Lost in GroVont : a blog

The zoo falls into silence.

As with most bands the are composed of a couple, the band ends with the relationship which can be brutal for both the band and the listeners. In the case of The Mendoza Line's last album, the listen is rewarded with some great songs and some throwaway b-sides.

Lane and Rory ran down the pros and cons of intraband dating in this pivotal conversation in "Tippecanoe and Taylor, Too" from season five of Gilmore Girls:

Lane: Need I mention the rock 'n' roll casualties from intraband dating?
Rory: I know they're numerous.
Lane: Not that there's not success stories. I mean, you've got your Cramps, your Yo La Tengo, your Kim and Thurstons.
Rory: Sonny and Cher, the Early Years.
Lane: Plus, you've got bands that have survived breakups: No Doubt.
Rory: Wish they hadn't.
Lane: X, Supertramp, The White Stripes. But in the negative, you have...
Rory: Sonny and Cher, the Later Years.
Lane: Jefferson Airplane, Fleetwood Mac. I know of two country music stars whose backup singers shot them in the groin.
Rory: Whoa. That's wicked hate.
Lane: Listen, I'm going to play two Rilo Kiley songs: one pre-Jenny/Blake breakup, one post. Tell me if you hear a quality difference.

The third track on 30 Year Low is a treat for all listeners who urn for the perfect fuck you song after a relationship ends. The opening line of 31 Candles tells you right away where the song is heading: "You left me in the bar for the skirt with the acoustic guitar." And she doesn't go easy on him throughout the rest of the song either. "Thirty-one candles don't a woman make. You didn't ever give me nothin' always take take take."

MP3: 31 Candles - 30 Year Low

Another highlight is Aspect of an Old Maid which is a duet with Okkervil River's Will Sheff.

What the CW can learn from Kyle XY

What can a Mouse funded cable channel do that an oft resurrected network can not? Answer: Create a compelling teen sci fi show.

Kyle XY is an hour long drama focused on the introduction of a mysterious teenage boy, Kyle, into the lives of a nuclear family in Seattle. Kyle has no memory of his life before he appears naked in the woods covered in goo at the physical age of 14-16. Imagine being dropped into sophomore year of high school without the experience of junior high (an idea that is easily a worst nightmare award winner). Plus, we get to watch as Kyle tries to figure out his origins, including a missing belly button, and stumbles upon a bio tech conspiracy that may lead to his own demise.

What can other shows aimed at the younger viewers who can't stay up late enough to watch Lost learn from Kyle XY?

• The sexual jokes do not have to be obvious. My teenage years are long past so I get it without needing to call my buddies. The innuendos are mostly for the adults anyway why beat us over the head with it? In a cute moment between an aspiring couple on the show, Andy says, "I thought you would be better at rubbing wood." Josh replies with a "Heh" and continues trying to start a fire without matches. It's an obvious joke that hits the right mark without any additional need for explanation.
• Don't dismiss the parents or make them too cool for school. Mr. & Mrs. Trager are not idiots, and we don't want them to be. Nicole Trager is a psychologist and becomes the rock for Kyle. She figures out that Kyle is not like her other kids without catching Joyce Summers oblivitis. Not only does Kyle need her to know the truth, we need her to ask the same questions we are from our couches far away from Seattle. The O.C. handled the parents well too by making them sympathetic and likable with a few interesting storylines thrown their way.
• Not all kids have a trust fund. When Josh turned sixteen, he did not receive a brand new car but a fixer-upper. The questionable reliability of the car allowed for some key scenes between Josh and Andy and fueled a few minor arcs over several episodes which were not forced.
• Make the science fiction believable but don't treat the audience like idiots. Again with the trusting your audience to read above a ninth grade level. (We've read a comic book or two and don't giggle when talking about Philip K. Dick.) The references to Einstein when explaining why Adam Baylin and Kyle were able to excel beyond what we believe are the limits of human potential gave the story arc street cred with nerds. It's logical and makes sense. If we don't get it, the answers are only a few keystrokes away.
• Don't be afraid to tell us what is really going on. The biggest complaint from fans about Lost is the lack of answers. Kyle XY started its second season with two episodes packed with explanation without being boring. We met Andy during this time and saw her potential, and we watched the angst of Lori and Declan play out while getting Baylin's exposition in adjacent scenes. The conspiracy is reminiscent of classic sci fi shows, like The X-Files, while the show is still focused on the characters.

Kyle XY is the show I most look forward to this summer. It helps to make the time between May and September go by unnoticed.

Navigating through the San Francisco DMV

Although I've lived in San Francisco for almost 4 years, I have yet to get a California driver's license. This is not a problem since I don't own a car. However, it is annoying when the bartender has to take the extra time to locate the DOB on my Kansas license. "It's in the center," I tell them which really isn't of much help when staring at a small piece of plastic.

My birthday is approaching and thus my license is expiring. I considered not renewing or just getting a new Kansas license next time I was home, but I recently started using Zipcar.

Zipcar lets you reserve any of hundreds of cars parked around San Francisco for a few hours or a day for a modest fee. It's cheaper than renting a car, and you can't walk two blocks in the city without seeing a few Zipcars waiting for someone to drive them. It's really easy and all done online or through automated voicemail.

Now, I'm driving more and need to have a valid license, so I decided to head down to the DMV at 1377 Fell Street and get a California license.

First, schedule an appointment at the California DMV website. People looked at me enviously as I cut to the front of the line to collect my initial form. Besides the line cutting, my wait was minimal and my number was called within 10 minutes. (I still recommend bringing something to read or a crossword puzzle.)

Since I didn't drive to the DMV, I don't have any information on parking though there were several open spots on the Monday morning when I was there.

Not only did I need my passport (or birth certificate), but they also wanted to see my Kansas license. (They punched a hole in my license at the end which is highly annoying as it is my only proof of age until I receive my new license.) They also do not take credit cards, only cash, check, or debit cards. My fee was $27. I'd recommend bringing your own writing utensil as many of the chains on the counters no longer connected to pens. (Nothing is fill in the oval so no number 2 pencil is needed.)

The queue for pictures was long-ish but moved quickly as no one requested multiple shots.

The written test was 32 questions, and you can miss up to 6. (I missed 4.) The questions are annoying. Do you stop at a yellow light or wait for the signal change? What? It depends on your relative location to the intersection which is not clarified in the question. Fortunately, you can bone up on which way to turn your wheels when parked uphill by browsing the handbook or taking a sample tests on the website. The sample tests are loaded with questions related to trucks and trailers, but I didn't have any of those on my Class B test.

It takes 4-6 weeks to get the new license. Update: I received my new license in the mail within a week. In the meantime, I have to rely on my defaced Kansas license and a piece of paper.