and Oioijam department stores – we headed to the station to grab the train to the Imperial Palace. January 2nd is one of two days of the year (the other being in mid-December, for the Emperor’s birthday) that the inner gardens are open to the public. That was the intent, anyhow – due to an unspecified “accident”, train service would be suspended for about 45 minutes.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4238697166/?ref=vjarmy.com)
By the time we made it to the Imperial Palace, the large crowds coming back didn’t give me a lot of hope – and sure enough, people were being turned away at the entrance.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4237921573/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Still, the parts of the grounds that are open to the public at all times are impressive and otherwise pleasant.
We then returned to Tokyo Station with the intent of finding me my bowl of ramen. But after searching around, we opted instead for Suginoko, an Udon noodle place (ironically, right next door to Katsugen from two days prior). I am not heartbroken over missing out on the ramen – the bowl of hot udon in a pork curry broth was fantastic. The Udon was served with a side of tempura fried mass of onions – not unlike an onion ring loaf, but about a thousand times better.
0:00
/0:45
1×
While venturing around the station, Katie got pulled into a mochi kneading demonstration. The crowd was very excited to see her whack the mochi with the mallet, and afterwords we were given some of the fresh mochi with sweet red bean paste. Delicious.
By this point, we had been out and active for nearly 12 hours, so we cut short the evening plans, but not before taking the train to Hamamatsucho for…
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4238702216/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Yes, the Pokemon Center. Watching Katie’s eyes light up as she slid through the crowded store, grabbing nearly every Pichu-related item she could find was quite a sight. I opted for [a shirt](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4237929041/in/set-72157622956596587/?ref=vjarmy.com) from the [upscale/designer line](http://www.offworld.com/2009/03/graveler-roads-polygraphs-new.html?ref=vjarmy.com), [Pokemon151](http://www.pokemon151.jp/?ref=vjarmy.com).
For the last time, we returned to Shinagawa – I managed to make it out of the turnstile with exactly 40 yen remaining on my Suica card – and returned to the hotel to begin trying to figure out how we’re going to pack all this stuff in our two suitcases.
### Tokyo 2010: Fukubukuro
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2010-fukubukuro/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:33:01.000Z
On January 2nd, as most stores re-open after New Year's Day, they put out [*fukubukuro*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukubukuro?ref=vjarmy.com) – mystery bags filled with whatever inventory they feel like, usually at a steep discount. All the major department stores seem to do these, as do many electronics stores and clothing shops.
While the Apple Stores around Tokyo [were participating](http://www.apple.com/jp/retail/newyearspecial/?ref=vjarmy.com), I just missed the cutoff at the Shibuya store at around 6:30 this morning. *C’est la vie.*
Shibuya happens to also be home to [Shibuya109](http://www.shibuya109.jp/?ref=vjarmy.com), a large tower of fashion shops. It was clear almost immediately that girls were flocking here from around the area in the hopes of grabbing as many bags as they could carry. Every time the walk signal would light for the crosswalk, another swarm of Japanese girls would run across the street to get the best position in line.
Here is one such crossing:
```html
```
That’s a security guard on a bullhorn you hear in the background; there were at least five of them posted around the exterior of the building to ensure that the girls ran the corridors in the most appropriate manner. Inside, I could hear girls posted outside of each shop shouting on their own bullhorns, trying to convince the horde to come to their store and run away with a bag.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4234695717/?ref=vjarmy.com)
As the girls start to emerge with the bags, many of them plop down in designated protected space, open their bags, review what they got and potentially offer items for trade. Various handbags, accessories, jackets and shirts were constantly thrust in the air and swapped. A block away, a van sat with a small posse of shoppers who seemed to have scored about 12 bags from the same store, undoubtedly destined for eBay.
All told, it is loud, frantic, and a sight to behold, with nothing comparable in the US. (Save maybe Black Friday, but I don’t think people get trampled for Fukubukuro.)
### Tokyo 2010: Tokyo DisneySea
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2010-tokyo-disneysea/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:27:52.000Z
New Year’s Day tends to be a fairly quiet holiday in Japan. With most of the focus being on spirituality and family, most businesses are closed. As a tourist, this could have made the day difficult.
But: amusement parks are still open. So at the suggestion of our friend Kit, we hopped a train for Maihama Station and [Tokyo DisneySea](http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/tds/index%5Fe.html?ref=vjarmy.com), the uniquest of the parks at Tokyo Disney. Sure, it may not be the truest experience of what Tokyo is like, but if this is where the Japanese go for a mini-vacation, it must be worth a shot.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4233492192/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4233513096/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4233505388/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Tokyo DisneySea is divided into seven distinct areas, ranging from the Arabian Coast (Aladdin themed) to Lost River Delta (the ruins, home of the Indiana Jones ride), from the American Waterfront to the Mediterranean Harbor. All have an immense sense of scale, and the architecture is meticulous. The Cape Cod area within the American Waterfront actually could be mistaken for Cape Cod [were it not for the giant volcano looming in the background](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4233521184/?ref=vjarmy.com).
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4232725517/?ref=vjarmy.com)
That doesn’t mean there aren’t some amusing juxtapositions, like the above hot dog truck, the [Liberty Fish Market](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4233496448/?ref=vjarmy.com), and the fact that you can find it spelled as “Cape Codde” [on a sign](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4232750707/in/set-72157622956596587/?ref=vjarmy.com).
The rides are generally a lot of fun, and FastPass-ing is free as an alternative to standing in line. I recommend StormRider (a giant motion simulator that takes you into “the eye of the storm”), the Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull (better than the movie!), and the Tower of Terror (which jerks you around a lot more than the one in Orlando).
Beyond the rides, there were a few cultural discoveries:
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4232732509/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4233525588/?ref=vjarmy.com)
First: the Japanese really love character hats. Lots of teenage couples (yes, the guys too) were sporting the sort of fuzzy hats you see here – normally with Mickey ears, but a lot of Stitch hats and a good number of Donald/Daisy ones as well. It all seemed perfectly normal, with no one pointing or laughing. There was a refreshing lack of irony the entire day.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4233501094/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4232752619/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Second, and perhaps most confusing of all: Japan is in love with Duffy. Unfamiliar with Duffy? So was I.
[The Bear of Happiness and Luck](http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/tds/japanese/duffy/index.html?ref=vjarmy.com), Duffy is impossible to miss if you spend more than five minutes in DisneySea. Ultimately, he’s just a stuffed teddy bear, but there’s backstory of Minnie giving him to Mickey before he went on a long trip for good luck. The trend seems to be to buy the largest Duffy Bear you can manage, possibly buy an outfit for him, and carry him with you in the park (or stuff him into your coat).
The number of Duffy bears you will see carried around the park is astonishing. Some girls had upwards of eight in various sizes and locations on their outfits. People were routinely seen carrying three foot tall Duffy bears. The primary shop to buy Duffy outfits/accessories had a 15 minute line outside to get in (pictured above).
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4233517000/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Third: Japan looks fairly kindly on public sleepers, and we saw over a hundred of them around the park. People passed out in restaurants, on benches, along the walls of the park – they all just sack out and eventually wake up. Coming from a city where falling asleep publicly usually leads to a lighter wallet, it was sweet (but disconcerting) to see.
Lastly: concessions in Japan destroy American theme park food. Just out of what I sampled/saw:
- Endless amounts of popcorn – strawberry, as well as caramel, chocolate, curry, and black pepper. Lots of people were carrying around souvenir refillable buckets, and nearly every popcorn cart had a line.
- Ice cream – [sea salt ice cream](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4233528630/?ref=vjarmy.com), tiramisu flavored ice cream sandwiches, and gelato.
- Spicy smoked chicken legs.
- Cheesecake chimichangas.
- Tacos made with fresh tortillas.
- Churros in various flavors – chocolate and sesame.
- Perhaps most amazing of all – gyoza sausage rolls. Pork sausage with peppers and onions, wrapped in gyoza dough and steamed. Like a traditional sausage roll, but lighter and more delicious. Someone needs to bring these to America, because (a) it was amazing and (b) I need another one.
It’s not just the quality, it’s also the price – most everything I just listed was available for $5 or less. I’m not sure $5 gets you much of anything at US theme parks these days. Normally at theme parks, I strive to avoid eating much of anything because of the inevitable cost – but this was a dream. (Hell, even admission was about $20 cheaper per person than Disneyworld in Orlando.)
It may seem silly to visit a theme park randomly while on vacation – this wasn’t something we planned far in advance – but we had a great time, and can only recommend it for those looking to see a refreshing take on an experience you may generally think of as cliché.
### Tokyo 2009: Akihabara Revisited + Marunouchi
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2009-akihabara-revisited-marunouchi/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:24:21.000Z
After getting visually overwhelmed earlier in the week, we made our first stop this morning a return to Akihabara. Overflowing with multi-story electronics superstores, anime/manga retailers, and nooks packed with games, it would be a nerd heaven even without an abundance of arcades, street food, and maid cafes.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4231200922/?ref=vjarmy.com)
There’s a definite advantage to trekking through the area during the daytime, as the neon glow from all of the stores combined with an abundance of people makes nighttime a bit challenging for those not native to the area. That said, there is something intangibly wonderful about the area after the sun sets.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4231203504/?ref=vjarmy.com)
After flitting through a few stores, I settled back into the second and third floor of the Taito Station to get my mandatory music gaming out of the way. One round of Pop’n Music THE MOVIE, one round of DDR X, and one round of beatmania IIDX Sirius all passed by very quickly.
The third floor of Taito station is interesting as it seems to be mostly populated not by native Japanese, but by tourists from around the world. I suppose that after 10 years of DDR floating around the world, foreigners are most comfortable with these games, and are expecting some sort of show. (Fighting games are a floor higher; the “girly” music games like Pop’n and Taiko no Tatsujin are a floor below.)
A little bit more store browsing later, and we were on our way out of the area to head to Tokyo Station.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4231205742/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Underneath Tokyo Station lies a maze of shops and restaurants, in addition to at least eight more train lines. It is frantically busy, especially on a day like today where much of the country seems to be traveling.
While wandering here, we found Katsugen in the “Kitchen Street” restaurant area, and we were ready to check another food off the list. I opted for the \*Katsuzen\* set lunch – red clam miso soup, rice, pickles, the mandatory pile of shredded cabbage with citrus yuzu dressing, and a healthy sized portion of katsu – and a mug of draft beer; Katie went for a different set that she had hoped contained crab croquettes but instead had katsu-fried oysters. (She did not complain.) It would be hard to call this anything other than my ideal Japanese meal.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4230439595/?ref=vjarmy.com)
The day then turned a bit sour, as our planned shopping destination – the Pokemon Center – was not to be found where our guidebook indicated it would be. We beat up and down the back streets in the hopes that we just weren’t finding the entrance, but to no avail. After a while, the wind began to pick up, a headache began to set in, and we fled the area. (Later, research would prove that the store at that location closed in 2007; the new location is a few stations away. Will try again on Saturday.)
A little wandering around in Shinagawa allowed us to procure desserts and sweets for later tonight. Naps followed, as did a quiet sushi dinner at the proper hotel restaurant.
While it may be fun to traipse to Roppongi to hole up in a bar and ring in the new year, or to push through the cold towards a temple for the midnight bell ringing, we are taking the remainder of New Year’s Eve in our hotel room, quietly enjoying the TV. Happy new years!
### Tokyo 2009: Harajuku + Ikebukuro
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2009-harajuku-ikebukuro/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:21:50.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227815932/?ref=vjarmy.com)
One of the things I am really enjoying about Tokyo is how intricate and lively the stations are. American mass transit systems tend to allow only for a newsstand at the major stations; London is slightly better with vending machines near the tracks. But Tokyo has shopping malls surrounding and inside the transit system. The Shinagawa station alone has bookstores, CD/DVD stores, and a whole dessert-focused food court (among other dining options) beyond the turnstiles.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227819918/?ref=vjarmy.com)
A 20 minute train ride later brought us to Harajuku. While a Wednesday trip doesn’t provide the opportunity to gawk at dressed up teenagers (they tend to come out on Sunday), it did let us explore an area that seems to be a cross between (in NYC terms) Fifth Avenue and the East Village.
The two main shopping streets run parallel to each other and both start at the station. Omotesando is the Fifth Avenue side – lots of international stores like Ralph Lauren, Gap, and Chanel.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227047531/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Omotesando is also where you can find [KIDDYLAND](http://www.kiddyland.co.jp/en/?ref=vjarmy.com), a six store toy store that has been serving happiness since 1946\. It’s a worthwhile stop, if for nothing else to see how much floor space various franchises take up. (Pokemon gets about 30 square feet on B1, while Peanuts/”Snoopy Town” gets an entire floor.)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227821110/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Outside of KIDDYLAND, a bakery turns out fresh baked Hello Kitty pastries with various fillings. A bag of 10 is about $4.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227823372/?ref=vjarmy.com)
A few blocks north from Omotesando is Takeshita Dori, a pedestrian only shopping mecca. This is the Harajuku you may expect, with [ridiculous clothes and accessories](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227054911/in/set-72157622956596587/?ref=vjarmy.com) and throngs of people. There’s a number of restaurants as well, but most people seemed to be queued up for one of the many crepe stands that all smelled delicious.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227840292/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Our last major stop for the day was in Ikebukuro, a fairly commercial district where the train station is sandwiched in between two department stores: Seibu (apparently meaning “west area railway line”, located on the east side of the station) and Tobu (apparently meaning “east area railway line”, and naturally located on the west side of the station).
(A quick aside: there are ads practically everywhere for Seibu’s [WE LOVE BARGAIN](http://www2.seibu.jp/fuyuichi/?ref=vjarmy.com) sale, and [the TV commercial](http://www2.seibu.jp/fuyuichi/cm.html?ref=vjarmy.com) has aired so much I may start impulsively buying Kumi Koda’s music. The ad is damn cute.)
We took lunch at [a Korean buffet on the 3F of Tobu Spice2](http://www.tobu-dept.jp/ikebukuro/spice/sub04%5F06.html?ref=vjarmy.com), which required a lot of gesturing and *sumimasen*\-ing. On the other hand, it was cheap and tasty. If nothing else, I am appreciative for the patience of the Japanese for those of us who know next to no Japanese.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227071657/?ref=vjarmy.com)
We then crossed back through the train station to the east side, and made our way to Sunshine 60 Dori – another pedestrian mall shopping strip. We unfortunately didn’t find anything terribly unusual, so we beat our way back to the train and returned to Shinagawa.
For dinner, we opted for the set menu [Mizu no Uta](http://r.gnavi.co.jp/fl/en/g098313/?ref=vjarmy.com), a few blocks from the hotel. Sitting at the counter, we were treated to some of the best tuna I’ve ever tasted – perhaps too much of it. We started to run out of steam around the time we were grilling our own thin strips of tuna, and when a fried rice course came out immediately after, it became a struggle. Still – great food, and I can now cross the “sushi/sashimi” off my Tokyo food checklist. Now I just need to find a proper bowl of ramen and some tonkatsu.
### Tokyo 2009: Cat Room Chamamo
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2009-cat-room-chamamo/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:45:03.000Z
While we’re away, we’re lucky enough to have friends in our building looking after poor ol’ Buttons. But after glancing at a picture of him being kept company, we pouted *just* a little. It’s hard being on the other side of the world from a beloved pet.
But we must not forget: this is Tokyo, where there is a solution to nearly any problem. So when serendipity struck in Harajuku in the form of a perfectly placed advertisement, we knew what we had to do.
On the fifth floor of a nondescript building half a block south of the (closing) flagship Gap store sits [Cat Room Chamamo](http://www.chamamo.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). It is a cat café, providing visitors a chance to play with any/all of [the nine resident cats](http://www.chamamo.com/cats.htm?ref=vjarmy.com) for a nominal fee. Drinks and light snacks are also available.
There are prerequisites and rules, of course – mandatory hand washing and sanitizing, no picking up the cats, no outside food, etc. But you do get your choice of complimentary cat toys to use to attract the attention of the cats.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227827406/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227830480/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227835930/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227836858/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Is it a silly way to pass the time? Sure. But I love the idea that if you are away from home, unable to own a pet, or otherwise animal deprived, there’s a place you can go that directly solves that problem.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4227062825/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Count us as fans. A few more pictures are up [on Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/tags/catroomchamamo/?ref=vjarmy.com).
(For people with other tastes in pets, you can rent a dog at Odaiba’s [Puppy The World](http://www.puppytheworld.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), or have a stop at popular bunny cafe [Usagi To Cafe](http://www.usagito-cafe.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) in Nagoya.)
### Tokyo 2009: Shibuya + Akihabara
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2009-shibuya-akihabara/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:18:05.000Z
Shibuya seemed like a good district to start our trip in. Easily accessible via the [JR Yamanote Line](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamanote%5FLine?ref=vjarmy.com), home to a few specific destinations, it is energetic without being completely overwhelming.
Hachiko Crossing, iconic sight of Japan that it is, is not very intimidating at 10:30 AM. We proceeded across and walked up *Center Gai*, a pedestrian area lined with restaurants, clothing shops, bars, and towering *pachislot* arcades.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4224083009/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Our first major shopping destination was [Tokyu Hands](http://www.tokyu-hands.co.jp/?ref=vjarmy.com), the “Creative Life Store” which holds just about everything in its seven stories. There was a certain bemusement that many things that I’ve seen at [AC Gears](http://acgears.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) in the East Village could be found here, often for much cheaper. An hour later, we walked away with a truly mixed bag of merchandise, including [a very tasty iPhone case](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4225844509/?ref=vjarmy.com).
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4224853928/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[GUHROOVY](http://www.guhroovy.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) is a hardcore techno record shop tucked away on an isolated third story in Udagawacho. Run by [DJ CHUCKY](https://remywiki.com/DJ%5FCHUCKY?ref=vjarmy.com), the store is somewhat notorious in the IIDX/Bemani community for being a key resource for albums featuring popular artists from the series. It is less than 200 square feet in total, but for techno junkies, it is blissful.
This was the only business that I had gone so far as to print out directions for and to seek out, and seeing as I may not be back in the neighborhood beyond this day, I [did not let the opportunity slip away](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4224858826/?ref=vjarmy.com) from me.
Fun fact for the Bemani faithful: the store has, with no explanation or price tag, a copy of Beatmania US on top of one of the shelves.
We then started to backtrack, finding that a doll shop that Katie had seen earlier – [Doneunyo](http://www.rakuten.co.jp/doneunyo/?ref=vjarmy.com) – was now open. Katie has been [collecting Japanese dolls](http://www.flickr.com/photos/domokate/sets/72157621987882886/?ref=vjarmy.com) for few years; an opportunity to go to an official Blythe dealer was not one she could resist. ([Junie Moon](http://juniemoon.jp/?ref=vjarmy.com), her go-to destination, had closed for the holiday week.) She walked away very happy.
We stopped into a few SEGA World arcades, where I learned that Katie has a crippling addiction to UFO Catcher machines. I also got a big round of applause, a bow, and a picture taken from two Japanese girls who were astounded to see someone foreign play [Taiko no Tatsujin](http://taiko.namco-ch.net/?ref=vjarmy.com) well.
After a quick lunch, we returned to the Shibuya train station, but not before stopping at [RanKing RanQueen](http://www.ranking-ranqueen.net/?ref=vjarmy.com). Time Out Tokyo describes it as “an intriguing insight into the mind of the Japanese consumer”. All products are categorized and ranked by popularity – so for example, you can buy the most popular bath product, the [Bloodtype Bath](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4224857832/?ref=vjarmy.com).
---
After sundown, we headed to Akihabara. No pictures were taken; had I brought the camera, I probably couldn’t have fit into 90% of the stores we visited.
Akihabara is truly a nerd paradise – stores selling electronics, games, and manga as far as the eye can see. It’s also overwhelming in the crowded dark; after two hours, the jetlag and fatigue set in and we were forced to retreat. We plan to return later in the week.
I did manage to find Super Potato, [famed gaming mecca](http://www.wired.com/video/gaming/gaming/36849291001/inside-akihabara-videogame-mecca-of-japan/47893422001?ref=vjarmy.com), and it is as awesome as I had hoped. No purchases yet, although I may return to buy the [Takeshi’s Challenge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeshi%5Fno%5FCh%C5%8Dsenj%C5%8D?ref=vjarmy.com) strategy guide.
### Tokyo 2009: Getting There
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2009-getting-there/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:15:00.000Z
A few jetlag-induced thoughts/observations about getting from New Jersey to Shinigawa.
Ticket counters at Newark International Airport don’t open until around 4:30 AM. As someone who is habitually early to any air travel, it was hard to reconcile that we had gotten up exceedingly early only to have to sit and wait out about an hour until they opened.
Keeping in mind that this was an outbound flight, not an inbound flight – there were no noticeable additional TSA measures or screenings. Getting through security at Newark was trouble free, perhaps even more so than a few flights I’ve taken domestically this year. We’ll see how this goes on the return trip, where we do a quick up-and-down flight from Toronto back to Newark.
We flew Air Canada for both legs of this trip, one from Newark to Vancouver (\~6 hours), and then Vancouver to Tokyo (\~11 hours). This wasn’t a choice we consciously made (we played Expedia Roulette for booking the trip), but it is one we’ll make in the future. Air Canada’s planes are comfortable, their crews are pleasant, their in-flight entertainment more than acceptable, and their food edible. Hopefully the remaining two flights back will continue to bear this out.
Speaking of in-flight entertainment: really enjoyed *The Informant*. Glad I didn’t have to pay for *A Serious Man*. Rewatching *Inglorious Bastards* reminded me that my Japanese is going to be akin to Brad Pitt’s Italian. And how have I not been watching *Better Off Ted*? Also discovered that someone at Air Canada [considers the Fresh Prince a mystery](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4222151534/?ref=vjarmy.com).
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4219166601/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Vancouver International feels more like a mall than an airport, and gave me some of that empty creeping feeling that I got when I flew out of San Diego a few years ago. Way too big for the number of people there at the time.
While flying into Haneda Airport would have been preferable given the proximity to our hotel, most flights come into Narita, about 40km outside of Tokyo. While the process to get through the airport was lengthy, it was happily multi-lingual and pleasant. Japan’s customs office, like everywhere else, has a cartoon mascot dog named [Custom-Kun](http://www.customs.go.jp/zeikan/customkun/index.htm?ref=vjarmy.com), but I only saw him once.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/4221390309/?ref=vjarmy.com)
At the recommendation of practically every guidebook under the sun, we took the [Airport Limousine Bus](http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/?ref=vjarmy.com) to get to the hotel. 3,000¥ per person sure beats a potential 300,000¥ taxi ride. The bus experience is pleasant and somewhat bi-lingual; only problem was that after being on an airplane for 17 hours, the seats felt a bit cramped.
### Tokyo 2009: Prelude
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tokyo-2009-prelude/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T21:14:33.000Z
Quarter to ten. Which means if I go to sleep now, I’ll get about five hours of sleep before my alarm jolts me back awake. Better make this quick.
Tomorrow at 7AM begins our long awaited trip to Tokyo. The trip out will push us so far through space and time that we will not land until 5:30 PM Monday, local time. The trip back on January 3rd will equally distort reality, taking an effective eighty-eight minutes after time zone changes.
Regarding the previously promised attempt to learn Japanese: thanks to Rosetta Stone’s goofy DRM and our series of hardware failures, in combination with my brilliant plan to take six eCornell courses during the same span of time, and you get me knowing next to zero Japanese. I have been assured this will not be the end of the world.
Obviously, this is [an exciting time to fly internationally](http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2009/12/separating%5Fexpl.html?ref=vjarmy.com). As someone who wearily adheres to whatever the TSA Rule Of The Day is, I look forward to seeing what sort of hoops I will have to jump through both coming and going.
Finally, expect an absurd number of photos, a reasonable number of blog posts, and a less-than-average number of Twitter messages. Adjust/monetize feeds accordingly.
See you all from the other side of the world, soon.
### Go Back
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/go-back/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:16:36.000Z
A photo from wandering Jersey City.
### To Hannah and Jason
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/to-hannah-and-jason/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:19:54.000Z
Thank you all for coming today.
I am not normally the type to give wedding speeches. Despite the nearly fifteen wedding ceremonies I have attended since my own wedding in 2002, I have never once been asked to give a speech about the couple. (To be fair to my friends and family, I have not volunteered to, either.)
I would be remiss if I did not stand here and take some time to tell you a bit about two people who have made a lifetime commitment to each other today – my best friend Hannah, and her new husband Jason.
Hannah and I met through strange conditions. In Minneapolis, you’ll find Augsburg College, a small liberal arts school shaped by the faith and values of the Christian Church. Founded in 1869, their motto is “Through Truth To Freedom”. I had never heard of Augsburg back in 1995 – in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who went there or wanted to go there. But Augsburg, in early 1995, was one of the handful of places running a public internet BBS, known as “Auggie”. And so that year, while sitting in the Auggie chat room, I met someone with the handle of “CrOW” – yes, only the R was lower case – who claimed to be a girl of the same age (14 at the time) as I was. I was incredulous at first, but her story checked out.
For those four years of high school, we were nearly inseparable. She introduced me to the sorts of bands that all parents dread their children listening to – the sort that anger the blood. We called each other every year on New Year’s Eve, and we would sit on the phone and count down the clock to the next year. We had no great attachment to New Year’s, it just seemed like a way to tolerate a strange holiday. We wrote long, hand-written letters to each other, even though my handwriting is poor and we had email. I heard about her boyfriends; she heard about my girlfriends. When we finally met in person in the summer of 1996, I was terrified; with two teenage introverts in close proximity, we were mostly silent for the entire weekend.
We sent each other silly gifts – most notably, I received a hose clamp meant to be worn as a ring, that I did wear until the day I got married. She made her way as a character into short stories I had written for English class. She was [my Junior Prom date](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/1588476726/?ref=vjarmy.com) – many of my high school classmates hadn’t believed she existed, but I suppose we showed them.
During college, we drifted apart – she told me in a very short email that she “hated computers” and would do everything in her power to stay away from them. I tried not to take it personally. The years rolled by, until one night as I sat very bored in a very empty space, my mind sprung back to her. I called her mom’s house – the only number I had for her – and was thankfully still a familiar name to her mother, who gave me her current number. When I called and said “It’s Dan”, there was about fifteen seconds of laughter from her end of the phone. And then, it was as if things hadn’t changed a bit – the missing years just melted away. We gave each other a hard time for not keeping in touch, mocked each other for our choices in major, and she told me about this guy “Jason” she was thinking of asking out.
In the eight years since, we returned to talking nearly every day, finding each other as a constant source of distraction. Things are a little different now – instead of being treated to discussions about the latest Rage Against The Machine album, I’m shown pictures of the quilts she’s working on. Instead of complaining about high school and summer jobs, we complain about our real jobs and planning for retirement. Last year, she came to New York to visit – the first time I had seen her in over 10 years. I am happy to say that the awkwardness from all of our previous visits was finally gone.
Hannah is everything I could ask for in a friend – sharp witted, strongly opinionated, willing to laugh at nearly anything. She handles an incredible amount of stress with grace – her wedding planning has entirely taken place while she’s been taking summer courses and working full time. Every time I asked how she was doing, she appeared to have things under control. She puts her heart completely into everything she does. She is one of two friends I have that I would describe as “painfully truthful”. (It goes without saying that because of this, we argue a lot.)
I raise my glass to you both. For today and today only, I will not be above cliché or platitude. May you always make each other smile. May you be there for each other, always and unconditionally. May you forgive each other’s transgressions. May you grow old together.
Jason: I haven’t gotten to meet you yet, outside of looking at your photos on Flickr and the stories I have been told. I have no doubt that you are a great guy, as Hannah has proven over the years to be picky on levels I cannot begin to describe. She speaks the world of you, you make her incredibly happy, and that’s all I could ever ask out of someone who would marry my dearest friend. I hope to get to know you better over the coming years. Treat Hannah well, and if she doesn’t do the same in return, let me know – I will be happy to knock some sense into her.
Hannah: What is there left to say, really? You are my sounding board, my confidante, and frequently a thorn in my side. I love you, and I’m looking forward to this next chapter in your life.
My one wish is that I could be there today to tell you all this myself, rather than hoping you’ll read it in a few days.
To Hannah and Jason.
### You Made Me Realize: APW 2009
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/you-made-me-realize-apw-2009/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:26:06.000Z
This is mud. Three hours of heavy rain shortly after the start of the festival combined with a not insignificant number of feet walking across the grounds combined with the frequent animal visitors to the park (geese / dogs / feral cats / et cetera) yield a unique mud blend that is extremely slick yet sticky and also heavily smells of shit. While the texture will threaten to cause you both to slip and to be stuck, this is temporary and location based. The smell will burn your nostrils for the duration of the festival no matter where you are positioned.
This is how you discover your new favorite band, later.
This is a puddle. Like the mud, they are caused by excessive precipitation, but unlike the mud, these are more liquid than dirt. Avoid these when possible, as they will leave your socks wet.
Here is how you accept the inevitability that your shoes and/or sandals will be ruined, no matter how carefully you step, how much you keep to the sidewalks, or how much you clean your footwear them after returning home. Accepting this enables you to walk more confidently through mud patches and giant puddles, spending less time on exaggerated walking movements. Accepting this saves you from trying to excessively clean your shoes after each day ends.
This is your cell phone. It will simultaneously be your life line and the most frustrating part of your festival experience. Learn to text message in short bursts, as your signal strength will not last.
This is how you arbitrarily create genres to describe bands. Attach common modifiers (“post”, “noise”, “folk”, “French”) to existing musical genres (“rock”, “punk”, “folk”, “house”), repeating as necessary. Gradually increase your available pool of modifiers and genres, until you are able to string together genres like “prep-folk” or “Spanish disco-house” without sounding sarcastic. Practice this skill with any song you hear, ever. We are only able to describe things to others using familiar concepts, and while “post-blues ska” may not be defined anywhere else, at least you are trying.
Here is how you discretely roll your eyes without obvious disrespect at every reference to Michael Jackson, including the one from a well known and highly regarded hip-hop artist about how people used to say “One Love” but now instead say “One Glove”.
