I want to take you out but you always refuse

Now that it is finally that time of the week where I would not be in danger of being called an alcoholic for sidling up to a bar, I have lost all inclination to go out. All I want to do is finish the last ten pages of Stiff, go for a run, and do battle with maple sugar again. But SP may thwart my plans. Contrary to the fact that I have neither moved nor have a firm date for moving, SP seems convinced we must maximize our remaining time, since I'm her only carousing partner. All I can say is this: if I'm the wildest part of a group, something is wrong. Very wrong. On the other end of the spectrum is my quasi-little brother PG. He instant messages me with statements like this: Don't have plans, but am going out. Probably solo in the Mission. Don't be a loser, meet me out. It's equal parts sweetness and harassment.

Since it is highly unlikely that I will post tomorrow, let me just take this opportunity to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the best revolution I have witnessed, also known as Sepia Mutiny. Those guys (and one kicka$$ chick) have been my blog crack since inception. Some sort of observance of this milestone will take place at Caffe Grecco at 5pm on Sunday. In the words of one Forrest Gump (I despise him)- "And that's all I've got to say about that."

I seem to be on a debunking roll this week (or actually, it's the NYT that's on that roll, I'm just following it). In the Everything that used to be bad for you is now good for you category, latest research indicates that West Nile Virus can be avoided by use of DEET. DEET should not be confused with DDT, which is some confirmed bad shizz. DEET was thought to be a carcinogen, but it has since been proven not to be. In some cases, DEET has caused some neurological issues. But by and large, it's pretty safe and effective. Of course, I didn't use it, even when we were hiking the Inca trail, because I can't seem to manage not to get DEET in my eyes, and that burns like a b*tch. So, even though I'll probably contract West Nile Virus if I hang out in a humid area this summer, I'll probably use something soybean oil- or eucalyptus oil-based. I am smart like that.

Every Friday, NPR's Morning Edition has been running a series sponsored by Storycorps. While I find the premise very interesting- go around the country getting volunteers in pairs to talk about a story to lend to an oral history- it just magnifies the feeling that there is a whole part of the story that is left out. Maybe there will be stories coming in the future, but I keep wondering where the stories are that feel authentic to me. I could bring my dad to a Storycorps recording and he could tell at least 5 amusing tales that could compete with the one that aired this week. But it's not even just the entertainment value- it's the fact that this is how an oral history of America is being depicted, conveniently removing the poignant and intriguing stories of immigrants who come to this country and the experiences of their children who are raised with two competing cultures in the backdrop.

Maybe it's just because I saw Raising Victor Vargas last night. That film is fantastic. Yes, Me & You & Everyone We Know is a critical darling, but Raising Victor Vargas is just as romantic, sweet, good-hearted with the added bonus of feeling superbly real (I've decided that I do find Me & You and Everyone We Know a good film, but I think of it more as performance art than anything else). It's a real perspective of life in America that is not at all reflected in Storycorps at present. That's how I like my cheese. Also, I just like saying Raising Victor Vargas- it's got a kind of alliteration that is fun as it rolls off the tongue. Try it, you might like it.