It's never too early:

to introduce my son to Nine Inch Nails.

I am sick of children's programming. That's all I can watch with my son. He gets all fussy when I turn to my favs, such as The History Channel, Science Channel or BBC World News. Foreign films? Yeah right. Masterpiece Theatre? Bullshit. American Idol? Not even. He insists, Piiinguuu!!! or more Paz??? or more Pucca??? Fucking-A -- why did I introduce my child to television? I know it's illegal to blindfold my kid till he's five, but it's impossible for me to get my requisite dose of boob tube culture -- how the hell am I supposed to keep up with the Nielsens? It doesn't help to put him down early, because by that time, I'm ready to conk out too.

Now we're doing R-and-R out here in MD. I say, the chips are down -- Mommy gets to watch what she wants to watch. I'm gonna friggin' watch this Nine Inch Nails concert even though you want to watch cartoons. No, this is not "If You're Happy and You Know It." This will do you some good, honey -- you get an early start on aesthetic/music appreciation. Can you say industrial?

(It was a good concert by the way, but a lot similar to the one I saw at MSG in 2000.)

Obscure Reference of the Week: Gordian Knot

In lieu of my Recipe Tip of Day (which I will resume in April), I am starting a new series, Obscure Reference of the Week. I take pride in my oft off-tangent way of elucidation. (Anyone that can follow where the heck I'm going in my writing or speech gets beaucoup brownie points with me.) As such, I've been inspired from my last lengthy rumination to expand my horizons and my vocabulary. I don't want to embarrass my son as he and I get older and regress into some Flowers for Algernon retard.

Each week (if I'm diligent) I'll introduce some new word or clause I've come across and don't understand. It'll be a challenge for me to somehow work that phrasing into one of my blogs during the rest of week without forcing it.

This week: Gordian Knot (noun), which according to Dictonary.com means:

1. any very difficult problem; insoluble in its own terms
2. an intricate knot tied by Gordius, the king of Phrygia, and cut by the sword of Alexander the Great after he heard that whoever undid it would become ruler of Asia

The how and why: I'm into cosmology (on a very low-fi, populist scale — don't ask me to prove any equations) and a PBS-Nova/Science-Channel slut. I mentioned the "theory of everything" in my blog about real estate studies. I linked that phrase to a recent and fascinating Nova doc on the subject, The Elegant Universe. I decided to actually read one of my hyperlinked references and I came across "Gordian Knot" in Brian Greene's essay. I'm also a fan of ancient Western history and mythology, where the phrase originates.

I will extend the challenge to anyone who chanced upon this site, to add a comment to my blog, working the phrase in themselves. ;-)

I've got my eyes on you: "Idol" Chatter

My favorite contestant, Season 6, so far: Blake Lewis. I didn't like him at first because of the ridiculous overuse of gel. But he won me over by choosing a Keane song, "Somewhere Only We Know," which is currently on heavy rotation on my jukebox. All he has to do is stop looking like he's from a prefabricated English boy band, and I'll keep vigil over the busy signals to vote for him.

My second favorite is Phil Stacey, who is so cute with a hat on (without one though, he looks a little Vulcan/Nosferatu; he's no Daughtry when it comes to a shaved head). Up close, he also appears much older than he does on his Idol profile. He's a decent singer and has charisma, so hopefully he'll stay on long enough to grow a bit of hair on top.

Of the women, alas, I was at mass for Ash Wednesday, so I missed all but the last half hour. Who I'm happy I saw: Gina Glocksen. She rocks. I'm a bit bothered that none of the judges liked the beginning of her performance, which I thought was moody and affecting, and a modern, edgy update to a Celine Dion song. Who I'm disappointed I didn't see: Antonella Barba, who is hot (girl-crush alert!) and has a great exotic look. I like the fact she isn't a trained singer.

Who I think should go from the men's side: Rudy Cardenas, who (no hate mail please) is so gay and hackneyed, and Sundance Head, who is so unhot and gave a dreadful Meatloaf-like performance. It wouldn't be fair for me to judge the ladies. We'll see tonight who makes the cut...

I hate "the cult of the wunderkind."

From babble.com: "Liveblogging Oprah's Menagerie of Genius Children"

What a bunch of show-offs.

Oprah is better off not having children because she would have screwed them up with an overachieving complex. (What a horrible stage mom she is to herself.)