This is how you sell out to Toyota. By writing your (possibly fake) name and (possibly fake) email address on a four inch by six inch card, you will be entitled to enter into a small air conditioned hybrid Toyota automobile and driven a quarter mile closer to the festival entrance. The driver will attempt to engage in banter, including but not limited to questions such as So Where Are You All From, What Bands Are You Looking Forward To Seeing Today, and Never Heard Of Them Who Would You Say They Are Like. You may choose to ignore him, as you have already sacrificed your dignity by exchanging (possibly fake) personal information for air conditioning.
Here are Flents “Quiet! Please” Foam Ear Plugs. They have a Noise Reduction Rating of 29 out of 30\. Prevent future hearing problems by using proper hearing protection today. Buy them immediately.
[This](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My%5FBloody%5FValentine%5F%28band%29?ref=vjarmy.com) is My Bloody Valentine. They are the type of band that has enough credibility to have their albums labeled as “seminal”. They play a genre of music known as “shoegaze”, which involves standing terribly still on the stage and looking down almost the entire time. The music is heavy on distortion and comes across as the proverbial (non-Phil Spector) “wall of sound”. Vocals are provided but are there to act as an instrument, not to be understood. This may frustrate your musical sensibilities.
Please be aware that My Bloody Valentine may have at one time held the Guinness World Record™ for [World’s Loudest Band](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudest%5Fband%5Fin%5Fthe%5Fworld?ref=vjarmy.com) before it was considered “irresponsible” for such a record to exist.
This is the last song in My Bloody Valentine’s set. The live version of this song has one notable difference from the studio version: there is an added section where Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butcher play one chord, repeatedly, as loud and as fast as they possibly can. This section lasts between six and fifteen minutes, depending on who you ask. Common side effects include general discomfort, headache, dizziness, and nausea.
Here is how you survive this: earplugs, plus putting as much distance as possible between you and the stage where you can still maintain comfort. It has been suggested that Battery Park in Manhattan was a suitable distance away and still within earshot of the show.
Here is how you dance to a My Bloody Valentine song, given all of the above. Alternately, this is how you extend your middle finger at My Bloody Valentine, should you be diametrically opposed to dancing (again, given all of the above).
This is how you film the video screen near the stage with your digital camera or cell phone. Your first instinct may be that filming the stage directly is a better idea. This is incorrect. Realize that you are far away and no picture or video of the stage will be of any interest to anyone as nothing can be seen.
Here is how, with some ingenuity, you can cut a foot of mud-drenched fabric off of your pants and throw it out. This will slightly decrease the smell and greatly increase your comfort at the expense of what may be good pants. These are the tradeoffs you will face in life.
Order new shoes from Zappos after the first day of the festival. You have already accepted that you are losing the battle against the mud, and if you place an order as soon as you return home, and if your order is bumped to overnight shipping, you will receive them on Monday.
Here is how you fold your legs when you are sitting on the ground, so as to not get the mud from your legs and shoes on the remainder of your clothing.
Here is Jay-Z covering the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”. Screaming along with the refrain is encouraged.
This is how you walk away from a band you were hoping to like. This will happen repeatedly. Not every set can live up to your high expectations. If at any time you find you are not enjoying yourself, move on. There is always something else.
Here is how you stand behind a trash can as a preventative measure against having someone tall stand directly in front of you and block your already poor view of the stage.
This is how you politely have a conversation with a stranger about her losing her sandals directly in front of you in the mud. You will bond with many people this weekend over the shared misery of the mud.
Here is The Do LaB. It is the closest thing there is here to a dedicated dance stage. Make this your default choice when none of the scheduled excite you.
This is how you come to accept that everyone is either high, drunk, a blogger, or some combination thereof. This may give you the impression that everyone but you is kind of a dick. You are not exempt from this classification scheme.
Here is how you deal with having cigarette ashes flicked carelessly onto your bare leg.
This is how you read a paperback between sets by stage light.
Here is Tool. While listening to their set, you may begin to mentally calculate dates to realize that you have been listening to them for nearly 13 years, longer than any other band at the festival. The memory of driving to SAT prep classes and singing the lyrics to “Flood” may be recalled when the band begins to play the same song. Eventually you may reach one or more conclusions about the nature of time and/or longevity in the music industry and/or the self-selective nature of music listening habits in the late 90’s and into the 2000’s. Try to enjoy yourself even as you consider what it means that you are here.
Here is how you say “wooo” with varying levels of enthusiasm. While there are an infinite number of “wooo”s you can create, focus on the three primary variants: the serious, rocked-out “WOOO!”; the slightly tired but still excited “Wooo!”; the sarcastic “wooo.”
This is how you post an anonymous comment to Brooklyn Vegan to either defend or attack the festival mid-weekend.
Try to not get frustrated when the doors on the last day are delayed by four hours because of a tornado-level thunderstorm. It is for your safety, even if it cancels a number of bands you had hoped to see.
Here is Coldplay. Notice how their set is much better than you thought it would be. Stay longer than you originally intended to. MGMT is honestly not that good live.
Here is how you stay calm when your cellular signal fluctuates wildly when you are not moving.
This is Etienne De Crecy. With the clever use of a single projector and a rig reminiscent of Hollywood Squares, he will blow minds while playing French house. Be sure to stand at an ample distance, as being on the barricade ruins most of the effect.
This is your body. You will have it with you all weekend.
On this issue there is no counsel; you must make your best guess. For myself, I do not ever expect ever really to know.
But in the interval, if it is an interval: here is aspirin for your muscles, strong soap for your skin, overnight shipping for your replacement shoes, clean air for your nose, sleep for your stamina, quiet for your ears, and real wireless for your phone.
*(with apologies to DFW)*
### The Tour At Alinea
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-tour-at-alinea/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:30:47.000Z
*This past Friday night, Katie and I dined at *Alinea*, Grant Achatz’s restaurant in Chicago. Alinea is currently listed by Restaurant Week as* [*the #10 restaurant in the world*](http://www.theworlds50best.com/module/acms%5Fwinners?group%5Fid=1&item%5Fid=47&ref=vjarmy.com)*, calling it “arguably the most cutting edge food in America”. What follows is a list of what was eaten during our twenty-three course Tour menu. Page numbers are provided for reference where the dishes are listed in the* [*Alinea book*](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580089283?ie=UTF8&tag=dandickinson&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1580089283&ref=vjarmy.com) *where applicable. Photos are not provided (save for one dish) as I as too focused on the food, but if you need visual accompaniment, two of my friends –* [*Kathryn Yu*](http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathryn/sets/72157606047684591/?ref=vjarmy.com) *and* [*Ryan Adams*](http://www.flickr.com/photos/nosetotailathome/sets/72157612951737602/?ref=vjarmy.com) *– have Flickr sets from their tastings, and there’s certainly some overlap in the dishes.*
To start:
Two FISH ROES, served with a caper cream, a dill cream, and a toast foam, intended to allow the roe to “pop” without a clash of textures from the traditional garnishes.
In a small bowl that we were not allowed to put on the table (for fear of it rolling), FOIE GRAS, over a shiso/yuzu broth.
CILANTRO-LIME BREAD, served with two butters.
Proceeded by a liquid shot of chilis and fish oil meant to prime the palate, PORK BELLY, sandwiched between two sheets of iceberg lettuce, with small rounds of cucumber, a dab of concentrated chili referred to as “the red button” (as in, “if you don’t like spicy things, don’t push the red button”), and a basil vinaigrette.
A small block of OXALIS JELLY with embedded juniper berries, each corner featuring a small dab meant to activate a portion of the tongue – citric acid on one, gin on another, sugar on a third, and so on.
A SAVORY COOKIE, dusted with Old Bay.
SOFT SHELL CRAB, served with duck (mostly confit) and a variety of asian spices, all of which were normally used with both main ingredients.
BLUE CRAB and duck, reduced to a mousse, with many of the same spices as the previous dish changed to foams and creams, served in a cup.
BLACK TRUFFLE “explosion”, a small ravioli-like pasta that bursts with black truffle juice when placed in the mouth, with romaine and parmesan. (Page 238 in the *Alinea* book.)
Served with traditional french silverware and china, PIGEONNEAU À LA SAINT-CLAIR, served in a flaky pastry shell, providing a modern take on a classic French dish.
BACON wrapped in apple and butterscotch with thyme, served on a wire bow. (Page 116 in the *Alinea* book.)
A tempura-fried cube of SWEET POTATO, with brown sugar candy and bourbon gel, all skewered on a smoldering cinnamon stick. (Page 367 in the *Alinea* book.)
A mysterious single-bite disc on a pin intended to melt in the mouth, later revealed to include MUSTARD, passionfruit, and allspice.
BUTTERMILK BREAD with honey and coriander.
HOT POTATO, Cold Potato – a wax paraffin bowl containing cold potato soup, pierced with a pin holding a piece of yukon gold potato, a slice of black truffle, a cube of butter, and a cube of parmesan; the pin is removed, plunging the ingredients into the soup, which is then downed like an oyster shooter. (Page 304 in the *Alinea* book.)
A YUBA stick, wrapped in shrimp and coated in sesame and orange, served as if it were a pen in an inkwell containing miso mayonnaise. (Page 229 in the *Alinea* book.)
A soup featuring WHITE ASPARAGUS, with white pepper meringue, honey croutons, and arugula cream.
Meant to evoke Grant’s memories of fishing when he was young, a stew of scallops and shellfish, with honeydew foam and tofu-like pillows of LILAC.
A braided BRIOCHE DINNER ROLL.
A braised cube of WAGYU BEEF, served with a similar cube of mashed potato, chips of salt and ground pepper, with a packet of many of the dried ingredients that make up A1 (anchovy, raisin, tamarind, clove), and an abundance of “grill smoke” pouring from a centerpiece we had been brought at the beginning of the meal with no explanation. (Similar to, but not presented in the same way as, page 194 in the *Alinea* book.)
An single-bite edible envelope containing LEMON SODA crystals.
A beautiful TRANSPARENCY of raspberry, with the flavors of rose and yogurt. (Page 177 in the *Alinea* book.)
A tube containing a hibiscus jelly, a section of créme fraîche, and jelly-like beads flavored of BUBBLE GUM; the tube was intended to be sucked like a milkshake straw.
A candy-like ball-shaped lime shell, floating in nasturtium syrup, that when eaten broke, and flooded the mouth with WATERMELON liquid.
Served on top of a pillow filled with lavender air, a cheesecake accompanied with onion and RHUBARB.
Liquid-nitrogen frozen CHOCOLATE, served on the tablecloth with tobacco cream, fresh thyme, pickled blueberries, blueberry syrup, shortbread crumble, freeze-dried sheets of blueberry, and maple globules.
Finally, a POUND CAKE lollipop, with strawberry and lemon flavors, served on a vanilla bean.
---
[Kathryn Yu](http://kathrynyu.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), who may have been equally as excited as we were about our reservation *even while on her own honeymoon*, asked the next morning: *Have you recovered from Alinea yet?*
Short answer: no, and I am not sure if/when I ever will.
Longer answer:
When we were seated, we were warned that The Tour was “a commitment”. Three and a half hours later, we were unable to provide any argument. The marathon of sensation had taken its toll, and we collapsed promptly after returning to the hotel. It was hard to process what we had taken in.
Reflecting back two days later, I am still recalling the sensations of the dishes: the rich taste of the wagyu melting against my tongue; the texture of the roes as they popped; the way the watermelon ball broke apart and the truffle explosion burst. Out of the twenty-three courses and four breads I’ve listed, I was able to recall all but two with no memory jogging beyond looking at the somewhat abstract. To have that level of recall out of such a lengthy meal is unusual, to say the least.
To say nothing of the enthusiastic waitstaff or the playful utensils, the food experience at Alinea stood out as innovative, challenging, and playful. Without good food, the experience would fall apart, but we were almost always licking the dishes clean, wishing we could ask for second servings. There were no bad dishes across the entire meal, and again: for such a lengthy meal, that is quite a feat.
It is clear that *Alinea* is not a place where anyone would easily become a “regular”. There is no bar, no lunch service, no scene at which to be seen. Reservations require perseverance and luck; the bill demands belt-tightening. But the hurdles, as at any fine dining establishment, are worth overcoming.
Grant and his staff are doing amazing things with food, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t already dreaming of another trip back to Chicago, just to sit at that table all over again.
Consider this the highest of any recommendation I have ever given.
([*Alinea*](http://www.alinearestaurant.com/?ref=vjarmy.com)*; 1723 North Halsted St., in Chicago; Reservations required and taken two months in advance; dinner service only, Wednesday through Sunday.*)[ ](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/3685803671/?ref=vjarmy.com)
### The Big Dipper Of Mixed Metaphor
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-big-dipper-of-mixed-metaphor/
Last updated: 2026-02-07T19:06:39.000Z
*“12 years too late,” I think to myself as I wait at the intersection of Church and Vesey, fake brass horns and breakbeats burning on my headphones.*
*“This song shouldn’t have any meaning in 2009,” my inner monologue went on as I waited for the third Lexington express train at Fulton Street as a choir sings portions of “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” over swelling strings.*
*But as I came up out of the underground by my office, and the same track still playing, my lips could not keep still when the refrain came around once more:*
[***Fuck the millennium – we want it now.***](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuck%5Fthe%5FMillennium?ref=vjarmy.com)
> Be ready to ride the big dipper of the mixed metaphor. Be ready to dip your hands in the lucky bag of life, gather the storm clouds of fantasy and anoint your own genius.
I have been thinking a lot lately about [Bill Drummond](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill%5FDrummond?ref=vjarmy.com) [&](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%5FKLF?ref=vjarmy.com) [Jimmy Cauty](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy%5FCauty?ref=vjarmy.com).
“Lately” may be a half-lie. I have been torturing my friends and family with this interest for the last few years, much to their lack of understanding and my inability to explain. But it’s intensified recently, capturing my spare thoughts and infecting my playlists, progressively driving me towards writing. Writing this post may allow me to put most of this to bed.
It could be perceived that there is no more appropriate day to finish this post – writing about the two most renown jackasses of the early 90’s on Internet Jackass day. Like many things in life, this was not intentional. This has been a long time coming.
> Now, we all know that pop music is not going to save the world but it does, undeniably, create a filing system for the memory banks. In years to come people will stagger home down lonely streets singing your song to the strains of regurgitated vindaloo, all memory of who was behind the song lost.
The twelve year old version of me went out of his way to nag his parents to buy what was the coolest album he knew of: [MTV’s Party To Go Volume 2](http://www.amazon.com/MTV-Party-Go-Vol-2/dp/B000000HIV?ref=vjarmy.com). Practically a early 90’s middle school dance in a box, I already knew and loved nearly every track – the Boyz 2 Men, the ABC, the PM Dawn. It was heaven for someone who had shit taste in music, but at that age I am able to forgive myself.
But the last track was unusual in both genre and content, foreign in every sense to my not-quite teenage world. It was the first house song I ever heard and loved. It is the only song off that album I still love without any sense of irony seventeen years later. And it was the first time I ever heard anything from The KLF.
What was one track in my music collection has since bloomed into ninety-three. I have spent much time and energy digging into the rich [written](http://www.klf.de/home/?ref=vjarmy.com) and [visual](http://www.youtube.com/user/klfcommunicationsnet?ref=vjarmy.com) history that was left in the wake of every incarnation of Bill & Jimmy that there has ever been.
Seventeen years since I simultaneously found The KLF as they retired. Fifteen since [they burned a million quid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%5FFoundation%5FBurn%5Fa%5FMillion%5FQuid?ref=vjarmy.com). Fourteen since [*The Magnificent*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%5FMagnificent?ref=vjarmy.com). Twelve years since *Fuck The Millenium*.
The KLF has endured with me for reasons that only became obvious recently — something of a self-fulfilling prophecy, I realize. The goal of this post is to simply answer *why*. (Most of the quotes that follow are from Bill’s memoir *45*, of which I have strangely purchased two copies.)
> Every morning I stop at the service station and pick one of those club compilation cassettes: *Ministry of Sound Vol. III, Ibiza Classics*, you know the ones. I shove it on the cassette player and drive. I hope to hear something that inspires me, makes me feel good, makes me think something’s going on out there in disco land. But it all sounds limp, crap, shit and lame. No ideas, no risks, just a bit of shallow packaging and an ad campaign. And they all come on like they are on some sort of a mission, like this well-past-its-sell-by-date handbag techno has got some sort of moral high ground going for it.
Arguments I’ve had about The KLF almost always boil down to their music, and I am forced to defend my choice to enjoy something that quite clearly was [written as a joke](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%5FManual?ref=vjarmy.com).
Yes, yes. [*Doctorin’ The Tardis*](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdTELokKfCk&ref=vjarmy.com) was an obvious piss-take.
But I don’t admire their music for the joke; I admire it for the risk. Getting their first album removed from sale by sampling too much Abba. Making a pop novelty album intentionally, without shame. Writing a set of #1 dance tracks filled with lyrics about the Illuminatus Trilogy. Getting Tammy Wynette to join them, even for one song. Filling an album with sheep sounds and country guitars, and somehow turning it into the seminal ambient house album.
Such actions require a serious disregard for one’s professional livelihood.
(I also admire the music because nearly twenty years later, it’s still better than most mass-market trance.)
I sit and wonder where the boundaries are being pushed in music today. The “digital revolution” has certainly tipped the balance of power away from the labels and back towards the artists, but to what end? (Have you *seen* the iTunes Top 100 lately?) I’m sure there are artists out there doing this, but how many can claim they’ve both been reckless and successful?
It’s a bit hypocritical to sit here and wish for things that I wasn’t paying attention to when they were happening — my view of the KLF activities is all through the benefit of hindsight. But I am in love with the idea of a musician taking all the money they earned and burning it to keep warm.
The argument continues: *aren’t I perceiving risk when there probably wasn’t any? They knew what they were doing. This was all planned!*
I’m not so sure.
After the success of *Doctorin’ The Tardis*, there was a plan to make a film. A road movie with no dialog, no script – just a soundtrack. A film crew was assembled, and shooting began in the Sierra Nevada.
It was quickly apparent that the film was rubbish, but the soundtrack was tweaked, completed. and released. That album – *The White Room* – would have three hits reach the Top 5 in the UK.
Bill writes:
> So why am I telling you all this, other than to brag about what a wonderful, rich and varied life we lead? Because I want to emphasize how, when you push your boat … take that step into the … and just say Yes, things happen. You may have no control over them. Let them be, let them spiral out there.
Unintended success on the pop charts may not be the most compelling demonstration of what can happen when you stop trying to control everything in your life, but it resonates. Great things are possible when you are willing to let them spiral out there.
With risk comes a chance of failure. Bill & Jimmy’s activities were not always a success, or perhaps even mostly a success. They were rarely in control, and the wheels frequently fell off the cart. And yet, this was never a problem.
Writing about the 2K *Fuck The Millenium* show — after quoting page after page of negative press, Bill concludes:
> And then I did understand. Everything was OK…We had not only blown it, we had destroyed whatever remnants of credibility, bankability, and myth we had left. We had been exposed for what we had become. It wasn’t just the money that got burnt; it was also the bridge that we could have trotted over any time we felt like it for a fiscal graze in the green pastures of success. With my finger no longer on the Zeitgeist, I could pick up this pencil, downgrade my horizon and get on with the rest of my life without being weighed down by that sack of credibility, myth expectations.
It is one thing to embrace risk. It is another to take your hands off the wheel. It is a third to be able to embrace your failure as much as you would your success.
Now I am racing to finish this post. It has been sitting in my draft box for longer than I care to admit, and there are a mere twenty minutes until midnight. I am determined to find the point to all of this.
The point, of course, is right in front of me; for once my wandering style of writing has found the destination. I’ve been thinking about Bill & Jimmy because they have lived much of their lives the way that I want to, perhaps the way we all want to. To embrace risk, to push boundaries, to be okay with not being in control, to accept our own failures.
Bordering on religion or a self-help book? Perhaps. But as far as life mantras go, one could do far worse than to embrace K-ism.
Bill, explaining *The Manual*:
> Don’t be afraid. If you want to do something, just go ahead and do it, but be prepared to take the blame, to feel the fall. Don’t sit around waiting to be asked, to be given permission. Just get out there and do it.
Bill is currently off [redefining his relationship with music](http://the17.org/?ref=vjarmy.com). Jimmy is [challenging the art world](http://redragtoabull.com/?ref=vjarmy.com).
I have some catching up to do.
> How deep does the irony have to go before we all drown? Time for tea. We’ve had enough. Just show us where the door is. The White Room is calling.
### In Memory of Bruce Prevo
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/in-memory-of-bruce-prevo/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:33:49.000Z
Bruce Prevo, the Apple Account Executive I’ve worked with for most of my time at WCMC, passed away this weekend after a difficult battle with cancer.
It goes without saying that Apple is a huge company, with a extremely large number of moving parts. Trying to get support in the time of a crisis or to fight for a discount can feel like pulling teeth, as it can with all large companies. Bruce eased this tremendously – always being willing to do his best with the corporate office on our behalf.
He will be missed.
### A Promise
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-promise/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:35:51.000Z
Consider this a promise: less stupid screenshots, more art I’m proud of in my 2009 [Flickr photostream](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/?ref=vjarmy.com).
### Noir Jersey City
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/noir-jersey-city/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:39:06.000Z
Some circumstances tonight – a trip to the grocery store on the light rail; a cold rain making the ground wet and reflective; some noir jazz getting shuffled onto my headphones – yielded the right conditions for a video.
I hope to keep filming with my Flip Mino HD. (Consequently, now I really want iMovie 09, as 08 is still a bit limiting.)
### Hot Truck Memories
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/hot-truck-memories/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:55:14.000Z
The big project for my department (and the entire Medical College) at the end of 2006 was the launch of our new clinical care building at 1305 York Avenue. For much of the length of the project, those of us in the IT shop simply referred to it by the most appropriate acronym: it was the new *York Avenue Building*, so it became YAB.
But eventually, the building was given a more donor-friendly name, and it became the *Weill Greenberg Center*. The appropriate acronym became WGC.
I refer to it now, as I did then, as “YAB”. Sometimes “1305”. But never “WGC”.
“WGC” still only means one thing to me: *Wet Garlic and Cheese*.
Cornell has three general areas of campus housing: North Campus, West Campus, and Collegetown. At the time I was starting college, it was the start of a push for all freshmen to be housed on North Campus. (As I recall, we were the last year before it became mandatory.) But I was never found lodged on North Campus, as my home would be found among the brick homogeneousness that were the [Class Halls](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell%5FWest%5FCampus?ref=vjarmy.com#Class%5FHalls). Freshman year was in Sperry Hall; Sophomore year was in Class of ’22\. (All of the Class Halls have since been demolished.)
Class of ’22, as it turned out, was a fortuitous location. It was remarkably close to the dining hall. It was the closest dorm to the West Campus parking lot. And it was also the closest to Hot Truck.
Bob Petrillose’s Hot Truck, strangely enough, was the birthplace of French Bread Pizza, where it is instead the “Poor Man’s Pizza” (or PMP). It’s baked on Ithaca Bakery french bread, baked in the truck, served in a brown paper bag, and is a far better late night snack than, say, DP Dough. Stouffer’s would later license the sandwich at the suggestion of a Cornell alum and infected the world with it. Bob sold the business – and the truck – to the local Shortstop Deli in 2000.
It is difficult for non-Cornellians to understand the joy of Hot Truck without going, and I can only point to the shared experience. The Hot Truck first pulled up in 1960, and it is still there (albeit on a reduced schedule). Nearly fifty years worth of Cornellians have graduated while the Hot Truck was in operation, and I would wager that nearly all of them have had at least one Hot Truck sandwich.
The Hot Truck had [a complex menu masked in secrecy](http://everything2.com/index.pl?node%5Fid=499628&ref=vjarmy.com), not unlike [a beloved west coast burger chain](http://www.badmouth.net/in-n-outs-secret-menu/?ref=vjarmy.com). Again, I tended towards the Wet Garlic & Cheese: similar to the PMP, but with less cheese and some garlic. Many tend towards the Suicide, or ‘Sui’ (homemade sausage, mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and pepperoni). I at one point ordered a North Baker – garlic bread with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, mustard, sour cream & onion potato chips, lettuce. (It was deliciously weird.) If the endless choices weren’t enough, you could order a WTF – which was whatever Bob felt like making you. It was expensive.
There was also Bob himself. crob77 on Serious Eats [says it better than I can](http://www.seriouseats.com/2007/02/the-hot-truck.html?ref=vjarmy.com#13221):
> Bob built his life around the Hot Truck, striving to put out a very, very high quality product. He was a permanent fixture in the truck, rarely missing a day, and making sandwiches from the time the truck arrived at it’s spot – around 10pm… till the truck closed and drove away for the evening – ranged from 2:30 till around 5am. In spite of the late hours, he and his wife would make may of the add-on ingredients in their home during the course of the day – which included amazing home made meatballs and sausages.
>
> On probably half of my hot truck visits, I entered the truck to talk to bob and watch my sandwich being prepared. At the time I was at Cornell, many students would do this. Bob knew most of the regulars’ names, would ask how you were doing, and then would recount stories of his past 40+ years. He would also make fun of the drunk idiots outside (I was often drunk myself… but it was still funny to watch). There are really too many stories to recount, but anyone who experienced the banter or enjoyment of watching Bob make your sandwich on a late evening understands what I am talking about.
>
> In many ways, the Hot Truck and Bob were inseparably linked. To have one without the other really doesn’t make much sense. I won’t really disparage the current Hot Truck or it’s owners – I am kind of happy it didn’t close and that there is some bit left of the old truck… but, anyone who’s had a sandwich recently, who ate there regularly during Bob’s tenure, understands that the love, devotion, consistency, and high quality that he provided is simply no longer there.
[Mark Anbinder](http://mha.14850.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) [has reported](http://today.14850.com/1209bobpetrillose.html?ref=vjarmy.com) that Bob Petrillose passed away after a long fight with Parkinson’s Disease.
I didn’t ever get much of a chance to chat with Bob that year where I was just steps from his door, but I admire him greatly: he created something simple and wonderful that kept over forty years of students healthy and happy. And that’s worth remembering not just as a part of Cornell history.
(Photo credits: picture of the Class Houses by [Ivy Tsoi](http://flickr.com/photos/87582475@N00/3281248?ref=vjarmy.com); pictures of the Hot Truck [by Adam Kuban](http://flickr.com/photos/slice/tags/hottruck?ref=vjarmy.com); picture of Bob Petrillose from Cornell News Service.)
### Bucket Of Tears: A Review Of Dance Dance Revolution The Musical
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/bucket-of-tears-a-review-of-dance-dance-revolution-the-musical/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T15:38:06.000Z
It is a strange experience to watch something you once obsessed over – but no longer care for – get bastardized. You can tolerate much of it, perhaps even find some humor in it, because it’s no longer something you care for. But part of you can’t help but recall how strong that obsession once was, and feel that sharp taste of injury in the back of your throat.
I sat for 90 minutes last night in the Ohio Theatre, [taking in the third public performance](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2008/11/strictly%5Fbusiness.php?ref=vjarmy.com) of Dance Dance Revolution, a new musical by Les Freres Corbusier.
For context: I started playing Dance Dance Revolution in September of 2001, and played at an unhealthy clip until the end of 2004, at which point things started to tail off. By this year, I’ve played less than 3 rounds worth of arrow smashing; I have moved on to other games to fulfill my music game addiction. But if I find myself near an empty DDR machine, chances are I will find my way back onto that stage and stomp through a few songs for old times’ sake.
Also: I am not a professional theatre reviewer. I do not frequently go to the theatre proper – I average 2.5 plays/musicals a year. This review should not be taken as anything more than a gamer opining on a show claiming to be inspired by a game he used to play.
Also: I ingested no alcohol or drugs prior to, during, or after the show.
A plot synopsis:
The story centers around a questionable alien dancer named Moonbeam Funk, who is spotted by two dance miscreants named Jacquise and Wiggles. Moonbeam’s dance moves are flamboyant, and on occasion resemble the act of dancing on a DDR pad. After seeing Moonbeam’s moves, they ask him where he got them – and he describes, in a song, about how there are talking, dancing crystals on his planet and they gave birth to him and his dance moves. He also explains that he has a fetus in a jar on his belt. Soon, they are stopped – dancing is illegal, of course – by a scottish cop who insists he is not a cyborg.
They form a revolution – a Dance Dance Revolution, as they refer to it. They are joined by a young boy who wants to learn how to dance (named “Small Child”), and his prostitute sister Trampoline Sally. There is some sort of love rhombus, with Moonbeam loving Jacquise, Wiggles loving Jacquise, Jacquise loving Trampoline Sally, and Small Child loving Wiggles. Or something. The movement gains members, and work on Moonbeam’s plan of “Gravity Shoes” which, despite the name, make you fly. Soon, they have a underground dance club, and just as Moonbeam is set to unleash his new dance move (the “Flaming Rooster”), the police come in and arrest a number of folks. Jacquise claims he is Moonbeam Funk, and is taken away in his stead.
The revolution loses steam. Moonbeam Funk leaves the movement, distraught over the turn of events with Jacquise. Wiggles takes the lead, leading the dancers into battle which they frequently lose in the face of clubs, knives, guns, and nipple clamps. Jacquise is tortured by the scottish cyborg cop, channels Tom Cruise, and then has his legs broken. Moonbeam Funk returns, kills Trampoline Sally during sex after performing the Flaming Rooster, and is called a fraud by Small Child who discovers his Gravity Shoes are merely Reebok Pumps. The police return, and jail everyone. Jacquise and Wiggles are nearly killed by the fellow prisoners, but are saved by Small Child.
In front of a tribunal, the dancers argue that they should be allowed to dance. The judge calls for a “level 9 catastrophic” dance-off; Jacquise (representing the rebels) must dance against Moonbeam Funk (representing the government) on trampolines. At first, Jacquise is disadvantaged due to his having non-functioning legs, but the ghost of Trampoline Sally gives him Dancer Juice, and he wins the competition.
