For some reason I’m on a huge Sir Mix-A-Lot kick lately. I’ve got the Mack Daddy album in my car, bumpin’ away. I suppose it could be worse. I could have old NWA cranked.

No, I don’t even think I could stand that. Mix-A-Lot’s my limit.

I finally got my copy of The Bourne Identity (the 80’s TV miniseries) and I watched the first half last night.

I think it’s a toss-up between this version and the movie. The movie was much faster-paced and had action like nobody’s business, but it wasn’t too deep, didn’t let you really care about the characters, and didn’t remotely hold true to the book. The miniseries, so far, has been way more faithful to the book and has given me time to get to know the characters. I like that. The problem I’m seeing is that stuff isn’t explained too well. It’s sort of glossed over quickly and assumed that you picked it up, or they make subtle points that are actually very important to the plot but almost impossible to catch… almost like you have to have read the book prior to watching the movie.

Having read the book, I am liking the TV miniseries quite a bit. I’m not sure if it’s keeping Jenn’s attention too well, though, due to it’s substitution of intrigue for action. Also, since it was 80’s TV, you really don’t get too much in the way of good fight scenes, nor do they show any skin. (In the sex scene, the guy has his shirt off - and that’s it - and the girl has a full body briefer and a slip on. What’s that all about?)

I think if they were to remake the miniseries today, it would be the best of all worlds. Unfortunately, since we have the movie, I don’t think that’s going to happen. I suppose you can’t win ‘em all.

Here’s something that’s bugged me already this morning: At work I participate in the employee stock purchase plan, where you can buy shares of the company stock for a discounted price. I figure why not; as soon as the market goes back up, it could be really good for me. Anyway, the way we do it, once you’ve bought your shares, they go directly into an E*Trade OptionsLink account. Note that this account is substantially different than your standard E*Trade account. I already have a brokerage account with a local firm, Bidwell & Co., which I am very happy with (thank you very much). The problem is, I can’t specify that, rather than go to the OptionsLink account, I’d like my shares to go to my Bidwell account. I can’t tell OptionsLink, via an online method, to transfer my shares to Bidwell.

Instead, I have to first attempt to remember my fucking OptionsLink login information, which I use only once every six months when the stock purchase plan shares get deposited in my account. I never remember it because I never use it. Then I have to figure out exactly how many shares are in the account. Then I have to get in this fax war with E*Trade to manually tell them to ship my shares over to Bidwell. Finally, I have to go to Bidwell every day to check to see if the shares were transferred, because God forbid someone call me or send me some sort of notification that the transaction was completed.

I hate E*Trade. I suppose it’s great for the investor who’s been in the market for a while, knows how it all works, and knows what they want done. I’m not that guy. I own shares in, like, two companies, and only because I was (or am) employed there. I need the dude/chick on the phone to walk me through the transaction process when I make a trade so that I know I didn’t mess it up.

Maybe someday I should take the time to figure all that out. Now, though, is not that time.

The Frederick’s catalog came in the mail yesterday and there are some pretty nice tops in there. Jenn says she’ll be more interested in wearing them once she has abs. (Note: The definition of “abs,” at least as far as I’m concerned, is “the lack of non-ab material.” That is, the donut you see around my waist is “non-ab.” When I have successfully tamed that beast, I will have “abs.” This does not imply that I will be “cut” or have a “six-pack.”) I totally encourage the ab-making effort and am very much looking forward to that day. I love a chick with good abs.

(I also like big butts, and I cannot lie… I think I have another Mix-A-Lot blast coming on…)