Random word of the day: Trepanation.

Random book I am currently reading: The Best American Nonrequired Reading of 2003.

Random strangely poignant moment in an otherwise depressing movie: Clea Duvall giving Naomi Watts the finger in 21 Grams.

Random set of two fires seen in the same day: Yesterday while driving into work, I clicked on the radio just as the traffic reporter announced that traffic was running exceptionally smoothly this morning. The words were barely out of her mouth when I saw soft plumes of smoke billowing through the air and turned to see a lone car collapsed at the side of the road, its back half completely enfulfed in flames... It was a very surreal moment, given that it was still dark out and the flames were licking very high against the sky--kind of like stumbling across Dali's flaming giraffe while still groggy on your way to your job in the morning.

Then, to top that off, when I was driving home from work yesterday, the sky was filled with this eerie lightning. When I rounded one of the curves on 480, I saw the source--in the distance off the freeway, enormous clouds of smoke were billowing through the sky, lit up by this weird metallic glow that could only be some sort of fire. Turns out that a nearby magnesium recycling factory had exploded at some point during the day. Still going as of this morning.

Random song lyrics whose source I need to figure out: "And I'm ok but you're insane and you give me a reason..." (If you have any idea who the hell sings this song, post me a comment and let me know. You will forever be my best friend.)

Random topic of discussion: What's up with the popularity of this The Da Vinci Code book? I mean, I read it; it proposes interesting religious/philosophical ideas (though it's not like they haven't been mused about before). But good god, I mean, when I was at Border's buying another Dan Brown book, the cashier almost wet himself with excitement over The Da Vinci Code, calling it THE best book he's ever read. THE best book. I'd wager to say I might be able to find, say, one or two classics that might give it an easy run for its money, my friend.

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