Implausibly (the judge’s term, not mine), dancing is now legal again. The cyborg scottish cop happily removes his kilt. Wiggles agrees to finally teach Small Child how to dance. Moonbeam Funk returns to his home planet (using his Gravity Shoes) after giving Jacquise his fetus in a jar – which later grows into a daughter that looks remarkably like Trampoline Sally. The show ends with an older Jacquise describing Moonbeam Funk to his new daughter.
---
I found the show slightly entertaining, occasionally funny, but overwhelmingly disappointing.
I can identify three things leading to my displeasure:
One, the theatre itself. While I understand space is at a premium in NYC, especially when it comes to arts performances, there are limits to space saving. I was seated in a chair that only had support for two legs, leaving me in a state where I felt like I would have fallen forward the entire show. That is, had I not had no legroom and been essentially wedged into my seat. MY view was largely obstructed not by the row in front of me but by the row two rows in front of me, which mysteriously seemed to be higher than the poor folks directly in front of me. While I would normally not blame the show for the seating, many of the seats were clearly added to allow for extra capacity.
Two, intentional camp. Don’t get me wrong: I *love* camp. But camp is a dangerous thing to knowingly trifle with, and requires walking a very thin line. Camp has to come naturally, to look (mostly) effortless.
I cannot quarrel the original description I read of the show: “deeply regrettable sophomoric comedy”. Some of the jokes were certainly funny, but there were far too many I deeply regretted. And sophomoric comedy doesn’t jive well with camp.
Three, the music. To answer the most pressing question: yes, there were DDR songs in the musical. But they were the wrong ones.
I realize many of my readers are familiar with DDR or Bemani already, but for the sake of those that aren’t, treat the Bemani world as a microcosm of the real music industry. [Konami is essentially the label](http://bmf.i-revo.jp/?ref=vjarmy.com), and musicians are hired to become part of their lineup. Artists become renown for their distinctive style. They have “hits”, collaborate with each other, and [perform live](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6DQmlCsRFY&ref=vjarmy.com). They release albums. Eventually, they may leave the label to pursue careers elsewhere in music.
For a video game to base a musical on, DDR is chock-full of aural paths around which you could craft a musical around. You could use the J-Pop cheese of [BeForU](https://remywiki.com/BeForU?ref=vjarmy.com). You could lean towards the hyper eurobeat nonsense that [Naoki Maeda](https://remywiki.com/Naoki%5FMaeda?ref=vjarmy.com) has made a living out of for 10 years, the sound traditionally most identified with DDR. Or perhaps the disco of [good-cool](https://remywiki.com/Good-cool?ref=vjarmy.com), or the hardcore trance of [TaQ](https://remywiki.com/Taku%5FSakakibara?ref=vjarmy.com), or the synthy riffs of [Sota Fujimori](https://remywiki.com/Sota%5FFujimori?ref=vjarmy.com). Even the dyslexic musical stylings of [Slake](https://remywiki.com/Slake?ref=vjarmy.com) could have made for an entertaining backdrop on which to make a dystopian musical.
All of these possibilities were passed over in favor of something far, far worse.
Originally released in the arcades in 2000, [Disney Rave](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance%5FDance%5FRevolution%5FDisney%5FMix?ref=vjarmy.com) was a strange cross-over game that featured a number of remixed Disney standards, such as “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”, “Macho Duck”, “Mickey Mouse March”, “It’s A Small World”, and “Chim Chim Cher-ee”. It also included a very small handful of non-Disney songs, including the eurobeat standard “Night Of Fire”.
This is the representative music that was selected from the extremely large library of “DDR music”. (All of the songs mentioned in the last paragraph were used in the show, although “Night Of Fire” was cut short.) And while much of it is eurobeat – thus, cheesy – it sends the wrong signal to the audience. This is not crazy futuristic rave music; these are fucked up Disney tunes.
It affects the dance numbers. The dancers all stomp and clap in unison to the Mickey Mouse March, chanting “M I C! K E Y! M O U S E!” No attempt is made to explain the Disney connection, but we’re supposed to accept that this is the music of the year 2068.
This is what divorced my interest from the show – not the horrible bug catching jokes, not the crazy costumes, not the overpowering smoke machine, but music from a forgotten spinoff. My brain could not – still can not – reconcile this bizarre choice in music.
(In defense of the show: the original music written for the show wasn’t bad. I enjoyed the song “Shake Your Ass For Freedom” in the same way I enjoyed Team America’s “Freedom Isn’t Free”.)
---
*Dance Dance Revolution* is playing at the Ohio Theatre through December 20th. The entire run is already sold out, which means that even if my review hasn’t dissuaded you, you’re still shit out of luck.
### The Great Release
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-great-release/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:37:12.000Z
*And it feels like it won’t come on*
*And it takes like you’re full of love*
*Still the time never to pay on*
*Still the time never to pay on*
*And it feels like I’m coming home*
*And it’s still like a merry cow*
*And it feels like it’s coming home*
*And it feels like it’s full of love*
*Still in time is the great release*
*Something dying will be a great release*
I recently realized that I began writing for the web not long before the 2000 election season. There was no cause and effect there – I certainly wasn’t writing about anything deep on Day One – but I do find the timing curious. Soon, what had been a predominantly vain site about my school goings-on became my emotional release to the world.
As outlets go, I’ve been hard pressed to find one that can be more cathartic than writing: writing for myself, for a nebulous group of friends and coworkers, for the world. I write to preserve thoughts, to capture feelings. I write so that I will not – so that I can not – ever forget.
With that in mind: I do not ever want to forget how I felt at 5:58 in the morning, walking to PS 16 and finding a line, the first time I would ever have to wait to vote. I was #31 at my polling station. I could not cast my vote soon enough.
And I do not ever want to forget how I felt last night, at a quarter past ten, when the path to victory became clear and I began to eagerly count down the forty-five minutes left until the west coast closed and the election could be called.
And I do not ever want to forget how the nation and the world reacted at eleven o’clock the evening of November the 4th, as the tears came to my eyes.
And I do not ever want to forget watching John McCain concede – both for his attempts to mend the wounds he had caused during his campaign, and for him coming face to face with them, as his supporters booed the president-elect.
And I do not ever want to forget listening to President Obama’s victory speech, and realizing that I no longer had reason to doubt the possibility of the American spirit, to no longer believe that hope was little more than an exercise in futility.
I can not ever forget what the last eight years have done to this country. It has divided us, such that my own relatives feel that calling me a “commie pinko” is acceptable discourse. It has destroyed our good standing around the world. It has warped our values: intelligence and eloquence had become something that we no longer wanted in our leaders.
And I will not delude myself: the next four years will be extremely rough on our new government. I do not hold any expectations that everything that is broken will get fixed. President Obama does not have all the answers, nor should any one of us expect him to. But we should expect him to do right: to uphold our rights and empower us; to work with our allies and strengthen us; to deter our enemies and protect us; to set a good example and lead us. We will hold him accountable and demand transparency, just as we should any government.
But the electorate has spoken resoundingly. No longer are we a nation who can be cowed by our government in the name of security, fear, or war. A nation that can so strongly reject fear mongering has already found its strength again. And with the leadership we have elected, we have the possibility of rebuilding from the damage of those last eight years.
For the first time in my adult life, I am hopeful for this nation.
I do not ever, ever want to forget that.
### The Zen Of SkyMall
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-zen-of-skymall/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:07:50.000Z
*Finding myself stuck in a non-JetBlue plane for a quick up-and-down flight, I attacked my gratis copy of SkyMall and discovered a wonderful world full of fact, wit, and astonishment. I have collected every useful nugget of “factual” information used to sell products, and extend them to you as a sort of bizarro-Coupland reading exercise. Alternately, you can just imagine them on fortune cookies. Enjoy.*
A single toothbrush can harbor millions of microorganisms, including those that carry colds and flu.
A tip from Europe – vertically designed briefcases are easier to carry.
According to the Department of Energy, a home loses costly heat and cooling through leaks in the attic access door.
An angel with just a few basic mini-lights wouldn’t be very exciting décor.
Animal instinct calls for a den-like space.
As wine breathes, it opens up and releases its intended flavors and aroma.
Bernard P. Fife served as loyal sidekick and comic relief for 249 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.
Bob Newhart’s stand-up style was a stark contrast to the brash, loud delivery of other 1960’s comedians.
Don’t bother a neighbor to get your mail, and don’t tell the post office you’ll be away.
Don’t let weather or debris shorten the life of your air conditioner.
Dreams do come true for your dedicated sports fans.
During a period of personal grief, jewelry designer Kathy Bernu found herself sketching the shape of a tear, over and over.
Few things are sure in this life, but something that is certain is that tomorrow you will be older than you are today.
Food tastes so much better fresh from the oven than the microwave.
For instant cool, wear a shady visor with a built-in ‘do.
Get your kid off the computer and from in front of the TV and outside for some quality time with Dad or Grandpa.
Good wine and good friends go so well together.
Gravity pulls on the body constantly as we walk, stand and run.
Harley-Davidson enthusiasts don’t live by the same clock regular folks do.
Home is the preparation for our journey through the world.
If you must sleep sitting up, good head and neck support is vital.
If you’ve got noisy neighbors, or just an unsightly view out a window, don’t use dust-gathering curtains or blinds to block it.
It never hurts a gal to accessorize in case of an emergency.
It’s not surprising that family photographs are American’s (sic) most prized possessions.
It’s the little thing that keep romance going strong – like never forgetting that all-important goodnight kiss.
Joint or muscle pain can make sitting and standing a challenge.
Keeping a close eye on your home doesn’t have to involve an expensive security system.
Leadership is at the heart of any championship level organization.
Low level laser light is the most exciting new treatment available for thinning hair.
Memories are made every day with a simple popping of a cork.
Nail fungus can be embarrassing, especially during warmer weather when bare feet and open-toed shoes are the norm.
One unassailable college-era truth remains: beer is best cold from a keg.
Our vision is limited to what we can see in the moment.
Oxygen in the blood stream acts as a cleanser to rid your body of waste and toxins from, processed food, impure air and over-treated water.
Ralphie’s father never had a name in the classic movie *A Christmas Story*.
Recycling is easier when the Bins are kept nearby and take up minimal space.
Research show that written words on containers of water can influence the water’s structure for better or worse depending on the nature or **intent** of the word.
Scientific studies have shown that prenatal music establishes a reassuring and comforting family routine, and nurtures a child’s later love for music and language.
Sometimes one car horn just isn’t enough.
Stationary bikes offer excellent health benefits, but the seats are often uncomfortable.
The folded crane symbolizes peace and long life.
The French know great wines and how to enjoy them.
The only thing better than lounging on or playing in the water is having your iPod™ music right there with you.
The V sign (first and second fingers raised and parted, palm out) once meant “Victory” but now means “Peace” as well.
There are rules of engagement for marshmallow gun confrontations.
There’s no more welcome sight in a home than a contented cat, curled up and purring.
There’s nothing like neon to enliven a room.
Today’s computers are so powerful that they use only a fraction of their capacity.
Twin beds can become a king bed…forever or just for a night.
Unrestrained dogs in vehicles are a danger to themselves and others.
Until now, “Footed Pajamas” have been typically hard to find in adult sizes.
Warm light reflects off the natural tones of Appalachian stone.
When a club is left on the green or in the clubhouse, there’s a better chance you’ll get it back if it’s marked with your name and phone number.
When shoes don’t fit as they should, your body feels it.
Whether your goal is performance, safety or fuel efficiency, maintaining proper tire pressure is crucial.
Why is it no two people can agree on the right temperature in a car?
Work, stress, drinking and environmental factors deplete our oxygen and affect our health.
You know the old saying: The mirror doesn’t lie.
You needn’t be held captive by a headphone cord to listen to your TV, radio, stereo system, or CD player.
Your garden is a national treasure.
### The Weekend In 5 Pictures
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-weekend-in-5-pictures/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T20:54:36.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2937005888/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2936143057/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2936151359/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2936154891/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[We spent the weekend in the Finger Lakes.](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/sets/72157607973116156/?ref=vjarmy.com)
### Demonstrating the Range of Feline Emotion
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/demonstrating-the-range-of-feline-emotion/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:09:33.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2818109982/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2817260021/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2818111768/?ref=vjarmy.com)
### Changing States
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/changing-states/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:12:06.000Z
It has been six days now, living in our new apartment, and my senses are adjusting.
Living on the coast of Upper New York Bay alone has been a tremendous change. Rather than walking past sleepy row houses and run down businesses, I’m greeted with the (what other word is there?) majestic lower Manhattan skyline. It is an awe-inspiring view to take in, both in the morning as I wake up and in the evening as I trek home along the promenade.
My nose is no longer plagued by the sweet tang of packing tape or the sharp wood of fresh cardboard. Most of the boxes have been unpacked, our belongings now lodged in their semi-permanent locations. The new paint smell is fading fast with every cycle of fan or air conditioning.
My hands are no longer spotted with the scars and pains that come from cam locks, wooden dowels, and allen wrenches. *Some assembly required* is the Great Lie of our time, or at the very least, the understatement of the century. Regardless, the five pieces of furniture we assembled are functioning well.
My ears are dealing with even more quiet. While I had always pegged Astoria as quiet, even with a major road just outside our window, Jersey City completely re-calibrates my hearing. The roads are largely free of cars, with only the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail providing the occasional gentle screech around the corners.
We are cooking in earnest again. Small steps for the time being, but already we are starting to dig into cookbooks long forgotten. My desire to start a food blog is climbing steadily, despite fully knowing the difficulty I have in even keeping this one blog sufficiently active.
Buttons adjusted quickly; already he has caused substantial reconfiguration of one area of the apartment. He has since returned to his normal self, sleeping on his favorite chair and being very excitable about his morning kibble. He continues to [assert his innocence](http://www.flickr.com/photos/nancydickinson/2773061792/?ref=vjarmy.com) in all matters curious.
Like so many things in my life, move-in is a rolling process, never quite finishing. Some boxes never get unpacked; some items find comfortable places but are never touched again. But already, everything is in the right enough for the new apartment to feel like home.
### Farewell, Astoria
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/farewell-astoria/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:24:28.000Z
This is my last post from our apartment in Astoria; tomorrow around noon, I must drag the cable modem back to Time Warner and terminate my service. Friday afternoon brings movers, and movers will bring us to Jersey City. I should be back on line by Friday night, but this post officially closes the book on our five years in Queens.
The top question I’ve been fielding for the last month is “Why Jersey City?”. The explanation is long-winded. Bear with me:
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2761888950/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Since September of 2003, we have been in the same apartment in Astoria, Queens. Like many apartments, it was full of pros and cons, almost always linked together. It has a gorgeous entranceway; it was the basement of a private house. It is in a quiet neighborhood; it is thirteen blocks from the subway. All utilities are included in our rent; because our windows are at the ground level (and thus have security bars), there is no air conditioning. We have our own entrance; delivery-men frequently could not find us. We have no lease, so we can leave at any time; we have no lease, so some maintenance issues took a long time to get fixed.
That “no lease” condition caused one more anomaly: our rent hasn’t gone up in the five years, either. So while our incomes have gone up and up, our core living costs have not. This may not sound like a bad thing – hell, it actually sounds fantastic on paper. But in practice, this left us with an increasing margin of disposable income, leading to a sort of lifestyle that I’ll readily admit has not been healthy or practical.
The search for a new place actually started in 2004\. But we frequently ran into depressing conditions and shady brokers, as is the way of NYC real estate. After an eternity of off-and-on searching, we spent a Saturday in Jersey City visiting a few buildings. The neighborhood grabbed us, so very clean and quiet. The closeness to Manhattan struck us: ten minutes instead of half an hour – we’d be closer to the city. And ultimately, it was falling in love with an apartment that gave us seemingly everything we were looking for.
So we pounced on it, literally 10 minutes before another group had asked to put in an application for the same apartment. It’s a significant step-up in rent, and the utilities are no longer free, but both Katie and I agree we’re ready for a change. It’s time we started putting our money into our living conditions rather than DVDs and vinyl toys.
It’s time we grew up, at least a little.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/96119044/?ref=vjarmy.com)
As excited as I am about getting a fresh start in a new place, in a new building, I’m also more than a little sad.
I could not have wished for a more unique neighborhood to have started my experiences of NYC than the north end of Astoria. I cannot state this enough. If you ever find yourself considering moving to NYC, do not overlook it.
I will miss it immensely. I will miss the people: our landlords, a sweet older Spanish couple who knew very little English but were always happy to see us. Their daughter and her family, our primary contacts and always telling us not to worry about things. Our neighbors, a sweet old lady across the street and her grown-up kids, who all still lived within the same block.
I will miss the businesses where we became regulars: the local independent game store, the laundromat, the salon.
I will miss the food: such great restaurants, many of which I’ve tried to do justice to with loving blog posts. Astoria, despite the Greek reputation, is an evenly distributed melting pot. There is fantastic pizza, great Italian, decent Japanese, authentic Mexican, tasty Chinese, and a wide range of Middle Eastern at your disposal.
I will miss [Martha’s Country Bakery](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2761062335/?ref=vjarmy.com) like you would not believe.
I will miss the religion. I am not observant by any stretch, but along our walk to the train, a [Greek Orthodox church](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2761054313/?ref=vjarmy.com) could be found one block away from [a mosque](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2761055721/?ref=vjarmy.com), and there were frequent street festivals or celebrations at one or the other. No hate, no animosity, just religions co-existing.
I will miss the N/W being my way home. Yes, the MTA is a bitter pill to swallow, but when the N or W were running properly, they were the best line in the city. They run straight through the heart of town, down through Brooklyn, all the way to my beloved [Coney Island](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/sets/72157604145876883/?ref=vjarmy.com).
I will miss the shared experiences. In our time here, we experienced [a week-long blackout](https://www.vjarmy.com/astoria-blacked-out/), an apartment flood, and [a transit strike](https://www.vjarmy.com/the-walk-to-work/). Massive heartaches, all, but they brought us closer together with those around us.
There are certainly things I won’t miss: the older men who think misogyny is not only a right but a responsibility; the smell of piss in the summer; the endless construction for the last three years by Amtrak; the sound of trucks bottoming out on the road not 10 feet from our windows.
But the negatives will fade from my memory soon. Astoria has been my home for five years, longer in my developed mind than any other home I’ve had save my parent’s house in Trumansburg. This is the first long-term home I’ve had that we have directly been responsible for. My memories of New York City will forever be shaped by this strange nook in the corner of Queens. I look forward to returning in the future not as a resident, but as a visitor, and seeing it with fresh eyes once again.
Farewell, Astoria. Thank you for everything.
> Everyone has a story,
> like a string of invisible Christmas lights
> wound into the heart.
> And every story has a story
> that hides inside its own labyrinth.
> The past has a story
> as wide and as deep as the world.
> Every word has a story
> and every stone.
>
> – “A Story”, Malena Morling
### Sing When You’re Winning
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/sing-when-youre-winning/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:31:42.000Z
Thursday night, we were playing Rock Band, and she was giggling again.
“What?” I asked between a break in the lyrics.
“Nothing, nothing!” Katie smirked as she kept banging on the drums.
But I knew what it was: my vocals were coming through too loudly, and they sounded ridiculous. A quick visit to the controller and my vocals were muted behind the lead vocals, allowing me to avoid being mocked for the time being.
I am one of the first to admit that I don’t have [a fantastic singing voice](https://www.vjarmy.com/singstar-rocks-us-is-out/). But strangely, I find music games in which I have to (or can) sing – [*Rock Band*](http://rockband.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), [*Singstar*](http://www.singstargame.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), and to a lesser extent *Karaoke Revolution* – way more compelling than those where I’m pushing buttons on a plastic guitar or spinning a plastic turntable.
I think it comes down to translating your knowledge into the game play. If you know a song, then singing it doesn’t require a complicated interface and mechanics to “play” the song. But guitars, drums, and samplers have to be translated into something that can be brought into the home. Even if you know the guitar part to *Say It Ain’t So* cold, you couldn’t play the Expert Guitar on Rock Band without looking at the screen.
The proof of my bias is in the DLC receipts: in the 3 months the US Singstore has been open, I have purchased 47 songs for the PS3 version of Singstar. In the 9 months that Rock Band has been available, I’ve purchased a mere 39 songs.
## All Points Vocal
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2746812007/?ref=vjarmy.com)
A day after our Rock Band session, as our last hurrah before packing – and a well-timed first hurrah for Jersey City – we took ourselves to [All Points West](http://www.apwfestival.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) for a day of music and relaxation. Our new apartment building is quite close to Liberty State Park, making it a very significant day – one week forward, and this would be our new neighborhood.
Due to timing of the ferry, we missed The Go! Team’s set; after watching a few songs by The Duke Spirit, we wandered into Sony’s tents. The next band we cared about wouldn’t be on for over two hours, so we played [*Motorstorm: Pacific Rift*](http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/Games/MotorStorm%5FPacific%5FRift?ref=vjarmy.com)(solid if not spectacular), [*Buzz: Quiz TV*](http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/Games/Buzz%5FQuiz%5FTV%5FBundle?ref=vjarmy.com) (just as fun as I expected), and [*Little Big Planet*](http://littlebigplanet.us.playstation.com/?ref=vjarmy.com)(which will get its own post).
We had avoided the Singstar section of the tent because it wasn’t new and thrilling to us, but then we heard: they were going to have a competition starting shortly. With prizes – first place would get 4 VIP wristbands for the duration of the weekend.
Katie, in the hopes of finding something to do, went to sign us up. Knowing my vocal limitations, I wasn’t quite as jazzed. Soon she brought over the song list – we had to pick one song, and one song only. Staring me in the face was *Over And Over*, which I had learned to nail through playing Singstar at home.
We ended up going second. Katie frequently jokes that I’m so serious about Singstar that I shut my eyes when I sing; it just happens naturally. Perhaps I was trying to ignore that I suddenly had about 75 people watching me – rain had driven a mob of people into the tent. Perhaps I was trying to stop my arms from falling asleep from the tension of public performance. Perhaps I was trying to hear the music over all the other noise.
When the song ended, I had just under 9600 points. The maximum for any song in Singstar is 10000.
For the next hour, I enjoyed the contest. There were lots of good singers, a few not-so-good singers, and a couple of obnoxious guys beatboxing. Radiohead’s *Creep* was picked about 7 times – given that Radiohead was headlining the show, I shouldn’t have been surprised.
Every semi-good player caused Katie to go into a minor panic attack; I was frequently told “We’re in trouble” when someone would be doing reasonably well. Years of beatmania have allowed me to eyeball time remaining versus score and estimate performance; I spent 45 minutes trying to calm her down. Sony’s staff kept entering more people; I wandered back to the LBP tent.
5 minutes into my game, my phone buzzed. “Last person! Get back here now!”
Minutes later, I was holding four VIP wristbands, much to the confusion of the other players. Most of them hadn’t seen me sing.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2746812425/?ref=vjarmy.com)
In the 25 years I’ve been gaming, this is the first time I’ve ever won a formal competition. Out of all the games to win a tangible prize for, it’s the one where I have to sing. The irony is palpable.
We gave one to another player who had chatted us up during the contest; the other eventually found its way to an exhausted [Kathryn Yu](http://kathrynyu.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) who was running from photo pit to photo pit.
While I never would have paid for entrance to the VIP area, I can’t say the wristbands weren’t welcome. Avoiding the food lines, having access to proper seating, and an air conditioned tent all made the remainder of the day that much more enjoyable.
The remainder of the night? Underworld did a good set (albeit limited due to sunlight and their set length limit); Girl Talk tore the roof off the secondary stage, and Radiohead were everything I had hoped. We made it home by midnight and collapsed.
## Encore
Not long after we got the wristbands, we sat right on the waterfront, eating pulled pork and slaw from Famous Dave’s, with a fantastic view of the Statue Of Liberty and lower Manhattan. I sighed happily and smirked at Katie.
“What?” she asked.
“You realize you can’t make fun of my singing anymore.”
It hadn’t even been a full day since we were playing Rock Band and I was muting myself. She smiled and sighed, knowing she had lost the war.
“I know. Believe me, I know.”
Twenty-four hours can make all the difference in the world.
### Jersey City, Ho!
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/jersey-city-ho/
Last updated: 2026-02-06T22:38:53.000Z
Nearly twenty-one years after departing my birth state, and after five years of living in the melting pot of Astoria, Queens, I’m happy – and amused – to announce that we’ll be moving to [Jersey City](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey%5FCity,%5FNew%5FJersey?ref=vjarmy.com) in mid-August.
More details will be forthcoming.
### I Love A (Gay Pride) Parade
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/i-love-a-gay-pride-parade/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:33:26.000Z
The 39th annual NYC LGBT Pride Day March was today. When it comes to colorful, lively parades, it’s hard to beat.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2622887290/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2622064481/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2622077723/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2622094355/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2622923220/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2622926124/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2622941686/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2622945806/?ref=vjarmy.com)
View the full set: [NYC LGBT Pride Day March 2008](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/sets/72157605885109402/?ref=vjarmy.com)
### Buttons Is A (DJ) Trooper
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/buttons-is-a-dj-trooper/
Last updated: 2026-02-06T22:37:33.000Z
Our poor cat has been through a lot in the last 48 hours.
Like all of these sorts of stories go, it was supposed to be a regular vet checkup. But after bringing him into the Astoria Veterinary Group, it appeared that his teeth and gums – something that had been pointed out as a potential problem in the past – were in bad shape. They recommended a “deep gum cleaning”. Katie had to leave him behind at the vet, turning a day that was to be spent relaxing with the cat into a day of worry.
The call came around 2:30: he was fine, but the “deep gum cleaning” had turned into a “double tooth extraction”. His [trademark fang](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/575256324/in/set-263906/?ref=vjarmy.com) had apparently been loose and very exposed, as had the tooth directly below it. Both were removed, turning his usual expression – a little bit of exposed fang – into a lip curled sneer that would make Elvis proud.
Buttons returned home at 7PM last night, still drugged out of his skull from the procedure. This manifested itself in odd ways, particularly in his communication skills. Normally, he gets attention with a loud, cute “WOW!” – he doesn’t meow. Last night it was more of a “Wowwwwwweeeerrrrrrooooooooooooowweee.” He also walked around the apartment at least eight times as though he had no idea where he was – although he was very sure he still wanted to go under the kitchen sink.
We’ve had the catsujin for just over five years now (he’s five and a half); this is the first time he’s undergone a procedure of any sort. Being as attached as we are, Katie and I have both acknowledged an inability to deal with the idea of something happening to our cat. Taken as a test of how we would handle a small-scale event, it is easily argued both Katie and I failed brilliantly. We followed him around trying to cheer him up, lamenting to each other that we’d hope he’d be okay and back to his normal self soon.
To what may not be a surprise, he was back to normal not long after midnight, when he nuzzled up to Katie and watched an episode of *Buffy* on her computer. (They frequently share late-night TV watching. Apparently I’m not invited.) The morning brought the usual pillow-stealing, food-demanding, and lounging on the carpet that we’ve grown accustomed to with him. He greeted us home from work with proper-sounding “WOW!”s, and as I type he’s nomnomnoming away at a catnip plush duck.
Thanks to everyone who sent well-wishes over Twitter and concerned IMs; we do tend to joke that he has a fan club but it’s nice to realize it’s not such a joke after all.
### Momofuku Ko
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/momofuku-ko/
Last updated: 2026-02-06T22:31:23.000Z
> In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations, the new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement.
“*Are you fucking kidding me?*“, you may be thinking. At least, I’m thinking it. Quoting *Ratatouille*? Am I high? (As it turns out, I am not.)
The NYC food scene is a deafening chaos, one that can easily baffle and frighten both tourists and townies. New restaurants can lead this chaos into a feedback loop, where hype creates more hype and long lines creates longer lines. The old example of this is my beloved [Shake Shack](http://www.shakeshacknyc.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) (which then spawned a [Shacklash](http://www.nypost.com/seven/05302007/entertainment/food/shake%5Fdown%5Ffood%5Fsteve%5Fcuozzo.htm?page=0&ref=vjarmy.com)); the newest example of this is [Artichoke](http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/03/ed-levine-artichoke-pizza-east-village-manhattan-nyc.html?ref=vjarmy.com).
But there’s a catch. This loop can be created anew – or broken entirely – by one person with the penultimate power over restaurants in NYC. That person is the NY Times Food Critic, and at the current point in time, that person is [Frank Bruni](http://www.nytimes.com/ref/dining/bruni-bio.html?ref=vjarmy.com). Bruni publishes one review a week, which appears in the Wednesday edition of the paper. Eater has a regular feature, giving odds on how many stars a restaurant will get, called "BruniBetting".
It was through BruniBetting — and not the hype circus — that I finally awakened to David Chang, master to all that is Momofuku. Upon discovering his second restaurant (Momofuku Ssam Bar) was getting a review from Bruni, he penned a piece for Eater laying out how he felt about the process:
> The problem with guessing what he’d make of the restaurant is the problem that makes Ssam Bar good in my opinion: It is run by a bunch of cooks in dire need of Ritalin who cannot keep the restaurant focused. If it seems like a good idea to us, we try it. You can’t sort out why there’s a ten-pound pork shoulder on the menu next to a $9 Korean burrito. We just cook.
He also outlined the various responses the staff would take for each possible star:
> If it’s a good two-star, expect to see amazing acts of drunken buffoonery on Tuesday night. Wednesday will not be the best time to eat at either Momofuku as both kitchen crews will be nursing major hangovers. Major.
Hours later, Bruni’s more than favorable two star review appeared:
> David Chang is a terrific cook, a pork-loving, pickle-happy individualist whose integration of Asian flavors and his own unbound sense of what’s delectable makes for some deliriously enjoyable meals. At Momofuku Noodle Bar, which he opened in 2004, and at Momofuku Ssam Bar, which came along in 2006, he has proven himself one of this city’s brightest culinary talents.
Point taken.
