You can't win if you don't play

When I heard Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker were both playing full sets in the same show, I had to go. Unfortunately for me though, The Independent was sold out. I headed up San Francisco anyway in hopes I could snag an extra ticket.

When I got there I could see people already in line to get in when the door opened at 8:30. I cruised up and down the line asking for extras, but no one would bite. Then, just as I got back to the Will Call window, a man held up a single extra ticket. Before I could open my mouth, someone was already there paying below face value for the ticket. Several of us would-be ticket buyers sighed in disappointment.

"Got any more?" I asked the man. "No, sorry, that was it."

He wasn't kidding either, that really was it. I spent the next half-hour with 30 others trying to find an extra ticket to the show with no success. After the crowd had all filed into the venue and only us without tickets were left, I walked back to my car and headed home.

A perky little Christmas

My favorite Christmas gift this year? The 2007 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit calendar that my mom gave me.

New member

You know those people who still have their Halloween pumpkins out on their porches on Christmas? Apparently I'm now a member of that club.

I'm no Mr. Hollywood...

...but Ashton Kutcher ought to be dumping Demi Moore any time now. It's only a matter of time until he pulls a "Lance Armstrong."