5 seconds for sale

Many of the crosswalks in Portland, like those of most cities, have pedestrian signals that include an audible signal to assist blind pedestrians in making a smart decision as to (knowing) when to cross the street. Unlike any other crosswalks in any other cities that I've ever encountered, the audible signal in Portland is actually a male voice saying "Signal is on walk. Signal is on walk." (or something to that extent. This amuses me every time I hear it. Mostly because of the Mr. Show sketch about the "House of the Future," whose only technology are speakers on various items of furniture that say things like "this is a chair" when someone walks into close proximity. Its very funny. My description isn't very funny ("I am no symbolist!") but thats only because I was really expecting the sketch in question to live on youtube, but it doesn't and I really hadn't planned on, when I was walking here to the library, on having to describe it. At any rate, I also think its funny because the signal usually only lasts for a couple seconds, so there's no time for the Spanish voice to get its two bits in ("la señal dice la caminata" (or something like that)). Or at least I always imagine that there is a Spanish voice living in the little crosswalk box too, and its slowly getting more and more fed up at not ever having a chance to speak.

Also, I find that Ligeti's Cello Concerto makes me, when I listen to it, feel like I can write music, and my silly brain comes up with ideas for concert pieces, which so far as I'm concerned is a waste of both mine and my brain's time, since it distracts from listening to the music in the first place.

Also, I'm proud that right after listening to the Ligeti, I put on a CD of hardcore punk from the early '80s, and the ego shines at its eclectic tastes.