For reasons beyond my comprehension, it would be just over ten months before I would finally make it to Momofuku Ssam Bar. Another four trips soon followed, as well as a long overdue visit to Momofuku Noodle Bar. But just as I was catching up to this hype train, a new one was getting ready for departure: the third restaurant in the dynasty, Momofuku Ko, was launching shortly.
I’ve made reference to it previously, but the reservation system at Ko will either strike you as “egalitarian” – in that it is truly fair, with no backdoor for VIPs – or “fucking insane”, because all the reservations opened on a given day tend to disappear within 30 seconds. Bruni has written about it three separate times.
By some strange fate, I ended up with a reservation for two for 10PM this past Thursday. So enough backstory – let’s talk about the meal.
---
Ko is a long bar with about twelve seats on one side and a kitchen on the other. A small team of waitresses will help with place settings and beverages; the chefs serve the food after they finish cooking it. It would be hard to have a more direct or more intimate relationship with a restaurant; as Katie pointed out, it’s as close to a private kitchen experience as you may get.
There is no printed menu at Ko; $85 gets you around eight courses plus some smaller dishes. Your only real option is what to drink: besides a number of sakes and wines, there’s an alcohol pairing for $50 or $85, depending on what level of alcohol you want. Note that while it’s called a “wine pairing”, “alcohol pairing” is more accurate – over the course of the meal, we were collectively treated to two whites, one red, three sakes, one beer, one sherry, and one sparkling dessert wine.
This seems like an appropriate time to warn that the alcohol pairing is not something to just do without pre-meditating on, both for the health of your liver and for extenuating circumstances, such as “having work in the morning” and “living nowhere near the restaurant”. I’ve done it once, and once will be enough.
On to the food.
A **fresh fried pork rind** was the first small plate, which was surprisingly light for something deep fried and involving pork. This was quickly followed with a **house-made english muffin with pork fat and chive**. This was better than it had any right to be, and is the sort of english muffin I wish I could eat every morning.
A **sliced kampachi with muscat grapes** was the first course, beautifully sliced and buttery smooth.
The first soup hit next, and we were given two different dishes. Katie got a **sweet pea soup**, with mushrooms and crawfish – not a pairing I would have expected, but (unsurprisingly) it worked. I was instead given the **kimchi consommé with pork belly and oysters**, and this Ko staple was easily in my top three for the night. The broth was salty and just the right level of spicy, while the pork and the oyster provided interesting texture for it to play off of. Utterly fantastic soup.
Next: A **coddled hen’s egg** **with caviar, onions, wine vinegar, and potato chips**. It’s not a stretch to say this single dish spanned more textures and flavors than most of my meals normally do.
At this point came a **fried soft shell crab, with brown butter and Old Bay**. This was the dish that was paired with the beer (it happened to be Budweiser, amusingly), and while I am not knowledgeable about the intricacies of crabbing, Katie’s Maryland side came out and was singing high praises of the dish. I defer to her judgement.
I knew this was coming, as another one of the now notorious dishes, but it’s still hard to fathom that this is **shaved foie gras with lytchee and riesling**. I am not one to order foie gras – not because of the ethics, but because I don’t particular enjoy the taste. But this – this was the sort of dish that changes your outlook on a food entirely.
Out of the frier came **fried short rib, with daikon radish and pickled mustard**. Meat appearing from a frier can be frightening – but with some lovely fat marbling and various pickled accompaniments, fear was not needed. Although I was starting to fear this meal would never end – I was losing track of the courses, getting mildly drunk, and I had no idea how many more dishes were going to be thrown at me.
Fear resolved – the second soup course was flagged as the last savory course, and so I dug into **miso soup with grilled rice and pickled vegetables**. As someone who always leaves his nori and tofu at the bottom of his miso, their non-appearance in this soup was welcome. Also: I love grilled rice balls with sea salt. This very simple dish was the perfect note to head to the sweet stuff with.
Sorbet course: **pineapple sorbet, with chewy pineapple**. Katie’s dish was a **kiwi sorbet with olive oil and apricot**. I am a sucker for quality sorbet, and a bigger sucker for pineapple – this dish was gone in sixty seconds.
Finally, the dessert – **a deep fried apple pie, with sour cream ice cream and toasted miso**. Yes, like a McDonald’s Apple Pie. Just considerably better – fresh out of the fryer, with the right amount of liquid in the middle and paired with superb ice cream. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete this course due to the overwhelming fullness I was feeling.
The bill came, and we stumbled out onto 1st Ave and caught a cab home, knowing we were in trouble the next day, but loving it nonetheless.
---
The problem of the hype feedback loop I mentioned earlier is that we are not all alike, and the experiences of others may not be the one you have. When a meal fails to live up to the hype, your displeasure becomes amplified: you want to break the cycle of good buzz by inserting your horror story right in the middle, hoping to derail it all.
I certainly find those situations frustrating, but I find I’m more frustrated with this meal because it *did* live up to the astronomical levels of hype that I had been following. I got exactly what I had hoped for: a flawless meal. Hell, I got more: I got outstanding service from the waitstaff and a very fun, unique experience of sharing the restaurant with one other couple.
A friend asked me a few days ago how it was, and the best quantitative analysis I could give was this: the last truly upscale meal I had was at Eleven Madison Park. Both meals were delicious, and both meals had impeccable service. But Ko featured a more intimate experience, with food that pushed more creative boundaries, and also managed to come with a eclectic beverage pairing. And after tax and tip at both locations, Ko was exactly half the cost of that meal at Eleven Madison Park.
Like that fateful meal at the end of *Ratatouille*, I have had my preconceptions about what fine dining can be challenged by an unlikely source. I am left defending the new. I can say that Momofuku Ko lived up to the hype.
My meal at Ko is, to date, the best meal I’ve ever had.
([*Momofuku Ko*](http://momofuku.com/ko/default.asp?ref=vjarmy.com)*; 163 1st Ave., between 10th and 11th; take the L to 1st Ave. Reservations required, and taken a week in advance online only. Dinner service only.*)
### Mashup: Closer To Business Time
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/mashup-closer-to-business-time/
Last updated: 2026-02-06T22:23:36.000Z
In one hypothetical hand, I hold an instrumental version of [Trent Reznor’s](http://www.nin.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) seminal (ha!) single, *Closer*. The original is directly sexual and raw. It continues to have one of the most familiar refrains in recent musical history – you know, the one about, er, doing things to people like an animal and feeling them from the inside.
In my other hypothetical hand, I hold the original staged version of \*Business Time\* by New Zealand’s fourth most popular folk rock parody band, [*Flight Of The Conchords*](http://www.conchords.co.nz/?ref=vjarmy.com). Never has the actual process of lovemaking been so accurately described.
You can see where this is going, I’m sure. And certainly the photoshopped feature image gave it away.
I would traditionally use this paragraph to half-heartedly apologize for ruining perfectly good songs in my mashups. Mocking my usual inability to find appropriate loops or sighing about parts where the track trainwreck, I would try to lower expectations.
Not this time. This one came out pretty well.
Nine Inch Conchords / Closer to Business Time
0:00
/304.79673469387757
1×
(For the technically inclined, this was done in a very uncomplicated manner in [Ableton Suite 7](http://www.ableton.com/suite?ref=vjarmy.com).)
### 1461 Days Ago
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/1461-days-ago/
Last updated: 2026-01-19T02:08:44.000Z
Remembering the DDRFreak April Fool's Day Massacre of 2004.
### A Day In Pictures
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-day-in-pictures/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:35:39.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2339390190/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2338561105/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2338582265/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2338609127/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Life is good.
### An Abridged List Of Sports Miracles
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/an-abridged-list-of-sports-miracles/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:40:40.000Z
The 1980 Men’s Hockey team beating the Russians at the buzzer.
The 1984 Miami-Boston college playoff, where Doug Flutie threw a hail mary to win the game.
Manchester United winning the Premiership, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League in the 1998-1999 season.
The Red Sox sweeping the 2004 World Series.
[The Cornell Men’s Basketball team getting an automatic seed for the 2008 NCAA Tournament](http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/March08/basketball.aj.html?ref=vjarmy.com).
### Your name contains a word or phrase that isn’t allowed. Please try again.
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/your-name-contains-a-word-or-phrase-that-isnt-allowed-please-try-again/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T21:03:24.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/2265262978/?ref=vjarmy.com)
To be fair, my name is only inappropriate when I want to show it to other 360 owners – it’s completely allowable when I want to give Microsoft money for, say, my Xbox Live Gold yearly fee, or to buy points.
Totally reasonable.
### One Last 2007 Story
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/one-last-2007-story/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:47:16.000Z
In lieu of my traditional end of year posts, I instead offer an anecdote I offered a friend when summarizing my year, one that was left out of the [relevant post](https://www.vjarmy.com/last-train-to-astroland/):
> On September 9th, around 3 PM, I went on the Cyclone at Coney. It was the last day that Astroland was going to be in existence; I had already seen the Zipper get driven away. In an effort to get the ride finished sooner (always hate the lines!), I opted for the last car – which I would be sharing with someone else. Someone considerably larger than me.
>
> Sure enough, I had forgotten everything I had ever been told (NEVER RIDE THE LAST CAR) in a wave of nostalgia.
>
> The first 30 seconds were fantastic, even as my back was reeling and my chest was crunching into the bar as we free-fell over and over again. Then we hit a sharp turn and my seatmate slammed into me, nearly breaking my ribs. It wasn’t much fun anymore, it was just pain – so I braced myself to avoid a repeat, and held on for the remainder of the ride.
>
> I got off, collected my bag – cursing myself for deciding to lug all of my lenses and a monopod with me that day. It hurt enough to nearly bring me to tears, but not nearly enough to have me call an ambulance. At the same time – that was going to be my closing memory on Coney Island? I was livid in my pain – walked onto the beach, shot a 270° panorama, and hobbled to the train home.
>
> It would hurt to breathe for the next week, and the pain would continue for about three weeks – and I think it ended right around the time they announced that, surprise, Astroland will be open again next year!
>
> 2007 is all right there – the joy, the pain that makes you wince, the regret and the stupid dramatic twist at the end.
>
> Rollercoaster of a year, indeed.
### Doing It Right
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/doing-it-right/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T19:47:18.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/1800269818/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/1799428533/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/1800269046/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/1800268398/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/1799426595/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Last night, [The Go! Team](http://www.thegoteam.co.uk/?ref=vjarmy.com) [rocked the ever-loving shit out of Brooklyn](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/sets/72157602784556930/?ref=vjarmy.com).
### Last Train To Astroland
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/last-train-to-astroland/
Last updated: 2026-07-08T21:18:50.000Z
One of my favorite pieces of writing is David Foster Wallace’s collection of short pieces called A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again. There’s a piece inside it called *Getting Away From Already Pretty Much Being Away From It All*, a piece that “takes on the vulgarities and excesses of the Illinois State Fair”, if you’re the type to believe Wikipedia. It’s very reflective of the big-city-to-state-fair experience, but there’s one abstract paragraph that I love:
> One of the few things I still miss from my Midwest childhood was this weird, deluded but unshakable conviction that everything around me existed all and only *For Me*. Am I the only one who had this queer deep sense as a kid? — that everything exterior to me existed only insofar as it affected me somehow? — that all things were somehow, via some occult adult activity, specially arranged for my benefit? Does anybody else identify with this memory? The child leaves a room, and now everything in that room, once he’s no longer there to see it, melts away into some void of potential or else (my personal childhood theory) is trundled away by occult adults and stored until the child’s reentry into the room recalls it all back into animate service. Was this nuts? It was radically self-centered, of course, this conviction, and more than a little paranoid. Plus the *responsibility* it conferred: if the whole of the world dissolved and resolved each time I blinked, what if my eyes didn’t open?
Upstate New York is not quite the Midwest, but it’s certainly not the metropolitan area I currently live in. I grew up with a love of fairs, of carnivals, of amusement parks. The yearly local fair became a focal point of my summer vacation – the last big hurrah before school began for another year.
It would be two years after moving to NYC before I would make my first trip to Coney Island, and that would only be for the [2005 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/sets/541846/?ref=vjarmy.com). It would be another four months before I’d see [The Warriors](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080120/?ref=vjarmy.com), the movie most traditionally associated with Coney Island – my impressions would be my own.
I quickly learned to love Coney Island, both for its charms and its flaws. And the flaws are many. The subway ride from my home is a complete end-to-end run on the N, which entails forty-four stops and takes upwards of two hours. (That’s one way, mind you.) None of the rides have the clean shine of a professional amusement park. Many of the businesses surrounding the amusement park area aren’t in better shape. The boardwalk is in perpetual disrepair. The Cyclone remains hell on my back.
But let us not forget the charm. Despite the pain it causes me, The Cyclone is the most enjoyable rollercoaster I’ve ever ridden – scary fast, almost ready to fly off the rails at any time. The Wonder Wheel defies being a typical Ferris Wheel with swinging cars that cause anyone with a fear of heights to scream at previously unheard registers. Enough food stands exist to ensure that a corn dog can be had within 50 feet of any point in the park, at least in theory. The weather is routinely gorgeous.
After the original trip in 2005, I returned on [Opening Day 2006](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/archives/date-taken/2006/04/09/?ref=vjarmy.com) and made a trip in [May of this year](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/archives/date-taken/2007/05/12/?ref=vjarmy.com). Coney was the sort of place I was content visiting once a year.
I made an exception today.
It’s been a constant low beat in the local news: a real estate developer named Thor Equities buying up land on Coney, making noise about “reinventing” the area. NY Magazine’s Greg Sargent called it “[The Incredibly Bold, Audaciously Cheesy, Jaw-Droppingly Vegasified, Billion-Dollar Glam-Rock Makeover of Coney Island](http://nymag.com/nymetro/realestate/features/14498/?ref=vjarmy.com)“. The plans already demolished some sections of the park in time for this year; now, the redevelopment is set to start in January 2008, and it is unclear what will stay and what will go.
Suddenly, much like my summer vacations would run out, [the last day of what may be the last season](http://gothamist.com/2007/09/09/last%5Fday%5Fof%5Fcon.php?ref=vjarmy.com) was upon us.
What else could I do? I grabbed my things and rode the N line end-to-end.
There was the expected. Two dogs and a lemonade at Nathan’s. A ride on the last car of the Cyclone – my back and ribs will be tender all week. A game of Skeeball on a machine where I got 14 balls and the 30 hole only scored 10\. A cone on the Boardwalk. A walk on the beach. A round of DDR in an arcade. And photos, [so many photos](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/archives/date-taken/2007/09/09/?ref=vjarmy.com), always shooting and changing lenses and getting grit on my sensor.
There was the unexpected. I watched as the Zipper was packed onto a truck and departed the park. I watched an Astroland worker at the Happy Ducks game sobbing repeatedly while getting interviewed. I passed carnies who could only half muster a pitch of their games, a far cry from the usual pushiness.
New York City constantly changes. It is naive to expect that any area of this city can go untouched forever, even one as eccentric and frozen in time as Coney Island.
But.
Even as someone who loves to always be experiencing the new, I can appreciate the old. Coney Island didn’t just feel old, it felt timeless – like a twisted renaissance festival. No matter how successful the new Vegas-style destination may end up being or not being, a part of this city will never be the same. The timelessness will be gone. To remove a part of Coney – take your pick which part – is to change the entire area.
Things will never quite be the same.
I left Coney Island today, knowing that it wasn’t just there For Me, but for everyone. I write this, and offer up [all of my pictures](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/tags/coneyisland/show/?ref=vjarmy.com) again, for those of you who will not get to experience what Coney once was, only perhaps what it will be. I wish I could have taken you all at least once.
### A Short Marathon Of Marathon Anecdotes
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-short-marathon-of-marathon-anecdotes/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:07:41.000Z
1996.
After school, once a week, a handful of us would stay late and gather in the Mac lab. We had an agreement with the lab supervisor, and we intended to invoke it to the fullest degree possible.
We shut down At Ease, Apple’s woefully simplistic security software, and loaded up what we were after. Performas and PhoneNet connectors linked us together as we shut off the lights (yes, at 3 in the afternoon), pulled the blinds, and locked the door.
Even the locked door wasn’t enough to keep the noise in as we joyfully slaughtered each other in Marathon.
---
2001.
I was sitting at home, following the news coming in from Macworld San Francisco, when the bomb dropped: Bungie bought out by Microsoft. Halo in jeopardy.
What happened next in the Mac gaming community can only be described as an epic meltdown.
In the midst of all of this, I IMed my tele-boss, Ian Lynch Smith of [Freeverse](http://www.freeverse.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). We were both in a mild state of shock.
Curiosity struck. I asked, with the innocence only an intern can muster: “So if Microsoft ever came to you and offered you a bunch of money, would you take it?”
I cannot remember the exact response, but essentially: “In a heartbeat.”
---
2004.
It would be my final few months at Freeverse, although I didn’t know it at the time. After months of cranking on a few titles, we needed some sort of relief.
I quickly went on a search for a network game that could meet three criteria:
– Free to play.
– We were all familiar with it.
– Maximum fun in minimum time.
It did not take long to land on [Aleph One](http://source.bungie.org/?ref=vjarmy.com), the open source version of Marathon. A lunchtime ritual was born.
---
2007.
Freeverse has [dropped the “Software” from their name](http://news.freeverse.com/archives/001228.php?ref=vjarmy.com), and announced they’re [porting Marathon 2 to XBLA.](http://freeverse.com/games/game/?id=7009&ref=vjarmy.com)
I’ve been blessed with glimpses into the development of this project during my occasional visits to the old office. I’m no stranger to game development, but this was distinctly odd.
If you’ve never identified yourself as a “Mac gamer” (the phrase remains laughable), it may seem so odd to identify one game with an open-ended platform. But as Mario defined the NES, Halo defined the Xbox, and GTA defined the Playstation 2, the Marathon series \*was\* Mac gaming. To watch a game you have so many memories of re-evolve and re-emerge over a series of months is more than slightly surreal.
But the last time I stopped into the office, I got to play a few rounds on the LAN. I cannot describe to you how gratifying it is to get to revisit a series that brought me such joy when I was younger, and a game that’s been a thread in the weaving of my life for the last 15 years.
Marathon: Durandal is due out in the near future.
### Promotion
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/promotion/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T19:53:57.000Z
While it hasn’t formally been announced to the entire department, it was seemingly announced to enough people last night that now seems to be a good time to post about it.
I am no longer a *Technology Services Analyst* with ITS. Effective July 1, I am now the *Manager, Collaborative Technologies*.
I will be heading up a new group that covers a lot of ground – wikis, enterprise IM, enterprise syndication, video conferencing, etc. This is, unsurprisingly, the stuff that I tend to be knowledgeable about. I’m looking forward to diving into it in a formal leadership role. I’m especially looking forward to see how we can do more to link technology between the three Cornell campuses.
### The Jumpty Dance
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-jumpty-dance/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T19:57:09.000Z
What do you get when you cross the [freeform acrobatics of parkour](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour?ref=vjarmy.com), the [rebellion of skateboarding](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=skateboarding+is+not+a+crime&ref=vjarmy.com), and the suspension of self-respect of most DDR freestyle routines?
You get jumping, or “jumpstyle”. And friends, it is not a crime.
One or two videos of this and you will have the same question I did. What is that catchy mix of gabba and hard house? It should be no surprise that it is yet another subdivision of electronic music, dubbed “jumpstyle” (ah ha!) or simply “jump”.
In [a hotly contested Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumpstyle?ref=vjarmy.com), the dance associated with Jumpstyle is called *Skiën*:
> Skiën means kicking one’s feet forward and backward on the bass-line, while the torso goes the opposite way (right foot forward, torso back), once in a while lifting one foot significantly higher than usual to indicate a break in the beat.
Skien is not to be confused with [skanking](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skank%5F%28dance%29?ref=vjarmy.com), because skanking is done to ska and reggae, and this is done to electronic music. Don’t worry. It’s a common mistake.
This is not just a few kids screwing around. Oh no. This is a bone-fide **craze**.
- There are [community sites](http://www.jinac.com/?ref=vjarmy.com).
- There are CDs. Jumping Is Not A Crime Vol. 1 hit the top 10 in both Belgium and the Netherlands. (Suspiciously, while jumping is not a crime, [downloading it is a crime.](http://www.jinac.nl/forum/index.php?showtopic=25&ref=vjarmy.com))
- There are [record labels](http://www.hardjump.com/site.php?ref=vjarmy.com).
- There are [jump battles](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=241547616360431501&hl=en&ref=vjarmy.com). Battles, people.
- There are parties, both [in clubs](http://www.jump-reactor.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) and [in homes](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1345324110325040967&hl=en&ref=vjarmy.com).
This craze needs to come to NYC. Why? Because here, [social dancing IS a crime](http://www.metromo.org/?ref=vjarmy.com).
Might as well jump, kids.
### TaQ at Carnegie Hall
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/taq-at-carnegie-hall/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T19:59:04.000Z
Today was a special day for Bemani nerds in the NYC area.
[Taku “TaQ” Sakakibara](https://vjarmy.com/wiki/index.php/Taku%5FSakakibara?ref=vjarmy.com), well known as the producer of hard techno for the Beatmania IIDX series, had his first symphony, “Antevorte”, premiered at Carnegie Hall. The piece was performed by the [New York Symphonic Ensemble](http://www.n-y-s-e.org/?ref=vjarmy.com), as part of the Velia International Music Festival.
The program describes TaQ thusly:
> Winning a second prize in the violin competition called “Jugend Musiziert” at 10 years old, TaQ started his career as the composer at the age of 11 in Germany. He is well known in Techno and Electronica at first. However, since he has been familiar to classical music and orchestra for a long time, there have been wide variations among his music in terms of taste of orchestral music. Joining digital sound and analog sound together such as techno and classical music, he immediately hit his stride and excelled. Both digital and acoustic music fans excitedly welcomed his gargantuan distribution to the famous multimedia online game “Granado Espada”.
>
> Recently, he got more concentrated in orchestration itself. TaQ’s music has been more focused on “ongaq (music)” than any kind of specific genre of music with his faith that there’s no precise and strict boundary in music to enjoy listening.
The notes on the piece:
> Stromatiolite, the oldest of mineral substances that first released oxygen, is often described as an inorganic organic matter that provides a spark for an emergence of life on earth. TaQ’s album *ongaq: stromatolite*, which was consisted of electronic music, runs on the following motif, inspired by the title *stromatolite*: the expansiveness of the nature, the genesis of life, and the long path to the present. A long flow of history that went from a piece of ore and finally formed a town through a sum of things that the nature kingdom holds is expressed through the world of his music.
>
> Although it is just a little mineral ore, stromatolite has been kept watching the long and the epic proportional life of everything on earth for an excessive amount of long time. Stromatolite has been always philosophical about releasing oxygen though any drastic changes or big biological evolution had been occurred in its surroundings. For the ore, all evolutionary transitions that have been happened in the universe through the enormously long time and eras for us is perfectly same as what it does today and the future is sure to be scheduled naturally by continue doing the same thing. Tremendous long time is almost like a blap. It’s same as the fact that the structure of universe and human cellula are so the same each other.
>
> This four-movement symphony shows you the parallel universe of “stromatolite,” the world as a theme, with philharmonic orchestra. The keyword for the entire symphony is “time.” Since it is the parallel world, main theme of the symphony is from “stromatolite.” The parallel world shows a life of a person so a lot of changes are happening during the movements.
>
> Antevorte, the great Roman goddess of “time” and “future” join sthese two world which seems to be different each other together. She lets us know that there’s no difference in time, what we can see is only a fragment of the long time and the future is neither dreamy nor uncertain but full of reality.
The piece itself is what I could best describe as “cinematically orchestral” – it would not feel out of place in a movie or game. It was certainly in line with TaQ’s existing work – I felt some touches of the stromatolite album, as well as the inevitable comparison to Distress (which had a very orchestral feel in the middle).
To those people hoping for a recording, Carnegie Hall rules forbid anything even resembling a recording device, although there’s a chance the hall itself could release a CD of the event.
While I didn’t get to say much to TaQ myself, these were the bits I caught in conversation:
- He is fluent in English, German, and Japanese.
- He will not be returning to make any more music for Bemani games in the foreseeable future – was very firm about this.
- He did mention a Konami-related project he was asked to work on that he will probably be contributing to – but asked us not to tell anyone, so that’s as far as this goes.
- His manager, Jade, mentioned to me that this was TaQ’s first trip to NYC, that he loved it, and that they would love to do a “bounce” night at a club in New York. Pacha was mentioned as a possible venue. (I agreed this was a fantastic idea.)
### NYC Pillowfight 2007
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyc-pillowfight-2007/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:01:15.000Z
NewMindSpace held their (seemingly) annual NYC Pillowfight this afternoon in Union Square. It was, again, awesome.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/401195228/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/401222012/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/401205600/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/401215672/?ref=vjarmy.com)
### VJ Army Thanked In Burning Crusade Manual
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/vj-army-thanked-in-burning-crusade-manual/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:05:37.000Z
I can’t claim discovery rights for this – credit goes to Omni from my forums – but [VJ Army](https://vjarmy.com/iidx/?ref=vjarmy.com) was thanked in the manual of the new World Of Warcraft expansion, [Burning Crusade](http://media.worldofwarcraft.com/bc-minisite/index.htm?ref=vjarmy.com).
This doesn’t come as a huge shock to me – details as to the how and why are detailed in my needlessly gushing post on the forums.
Still, it’s well timed – VJ Army turns 3 this Friday.
### Singstar Rocks US Is Out
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/singstar-rocks-us-is-out/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:31:19.000Z
You will be forgiven for forgetting – what with the Wii and the PS3 launches – that Singstar Rocks (the US version, anyhow) shipped last week. $50 gets you two microphones, 30 songs, and the ability to torture your cat by rocking out to Bloc Party.
The interface remains mostly unchanged from the UK version of Singstar Rocks. One thing I don’t recall being in the UK version (maybe this is in other version) is a “rap meter”, which appears at the very least in Summertime. Also, the menu music has changed.
High recommendations.
(Thanks to Katie for the somewhat embarrassing picture.)
### The Fifth Horseman Returns: Lamprey Systems Back Online
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-fifth-horseman-returns-lamprey-systems-back-online/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:17:08.000Z
The first two years of my online life didn’t involve chatting or the web, but merely downloading all the shareware I could possibly find.
Out of the hundreds of games I downloaded, the shareware author who stood out the most was Robert Carr of Lamprey Systems. Robert was (and presumably still is) a member of the [Church Of Subgenius](http://www.subgenius.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). He produced some of the most fucked up software you could ever find, especially when you are the tender age of 15.
Robert once said in an interview that his philosophy was as follows:
> 1\. Scare and offend normal people.
> 2\. Subvert their children.
> 3\. Provide comfort to the weird.
He pretty much succeeded on all fronts. #2 I can personally vouch for; Lamprey served a key role in my personal subversion and eventual cultural awakening, as it were.
Around 2000, Lamprey disappeared from the Internet. Third-party archives that housed the games dried up, as most of those sorts of sites tend to do. About once a year, I would search for anything relating to the company, and about all I found over the last six years was a single interview with Robert.
That is, until today, when I found that [Lamprey had been reborn](http://www.lamprey-systems.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) a few months ago. (If you can’t figure out that the site is NSFW given the above, the rest of the post is going to go over your head.) LS was not just reborn with the same Classic apps that were there before (although they are still there), but with two OS X apps.
The first, [*MacJesusX*](http://www.macjesusx.com/?ref=vjarmy.com)(aka *MacJesus Gold Millenium Extreme*), is the third major revision of the originally offensive MacJesus. MacJesus is like [ELIZA](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELIZA?ref=vjarmy.com), only deified. Now OS X native and with 102% more blastphemy, MacJesusX is the only savior you need.
The second, *Transmaniacon*, is not much of an app, but: imagine the brain loading sequence from *The Matrix*. Now replace all the images with the bizarre. That’s the basic idea.
There’s plenty more to the Lamprey site if you’ve never been – the [collection of death threats and hate mail](http://www.lamprey-systems.com/death.shtml?ref=vjarmy.com) is an endless pile of laughter and tears. I’ll let you explore the rest on your own.
While I was going through the site, I noticed that Robert’s goal was on the [FUQ page](http://www.lamprey-systems.com/carr.shtml?ref=vjarmy.com): “I want to offend one portion of the population while making another laugh. I want to put a smile on the face of everybody’s who’s bored and horrified with this society.” I’m trying not to wax too philosophical about a software company that made a piece of software called “F\*CK ‘EM!” (subtitle: \*All That’s Missing Is U!\*), but here goes:
The world right now is, for lack of a better term, pretty fucked. I will spare you a long linked list of political blunders, socioeconomic crises, and religious zealotry – let’s just agree that the world is not a wonderful place right now. We are ruled by terror and faith rather than sanity and thought. When the plot from *V For Vendetta* seems plausible, we’re heading downhill fast.
Entities like Lamprey buck this trend. It’s not just Lamprey – there are plenty of other challenges to common perceptions, like [Kirby Dick and Eddie Schmidt’s new film](http://www3.ifctv.com/thisfilm/about.php?ref=vjarmy.com), or (to some extent) the entire body of the Colbert Report. Point is: we need independent minds to provide the means – be they shocking, controversial, or just outright funny – to open more minds.
With this in mind, I can firmly say I’ve never been so excited to see one web site return online in all my life.
### Astoria Blacked Out!
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/astoria-blacked-out/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:17:31.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/194693555/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/194693557/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/194695583/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/194695584/?ref=vjarmy.com)
For those of you who haven’t heard, [Astoria has been under blackout conditions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006%5FQueens%5Fblackout?ref=vjarmy.com) since Tuesday night. We were still under said conditions when I left for work this morning, and expect to be in them through the better part of the weekend, if ConEd is to be believed.
One important thing to remember when you read news stories about this: ConEd loves to throw out this number of “1900 homes”. The proper term should be “1900 customers”. Each building is essentially one customer. I’ve seen estimates that 250,000 people are affected. (Since I originally wrote this post, ConEd has admitted that the number of customers affected is roughly 25,000.)
After throwing out all of our groceries last night, I decided to get out the camera and walk down Ditmars today; there are a [few more](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/tags/blackout/?ref=vjarmy.com) on Flickr.
