My job is primarily writing about technology, but because I sit in a cluster surrounded by the arts and architecture writer, the music writer, the food writer, the TV writer, the film writer and various editors who deal with both Lifes (Lives?) and Arts (just Arts), I sometimes get an opportunity to review stuff that has nothing to do with tech.

We talk enough that we sometimes have a sense of what each other is into. People know that I did Adult Swim and comedy stuff and Radiohead and Portishead, whereas I know who around me is obsessed with Mad Men and Wilco. LOTS of Wilco addicts nearby.

Apart from video game reviews, (which I'll link to here in sec: I've been neglecting my output around here), I just reviewed the new (free) Nine Inch Nails album, "The Slip." The review should run in print on Sunday, but the online version has been up for a few days.

I'm also reviewing Jancee Dunn's Don't You Forget About Me, a summer book that comes out in July. I really liked her first book, a non-fiction book about celebrity interviewing. This is her first novel and I read it over two nights and ... well, I'll leave it to the review to speak for me. The review should run around May 25.

My brother and I are driving to Dallas tomorrow to go see Radiohead in concert. It was my awesome birthday gift from him and we're planning to stay overnight. I'm testing out a Nokia N95 phone and it has the very neat ability to stream video online live using the Web site Qik.com. I was playing around with it the last few days and I'm going to try to do some live broadcasting on the road tomorrow (and maybe even at the concert if they don't confiscate my phone). Keep an eye on my Twitter page to see when the videos/live streams are available.

Here's some of the video game reviews: Mario Kart Wii, Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds, God of War: Chains of Olympus, Patapon, Devil May Cry 4 and Harvey Birdman.

It could just be my ears.

About two weeks ago, I started getting some really scary shooting pains and cramps in my right wrist. It got to the point where I've had to start using my left hand to mouse around or just take long breaks while writing (especially the crunch of doing How I Met Your Mother weecaps on Monday nights).

It scared me a lot and I'm vowing to try to spend more time away from the computer after next week, once Smallville and HIMYM end next week. I want to be doing more video and photos anyway. I don't even want to think about ideas like "RSI" or "carpel tunnel." I don't even want to entertain those thoughts.

So here's the stuff that's been posted this week. It's a lot and I apologize again for the link dump. It's been even crazier than usual, but that's all due to end in just 7 more days and then I'll be traveling to Dallas to a Radiohead concert (woo!) and traveling a few days later for a baptism (Lilly's). Good times we will have!

First thing: we posted a comic on Monday at Space Monkeys! that has to do with Tyler Perry. You should see it.

Next thing: I had a story that ran in Monday's paper about Diane Prechter of TodayinAustin.com. People I know in other cities sometimes ask me what's so great about Austin and why I've stayed here so long. It's because of people like Diana -- people who have lived here a long time and really care about the community and spend all their free time doing things to connect people and make it an even better place to live. That's why I like it. Here's the video that ran with the story:



One thing that had me a little nervous all weekend was that I gave a presentation at work about new media tools. My editor Sarah helped me come up with ideas and it all came out of the coverage we did for South by Southwest Interactive. I got freaked out right before it started because I had no login for the computer in the presentation room, then I couldn't get the projector to work and I thought I was going to die of excessive sweating. But the room ended up packed (some people sat on the floor!) and people asked really good questions. There was some cool discussion. Our editor-in-chief even came in and added to the dialog. Afterward, I was so shaken up from the release of tension that I needed a few hours just to decompress.

Anyway, here's a link to the PowerPoint portion of the presentation. It's embedded below, too.



And now for some recaps: here's the two last weecaps I did of How I Met Your Mother:

After the Bro-keup -- Barney tries to replace his downed wingman with Will Forte while Ted tries to get his new girlfriend Sarah Chalke over her five-year sexual dry spell.

G-CWOK-Approved -- Even Gay Couples Without Kids hate Lily's art, which she's trying to sell. But they love Ted's hideous red cowboy boots. Fashion is fickle!

And then there was the penultimate episode of the season of Smallville:

'Torso,' They Say -- Lex and Clark both get sliced up about the chest in a crazy game of Kryptonian symbol body art. Lex wins, though, because he finds the last piece of the puzzle before he finds Clark's secret. The chest stabbing was worth it!

What else... there's this picture of the Weenie Genie that I took the other night:



It reminds me of the planet of Hot Dogs comics we did way back in the day.

Also, Glark and Wing Chun have started a new site, a podcast called Overwhelming Positivity. You should go check it out. It's on iTunes, too, if you want to subscribe there.

More later when my hands are rested and I can catch my breath again.