### Empathy
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/empathy/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:19:31.000Z
A life lesson:
One of the greatest traits to have is to not only be able to listen, but to understand, to relate, to empathize. Tears on your shoulder, even for reasons you may personally not find worth crying over, need compassion.
Some people believe in the concept of “tough love”. Tough love is only effective as an occasional contrast, not as the standard. It cannot be the only tool in your emotional response arsenal. The emotionally distraught are weakened by their burden, and your focus should not be harming them in hopes of healing them, as that will almost certainly backfire.
If anyone you care about comes to you in their time of need, be there for them. Help them. Love them. Give them constructive feedback. Guide them where you can. If their needs conflict with yours, be willing to compromise.
Lack of empathy can lead to you becoming part of the problem. You will become a target of antipathy, possibly more than the actual problem itself, and you will only realize this after the damage is done. You will need to make amends quickly, because failure to correct transgressions will lead to permanent damage in your relationship. Apologies are rarely enough.
Strive to show compassion and love whenever you are able.
### Position++
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/position/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:20:54.000Z
I am pleased to announce that as of July 1st, 2006, I have received an in-department promotion to the position of ~~IT Specialist~~ *Technology Services Analyst*. I am now, in some sense of the word, *management*.
More details later. For now, I need sleep – some of us do have to work on Monday.
### The Auditor
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-auditor/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:22:52.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/170084637/?ref=vjarmy.com)
About four years into my web presence, I was putting up pictures of my high school graduation. One of them was of my family gathered around me.
About a week after I put the photo up, I received a joking email from my dad, informing me that I had used his likeness without his permission and that I should remove it immediately. (I’m sure this was one of those life lessons that he always attempts to instill.)
In retaliation, I gave him a witness-protection style blue dot over his head.
In light of Father’s Day, here is a very recent photo of my Dad. I am already looking forward to the cease and desist letter.
### Mother’s Day
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/mothers-day/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:27:08.000Z
I have been told on more than one occasion that I am difficult to shop for. What many people may not realize is that I get this trait from my parents.
A conversation with my Mom, loosely transcribed, from a few days ago:
> Mom: So what do you want for your birthday?
> Me: I don’t know. What do you want for Mother’s Day?
> Mom: I don’t want anything, really. Just remember that it’s Mother’s Day.
About half a year ago, one of my uncle’s health started to go in the toilet. Dialysis was needed. Kidney failure is an eventuality.
My mom (as well as her other brother) went through the battery of tests to see if they would be valid matches for kidney donation. After a few months, the results came in: my mom was a valid match, but she had to lose a fair amount of weight before she could donate.
Oddly, I did not find this out from my mom – the news instead came from my sister, who was quite confused about how to react. I was equally confused and called my mom to get more details.
She answered the phone as though nothing had changed. I asked how everything was, and apparently everything was fine. I waited around a minute, wondering when she was going to mention this obviously life-altering process, and it just wasn’t brought up. So I broached the subject. Her response?
“Oh, \*that\*? It’s not a big deal.”
---
When I was in first grade – still while living in New Jersey – my mom was told during the school Open House by my teacher that I was absolutely horrendous at art. I’m not sure exactly what her response was at the time, but given that it occasionally still comes up and Mom is still terribly resentful about that teacher, I can’t imagine that it was favorable.
Granted, the teacher was right – in terms of the sort of art you do in school, yes, I was terrible. Still am, really, as I can’t draw worth a damn. But perhaps as a result of that conversation, my mom has always contributed to my cultural enrichment on multiple avenues. I was lead towards musical instruments that I both enjoyed (piano) and loathed (trumpet). The house was frequently full of music, anywhere from the entire catalog of The Beatles to the epic John Denver & The Muppets Christmas Album. Trips to the library were numerous, and I was allowed any book I wanted to read. Even now, her visits to NYC are often marked with multiple museum visits.
Somehow, through all that stimulus, I settled on writing (on the blog) and photography. Despite the frequently obscure nature of my posts and pictures, Mom digests it all every day. And if I fail to produce either within a somewhat regular interval, my mom will call or write, wondering if I’ve fallen off the face of the earth.
---
I could go on gushing with more anecdotes, but I suppose I should get to the point before everyone zones out.
A lot of who I am is thanks to my mom. So many of my traits come from her, and it’s taken me many years to see that. No teenager wants to admit they’re anything like their parents, but as I’ve progressed into my mid-20s, I can see that I’ve taken a lot of good traits from my mom.
Every day, no matter what she’s doing, she’s an inspiration and a source of help more times than I can count. It may sound backwards, but I’m honestly proud of her, and eternally thankful of all she’s given me throughout the years.
So happy Mother’s Day, Mom. (Told you I wouldn’t forget!)
### Eugene Mirman Protest
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/eugene-mirman-protest/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:28:33.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/143159358/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/143163326/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/143163327/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/143171075/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/143171076/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/143173919/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Tonight was the Eugene Mirman protest, put together by [Eugene Mirman](http://www.eugenemirman.com/?ref=vjarmy.com). While the actual handing-out of signs didn’t start until maybe 3 minutes before the event was supposed to start, it was quite comical and silly and confusing to those not in on it.
For all of my pictures, just check my photoset: [Eugene Mirman Protest @ Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/sets/72057594129662059/?ref=vjarmy.com)
### Coney Island, Opening Day
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/coney-island-opening-day/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:32:37.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/125973962/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/125977655/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/125981368/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/125981938/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/125982012/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/125983970/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/125985090/?ref=vjarmy.com)
We spent the afternoon with the Slice Club out at Coney, enjoying the opening day festivities. We rode the Cyclone twice (once in the front), had some decent pizza at Totonno’s, wandered around the boardwalk, and did a few spins on the Wonder Wheel.
For those who don’t live in New York City but do live in close proximity to the beach and/or an amusement park, you may be wondering what the big deal is. I lay no claim for being able to put my finger exactly on what makes Coney Island what it is, but I can say that it’s like going to an entirely different world.
### And You Thought You Were Going To Summer Camp!
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/and-you-thought-you-were-going-to-summer-camp/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:39:56.000Z
Sure, Apple has sent the world into a tizzy with their new [Boot Camp](http://www.apple.com/bootcamp/?ref=vjarmy.com) software, allowing Mac users with Intel based machines to run Windows. It’s astounding news, and when [you see it in action](http://www.cabel.name/2006/04/boot-camp-first-look-half-life-2-video.html?ref=vjarmy.com), you will say WOW – but I’m not here to talk about the [business ramifications](http://daringfireball.net/2006/04/windows%5Fthe%5Fnew%5Fclassic?ref=vjarmy.com).
I’m here to talk about the *other* electronic Boot Camp.
In my 24 years as a gamer, there were times when I would go into an arcade and in the course of my visit, find some game I’d never even heard of that just flat out grabbed hold of my very being. There would either never be a home version of this game, or it would completely suck. The arcade cabinet itself would inevitably disappear a week or two later, and never be seen again.
Boot Camp – a 1987 Konami arcade game – was one of those games. Read on, and learn about what may be the archetype game for Konami’s gameplay in the 1980’s.
Long before America’s Army, Boot Camp – the US version of a Japanese game called Combat School – has a game mechanic described in the marketing flyer as:
> The player is a recruit in the army, trying to make it through the grueling courses of Boot Camp. He is challenged physically and mentally by the toughest drill sargeant \[sic\] in the barracks. The drill sargeant \[sic\] shows no mercy, barking out orders and insulting the recruits to provoke them into action. In the player’s attempt to become the best soldier, he must complete the phases of basic training…
The actual game play is a very amusing mish-mash of other Konami titles, including *Track and Field*, *Contra*, *Yie Ar Kung-Fu*, and *Rush’n Attack*. The controls consist of a trackball and two buttons. For those who are old hat at Track & Field, the challenge of having to spin the trackball quickly and accurately provides a nice change of pace.
As part of Konami’s long-standing love of short American names (see: Contra’s “Lance” and “Bill”), here you can play as “Nick” or “Joe”.
There are seven main levels that players must truck through – and perhaps more!
## Step 1 – The Obstacle Course
> *Player races through the course, scaling walls and clearing the bars as quickly as he can in order to finish in time.*
Think hurdles from Track & Field with a mad dash at the end. For a bit of amusement, try jumping face first into the wall!
It’s important to note that the much feared “sargeant” does not actually shout anything at you unless you fail. And that generally is “Go back home to your mother”, to which your recruit responds, “DARN!”
## Step 2 – Firing Range I
> Developing deadly aim, the recruit tries to shoot as many targets as possible within a certain amount of time.
Oh, Firing Range. How you taunted me in the arcade. How you forced me to not only spin the trackball accurately, but demanded that I rapidly jam the Fire button to knock down three to five targets in about a one-second window of time. How you seemed nearly impossible when I was the tender age of 7.
It’s amazing what nearly 20 years does to a game’s perceived difficulty.
## Step 3 – Iron-Man Race
> *Player dodges mines and other obstacles in another test of strength and agility. He must reach a boat and row across the river as swiftly as possible to reach the goal in a race against time.*
Considerably more interesting than the Obstacle Course, the Iron-Man Race requires you to:
- spin the trackball in an appropriate direction as to run the course and…
- not run into the thick bushes…
- not fall into a puddle…
- not fall off the bridges…
- not hit a rock…
- not run into a landmine. (Yes, apparently, this boot camp uses live munitions on the training grounds.)
- swim out to a small canoe…
- paddle the canoe past the Reliable Video Game Obstacle of Moving Logs…
- and finally, sprint up the beach to the finish.
It’s actually kind of fun.
## Intermission
Oh hey! There’s the sarge! And the cadets! But wait, where’s our intrepid recruit?
Someone’s getting beaten with towels full of soap tonight!
## Step 4 – Firing Range II
> *(no special description)*
Pulling directly from the fortress levels of Contra, here you run left and right and shoot at these flashing targets that MOVE! Such variety! So much effort was put into this level that after a handful of patterns, the game decides to forgo patterns and just randomly sends the targets down the screen at you.
## Step 5 – Arm Wrestling
> *The player is pitted against his opponent in a match to see who has superior strength and stamina.*
No army training is complete without a meaningless arm wrestling competition between recruits. And no game tangentially related to Track & Field is complete without a balls-out button mashing event.
Aside: Some people don’t enjoy button mashing mini-games. I am not one of these people. I live for them. College friends of mine will recall that at one point I beat a turbo controller in Track & Field 2000.
Joe submits to the awesome power of the Mash.
## Step 6 – Firing Range III
> *(no special description)*
This time, there are innocent targets! It’s like Hogan’s Alley, only without the light gun. Which means it’s totally not worth playing this level.
## Intermission II
Just two guys, leaning against a wall, enjoying a cigarette. Nothing wrong with that! It’s as American as Hulk Hogan, arguing about politics, and movies involving pies.
## Step 7 – Fight With Instructor
> *Drill sargeant \[sic\] taunts the recruit into a one on one physical confrontation. The player must use his best fighting techniques to defeat his instructor.*
Does real military training work this way, where you have to engage in a grueling fight with your instructor before you can graduate?
Needless to say, nothing you have done thus far in the game actually prepared you for the *Yie Ar* style fighting game that closes the main leg of the game. And just like *Yie Ar*, the fighting is stiff, mechanical, and frustrating as hell.
## Graduation!
You’ve done it! You’ve totally graduated from boot camp!
Your mother would be so proud, having become a soldier in the US Army after training through such grueling conditions, like your sergeant, Corporal…
…wait. Is that…can we zoom in on that?
HOLY CRAP, IS THAT HITLER? But even Potential Hitler can’t bring a damper on these festivities, as you toss your hat in the air…
…and the flag waves bravely in the wind, and the national anthem plays proudly on Konami’s finest sound chips.
Nothing could bring you down off this high.
Nothing except terrorists.
## The Mission
What they’ve taken over isn’t clear. Where they’ve taken over isn’t really disclosed. All you know is that they’ve taken over, and you need to save the hostages. And what wisdom does your sergeant impart on you, now that you’re fully graduated and out to save the world?
“Don’t be a chicken, soldier.”
Thanks, Sarge!
The local cops are worthless. Send in the Army – an Army of One!
You head in – and it turns into Rush’n Attack, sort of. Actually, it’s much more like Nintendo’s *Kung Fu*. You don’t have any firearms, just the ability to kick and punch. And the terrorists have knives. And they are both sharp and pointy.
I’m sorry to say that even with the fullest extent of MAME cheating, I cannot get past this horrible level, where you are allowed one or two hits before you die.
## Also: Chin-ups!
Boot Camp was unique because it actually offered a penalty level if you failed out of a course. And as a penalty, you had to do chin-ups. And they really sucked.
I unfortunately can’t show you a picture because I have no recollection of how to invoke the mode in MAME. Believe me, I’ve tried.
## Good Work, Soldier
Boot Camp was obviously not a remarkable video game. It barely made a splash in the grand scheme of the gaming landscape. It had a PC port, but never appeared on any consoles. I doubt many people had heard about it before reading this post, even those currently working for Konami.
But at the same time: I think that Boot Camp distinctly represents what the arcade industry in the 80’s was all about. Stamina and reaction tests, timers, cut together vocal samples, overly cheesy concepts and imagery, bad spelling. And when you consider how much of the gameplay came from other games, Boot Camp is the total package.
### Okay, Seriously, Who The Hell Is This?
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/okay-seriously-who-the-hell-is-this/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:41:09.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/117784471/?ref=vjarmy.com)
I’m in Neighborhoodies today at the Seaport, waiting while Katie’s getting something. I wander over and am staring at the wall of polaroids they have, all showing people wearing their creations.
Then I see this one, and I nearly shouted a surprised obscenity. (For those outside the Bemani community, Bad Boy Bass is an awesome song from beatmania IIDX.)
So, anyone want to fess up to this awesomeness?
### Pillowfight NYC
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/pillowfight-nyc/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T20:42:01.000Z
Today, there was a pillow fight in Union Square. It was epic.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/101323449/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/101345000/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/101333359/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/101344710/?ref=vjarmy.com)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/101355100/?ref=vjarmy.com)
See all my pics: \[Pillowfight NYC\](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/sets/72057594066475978/)
### The Walk To Work
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-walk-to-work/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T16:23:41.000Z
I promised myself I would do it at least once. Yes, this morning I left bright (!) and early at 7:30 to walk to my office on the Upper East Side.
After [getting over the GCP](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/76271283/?ref=vjarmy.com), I cut down Steinway Street, which was thankfully empty and uncrowded. It’s also full of [odd businesses](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/76271289/?ref=vjarmy.com), so that didn’t hurt either.
Ruth from work was my walking buddy, which made the commute considerably more pleasant and enjoyable.
Once we hit Northern Boulevard, we got asked by a lot of desperate drivers if we needed a ride. It was tempting, but the truth is, we were moving faster than they were.
Getting from my house to the entrance of the pedestrian walkway for the bridge only took an hour, which is about what I expected, maybe even a little better.
Once on the bridge, there were some fantastic photo opportunities, particular once you hit Roosevelt Island. Just based on the pictures I pulled out today, I’m planning on doing the walk again sometime when it’s warmer out.
The Roosevelt Island Tram made an appearance just as I hit a fenceless patch of the bridge, so I lucked out with a picture. I’ve taken the tram before, and on the right day, it can be downright pleasant. But given the volume of people in there, I’m rather glad I didn’t try today. As Janelle pointed out, “not good for claustrophobics with fears of heights…”
The total walk took about 1:40, which was right around my estimate. My legs are okay (foot still hurts a little, but Advil has saved the day), my brain has returned to normal, and I’m almost – \*almost\* – looking forward to the walk home. Probably will take a different route, though.
(If you’d like to see the few more pictures of the walk, just check [my photos tagged with “walktowork”](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/tags/walktowork/?ref=vjarmy.com).)
### This Is The First Day Of My Last Days
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/this-is-the-first-day-of-my-last-days/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T22:55:01.000Z
Ithaca Festival, 1996\. A young unsuspecting fifteen year old boy walks into the horribly-named “Sounds Fine” on the Commons and, on the recommendation of a close online friend, purchases *The Downward Spiral* by Nine Inch Nails. He takes it home and listens to it.
This was the point in his life that his musical tastes would change forever, swinging from – well, let’s be honest here, mostly crap, to industrial rock and a wide range of electronic music. He would obsessively collect every album by Nine Inch Nails, even the obscure (both halves of the Closer single) and the mundane (the Down In It single with a whopping three tracks, all repeated on the Head Like A Hole single). T-shirts were purchased and worn proudly. Bumper stickers were put on cars. Lyrics were memorized.
You get the picture.
Tonight, after nearly ten years of on-again off-again fan-worship and countless money spent, this slightly older, much more cynical twenty-five year old man will walk into Madison Square Garden to finally see the band he’s been obsessing about for all this time.
Excited? You bet your goddamn life I’m excited.
### Nathan’s Famous Aftermath
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nathans-famous-aftermath/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T02:51:54.000Z
Today, the three of us – Katie, our good friend Thom, and I – trekked out from Astoria at an hour far too early for anyone’s good towards Coney Island, to observe the Nathan’s 2005 Hot Dog Eating Competition.
The contest has gained notoriety over the last few years, largely because it has been dominated by thin Asians – Takeru Kobayashi, a 144 pound Asian guy, and Sonya Thomas, a 100 pound Korean woman. Kobayashi hails from Japan, and had won for the last four years; Sonya has been dominating US events but still has not won the Hot Dog contest due to Kobayashi’s domination. We, for various reasons, are huge Sonya fans – at least, as much as one can be in the “sport” of competitive eating.
We arrived at 10:10 – much earlier than we had intended – and found a reasonable space by the barricade. I spent a lot of time just sort of soaking in the atmosphere; it was my first trip to Coney Island, and Nathan’s is the sort of restaurant you don’t see anything like in Manhattan. Up until about 10:30, not a whole hell of a lot happened, outside some people getting hot dogs and crews setting up.
The crowd gradually started to grow. There were press roaming the crowd for interviews – Katie got interviewed by ABC 7 (although it didn’t air, as she was largely in favor of Sonya). Judges started to roam. ESPN’s cameras got into position, including an obnoxious boom camera and a crazy undressed guy on a riser. Most amusingly, people from the inner section – I’m guessing either family/friends/IFOCE officials/ESPN staff – came by and handed out pre-made signs. Katie got one for the LeFevres, but she passed it along to someone nearby.
As we drew closer, the “entertainment” kicked up. There was a kid’s eating contest (one dog each). There were musical acts, all horrible, including Eric “Badlands” Booker rapping about his competitive eating. ESPN continued to prepare themselves for an obviously important telecast. And in what was the most surreal moment outside of the competition itself, we were treated to a booming sermon – something combining freedom and America with the taste of hot dogs. It was hard to not laugh as he ascended into the sky.
The arrival was typical of what you’d see in professional wrestling or boxing – theme music, long introductions, even some confetti. They all get along with each other well, so luckily we avoided a lot of taunting and the like. Oddly, Badlands Booker had on an iPod – I’m sure the world would love to know what one listens to while bingeing on hot dogs. Sonya got the next to last intro, and Kobayashi had a very lengthy intro – the crowd loves them both.
And then, we were off.
We had watched from home last year, and watching at home gives you a good view of the actual eating, but doesn’t often show you the entire length of the table – which our view this year provided us well. Watching the event, though, is just surreal. You have a crowd of people cheering on these people that are so intensely chowing down hot dog after hot dog – if you overdubbed it with some old music, and used appropriate camera angles, it would completely fit into a David Lynch film.
Sonya held up well for the first few minutes, but then Kobayashi broke into the lead – as expected – and the gap just gradually grew over the full 12 minutes.
And then, nearly as quickly as it started, the clock hit zero and it was all over. Kobayashi had finished 49 – a strong finish, but not as good as last year. Sonya, far back in second, had at least busted her American record from the year before. Joey Chestnut, a total newcomer, placed strong in third, shocking much of the rest of the field. Many of the extra hot dogs were distributed to the crowd – we enjoyed our free mini-lunch. Kobayashi’s name was quickly put up on the giant board, and post-game interviews were conducted. We joined the crowd of people shuffling away quickly.
Afterwards, we wandered around Coney Island, as none of us had ever actually been there before. Katie and I rode the Cyclone for a change of pace, and then we dropped back onto the Q for a very tired ride home.
It was a fun one time sort of thing – I’m still not really clear on the appeal of competitive eating, but I certainly enjoyed taking the pictures. I am certainly not enjoying this sunburn.
### San Francisco By The Numbers
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/san-francisco-by-the-numbers/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T03:15:11.000Z
**175**: Number of hours the trip lasted, including all travel.
**4**: Number of hours I played Metal Gear Acid on the plane flight out.
**19**: Number of sessions I attended at WWDC.
**3**: Number of sessions I attended I would rate a 5 out of 5.
**2**: Number of sessions I attended I would rate a 1 out of 5.
**2554**: Number of lines of text written into my workblog in the “WWDC” category.
**160**: Number of kilobytes total in said workblog entries.
**30**: Approximate value in US dollars of all the free [Odwalla](https://odwalla.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) Lemonade and Limeade I consumed at WWDC.
**6**: Number of online friends I had met previously and met up with again.
**3**: Number of online friends that I finally met in person.
**1**: Number of times I had someone say in realization, “OH! YOU’RE DAN DICKINSON!”
**7**: Number of times I was wished a happy birthday.
**55**: Number of pictures in my summary [San Francisco Trip Flickr set](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/sets/443199/?ref=vjarmy.com) (if you have full access rights).
**121**: Number of dollars spent on goods and services of personal interest. ($20 at Portal One, $10 at SVGL, $35 on a subscription to Make, $40 at the Apple Campus Store, $16 at Aardvark Books)
**2**: Number of times I went to an In-N-Out Burger.
**0**: Number of times before this trip I had been to an In-N-Out Burger.
**103**: Approximate number of phone calls made or received by my Sidekick during the last week.
**50**: Approximate number of text messages made or received by my Sidekick during the week.
**3**: Number of Apple events I went to. (Enterprise IT Cocktail Party, Stump, Campus Bash)
**6**: Number of times I went to the Sony Metreon.
**2**: Number of places on my body that ache in extremely painful ways. (Knee and very lower back)
### Notes on the 2005 WWDC Keynote
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/notes-on-the-2005-wwdc-keynote/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T03:10:42.000Z
💡
Hey, 2026 Dan here. I was at this keynote live and clearly rushed to post these very copious notes; while I have excised most of the old tech content from my site, this felt seismic enough as a moment in Apple's trajectory that they were worth retaining.
Musical selections: Some hip-hop track, Vertigo by U2, Technologic by Daft Punk, Speed of Sound by Coldplay, the track from the old Macworld iPod ads.
Video coverage of the attendees shows someone with a Windows tablet (slight booing), someone holding up a laptop that says “JIMMY!” on the screen (cheering), someone holding up an iSight to record (laughter), jugglers (what the hell?), Woz (applause).
10:01 and the “program about to begin” sign shows up. 10:03, copyright notice with “Product specifications are subject to change without notice.”
Steve is out, NO JEANS! “Today’s an important day.”
### Conference stats
- 3,800+ attendees, largest in the last decade
- 45 countries, including China and India
- 110 lab sessions, 39 hands-on sessions
- 95 presentation sessions
- 500+ Apple engineers on-site
- 400+ Design Award entries
- 500,000 ADC members
### Retail update
- 109 stores around the world
- 1 million visitors per week
- $500M in third party products in the last year
- Shows the London store, says it’s “phenominal”
- Video shown at a real estate convention made by the retail team. (Music: Rubberneckin’ Oakenfold Remix.)
- $2 billion in sales by the fourth year
- Average earnings of $4000 per square foot
### iPod/iTMS update
- Know you’ve entered popular culture when you’re on the cover of the New Yorker.
- 16 million iPods sold at the end of last quarter total.
- 76% of the entire MP3 market (including flash and hd-based).
- 430 million songs sold on iTMS to date.
- iTMS owns 82% of the marketshare for online music sales in May 2005.
- Podcasting coming in iTunes 4.9
- Steve elaborates on the “Wayne’s World for radio”; he meant you can do it without a lot of capital.
- Calls it the “hottest thing in radio”.
- Gives a list of the major companies that have jumped on Podcasting.
- You \*can\* type URLs into iTunes 4.9
- New Podcast item in the source list.
- Quick and easy way to grab new podcasts.
- Apple is going to be doing podcasts of new music weekly. As you scrub through the podcast, the artwork changes – big applause. Shows chapter functionality too.
- Expects this to take podcasting mainstream.
### Mac general update
- Growth rates, year-over-year: PC growth rate has gone from 18% to 13%, Mac growth rate has gone from 8% to 42%.
- Today: QT7 Windows Preview release.
- Over a billion QT downloads over its lifetime.
- Tiger is the “best release we’ve ever shipped”.
- This week, Apple will deliver the 2 millionth copy of Tiger (includes retail/maintenance/new Macs).
- Dashboard widget demo
- Uses Business Week widget to look up top stories about Apple to laughter.
- Gets another Longhorn dig in with the countdown widget.
- Tiger represents 16% of OS X user base. Panther is 49%, Jaguar is 25%, 10.0/1 are 10%. Expects Tiger to be 50% for this time next year.
- Next release of OS X will be Leopard. No focus at the conference today. Intend to release it at the end of 2006/early 2007, right around the Longhorn release.
### Transitions
- There is a TON of muttering under breaths.
- Mac in its history has had two major transitions.
- 680×0 to Power PPC
- Classic to OS X, set up for the next 20 years
- Time for the third transition
- It’s true (small intel style e)!
- PowerPC to Intel processors starts now for developers and for customers in 2006-2007.
- “Why are we doing this?”
- We want to be making the best computer for our customers looking forward.
- Brings up the G5 laptop and the 3.0 GHz Tower, but these aren’t the most important reasons.
- Looking ahead, while we have great products right now, we have ideas of future products and we can’t make them with PPC
- Power consumption is a big key to this motivation (gives an integer comparison chart).
- Next year, at this time, Macs shipping with Intel processors
- In 2007, at this time, transition will be mostly complete, totally done by the end of 2007.
- Two major challenges in this transition.
- First: Making OS X “sing” on Intel
- OS X has been leading a secret double life for the last 5 years.
- #1 rule: Designs for OS X must be processor independent
- #2 rule: Every project must run on Intel and PowerPC
- EVERY release of OS X for the last 5 years has been compiled for Intel and PowerPC, confirming rumors.
- Demo system he’s been using has been runing on this morning is Intel (Pentium 4, 3.6 GHz)
- It’s singing, it’s really indistinguishable from G5 chips.
- Very far along, but not done, going to put this in developer hands.
- Second: Your apps
- Four types of apps
- Widgets/scripts/Java – just work
- Cocoa apps: “Small tweak (few days) and recompile”
- Carbon / Xcode – “Tweak (few weeks) and recompile”
- Carbon / Metrowerks – “Switch to Xcode, tweak (few weeks), recompile.”
- Top 100 developers, over half are using Xcode, 25% are in the process of switching.
- This is “nothing” like Carbonization.
- Trots out Mathematica who he called last Wednesday to port over to Intel.
- Theo Grey out to talk about the process.
- Took two hours to get running on Intel.
- “Twenty lines of source code from a dead cold start”.
- “YMMV”
- Xcode 2.1 out today
- When you build, check a box for Intel or PowerPC.
- Universal Binary, runs on both PPC and Intel.
- Both processors supported for a “very long time”.
- Not every app is going to be universal on Day 1.
- Technology called Rosetta.
- Translates PowerPC to Intel
- Runs existing apps
- Dynamic binary translator
- Transparent to users, nothing like Classic
- Lightweight, no big memory footprint
- “Fast (enough)”
- Demo: Word opens fine. Excel opens fine. Quicken runs fine. Photoshop works fine, although it’s a little slow on load – fine on file open after it’s loaded. Photoshop plugins work fine.
- Developer Transition Kit
- 3.6 GHz Pentium 4
- OS X for Intel 10.4.1
- Xcode 2.1
- Universal Binary Porting Guide
- Development platform only, NOT A PRODUCT
- Have to return by end of 2006
- Select and Premier ADC members only
- \*\*\*$999\*\*\*
- Shipping in two weeks
- From Microsoft: Roz Ho, General Manager of MBU
- Not a great speaker.
- Final touches on updates for Exchange users
- Releasing a new version of MSN Messanger in the next few months
- Team has been working closely with Apple on the Intel thing
- Planning on releasing universal binaries
- No actual solid announcement, just “looking forward to working together into the future”.
- From Adobe: Bruce Chizen, CEO
- “Absolutely committed to putting apps running natively on new Intel boxes.”
- “We will be the first with this transition, as we were for OS X.”
- “Found something pretty amazing: They’re kind of like us.”
- Paul Otellini, President and CEO of Intel
- “We are so excited at Intel to have been given the opportunity to work with Apple to bring you really great products.”
- The story:
- Intel founded in 1968 in Mountain View.
- 1976, Apple founded 5 miles away.
- Bob and Andy Grove were early investors in Apple.
- 1976, Apple went with MOS, IBM went with Intel.
- 1993, Apple goes with PPC, Intel launches Pentium.
- 1996, Apple sets fire to Intel’s bunny man.
- Shows commerical just for kicks, much cheering.
- 2005, “The most innovative computer company and the world’s most innovative chip company finally team up.” Big applause.
### Where does this leave us?
- Apple is strong.
- Mac is strong.
- Great time to start building for the future.
- We know transitions.
- We’re getting ready.
- Time for you to get ready, too.
- 90+ of the sessions include content about Universal versions.
- 100+ dev transition systems in 7 labs this week.
- “Soul of the Mac is it’s operating system, and we’re not standing still.”
### Two Five
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/two-five/
Last updated: 2026-02-25T17:18:18.000Z
In the wide range of anecdotal weapons that Katie has against me, one of her favorites to trot out around her birthday is the fact that on her 23rd birthday, I ended up singing Older by They Might Be Giants instead of a traditional birthday song.
Now, this is largely because I’d rather sing TMBG instead of any Time-Warner owned birthday song, but also to alleviate her fears that she had hit some new landmark day in her life. The point of the song, at least as I’ve always taken it, is that every second of every day, you’re a little bit older – time is marching along and there’s nothing you can do to stem the flow of time. I don’t think it’s a malicious song, it’s just a statement of fact more than anything else.
So yes, I’m older than I’ve ever been, and now I’m even older. And sure, now I can rent a car in all 50 states without a problem, but that’s not something I was particularly looking to do. It’s really just another day in my life (especially given the circumstances of where I am and what I’m doing today), so I’m not going to spend time getting bent out of shape over things.
I do have a little time to reflect on the last year, so I’d like to just say thanks to everyone who’s become a part of my life in the last year – Jen, Jay, Tien, Youngna, Jake, Laren, Adam K, Suw, Amber, and all the new friends I’ve made at work over the last year. I also need to give much love to the people who have been there who continue to be there to help keep me steady – Jenn V, Gil, Peter, Thom, Neil, Paul, and practically everyone I talk to on a regular basis. I love you all.
And of course, no giving of props would be complete without a huge cross-country hug to the love of my life, Katie, who loves me like no one else ever could. I love you, baby.
And now, for the benefit of you waiting for keynote coverage, I’ll cut the shmaltz and head over to Moscone. See you all in a few hours.
### Gorillaz Q&A
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/gorillaz-q-a/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T03:24:43.000Z
Today, I burned my last two personal hours for the academic year on joining the crowd of fans at the Union Square Virgin Megastore to see the [Gorillaz](http://www.gorillaz.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) – or at least Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewitt, and DJ Danger Mouse – give a very quick (and slightly bizarre) interview. I then promptly had my special edition of the album signed, grabbed my 7″ picture disk bonus for buying the album from Virgin, and bounced back onto the subway.
I must give tons of credit to the Virgin Megastore for completely botching nearly everything, from the horrible crowd setup to the lack of a line for the signing to such minutiae as “not being able to hear most of the answers”. That said, it was still reasonably fun.
Below are the questions as I jotted them down as fast as I could; Damon answered most of the questions, but passed the mic when necessary. I apologize for factual or typographical errors; these should not be taken as exact quotes for your safety.
### Regular Interview
*What’s the best part of being a 2D outfit?*
Everything is fake anyhow, so they can be \*really\* fake.
*What made you take this album in a darker direction?*
They made the last one in 2000, and made this one in 2005.
*How did you get in an iPod ad?*
Damon can’t really speak to the business side of it, but he feels the iPod promotes something (didn’t catch exactly what he said) that shares the spirit of the band.
*Any word on a new tour?*
They’d like to do one, but there are no plans yet. They’re very expensive tours, and they don’t want to do the exact same thing as last time to show the band, so they’re still thinking about how to go about it this time.
*What were you listening to while you worked on Demon Days?*
Danger Mouse listened to spaghetti westerns, old psychedelic albums and the like; Damon wasn’t listening to anything, as he finds it difficult to listen to someone else and create his own work at the same time.
*How is* [*Search For A Star*](http://www.gorillaz.com/s4as.php?ref=vjarmy.com) *going?*
It’s going well; they are moving into closing stages, and have found some very strange talent. The winner will come and work with them as a new Gorillaz collaborator.
*Are there any other bands you’d like to see get a cartoon makeover?*
“All of them.”
*Is there another Gorillaz project in the pipeline?*
Yes, something very different, which involves kung fu.
*What’s the first record each of you bought with your own money?*
Damon says Combat Rock, Jamie admits to the theme from Ghostbusters (to many cheers), and Danger Mouse claims some Iron Maiden record, although he can’t recall which one.
*What’s the first concert you went to?*
Danger Mouse says he didn’t go to concerts as a kid, so the first real concert would be The Roots. Jamie can’t remember, and Damon cops to Nick Kershel.
### Fan Questions
(The first question is posed by an obnoxious super fan who makes everyone in the crowd groan.)
*This is a three part question for 2D – did Noodle teach the rest of the band any Japanese curse words? What is it about Clint Eastwood that makes 2D’s day? And is 2D a geek in zombie clothing?*
No, he has interesting politics, and yes.
*Where did the fashion sense and design for the band come from?*
Jamie’s local supermarket, and Tokyo.
*Are we the last living souls?*
“Let’s hope not.”
*What happened to Rocket?*
Rocket was only supposed to be a little cheap free thing on the website, never meant to be a real song.
*The tour last time had different rappers than the album did; will the live tracks be released?*
The band has so many collaborators, it’s difficult to release everything, so probably not.
*Which band member is responsible for the Left Hand* [*Suzuki Method*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki%5Fmethod?ref=vjarmy.com)*?*
Damon is left handed, which sort of balances out the awesomeness of the Suzuki method.
*Will there be another version of Demon Days, as Laika Come Home was for the first album?*
Yes, it will be a pure R&B album, they hope to have Beyonce singing Last Living Souls. (Big laugh.)
*What were your outside inspirations while making the album?*
“Films. People. Mushrooms.”
*Have you ever done drugs?*
“No. What a stupid question.”
*Who’s idea was it to do a song in 5/4?*
Damon, as he felt is was a much maligned time signature.
*To Danger Mouse: After The Grey Album, how does it feel to be working on a project like this?*
“Well, as long as it sells 10 million copies, I’m in the clear.”
*What about a new Blur album?*
“Eventually.”
*Who are Jamie’s comic inspirations?*
“Chuck Jones, mostly.”
*What was the motivation for the last two songs on Demon Days?*
“We felt that after going into hell near the end, the album needed some sort of a happy ending.”
### The 2005 Valentine’s Anecdote
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-2005-valentines-anecdote/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T03:36:32.000Z
First, a little backstory, not really important but funny regardless:
Back in December, Katie’s birthday fell on a Saturday for once. Traditionally, I’ve ordered flowers for **the day** of her birthday, which normally falls within the context of the work week. But this year, it didn’t, and I got a joking call from Katie at about 10 AM: “What, no flowers?”
This made me feel tremendously bad, despite planning to pick them up on her birthday proper. A few calls later, we had hashed out some sort of weird understanding, where if I WERE to get flowers, there was a particular place near my office she wanted them from. A freak building evacuation provided a good opportunity to get over there, at which point I put in an order for a dozen roses and some orchids. When the guy taking my order said “it’ll be this big” and waved his hand above his head, I didn’t really pay much attention to this fact. But lo and behold, the arrangement was ridiculously huge, to the point where Katie almost hurt her back bringing it back to her desk. Additionally, I’ve been told it was so aromatic that a number of her coworkers wanted to inflict pain on me once their allergies stopped.
So, as for Valentine’s Day:
Knowing this florist has their shit together, I expected full well to be able to go into the store and pick up something, if not be able to get delivery. Happily, when I came in the door at 9 AM and asked if they could take one more delivery, the response was very much in the affirmative. We went to work putting together a nice arrangement (pink roses, purple fill), and everything was going fine…until one of the staff looked at my card and went “Wall Street? Uhhh…I think you might’ve missed the delivery van for that one.”
Everything came to a standstill, in a weird sort of time-freeze moment. I took a second to ponder how, at 9 AM, I’ve missed the delivery window for the entire downtown area, but I let that thought pass. I raised my brow and said, “If there’s no way you guys can deliver it, could I come back at lunch and pick it up so I can run it down there myself?”
Time resumed, they said sure, I paid the charge, and went off to the office. I made a point of not calling Katie, knowing that she was expecting flowers but not with any idea as to when. I knew I could take all of my lunch hour to get down to Wall Street and back, since I wasn’t eating today – had to save room for what would be a ridiculously large dinner.
At lunch, I took a package that had arrived with Katie’s V-day gift (the Katie fan club will be amused to hear it was another handbag she had picked out), and trekked out of the building into a very cold rain, without an umbrella. I made my way to the florist and picked up my order. Annoyingly, it was still in a vase from the original assumption it was going to be a delivery – this made it very unwieldy to carry both the package and the vase, but I trekked on west trying desperately to find a cab. I lucked out after a block and a half and we shot down towards Wall Street.
When I made it into Katie’s building, the guard on duty was more than willing to call up and say she had “a delivery in the lobby”. So this is what transpires:
I see the elevator open, and Katie looks very happy and is walking towards where I’m standing. I recall she looked at me at least a few times.
I say, “Hi!”
She responds, “Hi.”
I think, “That’s really weird, was she expecting me?”
When she gets about three feet away, she dead stops, eyes still focused on the flowers and the package.
She blinks.
She turns and looks at me for half a second.
She puts her head down on the reception desk and starts laughing – she had completely missed the fact that her husband was standing there with the flowers.
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone.
### You Must Choose Between Pain Or Drudgery
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/you-must-choose-between-pain-or-drudgery/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T03:39:16.000Z
It’s been over six years since I last read [my favorite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation%5FX:%5FTales%5Ffor%5Fan%5FAccelerated%5FCulture?ref=vjarmy.com) passage to anyone. This will be familiar to only a handful of people I still talk to – for the rest of you, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
---
> “I’ve got an end of the world story,” says Dag, finishing off the remainder of the iced tea, ice cubes long melted. He then takes off his shirt, revealing his somewhat ribby chest, lights another filter-tipped cigarette, and clears his throat in a nervous gesture.
>
> The end of the world is a recurring motif in Dag’s bedtime stories, eschatological You-Are-There accounts of what it’s like to be Bombed, lovingly detailed, and told in deadpan voice. And so, with little more ado, he begins:
>
> “Imagine you’re standing in line at a supermarket, say, the Vons supermarket at the corner of Sunset and Tahquitz — but theoretically it can be any supermarket anywhere — and you’re in just a vile mood because driving over you got into an argument with your best friend. The argument started over a road sign saying Deer Next 2 Miles and you said, ‘Oh, *rea*lly, they expect us to believe there are any deer left?’ which made your best friend, who was sitting in the passenger seat looking through the box of cassette tapes, curl up their toes inside their running shoes. And you sense you’ve said something that’s struck a nerve and it was fun, so you pushed things further: ‘For that matter,’ you said, ‘you don’t see nearly as many *birds* these days as you used to, do you? *And*, you know what I heard the other day? That down in the Caribbean, there aren’t any shells left anywhere because the tourists took them all. *And*, haven’t you ever wondered when flying back from Europe, five miles over Greenland, that there’s just something, I don’t know — *inverted* — about shopping for cameras and scotch and cigarettes up in outer space?’
>
> “Your friend then exploded, called you a real dink, and said, ‘Why the hell are you so negative all the time? Do you have to see something depressing in *ev*erything?’
>
> “You said back, ‘Negative? *Moi?* I think rea*lis*tic might be a better word. You mean to tell me we can drive all the way here from L.A. and see maybe ten thousand square miles of shopping malls, and you don’t have maybe just the *weentsiest* inkling that something, somewhere, has gone *very very* cuckoo?’
>
> “The whole argument goes nowhere, of course. That sort of argument always does, and possibly you are accused of being unfashionably negative. The net result is you standing alone in Vons checkout line number three with marshmallows and briquettes for the evening barbecue, a stomach that’s quilted and acidic with pissed-offedness, and your best friend sitting out in the car, pointedly avoiding you and sulkily listening to big band music on the A.M. radio station that broadcasts ice rink music down valley from Cathedral City.
>
> “But a part of you is also fascinated with the cart contents of the by-any-standards-obese man in line up ahead of you.
>
> “My gosh, he’s got one of everything in there! Plastic magnums of diet colas, butterscotch-flavored microwave cake mixes complete with their own baking tins (ten minutes of convenience; ten million years in the Riverside County Municipal Sanitary Landfill), and gallons and gallons of bottled spaghetti sauce…why his whole family must be awfully constipated with a diet like that, and hey — isn’t that a *goiter* on his neck? ‘Gosh, the price of mlk is *so* cheap, these days,’ you say to yourself, noting a price tag on one of his bottles. You smell the sweet cherry odor of the gum rack and unread magazines, cheap and alluring.
>
> “But suddenly there’s a power surge.
>
> “The lights brighten, return to normal, dim, then die. Next to go is the Muzak, followed by a rising buzz of conversation similar to that in a movie theatre when a film snaps. Alredy people are heading to aisle seven to grab the candles.
>
> “By the exit, an elderly shopper is peevishly trying to bash her cart through electric doors that won’t open. A staff member is trying to explain that the power is out. Through the other exit, propped open by a shopping cart, you see your best friend enter the store. ‘The radio died,’ your friend announces, ‘and look–‘ out the front windows you see score of vapor trails exiting the direction of the Twentynine Palms Marine base up the valley, ‘–something big’s going on.’
>
> “That’s when the sirens begin, the worst sound in the world, and the sound you’ve dreaded all your life. It’s *here*: the soundtrack to hell — wailing, flaring, warbling, and unreal — collapsing and confusing both time and space the way an ex-smoker collapses time and space at night when they dream in horror that they find themselves smoking. But here the ex-smoker wakes up to find a lit cigarette in his hand and the horror is complete.
>
> “The manager is heard through a bullhorn, asking shoppers to calmly vacate, but no one’s paying much attention. Carts are left in the aisles and the bodies flee, carrying and dropping looted roast beefs and bottles of Evian on the sidewalk outside. The parking lot is now about as civilized as a theme park’s bumper cars.
>
> “But the fat man remains, as does the cashier, who is wispily blond, with a bony hillbilly nose and translucent white skin. They, your best friend, and you remain frozen, speechless, and your minds become the backlid NORAD world map of mythology — how clichè! And on it are the traced paths of fireballs, stealthily, inexorably passing over Baffin Island, the Aleutians, Labrador, the Azores, Lake Superior, the Queen Charlotte Islands, Puget Sound, Maine … it’s only a matter of *mo*ments now, isn’t it?
>
> “I always promised myself,’ says the fat man, in a voice so normal as to cause the three of you to be jolted out of your thoughs, ‘that when this moment came, I would behave with some dignity in whatever time remains and so, Miss–‘ he says, turning to the clerk in particular, ‘let me please pay for my purchases.’ The clerk, in the absence of other choices, accepts his money.
>
> “Then comes The Flash.
>
> “‘Get down,’ you shout, but they continue their transaction, deer transfixed by headlights. ‘There’s no time!’ But your warning remains unheeded.
>
> “And so, *just* before the front windows become a crinkled, liquefied imploding sheet — the surface of a swimming pool during a high dive, as seen from below —
>
> “And *just* before you’re pelleted by a hail of gum and magazines —
>
> “And *just* before the fat man is lifted off his feet, hung in suspended animation and bursts into flames while the liquefied ceiling lifts and drips upward —
>
> “*Just* before all of this, your best friend cranes his neck, lurches over to where you lie, and kisses you on the mouth, after which he says to you, ‘There. I’ve always wanted to do that.’
>
> “And that’s that. In the silent rush of hot wind, like the opening of a trillion oven doors that you’ve been imagining since you were six, it’s all over: kind of scary, kind of sexy, and tainted by regret. A lot like life, wouldn’t you say?”
### Happy 1 Year Birthday, VJ Army
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/happy-1-year-birthday-vj-army/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T03:41:30.000Z
A year ago today, I completed my most ambitious coding goal of my life – VJ Army. I had turned what was originally a single user score tracking script into a multi-user, competitive score site. It was (and still is) rather rough around the edges, but it certainly worked.
Since then, I have been pleasantly surprised again and again by what the site has become. I find myself fortunate on two fronts:
I’m shocked at how easily I’ve made my code adaptable and open to change. Yes, it’s rather messy to look at, but I really lucked out with much of the initial database design, the flexibility of the code, and a few of the algorithms I ended up writing make me look back and wonder what I had done that day to come up with such inspired coding. (There have also admittedly been portions of code where I wondered what I was smoking.) The code was adaptable enough that I could adapt it into another score site – for Pop’n Music – with minimal work.
But more shocking is how the site has restored my hope.
Understand the following: I’ve been in the Bemani community since the end of 2001\. In the just over two years between when I started playing DDR and when I launched VJ Army, I had grown incredibly jaded and hateful of anyone who played music games. The drama, the flaming, the reputations that some sites had versus others…it was hellish, beyond anything I had dealt with in a gaming community before.
I had picked up beatmania IIDX in early 2003 because I wanted to get away from the DDR players. IIDX at home can be a hugely isolating game, and at the time, it was just what I needed. The community at the time was – no offense to those involved, and I certainly joined this at times – a bunch of elitist assholes.
When I got requests from friends (John Stiles and Ryan Madeksho are the two most responsible for the requests) to make a multi-user site, I coded it with some trepidation. My fears that the site would turn into a massive penis-waving competition made me wonder over and over if I was doing the right thing.
I’m so very happy I was wrong. We’re currently 1,063 users strong – not all active, but far beyond what I expected to see. Over 25% of these are on the forums, which are amazingly trouble free and surprisingly useful.
And while all this was going on, something amazing happened in Japan. There had been a nearly two year hiatus of IIDX home releases – 9th Style had been released, and we were still playing 6th at home. But as the community started to rally, Konami started to listen. In the span of one year, we will have had **three** home releases, spanning from 7th Style to 9th Style. Konami has once again gotten serious about IIDX at home, and while I know it’s really not the case, I’d like to think we all had something to do with it.
Before I get to individual people I’d like to thank, I want to thank the user base as a whole:
If you’ve ever posted a score, **thank you**. You’ve helped to make the site what it is.
If you’ve ever posted a bug report, **thank you**. Without you, I’d never catch the holes in my code and never be able to catch them all myself.
If you’ve ever posted a feature request – even if I rejected it – **thank you**. The passion you all have to make the site grow is unbelievable.
If you’ve ever PMed me, or emailed me, or even IMed me just to thank me for the site, **thank you**. I really do appreciate it, and it keeps me going.
If you’ve ever bought something from the VJ Army store, **thank you**. You’ve helped to keep my gaming addiction in check, and my wallet (and my wife) thank you just as much as I do.
If you’ve ever referred a friend, or said kind things in public about VJA, **thank you**. This site couldn’t thrive without word of mouth.
Okay, now onto specific people:
To **John “mafiaboss” Stiles** – thank you for kicking my ass about the features. You’re always spot on with your requests, you’ve more than helped out with the coding (percentile sort, live grade adjustment), and it’s always a pleasure to watch your progress, even if it means you’ve passed my skill level in far less time. Cheers, my friend.
To **Ryan “ryan2dx” Madeksho** – you are truly a fantastic IIDX player, and without your help collecting note counts and difficulties, I couldn’t have the site as ready for each home release. Thank you for driving me to get the site built in the first place. …./
To **Aaron “rmz” Ramsey** – you are incredibly helpful between bug reports, helping out on the forums, and keeping people in check so I don’t have to repeat myself quite so much. I’m very happy to have you around.
To **Malcolm “Reo” Cuffie** – if I couldn’t bounce ideas off of you, I don’t know what I’d do. Thanks for listening.
To **Random and Ransai** – I know this isn’t related to VJA, but thanks for trusting me and believing in my coding. I promise, there’s still more to come.
To **my wife, Katie** – thank you for putting up with my shit. For those of you who don’t know, I frequently end up coding and managing the database at strange hours, and she tolerates it with the patience of a saint. Without her understanding and support, I sure as hell wouldn’t have the opportunity to work on the site as much as I have.
To **Paul Kehrer** – your donations of time, server space, bandwidth, and understanding are immeasurable. Thank you so goddamn much. gg sir.
Before I get onto the meat of the goodies today, here’s some fun with numbers.
Over the first year, VJ Army has received:
- An average of 2.9 new users a day.
- One *new* score entry – not including updates, just flat out new entries – every three minutes.
- One *new* course score entry every two hours.
- An average of 545 scores entered per song, across all difficulties.
- An average of 36 scores per expert course, across all difficulties.
- Top 5 Songs AAA’d on L7:
1. 5.1.1 (319)
2. Nothing Ain’t Stoppin’ Us(247)
3. Burning Up For You (226)
4. Comment Te Dire Adieu (178)
5. Spica (162)
- Top 5 Songs AAA’d on 7:
1. 5.1.1 (312)
2. Nothing Ain’t Stoppin’ Us (273)
3. Burning Up For You (190)
4. Comment Te Dire Adieu (182)
5. Love Will… (161)
- Top 5 Songs AAA’d on A:
1. Don’t Stop! (103)
2. i feel… (92)
3. Burning Up For You (97)
4. Comment Te Dire Adieu(97)
5. World Wide Love (87)
Here’s to having another great year of IIDX.
### The Snowdown
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-snowdown/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T03:43:20.000Z
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/3718505/?ref=vjarmy.com)
Today was the day we braved the cold and the mounds of snow in an attempt to find our way to Central Park for [Youngna’s](http://www.youngna.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) snowball fight.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/3718428/?ref=vjarmy.com)
We inadvertently arrived fifteen minutes early, and this turned out to be a fairly bad move as the wind whips ridiculously fast across the Great Lawn at times. Luckily, [Jake](http://www.bluejake.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) made his presence known, and we all started plotting Youngna’s demise as the clock ticked past noon.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/3718447/?ref=vjarmy.com)
She arrived at 12:15, and Jake promptly dumped her headfirst into the snow. The fight was slow and rather powdery – the snow hadn’t melted any, which lends to good packing snow, so I ended up flinging showers of snow at people. The slow pace often lending to standoffs and snow wrestling.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/3718414/?ref=vjarmy.com)
We weren’t the only ones in the park having fun today – plenty of kids and their parents were out, sledding down Cedar Hill (despite the obviously wrong sign). There was a virtual parade of dogs – some romping, some walking normally, and some insisting on being carried by their owners. Almost all of them were in jackets, shirts, and boots. Très cute.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/3718375/?ref=vjarmy.com)
I’m grateful to not only have had a snowball fight on the Great Lawn with a number of photobloggers, but to have seen yet again how beautiful Central Park can be, even in the worst of conditions.
Photos from the rest of the snowballers: [Jesse](http://pith.org/photo/view/20050123-snow?ref=vjarmy.com), [Karen](http://pith.org/photo/view/20050123-snowbykaren?ref=vjarmy.com), Youngna [on Flickr](http://flickr.com/photos/youngna/sets/93656/?ref=vjarmy.com) and [on her site](http://www.youngna.com/?image=050123%5Findex%5F12&ref=vjarmy.com), [Jake](http://www.bluejake.com/archives/2005/01/24/people%5Fi%5Fdestroyed%5Fat%5Fthe%5Fsnowball%5Ffight.php?ref=vjarmy.com), [Rion](http://rion.nu/v5/archive/000790.php?ref=vjarmy.com), [Keith](http://www.flickr.com/photos/overshadowed/sets/93786/?ref=vjarmy.com), [Tien](http://www.tienmao.com/archives/001535.html?ref=vjarmy.com), and at long last [Janelle](http://www.flickr.com/photos/janelle/sets/96245/?ref=vjarmy.com). I swear, this is the most photographed snowball fight in history.
### Anchorman Premiere
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/anchorman-premiere/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T03:01:27.000Z
I gained an unfortunate curse in college. During my time working with the Cornell Concert Commission, I had the “professionalism” thing drilled into my head so much – and had to work in role model positions enough where I had to practice it – that I find it hard to get excited over celebrities when I see them in person. They are, honestly, just people like you and me.
What this leads to is a slightly surreal situation when I see one – “Oh, there’s \_\_\_\_\_\_. Yup.” What I don’t normally have to deal with is seeing more than one at a time, but when this does happen, it leads to an exponential growth of the surreal feeling I get.
No time has that ever been more true than tonight – for the Anchorman seminar [I talked about a few weeks back](https://www.vjarmy.com/i-heart-the-mtr/) (note how the card says “Special screening”) was not in fact a seminar. It was the NYC Premiere.
I can only write about what happened as though I’m retelling it in one big gasp of breath. The story is too disjointed for regular sentences.
So.
At around 6:30 James Lipton got out of a big humvee and then Al Sharpton came out from down the street with two girls on his arm (turned out to be his daughters!) and then George Whipple went by and we freaked him out by saying hi (the eyebrows went up!) and then we talked to other people in the crowd none of whom had tickets and then finally we were let in around 7.
And at the reception Al Sharpton was in the corner and James Lipton looked lonely and Amy Poehler looked really bitter (she was a little hard to recognize) and then the crowd just gradually grew and we saw some journalists we didn’t recognize and the finger food was decent and there was a giant table where they were pouring scotch and more people I didn’t recognize came in and then Kenan came in and Katie said he was in Burgertime (instead of Good Burger) which made me giggle and then she started going for autographs and got Kenan’s and Zoe Saldana and then managed to get Tina Fey’s and I heard Tina say “Aww that’s so SWEET!” to her at least four times and then we saw Will Farrell progressing slowly down the interview line and Katie managed to step on James Lipton’s foot and said “I’m sorry Mr. Lipton!” and he apparently REALLY does talk like he does on tv, and then Paul Rudd came in and okay this crowd was too much so we went to get seated.
After considering the placement of the reserved seats and our leg room where we were sitting we moved up behind two reserved seats which happened to belong to Bill Kurtis who was the one that was going to be interviewing Will Farrell in character and then we saw the other reserved seats start to fill in and Jimmy Fallon was less dressed up than I was (shock, awe) and Gwenyth Paltrow was sitting in Christina Applegate’s section, right next to her in fact, and there were more SNL cast members like Molly Shannon and then okay time for the movie to start but wait there’s Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins and their kids wtf are they doing here?
Bill Kurtis gave the opening speech and took a shot at Michael Moore which caused an exchanged glance between Sarandon and Robbins, but afterwards Kurtis gave Robbins a reassuring pat on the shoulder, very strange and the movie started. During the movie Bill and Tim were laughing by far the loudest out of anyone in there and at one point Christina Applegate got up to go out of the room but when she came back she sat on the stairs about five feet from me for the rest of the showing which was rather amusing but then again I was directly behind Bill Kurtis so what the hell and I’ve never been at a movie with so much applauding and cheering and laughing, are all premieres like this?
\[\*deep breath, calming down\*\]
Okay, here’s the serious movie review: Go see it. It was quite funny. The plot isn’t deep, and it’s a pretty typical “wacky lead character” comedy, but there’s so much oddball stuff, so many fantastic cameos – at least three Mr. Show alums, as well as the best comedy fight scene in the history of film with essentially FOUR cameos, including someone I’ve mentioned in this writeup already – and Steve Carrell steals every scene. See it with the kind of friends you see screwball comedies with, and you’ll have a good time. And stay all the way through the credits.
As for Will Farrell’s in character interview – apparently Ron Burgundy had some homosexual relationships. By “some”, I mean “eleven” – straight from the horse’s mouth. The Q&A was not quite as funny as the movie was, but it was fun watching Will Farrell improv.
And then, it was over, and we headed out (it was late and I was sort of dead tired of people watching), and I think at least one paparazzi accidently took our picture.
So. Yeah. Kind of a crazy night.
SEE ALSO: [Getty Images - NY: Special Screening Of "Anchorman" - Arrivals](https://www.gettyimages.com/editorial-images/entertainment/event/special-screening-of-anchorman-arrivals/51029328?ref=vjarmy.com)
### First Day Warm And Fuzzies
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/first-day-warm-and-fuzzies/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T02:49:00.000Z
A lot of people have been asking how my first day at the new job went. I hereby give you a list, to deflect all IM comments!
- It was, on the whole, good.
- I filled out the HR paperwork in record time.
- I have the absolute worst ID badge picture ever. I have red eye that is more noticeable in one eye than the other, and the look on my face says “I would like to kill you for looking at my badge”. I guess I look like a killer robot. This may not be such a bad thing, in hindsight.
- My cubicle is currently comedic, as I have a giant Dell tower (for the streaming software evaluation I’m doing), an IBM all-in-one just for kicks, a TiBook of some sort (belongs to one of my co-workers), and a dual 2 GHz G5 tower. And this is not the largest cubicle in the world.
- The software I’m evaluating is quite nice, although there’s some kinks we’re still working out.
That’s all I’ve got for now.
### I Heart The MTR
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/i-heart-the-mtr/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T02:57:40.000Z
> **Please Note:** It has come to our attention that Ron Burgundy does not exist, but is in fact a character portrayed by one **Will Ferrell**, late of *Saturday Night Live* and the feature films *Elf* and *Old School*. **Bill Kurtis** does exist, however; the documentary producer, host, and news anchor will interview Mr. Ferrell, who will appear in character as Ron Burgundy.
>
> All of this confusion will be resolved by the new film *Anchorman*, a comedy directed by Adam McKay and costarring Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, and Fred Willard, which will be screened in its entirety at this event. *Anchorman*, produced by Judd Apatow (*Freaks and Geeks*) and Shauna Robertson, executive produced by David O. Russell, and coproduced by David Householter, will be released nationwide on July 9.
>
> We apologize for any inconvenience or emotional distress caused by the above.
Tickets for members were $20 – and given that includes seeing the movie before release, plus watching Ron Burgundy LIVE, I think that’s a fantastic deal.
### Blinded By The Lights
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/blinded-by-the-lights/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:10:15.000Z
Over a week ago, I declared that my 24th birthday was going to be “most unremarkable”. Life, thankfully, has a way of making me eat my words.
Last year, while I was working remotely from Ithaca, I was making occasional trips into New York City to help out at the Freeverse office, usually during a time when the office was going to be short-handed. Somehow, in the middle of one of these trips – one in late June – I was pulled into a sudden interview at Cornell's medical school. I wasn’t prepared, I wasn’t aware of what I was interviewing for, I was just there and trying my best.
Over the following year, a bizarre series of events continued to unfold at a slow rate – slow enough to simultaneously make me both anxious for resolution and to forget about the process entirely at times.
But, as you may have figured out by me now posting about this, the process has in fact come to an end.
I have been offered – and accepted – a position with the Office Of Academic Computing at Weill Cornell Medical College. The position will have me playing a number of roles relating to the distance learning program for the school in Qatar.
To a number of people who are so used to me being a part of the Freeverse equation, I’m sure this comes as a bit of a shock. At the very least, it’s been a difficult concept to wrap my own head around, despite having done the mental math and seen that this is undoubtedly a good thing. Having been with Freeverse since March of 2000, there’s a large lump in my throat as I have to disconnect what’s been a fairly constant part of my life for the last four years. From the position of “distance intern”, through a drought, then back for occasional work, then to CTO, then to CTO/Webmaster, and then to some weird amalgamation of so many roles I would often make up new job titles as needed, I think I’ve probably done everything possible at one point or another. When you’ve been that entrenched in something, it’s hard to move on.
This is beginning to sound like a break up letter, isn’t it? I don’t want it to be read that way. I’ll still show up on GameSmith, I’ll still keep my ear in the Mac gaming industry, and I’ll still be willing to give you all the same shrill advice I’ve become known for over the last four years.
There are roughly a thousand people who I’d like to thank, and I think most of you are going to get yours over IM as I can’t possible drag this blog entry any longer.
But to Ian and Colin – you two took a ridiculous chance on a kid you didn’t know, and gave me so much more leeway and room to grow than I ever could’ve hoped for. You put up with my devotion for minutiae and went out of your way to help me out, and for all of this I am eternally grateful.
**Clarifications:**
I will not be leaving NYC, and I’m not moving back to Ithaca. WCMC is on 69th & York Ave, in the Upper East Side. It’s actually closer to my current apartment than the Freeverse HQ is.
I will not be traveling to Qatar. Incidentally, it’s pronounced “Cutter”, not “kah-tar”. I still consistently get it wrong.
### Unable To Explain My Way Out Of This One
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/unable-to-explain-my-way-out-of-this-one/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T02:46:19.000Z
The entire birthday weekend has been a blur – a draining but unbelievably fun blur. Every muscle in my limbs aches horrible from music-game induced pain, or from the standing and walking from the benefit, or the shopping crawl today. My back is equally messed up, but I can firmly say that I’ve never enjoyed burning myself out so much.
Huge thanks to Don, Neil, Rachel, Jenno, Steve, Herbie, Manny, everyone who sent me a card or email or IM wishes or made an LJ post for me (way, way too many to list), everyone involved in the benefit show on Friday, my parents and my in-laws, and to the ironic corporate policies of Ruby Foo’s, who will screw you on prices but give you free champaign.
Biggest thanks of all to the long lost twin sisters Katie and Jenn, for keeping me from fulfilling the prophecy of a boring 24th birthday. I love the two of you dearly.
And that long post? Should be here in the next 48 hours.
### Tatsujin Cat
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/tatsujin-cat/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:46:31.000Z
So since I’m waiting on my copy of 7th Style like the rest of the USA, I decided to play some older Beatmania IIDX today.
Buttons has this tendency to like to interfere in the middle of the game. Most of the time he just gets on top of the TV:
Then he’ll get in front of the left side lanes while I’m playing. Here, he’s jumping down right afterwards.
And then he was like, HEY, I CAN DO BETTER ON REAL \[7\]. And I’m like PROVE IT CAT.
And he beat me by 3 ex points. Yeah, he looks humble…
…but he’s actually a smug bastard.
### Insert Pac-Man Music Here
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/insert-pac-man-music-here/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T02:42:36.000Z
Today, we went to PacManhattan. By “we”, I mean myself, Katie, Don, and Jenn.
We left the apartment around 11:40, and exited the N at 8th Street around 12:30, heading west towards Washington Square. We crossed Mercer and entered the game zone. Here is the map for reference for the rest of the post.
At this point we are at A6 and carefully watching for signs of ghosts and/or Pac Man, knowing that we needed to make our way to B3 to be at the ghost respawn point. We walk to A5, A4, and then B4, all looking over shoulders for the guy with the yellow wedges on his chest.
As we’re going from A4->B4, I see Blinky (red ghost, played by an Asian male) walking ahead of us, back to the respawn point. I try to point this out but no one seems to notice him until we make it to B4, at which point we see Clyde (white ghost in this case, Asian female) coming towards us and talking vividly on her cell phone to her general. She walks by us and we keep heading towards B3.
At B3, we find Blinky resting with at least 3 people filming him. This seems oddly funny, and we stay out of the way. We stand under the giant arc in Washington Square and watch Pinky (pink ghost, Caucasian female) go A3->B3->B4 on the other side of the street. She looks lost. A guy who is in the same portion of the square there to register people to vote asks what the hell is going on, and Katie explains.
We decide to go to the middle of the park, both in hopes of catching glimpses of commotion from afar, as well as watching an at-the-time more interesting magic act. Gerrit calls me, and reveals he is still at the park (we had made plans to meet but they were iffy), and we calibrate and find each other. He is in grunge clothing due to a casting call – no leather pants. We catch up and he reveals he hadn’t seen anything at all yet. We resolve to wander back over to the arc and follow the next ghost we see.
Sadly, the next ghost we see is again Pinky, still looking lost. We let her get a half block lead and then begin to follow her, but she keeps looking back over her shoulder wondering if people are following her. When she gets to B4, she stops at the corner, crosses the intersection to the southeast corner, and just stops dead – the poor girl seems really lost. We stand on the southwest corner, unsure of what to do.
Behold! From C3 coming our direction comes Inky (blue ghost, Caucasian male). He seems to be walking much more quickly than the other ghosts, which would tend to indicate that he’s on a mission. We let him cross B4 towards A4, and subconsciously we join into a walking group with two other guys following the action. By the time we get halfway between A4 and B4, Inky has turned the corner to the west.
And then, *it happens*. The moment in a social activity where it stops being just casual fun and suddenly turns deadly serious – and fun.
We hear a yell. Running east across A4 we see Pac Man. Followed by a seemingly professional camera crew. Then Inky. Then another camera crew.
Without any discussion, we all begin to run up the east side of University St. We are tearing ass around the corner, strafing to avoid pedestrians, flying through a group of important looking people standing outside a restaurant. Restraint is gone, and we are just tearing up the concrete.
Gerrit, Jenn, and Don get ahead of us so that as we see Pac Man hit A6 and start to head south, they’re halfway between A5 and A6, and we’re just at A5\. I decide to start calling tactics of my own, and yell for Katie to follow me south to B5\. We speed walk down there, and suddenly it’s quiet again.
We get to B5, and a glance east shows no movement. Did we lose them? I get out my SideKick, ready to call for positioning info, when I see Pac Man come around B6 and heading west towards me. He’s not running, and Inky is not on his tail. Perhaps a power pellet was used, I think. Katie snaps a picture of Pac Man with her phone as he’s crossing towards us.
Suddenly, my mind flashes – isn’t Pinky camped out at B4? I look, I don’t see her. Is she still there, around the corner? Has she moved on? Do I pass this hot tip to Pac Man? Will I unfairly balance the game? Will I be thrown in gamer’s jail for hot insider tips? I decide to keep my mouth shut and wait for Jenn/Don/Gerrit. Gerrit mentions a controversy with Inky, and I see him coming down the opposite sidewalk, camera crew in tow, looking pissed off but still giving an interview. (The point of contention was that Inky had a perfect stealth setup to nab Pac Man, but was blocked by the camera crew – the same camera crew that was interviewing him.)
Then from around the corner, I hear a yell. I hear cheering. We race up to the corner, and Pinky has tagged out Pac Man. All the ghosts meet up, and a small crowd forms. I get the impression that only half of us had any idea what was going on. The players give a little wrap-up interview, there’s applause, and mention that the next game will begin in 10 minutes.
Jenn fulfills her promise from the subway in, and corners Pac Man immediately after the crowd breaks up. She gets an autograph on a dollar bill (the guy signed it “Pac Man”) and a hug. We decide to head off for lunch, as the running and adrenaline high has made us hungry.
I don’t think my words can capture how fun this was. The anxiousness, the sudden break and sprint, the implications of all of this with game theory and how the game is being played – needless to say, this was the most silly fun I’ve had in Manhattan to date. I look forward to going back every Saturday I can, and hope to someday compete, although I am probably not in shape for it right now. I eagerly recommend that if you’re in Manhattan, or the surrounding boroughs, or can make it into Manhattan from the tri-state area, you do at least once. This is something that everyone who’s every loved video games should experience.
### The Museum Of Television & Radio
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/the-museum-of-television-radio/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T02:36:10.000Z
While my parents are up for their visit this weekend, we visited the Museum Of Television & Radio.
At first, it was all very strange – it’s not at all a typical museum. There are no “exhibits” – instead, a handful of closed off screening rooms show various programs throughout the day. We sat in and watched an old episode of The Simpsons.
The main focus is not the screening rooms, but instead the library. On a system of ancient Macs, you browse a selection of 110,000+ catalog listings for TV and Radio shows in the archives. You submit your list, wait for the woman at the desk to call you, are led to a viewing station, and watch your program.
This may sound boring in words – but the range and depth of programs archived is absurd. Glancing around the room while I was switching between a compilation of old political ads and a seminar on Penn & Teller held here, I saw other people watching a range of things. A mother and daughter watched Barney, while a couple watched September 11th footage and a teen watched the Mr. Hankey episode of South Park.
Looking at their seminar list and the types of program they do, I can say it’s certainly a good value to get a membership. For those in the city, it’s on W. 52nd St. They also have a branch in LA.
It’s odd, but it’s very worthwhile.
### Quicksilver – A Better OS X In Just 10 Minutes
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/quicksilver-a-better-os-x-in-just-10-minutes/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T02:32:01.000Z
💡
2006 Dan here: this 2004 tutorial for a specific piece of OS X productivity software is unlikely to be useful in the current day, but this was the first time something I had written had blown up.
This isn’t Ronco. I’m not an excitable friend from across the ocean with red hair and a bowtie and a British accent. You’re not watching Amazing Discoveries.
But I swear, if you give me 10 minutes and you follow my simple directions, you can go from merely using Mac OS X to ***owning it***.
This probably sounds like bullshit, I know. I wouldn’t have believed it myself had I not tried this app and felt my jaw drop over and over again for the last year. So standby to win.
**Before you start, you will need to have:**
- A Mac running Mac OS X 10.4 or better.
- Data, in any of the following forms – iTunes library, iPhoto albums, Address Book entries, bookmarks in any browser, whatever.
Got all that? Let’s begin.
*Please note this was originally written using Quicksilver Beta 19, and has been updated repeatedly. *The information contained within is currently up-to-date through b42 “Corgi”.* As development goes rapidly on Quicksilver, things may have changed since I last updated this.*
**Boldface indicates directions, and they must be followed.** Plain text is for explanation, which you should read. Italics are for tangents, and you can skip them if you really care about the 10 minutes thing. *Trix are for kids, silly rabbit.*
Note that the term “invoke” is a silly way of saying “press the hotkey so Quicksilver comes up”.
**1) Go to the Quicksilver webpage and download the current version.**
QuickSilver, very under-described on the page, currently contains just a few main components – a shelf and a launcher. While the clipboard recorder and shelf are both useful and will be covered, the real power here is the launcher. And it’s not so much a launcher as a really powerful personal search engine. *“It’s not so much a time machine, as it is a dodgeball cannon.”*
**Note that if you’re under 10.3, b36 is the last version available to you. Tiger users should grab whatever is most current.**
*QuickSilver is similar to LaunchBar, only with more features, and free, and has a plugin system.*
**2) The download should be done. If you need to, decompress the archive.**
If you’re using Safari, this is typically done automatically.
**3) Launch QuickSilver.**
Watch as the whizzy QS logo comes up, and fades, and you see the wizard.
**4) Walk through the setup wizard. Let it scan your machine. Finish the process when it’s done.**
What’s going on here? QuickSilver is scanning standard data hotspots on your machine – your Address Book, Applications folder, Desktop folder, System Preferences, and so on. It’s creating a giant searchable version of your machine. After your initial launch, this will happen automatically.
Now you’re left with the main QS window.
**5) Press Command-Comma to bring up the preferences.**
I’m going to go through these very quickly with what I’m using for maximum effect during this tutorial. When you’re done with this tutorial, come back and walk through these a little slower and figure out what works best for you.
**For Application, check “Start at login” and “Warn before quitting”. Make sure “Show menu icon” is checked so you know it’s running.**
If you’re the sort of person who lives dangerously, you can come back here later and change the program feature level to Beta. But let’s do that later.
**Skip down to Command, and take note of the hotkey. Change it if you feel the need to.**
*The default hotkey is Control-Space by, but many people use Command-Space. I personally use Single or Double Option, which only counts full isolated presses of the modifier of your choice. Use what you are comfortable with.*
**Go to Plugins. Change the selector on the left side of the pane to “Available”.**
As of Quicksilver b26, all the extra functionality was broken into plugins, and b40 added this in-app plugin installer. This means you don’t have to bloat up QS with functions you won’t use, but you do need to install plugins for data types you want to access.
**Install (by clicking the checkbox next to the plugin names), at the very least, the iTunes plugin (which will require an additional Music Support plugin), the Safari plugin (or whatever browser you use), the Dict plugin, and the Clipboard plugin.**
These are the plugins I’ll be covering in the tutorial. If you see one for another app you use frequently, install those too. Or come back later.
**Close the preferences window and relaunch Quicksilver.**
New plugins need a relaunch to go into effect. Now you’re done setting stuff, and we should be about 4 minutes in at most. Let’s start with the basics.
**6) Invoke the hotkey (default is Control-Space, remember) to pull up the QS Interface. Press escape to dismiss it.**
This should work in any app, at any time. Remember the two main key strokes – your hotkey and Escape. Now, let’s search for something.
**7) Invoke. Type a few letters of the title of a bookmark you visit a lot. Watch as you see an icon for it and its name appear. Hit return.**
Boom, your browser is there. Note: If you didn’t see it come up to the top, and something else came up, wait a second, and a menu of search results will come up. Tap down, page down, use your scroll wheel, or just type the proper name to find the one you want.
By now you probably get how to search. Now let’s mess around with the actions.
**8) Pick an application you’re running. Hit the hotkey and type the first few letters of its name until it is selected. Press Tab, then hit Down if you’re impatient. See the actions. Pick one.**
Look at all those things you can do to a running application. This is the basic functionality of QuickSilver – actions are available for everything that’s been scanned.
Now you should have a basic understanding of the two main functions of Quicksilver – the search, and the action. All plugins will either allow you to search a new data type (bookmarks for a particular browser, address books, etc) or add new actions (the compression plugin, for instance, lets you zip nearly anything).
If you’re satisfied, you can stop reading now and explore on your own. But I probably have at least four more minutes, and there’s some more nuances.
So, address book entries – what can we do with them? There’s a lot of similar data for some entries…
**9) Invoke again. Think of someone in your address book with a lot of data entered for them (address, phone, email, whatever). Get them selected. Now press the Right Arrow.**
So now we know that some items can have attached data. This is neat. Let’s exploit the hell out of it.
**10) Make sure iTunes is running. Invoke, and start to type “Browse” – an item called Browse Albums should come up. If you wait, more Browse options will appear. Press right. Figure out what you can do from here.**
Welcome to what is essentially a keyboard-driven interface not too far off from the iPod. Want more?
**11) Invoke, and hold forward slash (/) for about one second. You’ll see your HD. Watch the menu pop open. Play.**
It’s like Column View, but better. Hitting slash or right arrow will move you forward, left arrow or question mark will move you back. Hitting return opens the item selected, or apply any action you want. (If you don’t want to go to the root of your hard drive, you can hold tilde after you invoke Quicksilver to jump to your home directory.)
Quicksilver can also take text input for some actions, so you don’t need to merely use existing files or objects. Let’s try this with the dict plugin.
**12) Invoke, and press period to go to text entry mode. Type a word you’d like to define, hit tab, and then start typing “Define” until the Define action shows. Hit return.**
In just a second, a little floating window will show up with the definition, fresh and tasty from over the internet.
Okay, let’s explore the last few features before we run out of time.
**13) Invoke, then hit Command-L.**
This is the clipboard viewer. Anything you copy to the clipboard goes here. Clicking on a number – or typing it – pastes it into your currently selected window. Useful.
**14) Dismiss the shelf, invoke, and then press Command-Semicolon.**
This is the Catalog (found under Preferences). If you want to explicitly add something to the index, you can do so from here. If there are things in the index you don’t want to see, you can disable them here. This is also where you can poke around with Plugins you’ve installed to make sure they’re indexing what you want.
And that’s all for now. The possibilities for this are endless and should come to you easily. Now you can stop switching to the finder, hitting a three-key hotkey for the folder, and drilling down a level or two to launch an application – QuickSilver is so fast, you can probably get the app launched before you would be able to pull up a finder window.
There is certainly more to the app than this – there’s the ability to set default search results (right click something), change the scores for items with certain search terms, enable services to give you more actions for nearly everything, and so on. There’s plenty to figure out about Quicksilver that I can only begin to scratch the surface of – so [read the docs](http://docs.blacktree.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), [explore the forums](http://forums.blacktree.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), play around, and see what you can do.
*I am not associated with Blacktree in any way, shape, or form. I’m just an avid Quicksilver user. If you found this tutorial useful, please toss a link my way, or say hey in #quicksilver on Freenode IRC – I’m RemyDWD.*
### Porn Day Recap
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/porn-day-recap/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T02:20:10.000Z
So, regarding [Porn Day](https://www.vjarmy.com/porn-day/):
- I did not win.
- That honor was split between Steve and Ann.
- I think I placed 3rd with about four positive hits.
- It’s rather fascinating how many things Google is ineffective at filtering with SafeSearch on – like “creampies”.
- My boss now knows what the previously mentioned term refers to.
- I believe he emitted a loud “UGH” when he found out.
- There are a handful of sites on the internet that are really, really hard to block. You couldn’t tell from the meager HTML source it was porn.
- I’m happy to report that BumperCar is very effective at blocking kids from evil things at the default settings.
- I added ICRA ratings to the root of my blog today – I figure that now that there’s a browser on the Mac that supports them, it’s not a horrible idea. I got a strange satisfaction from checking the “Content may set a bad example for children” button.
That’s all I’ve got for now; we’re probably doing another quick check tomorrow before we hopefully GM.
### Email From Pat Kiernan
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/email-from-pat-kiernan/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T02:25:31.000Z
This morning, I received an email regarding my [NY1 post from Friday](https://www.vjarmy.com/i-love-ny1/):
> Date: Mon, 22 Mar 2004 05:43:28 -0500
> From: Pat Kiernan
> To: Dan Dickinson
> Subject: NY1
> We got a good chuckle out of your review of Friday’s newscast … mainly
> because the Gary reclining in the car report was a surprise to us (back
> at the station) the first time he did it.
> Pat
I’m curious how the post made its way to the NY1 office, but no matter. NY1 has once again made my day!
### Porn Day
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/porn-day/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T02:18:47.000Z
As you might know if you’re in the cross-section of my readers who know me primarily through my work, we’ve been working on a kid’s web browser called BumperCar. It has been an interesting change of pace from the usual games, and has led us into directions we’re not used to going.
We’re currently in late beta, nearly ready to go Final Candidate. But we haven’t internally really beaten on the protection lately, and we’ve certainly been curious as to how it would fair against a kid desperate to see boobs.
So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Ian declared that Monday will be *porn day* – where we all sit down with the browser and try and find as much porn as possible while under kid protection. Prizes may be awarded.
Sometimes I wonder how on earth my life can be so weird. This is one of those times.
NOTE: I know some people will take it upon themselves to send me some links. I must politely decline on two grounds. One, it defeats the purpose of me trying to find it. Two, I know the kind of stuff some of you look at and it creeps the hell out of me.
### I Love NY1
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/i-love-ny1/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T02:24:17.000Z
One of the perks of living in NYC is getting NY1, a Time-Warner run all-NYC-news, all-the-time channel. While it’s barely live (and they are careful to label their field reporters with “On Scene” instead of “Live”), it has some interesting qualities.
For instance: Pat Kiernan, who normally anchors in the weekday mornings, can be a little silly in a dry way, and isn’t afraid to poke fun at himself. Here is a man who, after hearing a long-winded explanation of why the new Time-Warner building was not a mall but a “vertical shopping experience”, shrugged his shoulders and plainly said “Well, it’s a very nice mall.” Here is a man who referred to himself (in reference to an article about a lawsuit he had filed) as “some lunatic”.
And as for why I’m bringing this up today – Gary Anthony Ramsay is a reporter for NY1 who has been notable over this winter because he’s always stuck outside (always in Queens) whenever there’s a segment about the weather. Yesterday, he looked absolutely miserable as the snow was piling up on his head, although he tries to stay chipper about it.
This morning, it’s still snowing, and since not much newsworthy happened in the city yesterday, it remained the top story. But as I watched Gary’s segment come on, I noticed something a little different…
They let Gary report from a car! Not only that, but look at him – he’s *reclined!*
And then they took time out for **banter!** This is at 5 minutes in to the half-hour news “program” (they operate similarly to Headline News). Normally such a slot is reserved for, you know, news.
Even the field reporter after him took a dig at him, saying that he was “really earning his money today, unlike Gary”.
I have grown weary – and who hasn't? – of droning news reporters, or the *EVERYTHING IS THRILLINGLY SERIOUS!* style of reporting. And shows where the primary device is “Hey, we’re all sitting around a living room, come join our family” reek of insincerity. NY1, on the other hand, stays just serious enough while not acting like the world is crumbling, and they stay smiling through all of it. It certainly comes across better than any other news show I’ve ever watched, and I’m saying this as someone who used to watch Today in the morning.
And let’s not forget the other perks – the triple entertainment reporter whammy of George Whipple (how can you not love those eyebrows?), Neil Rosen (who does surprisingly balanced movie reviews), and Dalton Ross (of Entertainment Weekly snarky-tv-summary fame). Weather reports every 10 minutes. Restaurant and Broadway reviews. Live event coverage of all the major things in NYC, including seemingly minor things like the Village Halloween Parade.
All in all, it’s a fantastic station – so if you’re ever visiting NYC and in your hotel in the morning, turn on NY1\. It’s a good time.
### VJ Army 1.0
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/vj-army-1-0/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T01:42:28.000Z
~~VJ Army~~, my new-ish IIDX score tracking and ranking site, is now live and open to the public after an amusing “beta” where 65 people found their way in.
And in case you get confused between the domain name, my blog, and the score site:
vjarmy.com is the domain.
VJ Army is the score site.
The Primary Vivid Weblog is the blog.
### A Very Typical New Years
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-very-typical-new-years/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T01:37:44.000Z
One of the things that has irked me a little over the three months we’ve lived in NYC is that we always manage to flake out for the major, overblown city events.
We saw the crowd at the Halloween parade and promptly turned around and went home. We slept through the Thanksgiving Day parade. We completely skipped the tree lighting after being warned about the crowds. The only thing we had actually managed to do was see part of the NYC marathon, and as fun as that is, it’s just people running and everyone cheering randomly.
So when Katie’s cousin Maddie was coming into town for New Years to visit us, and we all wanted to be at Times Square for the event, I made an internal commitment for us not to flake out this time. We were going to be in this one for the long haul.
We came into Times Square around 6:30, getting off at the 49th St. station. Immediately you’re struck with “Hey, this isn’t what it looks like on TV”. Each city block has the street sectioned off with barricades. At the north end, there’s a little opening where there’s a sizable group of cops for groping and all of that. Trying to walk down the sidewalk becomes an interesting exercise in futility. See, if you’re going cross-town, you’re fine, none of the cops care. If you’re going uptown, they don’t care either. But if you’re going *down*town, you need a good excuse – like a reservation in a restaurant (better have proof!), broadway tickets (better have your tickets!), or a hotel reservation (better have your room key!).
So after realizing that we couldn’t get down to Planet Hollywood for a relatively cheap dinner, we found ourselves cutting over to Cosi on 51st and 7th. They claimed a 45 minute time limit for tables but as the meal progressed, it was obvious they weren’t pushing this much.
We got out from dinner around 7:30\. We decided not to try and fight too far forward and just got into the blockade at 51st and 7th. While I’m being patted down (CCC alums, take note: NYPD sucks at pat downs. Didn’t check my pant legs.), I hear the cop that’s patting down Katie say “I’m going to pat you down **real** good.” followed by Katie laughing a lot, followed by “You got any machine guns in there?”, followed by more Katie laughing. Apparently in the progress he copped a feel of her boob.
So you go forward as far as you can in the blockade, and then you stop. Now, off to the left, we can see the ball, but it’s tiny. To our right is a giant video screen thing running Korbel and Waterford Crystal ads endlessly, and reminding us THE BALL DROPS **HERE**! Thank god they reminded us, I would’ve forgotten otherwise.
One other thing you never see on TV: all of a sudden, a countdown starts on the screen under the ball. Everyone’s all OMG 20! 19! 18! and so on. It hits a big fevered pitch at 1 and then everyone cheers as the screen reads **4 MORE HOURS TILL 2004**.
This is, by far, the most disheartening thing you’ve ever seen – realizing you’re already tired and you’re going to have to spend 4 more hours standing in this crowd of people you’re rapidly hating.
A guy opens the window of Applebee’s and has a bullhorn, getting the crowd to cheer. Some other guy appears and says something that sounds remarkably like he’s asking us all to suck his dick. The woman behind me responds by asking him to get us some fries. I’m not sure if there’s a relation here. After a while we start pushing forward and manage to make it into the next blockade. HURRAH WE’RE JUST THAT MUCH CLOSER.
Now, when you watched the festivities on TV, you see everyone with orange hats and pom poms and inflatable crap? They only give those out for a few blocks. We were not in those blocks. Weren’t even close.
After doing the 9’o’clock countdown, we started getting really tired. The guys in front of us tried to get Famiglia to deliver a pizza – the amusing part being we were about 100-150 ft. from Famiglia. We saw some asshole from North Carolina asserting his right to be an asshole with an airhorn, much to the chagrin of everyone around him, including us. We saw lots of people leave, and started to get similar ideas. Finally, at 9:15, we broke, hopped the barricade, and had to walk to the nearest subway station, which was 57th & 7th. And yes, every block from 49th & 7th to 57th & 7th was full of people all ready to get NEWYEARSTASTIC.
We got on the subway, came home, bought some champagne, came home, turned on the TV, watched the crowd that we were once a part of, and then all fell asleep around 11\. I woke up after not too long, watched the main portion of the festivities, felt very compelled to smash the TV when they played Proud To Be An American, and dragged Katie to bed at 12:05.
Happy 2004, all.
### vjarmy.com
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/bought-vjarmy-com/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T01:27:20.000Z
Welcome to the new blog, same as the old blog.
vjarmy, in case anyone is wondering, is one of my all-time favorite IIDX songs. Written by good-cool, VJ Army is in the genre of “all mix”, making it a unique song as it crosses from [Techno](http://www.konami.co.jp/am/bm2dx/bm2dx6/images/g2arts%5Fvjarmy%5Fshiro.jpg?ref=vjarmy.com) to [Trance](http://www.konami.co.jp/am/bm2dx/bm2dx6/images/g2arts%5Fvjarmy%5Fhes.jpg?ref=vjarmy.com) to [Drum’n’bass](http://www.konami.co.jp/am/bm2dx/bm2dx6/images/g2arts%5Fvjarmy%5Fgoli.jpg?ref=vjarmy.com) to [Two Step](http://www.konami.co.jp/am/bm2dx/bm2dx6/images/g2arts%5Fvjarmy%5Fvjgyo.jpg?ref=vjarmy.com). The video is extremely cool (the art linked to the genre names above are offshoots of the video), and the song is kickin’ rad too.
I figured it was a fitting domain name, as my blog tends to merge all of my interests – from music games to online hijinx to technology issues to the joy of NYC. Thus, all mix – thus, vjarmy.com.
I realize the point will be lost on most everyone who reads my blog, but who cares? I’m having a blast doing it, and this new web host will potentially give me much more room to work with for creative processes and whatnot.
### Holy God
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/holy-god/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T01:17:06.000Z
Last night.
11 PM.
Paul Van Dyk.
Free.
10 feet away.
1 hour set.
New album signing.
I think I’m just going to keep typing in sentence fragments all day, because that was seriously one of the coolest things I’ve ever been to.
And [Neal Stephenson is tonight](http://www.upcoming.org/event/1057/?ref=vjarmy.com)! This city is fantastic.
### Sapphire Bulletted Updates Of Love
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/sapphire-bulletted-updates-of-love/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T01:25:35.000Z
Just a few notes to those concerned about my well being, with apologies to TMBG:
- The move in went fine, mostly. The biggest hassle has been that the address was wrong, and I had to resubmit a change of address form. On the other hand, Verizon was somehow able to turn my phoneline on immediately. Go figure!
- I won’t be online from home until 10/8, which is when the cable guy is scheduled to stop by. We’ll see if he sticks to the schedule. The deposit on converter boxes here is MURDER.
- I seem to be living a whole 5 blocks from [Benjamin Birdie](http://www.benjaminbirdie.com/?ref=vjarmy.com), of [Genre City](http://www.benjaminbirdie.com/genrecity.html?ref=vjarmy.com) fame. If you didn’t read it the first time I posted his link, now’s a good time.
- I know my RSS feed took a dump and thus everyone who subscribes to me via LiveJournal had a flood of my old entries on their friends listing. I’m sorry. At least you won’t get the “…” at the end anymore.
- There are definitely some good restaurants in Astoria.
- It’s a strange change of pace working in an office again after a year of working at home. Not bad, though.
- Our cat is nuts.
- I still don’t have any pictures of anything ready because our digital camera isn't working.
I think that’s about it for now.
### Holding Pattern
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/holding-pattern/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T01:16:08.000Z
Some of you may have noticed that I am, in fact, still online. This does not jive with the originally stated plan of “leaving on Friday morning”. Let me explain what’s happened this week.
On Tuesday, we took our car down to Shade Tree Auto in hopes they’d be interested in buying it off of us. John took it for a test drive with me, and pointed out all the things wrong with it (most we knew, some we didn’t), but then still offered us $700\. I need to add that this is an 87 Volvo Wagon with 140,000 miles.
The next day, we’re running errands, and we have more to do when the accelerator on the car stops working. Just no response. We manage to pull into Triphammer safely, and the car won’t stay running after we shut it off once.
We get it towed down to Shade Tree. My mom saves the day and loans us her car. We go down to Shade Tree and now our offer is only $500, which is generous considering the car doesn’t run.
Then, the next day, Katie’s parents arrive. We go down to pick up the U-Haul, and after loading the [old TV](https://vjarmy.com/junkbin/jesuschristtv.jpg?ref=vjarmy.com) in it, we notice the Service Engine light is on. So the truck goes back to U-Haul temporarily and gets fixed.
Then on the way back from Best Buy (new TV) and Pizza Hut (dinner), Katie’s parents’ car won’t go in reverse.
We’re leaving tomorrow at 4 AM. Yurgle.
### Apartment Secured
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/apartment-secured/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T01:13:32.000Z
I’ve gotten a few complaints that the blog has been a little slow lately; as previously mentioned, Katie and I have been doing our best to attempt to secure housing in NYC. This means frequent 5-hour bus trips, and work, and…all in all, very little time for the blog.
But I’m happy to report that I’ve been told everything has checked out and we’re signing a lease tonight for a 1 bedroom in Astoria.
Moving is next week, which means I’m going to have even LESS time for blogging over the next week, and then god knows when I’ll have a connection at home – needless to say, it’s going to be a seriously crazy number of weeks.
### Sheesh
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/sheesh/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T01:09:37.000Z
Want to get to my blog to post big news, and the IP address is coming back reversed to my machine. What a strange bug.
Anyhow…
~~There is a 99.99% chance that~~ We’re moving to NYC within the 3 weeks or so.
More details later.
### Reflections On A Year Of Married Life
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/reflections-on-a-year-of-married-life/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T01:05:26.000Z
**WARNING**: This post is rated T for excessive gushing.
Yes, friends, today marks the first anniversary for Katie and I. In terms of the gift-association thing, the first anniversary is the “paper” one. I would imagine this is because most people have served each other with divorce papers by this time; thankfully, we are not in that group.
I’ve found, over the past few weeks, that Katie and I both have suppressed a lot of memories about the time leading up to the wedding. As I’ve discussed previously, it’s hell planning a wedding. Especially when you’re living with either set of parents. Even more so when you’re planning the wedding from 300 miles away. To anyone out there thinking about getting married at any point in their lives, please heed these words: give yourself at least 18 months, and get everything done IMMEDIATELY. You will thank yourself later.
Being married has become ingrained in our minds as being the true moment where we jumped into the “real world” – we were still a little sheltered post-graduation, like nearly everyone who graduated in 2002\. We now have to juggle constant bills, taking care of a cat, keep an apartment as clean as possible (which isn’t very clean, it seems – largely my fault), balance out car usage, balance out parental contact, fight for the TV, etc. etc. etc.
It sounds like a hassle. But for every little tiny bit of stress that the married world has added, there’s been an equal or greater positive to tip the scales back. Randomly buying a kite and going out to the little park near our house to fly it. Our mutual hilarious inability to cook. Going for a swim together. Running to the door when the other gets home to give them a hug. The list goes on and on.
Every day I’m finding another reason to love Katie, and every day our relationship grows. For this, I am eternally grateful – and it’s because of this that I have to laugh at people who ask me “didn’t you get married a little young?”. Who wouldn’t want a new reason to smile every day?
So here’s to one year; join us again in a year’s time for the Cotton Anniversary. (Who came up with these, anyhow?)
### Friday Five
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/friday-five/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T00:56:13.000Z
💡
The Friday Five was an early-00's weekly blogging prompt. I answered it many weeks, but most were not worth retaining in the blog migration. This one (mostly) was.
Good questions this week.
**1\. What do you most want to be remembered for?**
I want to be remembered as the guy that helped people when they had little nagging questions, had a joke ready at the appropriate times, and was above all else, reliable and trustworthy.
**2\. What quotation best fits your outlook on life?**
I GOTTA BELIEVE! Seriously, look at PaRappa. He always had insurmountable problems in his life, but when he put on that damn hat and put his mind to things, everything was solved – normally with a fun rap. Essentially, if you believe in yourself, you can get anything you want done.
**3\. What single achievement are you most proud of in the past year?**
I’m very proud that despite everything that happened before hand, Katie and I managed not to be mentioned in the news for a brutal double homicide/suicide right before the wedding.
**4\. What about the past ten years?**
While the above is a close second, I’d have to say surviving Cornell.
**5\. If you were asked to give a child a single piece of advice to guide them through life, what would you say?**
I’d tell him in life that the point of life is not to constantly be wrapped up in self-hatred, stress, doubt, and conflict – but to making yourself and others happy. So keep your priorities straight, never get bogged down in fear and loathing, and always eat a shitload of candy.
### Promised Cat Pictures
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/promised-cat-pictures/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T00:47:55.000Z
The poor kitty is pretty worn out after the surgery today…but he’s adapting rapidly. Best of all, he already knows where the litter box is!
### A New Addition To The Family
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/a-new-addition-to-the-family/
Last updated: 2026-02-10T00:46:16.000Z
Everyone, say hello to Buttons.
Buttons will be joining our house on Saturday this week (after the ol’ neuter routine). The [Ithaca SPCA](http://www.spcaonline.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) page had this adorable description and we couldn’t pass it up:
> I am a young male. I was surrendered to the SPCA by my former owner who didn’t take the time to leave any information about me. I am a super sweet and loving boy who loves to cuddle and is very playful. I am a handsome fellow with cute white mittens who must be seen to be appreciated. Please come to the shelter and meet me today!
Buttons has no tail, and is the cuddliest cat you’ve ever held. Everyone will have to come by and see him soon. :)
### IIDX Progress Page
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/iidx-progress-page/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T22:59:19.000Z
After 4 days of play, I’ve taken enough of a break to whip up a database for charting my progress with 6th Style. Thus, ~~you can watch~~ as I gradually turn the red blocks into yellow, and some of the yellows into greens – and maybe some greens into blues, who knows.
I realize this makes absolutely no sense to the majority of you, so I hope to write some generalized explanation of Bemani in general in the near future.
### Starting the IIDX trek
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/starting-the-iidx-trek/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T22:57:48.000Z
So I got in some quality playing time today, and besides that sitting in one spot for too long is a bad idea, this is what I’ve learned:
- I’m not as bad starting out as I thought I would be.
- Making Aku cry is fun! :D
- I still have a long way to go.
- I absolutely hate Lisu and Agop, as they are everything I am not.
- Some of the videos are too damn cute. (Romeo & Juliet, Beautiful Days)
- Some of the videos are too damn weird. (R3)
- There’s nothing worse than having the phone ring in the middle of a expert course.
That’s all for now.
### Massive Update
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/massive-update/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T22:55:55.000Z
This update is dedicated to Ingrid Hung, who needled me into feeling guilty enough to make the long post I’ve been putting off for a while.
The big, big news is that I officially have a job – and it’s very similar to the old job.
As it turns out, I am now going full time with Freeverse. While details are still being hacked out, I am now on salary and will be making more than enough to get by. Endless thanks to Ian and Colin for giving me something to be excited and rather speechless about.
### STP Concert Log
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/stp-concert-log/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T22:53:06.000Z
**Stone Temple Pilots w/ Home Town Hero**
Barton Hall – Attendance \~4000
Sunday, April 21, 2002
Stage Crew / Barricade
It’s 4:50 AM – I’m walking into Barton Hall with Tom – and I am not in any sort of mood to do a concert. There are donut holes, and mini muffins, and orange juice, but sugar doesn’t wake me up any more.
It’s 5:00 AM – and we’re putting the stage together. I manage to pinch one of my fingers under a riser that we’re moving, and when I take my glove off, my right index finger is somewhat bloody. Great.
It’s 6:45 AM – and the stage is up, so we have nothing to do for an hour and a half.
It’s 8:00 AM – and we meet STP’s crew. Doug, the production manager – Scottie, the short fat guy who’s in charge of the trucks – Fiji (pronounced “foogee”, though), the lighting guy – Mike, the equipment guy – Lee, the other lighting guy – and some other guys I’m forgetting. All are nice, funny, and easy to work with, ensuring this concert will be better than No Doubt’s.
It’s 8:15 AM – and we’re unloading both of STP’s trucks. The trucks are both very tightly packed. We realize that there are 40 sizable speakers we’re unloading. How the hell is this going to work?
It’s 10:00 AM – and I get to be on Fiji’s team, pulling feeder cable and setting up the downstage lighting rig. Not a bad job, in all honesty. I even got to use “the pickle” to move the lighting trusses. Also hooked on the UV lights. Sometime this hour, Henry radios for me and has me write an Applescript on their iMac to launch Traveler’s Mail successfully. Truly random.
It’s 11:30 AM – and I’m free, so I’m wisked away to a secret location with Henry, Kristen, and Ross that if I talk about, I will probably end up with someone pissed off at me. Let’s just say it was very tasty.
It’s 1:00 PM – and I’m back. There is little happening of interest, and there won’t be for a number of hours. Some random other work on the lights here and there, but we mostly have a free afternoon. At some point, we discover that 3 people from the stage crew disappeared without telling anyone. Hardcore stage people get justifiably pissed off, myself included. Also worth noting: remember the 40 speakers? They’re all flown in a 4×5 tower which just looks absolutely ridiculous. Unfortunately, they’re not arced at all, so we can see sound problems coming.
It’s 4:00 PM – and Home Town Hero, the opener, has arrived, and we unload their little U-Haul. STP’s roadies have finished soundchecking, including doing a not too shabby version of Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC.
It’s 5:00 PM – and Home Town Hero is checking. We were told they were hardcore punk. From the soundcheck, all I heard were things that sounded like Radiohead covers. Needless to say, I was confused. Dinner comes this hour (oh boy, Chinese), and as usual, it doesn’t sit terribly well in my stomach. But then again, very little does day of show.
It’s 6:00 PM – and now I’m officially on barricade. Barricade, for those of you not familiar with concerts these days, is the nice area between the audience and the stage. I had worked barricade once before, and that show (G. Love) wasn’t terribly exciting. This, however, was A Rock Show™, and promised to be more interesting. We spread out the 8 cases of bottled water around the barricade, load up on earplugs, and wait.
It’s 7:00 PM – and doors open. There is the standard rush of people galloping towards the stage. I begin to meet the people I’d be the guardian angel of for the next 3+ hours. More on them when I get a little more freeform. I’m told by one of them that we need to look more intimidating, and tells me to cross my arms. I do so, and feel quite silly. During the time between doors and the start of the show, one of the roadies for Home Town Hero comes out and bangs on the drums a few times, just to test them. He repeated this about 5 times. Some of the other roadies were testing the guitars, too – obviously, I’m not clear on what a “sound check” is actually for. Neil and Gil also showed up during this portion of the show and said their hellos.
It’s 8:00 PM – and Home Town Hero goes on. The first few songs, the crowd is pretty dead, but once the band starts throwing things out into the crowd, they come half-alive. At one point, the lead singer gets up on the barricade and is singing right to the crowd, which would be cool except I had to stand behind him wondering when he was going to fall since it was unstable as hell.
It’s 8:30 PM – and Home Town Hero is off, and changeover begins.
It’s 8:35 PM – and changeover ends?! Quickest changeover ever. However, the roadies want to test some more, so we get a deja vu of the 7 o’clock hour.
It’s 8:50 PM – and STP is on. Alright, so now’s the time to go freeform. Here’s a brief sampling of the people that were most notable near me:
- IC Kids – there were two IC students directly in front of me; both nice, both talkative, both with eyebrow rings. They were obviously a couple. I believe the girl’s name was Tracy, and the guy worked for ICB doing their concert connection bit (we’ll call him ICB Boy). They complained that the show was underpromoted; I shrugged since I couldn’t do anything about it.
- Aroused Girl – this girl looked like she was ready to have an orgasm every time Scott Weiland moved. Her head was back, her eyes were near closed, and she had a perpetual grin on her face.
- Annoying Greeks – one row back, but right in front of me. I don’t actually know if they were part of the greek system or not, but given their annoying fake moshing (which annoyed the piss out of the IC kids and Aroused Girl) during the most dull portions of either set, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt.
- Lady Picture Show Guy – a guy who, at every point between songs, yelled loudly, pleading Scott to play Lady Picture Show because “he’d never seen it live”. Eventually, ICB Boy yelled back that it wasn’t on the set list, but LPS Guy didn’t hear him, because this happened all show.
- Weird Woman – short woman, around 25-30\. Short hair. Glasses. Chipped front tooth. Purple boa. Sign that says “Come back to Buffalo with me!”. This is Weird Woman.
- Small Asian Girl – this poor girl was right near the front, but was under 5 feet tall and completely smooshed between about 5 people. Half the time I couldn’t even see her.
So there’s our cast of characters. About the other key character – Scott Weiland – he started out in a suit and tie, with a vest and a cowboy hat. Honestly, when I first saw him, he reminded me of Dylan. Then the hat came off. Then the vest came off. Then the suit coat. Then the shirt. The crowd, unsurprisingly, went nuts at nearly everything Scott did. At one point, he was up on the barricade, and this mass of hands just *grabbed* him – everyone was either squeezing him or stroking him or whatever. Aroused Girl got a hand on him and looked like she was going to…well, I’m sure you can imagine.
As for the job of people in barricade, we had four main responsibilities:
- **Do not let anyone on stage** – actually the easiest, since the stage was about 65 inches off the ground and sort of hard to jump up onto.
- **Pull down crowd surfers** – I can best describe this with a video game analogy (surprise!). If you’ve ever played Missile Command, you basically have a bunch of objects randomly coming at your line of cities, and you have to defend them so the missiles don’t hit. We, essentially, were shooting down the missiles by reaching out and pulling down the surfers. Thankfully, no one of our crew got kicked in the mouth, although a number of people in the crowd did get hit in the head a few times.
- **Pull out fatigued people** – if anyone looks like they are going to pass out from dehydration/heat/injuries/etc, or just wants out, it is our job to pull them out. The two people I ended up pulling were Tracy and the Small Asian Girl.
- **Water the fans** – again, we had 8 cases of water (8 by 24 gives you 192 bottles, for those with poor math skills), and while it was partially for us, it was mainly for the audience. Not being able to give the bottles to the audience (they might throw them at the talent!), we had to pour them into people’s mouths. If you ever want to know what it’s like to be a mother bird, work barricade, stand on the step, hold the bottle of water over the crowd, and watch at least six heads snap back like you’re their savior. Also, this may be the only time you’re allowed in life to throw water at people and have them love you for it.
The basic set works like this – 7 song regular band setup (first song being a cover of Shine On You Crazy Diamond), then 3 acoustic songs (including Sour Girl and Creep), then another 6 regular songs, then 2 encore songs. It all sounded great in the barricade (with earplugs in, of course), but I’ve heard that out by the sound board, it wasn’t so hot, probably because we didn’t arc the suckers downward. Oh well. At one point early on, Ian and I notice that someone is holding their cell phone up so that whoever is on the other end can hear. Pretty funny.
It’s 10:15 PM – and the set is over. And most of our crew is confused because we were expecting them off at 11\. Oh well – we hand out the rest of the water to the audience, and I head over to help with tearing down the lighting. Amy Liu and I are hauling cable from all over, and my arms get quite tired.
It’s 1:00 AM – and the two trucks of STP’s are loaded. At one point during loadout, Fiji tells everyone to “push like they’re giving birth” – Scottie counters by telling another group to “push like it’s prom night”. They head out, and we start breaking down the stage.
It’s 2:00 AM – and we’re done. My CCC commitment is over, and Tom and I head home, after I snag a bottle of Fiji water.
### Questions And Answers About The 10/01/01 Kevin Smith Show
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/questions-and-answers-about-the-10-01-01-kevin-smith-show/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T22:44:27.000Z
**So who is Kevin Smith?**
Kevin Smith is the writer/director of Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, and Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back. He also plays Silent Bob. He also has his hand in a number of comic books and various other media.
**So why was he at Cornell?**
The Cornell University Program Board, the CCC’s sister organization – or if you’d rather, the non-musical CCC – brought him to do a show.
**What sort of show was this? Was he doing stand-up, or lecturing about fighting Catholics, or what?**
Actually, we weren’t really sure – or at least I hadn’t been informed – until about a day or two before the show. As it turns out, he’s doing four of these college shows, Cornell being the first. The show is almost entirely question and answer – anyone from the audience can ask anything they want and Kevin will answer it. His goal, in his own words, was “to outlast the audience until there’s only two guys left like at a Bruce Springsteen concert with their fists in the air going ‘BOSS!'”.
**So what’s this about a DVD?**
The tour is being taped for assembly into a DVD that should be released early next year. The camera setup was one large swinging camera that did a lot of wide crowd shots and reaction shots, one camera for each microphone used for a question, one camera close up on Kevin, and one roaming camera. It was shot on digital, not tape or film.
**And how long did he last?**
He came on stage at 8:40 (before I make up a question to explain why he was late, he was taking a shower), and he was literally pulled off stage by his wife Jen at 1:40 – so 5 hours.
**5 hours?!**
Not at all. His wife had actually attempted to get him off stage right around midnight after the producer complained that the audience was starting to zone out and they were filming a lot of empty seats. Unfortunately, her arrival on stage woke everyone up, and she failed miserably at getting him to come off the stage.The cameras stopped rolling after 4 hours because they ran out of tape. By the time they actually pulled him off the stage, all of the camera crew had already broken down their equipment and was mostly gone.
**How did he last 5 hours?**
Honestly, none of us know – he was considerably larger than most of us had expected (and he made jokes about putting on the weight, too), and he STOOD for the entire show…my guess is the cigarettes and bottled water he was consuming on stage, but honestly I have no idea. He said later in the night that he wasn’t a night owl and that normally he would’ve been asleep by that point.
**How did the CUPB crew last 5 hours?**
Lots of caffeine, and for those people with passes, some alcohol. Did you know Guinness now comes in bottles with a special device, slightly different from the cans, that gives you the same great Guinness taste directly from the bottle? Well, you do now.
**How was the crowd?**
Probably the most interesting crowd I’ve ever had to deal with. Ariel Schwartz, the chair for CUPB, had to give a speech to tell everyone to be enthusiastic and somehow worked the crowd to a point where after just about anything Kevin Smith said, there was a HUGE wave of laughter. It obviously diminished over the evening, but I’ve never heard a louder crowd at Bailey…well, maybe for Moby, but it was close. So this was all very good…
Unfortunately, the crowd was also very hostile at times. People who were asking ridiculous or stupid questions would generally get taunted by hecklers in the audience if not by Kevin himself. In the words of Henry, “\[Kevin\] transcended all of it”, almost like an MC of a crazy game show.
**How was your crew?**
Kind of sparse, and very tired after a while. I appreciate the effort of those who toughed it out.
**Did he do autographs?**
Yup, until 3 AM. And I got to be the guy to stand next to him and feed him the glossies to sign for those people who hadn’t grabbed three of them already. Which was fun.
**So what exactly did he talk about? Give us some examples, damnit.**
Well, let’s see…he was asked a lot of generic stuff (favorite scene, favorite movie, stuff about Mewes, Dogma questions, beginning movie-making advice) that doesn’t really stick out in my mind. One person asked him what he thought about Requiem, which got a surprisingly good reaction from the crowd. He got into a vivid discussion about the Hotel School sometime around 1:15 (he was not aware the Statler was a school before this point in the evening, he just thought it was a hotel); he dealt with one guy out of the audience yelling about his car not being environmentally friendly; a self-identified lesbian had a long discussion with him about the message his movies were trying to send about homosexuality…there was a lot more, and I didn’t get to hear 80% of it because I was, well, you know, working.
**Is the DVD going to be worth buying?**
I think so. He was incredibly funny, and very quick witted. I’ll be damned if I know how it ends up looking on the final DVD, but it should rock. I’ll be buying it, at least – allegedly everyone on the stage crew, if not all the crews, will have their names in the credits.
**Okay, bring on the anecdotes.**
You got it.
- We had one kid sitting at the door from 2:30 until doors opened at 7:40 – he said “I don’t really have anywhere else to be.”
- When we opened the doors, there was a mob of about 250 people racing for the front of Bailey. For those of you who have never been in Bailey, it’s not exactly the easiest run to make, but they did it regardless.
- There were three kids sitting in the steps outside Bailey at 8 asking people if they had extra tickets. After watching them do this for 10 minutes, I went and got my two comp tickets (who I didn’t have anyone to give them to) and gave them to the three of them after being told they’d love me forever if I gave them the tickets. The other kid was let in anyhow.
- Kevin Smith’s arrival was announced on the radio with the apparent code-phrase, “The cake is here.” I’m still not sure why.
- After being asked what superhero he would be were he able to choose to be one, and saying Batman, a section of the audience (\~7 people) all yelled “FLY, FATASS, FLY!” at the same time – to which Kevin shrugged, said “Okay”, then flapped his arms…then said “How long were you guys waiting to use that?”
- Apparently at some point during the show, he called Jason Mewes on his cell phone and held the connected Mewes up to the mic, who then yelled some pro-Cornell stuff.
- Kevin also announced the name of his upcoming movie at the show; it’ll be called Jersey Girl. Affleck will star if he doesn’t do Daredevil (or, in the words of Jen, “if he lays off the speed”).
- Kevin’s wife, Jen, smokes more than he does.
- A number of my housemates showed up; only two of them lasted the duration. Cheers, Cross and Em.
- Finally, during the autographs, a girl was getting a couple photos signed by him when she suddenly pointed at me and said “And I want an autograph from you because I love you and you’re awesome.” – it turned out to be one of the kids I had comped before the show. I signed happily; Kevin was deeply confused.
**Thank Yous**
- Kevin Smith – obviously, for being here and doing an amazing 5 hours, even if I wanted to kill him at the end.
- Amy Liu – tireless production chair for CUPB. Remained sane through much of the show, and pulled one insane rage to die for.
- Lizzie Macaulay – for constant distraction and smily faces drawn on my hands.
- Ariel Schwartz – for managing to get the crowd whipped to a frenzy.
- Kate Forester, Lisa Prichep, and Allison Bernstein, for their efforts as well.
- Ryan Short, Zöe Nelson, John Wiseman, Chris Johnstone, Henry Bloom, Marcy Partick, Kristen Massaro, Joe Lisi, Stefan Roesch, Ryan Stenson, Malia Jackson – stage crew did a great job.
- All of my security crew that was there for the duration, whoever that exactly entails.
- Joe Scaffido for keeping it real, whatever that entails exactly.
- The entire camera crew and entourage that was with Kevin.
- The people in the crowd who made things interesting.
- Kate, for trying to call me seven times during the show even though my phone was on silent – and then calling me first thing in the morning when she had a minute. Now that’s love. :)
If you have any more questions, email them to me and I’ll put them up here for the world to see. If you don’t know my email address or are unable to find it, you don’t deserve to ask questions.
### ... (On 9/11)
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/dot-dot-dot/
Last updated: 2026-01-20T04:05:29.000Z
Sometimes, there are no words.
### Show Me Your Energy
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/show-me-your-energy/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T22:39:32.000Z
Hi.
My name is Dan, and I’m a Dance Dance Revolution addict.
(Hi, Dan.)
What is Dance Dance Revolution (herein after referred to as DDR), you ask? Take a floor pad with some large arrows in it. Step on the arrows in the correct rhythm. Dance like there’s no tomorrow.
An eBay auction got me two floor pads and a copy of the US DDR game for the PSX; almost all of my house has gone through the following steps, in order:
- **Lack of recognition** – “What the hell are you doing?”
- **Disgust** – “You guys look like such dorks playing that…”
- **Reluctance** – “No way am I playing that. I’ll just screw it all
up.
- **Enjoyment** – “Wow, I’m terrible, but this IS kind of fun…”
- **Addiction** – “Just one more game.”
If you’re curious for more info about the DDR crazy, check out the newspad link about gamers wanting a revolution.
I was down in Maryland this past weekend; Kate and I had a wonderful time. Next visit is in two weeks for Fall Break.
My faith in TV has been restored; Cowboy Bebop is back on Cartoon Network, and Press Your Luck is on Game Show Network. Life is good.
Career Fair is for the next two days, and my workload is starting to finally kick back in. Guess I’ll just have to keep dancing.
### NYC Trip, Day 5
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyc-trip-day-5/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T22:37:31.000Z
Woke up at 6\. Grabbed a shower, got dressed, went to McD for breakfast. Hailed my cab and got over to Javits. Met up with Frank and Paul, and then we queued up for the keynote. Cut in line thanks to the MGL boys. Saw Sinbad.
Keynote was a hoot; all the new product announcements were great, as was the free mouse that we all got.
Spent the rest of the day wandering the floor and picking up goodies. Was in the front row for Jason Whong eating bugs (pictures will be here later), and I had lunch with Colin & Ian.
Left around 6:10, walked over to ScreamingMedia, and then we ran to the train home. Went to the 10PM showing of X-Men. I thought it was alright, nothing terribly exciting but it was enjoyable.
Came back, talked for a little bit with Dave’s SO Dominique, and then conked out.
I realize this is all a bit terse, and that’s because I’m standing at the Internet cafe in the expo typing, and there’s a line. I’ll expand this all when I get home tomorrow.
### NYC Trip, Day 4
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyc-trip-day-4/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T22:30:09.000Z
Christ, I’m behind schedule.
Quick version: Got up, took the train in with Dave, went up to his office. Very nice place. Walked over to 24th street, went in the wrong building, then found Freeverse.
Freeverse guys are extremely cool. Everyone has this nice warped sense of humor that I get along well with. Anyhow, we spent the day making little BMPL press kits (monkey hand puppet + BMPL matches + CD), sticking stickers on Byte Me teeth, and getting boxed copies of DG ready. Left at about 5:15.
Took a cab over to the med school, and ate dinner with Dad at Shabu-Tatsu, which is a Shabu Shabu sort of place. If you don’t know what that is – they give you a huge plate of meat and veggies and noodles, and you dip it in boiling hot water to cook it. Lots of fun and very filling.
Came back to the med school, called Kate, went to sleep.
### NYC Trip, Day 3
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyc-trip-day-3/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T22:28:45.000Z
Uneventful for the most part.
Lots of game show watching in the afternoon as I waited for bus time to roll around. Took the 6:10 bus to Port Authority, and then we took the Penn Station train to Dave’s house.
Talked to Kate twice on the phone; I really wish I could talk to her more because I miss her like crazy.
More news tomorrow, I guess.
### NYC Trip, Day 2
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyc-trip-day-2/
Last updated: 2026-02-23T15:15:08.000Z
What a day, what a day.
Was woken up ridiculously early – well, not in comparison to yesterday I guess – for a breakfast excursion. Standard diner fare, nothing too thrilling.
At 10:15 we headed into Philly towards the art museum. I continue to marvel over the lack of cultural identity that New Jersey seems to be displaying. There’s a uniform sameness that irks the crap out of me.
A side note about the art museum – the art museum is notorious because it was in the original Rocky (you know, the bit with the steps). Now, I haven’t seen Rocky (for shame!), but I’m fully aware of the bit when he gets to the top of the stairs and pumps his fists in the air. And if I wasn’t, all the tourists who do the same thing for a photo op make it painfully obvious that something exciting happened here. I must’ve seen at least 50 people of all types doing it, and it got dreadfully painful to watch.
Anyhow, once we got to Philly, and Kate et al showed up, things turned great. We meandered around the art museum for a bit, sat outside and talked, ate lunch at the Museum Restaurant (very good asian fare), and went to the Ben Franklin Institute. The whole day was a lot of fun, although there were a few snags here and there, including my completely awful directions regarding a meeting place.
Back at “home”, we had spaghetti for dinner and some very good Key Lime Pie for dessert. And now, after being told I can use the computer, my mother is demanding that I come play Scrabble, something I have explicitly said I do NOT want to do. Sigh.
And we triumphantly won by about 100 points. That’ll teach her.
Oh, before I forget – be sure to check out my beginnings of a ~~MWNY archive~~. In there right now is just about all the promotional and administrative emails I’ve gotten regarding the thing. Some of the PR stuff is interesting, and you can get a feel for what I have going on over the next few days. I know the icons are broken – I’ll do something about it when I get home.
Tomorrow, I sit around all day and then take a bus up to NYC and meet up with Steinberg. More news then.
### NYC Trip, Day 1
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/nyc-trip-day-1/
Last updated: 2026-02-09T22:26:31.000Z
After getting out of bed ungodly early, my Mom and I headed out around 6 AM. We drove and drove and drove, a blisteringly boring drive. I was demanded to take the wheel at one point, and of course, it started to pour immediately thereafter. I’d like to think I handled the drive well, though.
We arrived at the reunion at 11:05, earlier than anyone else. And as usual, it was a wee bit uncomfortable at first, as all reunions seem to be. But eventually the people started filling in and we all got settled. I spent most of the time either talking to my relative Roberta (an e-book specialist in the city), Suzy (who lives in Spain), or my cousin Emily, who goes to Goucher. I also got a lot of questions from the elder relatives about the usual nonsense.
We left around 4:30 and headed back to Morrestown. After some chit-chatting and sandwiches for dinner (note: it seems we are required by law to have sandwiches at least once for dinner while we’re here), I retreated to the basement for some good old TV. Game Show Network and ECW drowned my sorrows.
Called Kate – phone trouble abound as usual. Very excited as always to be seeing her tomorrow, though.
### Welcome to More & Faster 2
URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/welcome-to-more-faster-2/
Last updated: 2026-02-08T03:59:52.000Z
Alright, I've got my news script working, so I'm officially making this an open page, just like I did last time.
As you can tell, I'm hosting this bad boy on CSoft, a nifty little host that was suggested to me by my roommate. They've been great, and if you're at all interested in an account, give me a couple days to get up referrer links so I can maybe pay for this service via this web page.
Now that I'm here, I have PHP and MySQL, so I can dynamically do everything. This is good, because now I'll be able to post news much quicker and easier. Huzzah.
My next task is to move the quotefile to the database, although I may shift some more of my old content over first, and PHP-ize it all. Stay tuned.