Andy Pressman captured this historic moment in DC this morning. Received just now, but sent via iPhone around 9:31am.

Meanwhile Andrew Sloat dropped another video yesterday.

Article 2 (for BHO) from Andrew Sloat on Vimeo.

Some of us, however, prefer our movies

1. In color
2. In English
3. Audible (meaning with audio tracks from the last 20 years)

Also, I need montage sequences set to music that reminds me of my own life, not French folk songs from the 1930s. This helps a lot when you’re trying to salve fresh recession wounds.

Now, my original premise was that Lucas’s highfalutin old timey films are going to require a NetFlix account, or even a Mondo Kim’s purchase — and neither option abides by the spirit of the recession diet. But then I looked them all up at the Brooklyn Public Library, and it turns out that four of the five are available for the price of a free library card.

And yet, my argument defeated, I’d still like to plow forth with my proposal that the IDEAL recession film is within arm’s reach of the couch: the movies you (and your roommates) already own, but never watch. So reader, I give you:

ANDREW’S RECESSION FILMS ON THE CHEAP (AND LAZY)

1. Me and You and Everyone We Know (sort of melancholy, much like a recession)
2. Clueless (forgetting your troubles by California Dreamin’ dates back to the Joads)
3. Marie Antoinette (added benefit of taking the bloom off the boom-time rose, recessionites!)
4. Marc and Liz’s Wedding (my sister’s wedding, where almost everything was made or donated by friends. Not sure if it’s any fun to watch, but recession chic, non?)
5. Annie Hall (hm, not recessiony at all, even though I think the oil crisis was happening or was just about to)
6. Mother (a short my friend made that won something at Cannes, paid for through donations from friends. Très recesssion!)
7. Letters from Iwo Jima (I have no interest in watching this, but my dad gave it to me, and maybe someday it will come in handy)
8. Russian Ark (Russia is a permanent recession for most people, right?)
9. Etc.

You get the point. This recession is going to be all about nesting and making-do over here in my world. Add movies you own to the comments list, and maybe we can swap!

> Hello!
>
>
> I received Henry’s birth announcement! It was a nice card and I agree that
> it looked better than your average snapfish version. Good job!
>
> So, this is totally short notice and I am not even sure yet but I was
> wondering if you were still interested in redoing my kitchen tile. It would
> have to be completed before 4/1. The current tiles are just SO bad and I am
> trying to rent this place out and think that the floors might get in the way
> of my asking price… I have not even picked out the tiles yet – this is
> just a knee-jerk idea. I first wanted to know if you were available (I
> know it is bad timing with a little one at home) and if you still had any
> interest. If so, what you think you would charge (without the tile since I
> don’t know that price yet) etc.
>
> NO PRESSURE whatsoever. Like I said, this is just bubbling up right now and
> I wanted to run it by you. Nothing like putting something off until the
> last minute, right?
>
> I hope that all remains cozy and happy on Broad street!
>
> Nads

That’s all from the courthouse. Case dismissed!

I have only been here for four hours, and it has not let me down.

The jury pool waiting room is large and spacious, and happens to be walking distance from my house. “There’s a wifi, whatever that is,” said the authoritative man who led the introductory proceedings. So far so good. People are all reading or watching MSNBC. When the TV first turned on, it was showing a very loud advertisement for a store called Liquor Land.

The famous New York State jurors instructional video “YOUR TURN: Jury Service in New York State” was everything I’d been told it would be. It started off with Ed Bradley leading us through a Medieval Times-inspired “trial by ordeal”, wherein a fellow was bound and thrown in the water while the townsfolk awaited God’s verdict (if you haven’t seen it, I won’t tell you what it was… jurors are required to have no pre-conceptions of the case beforehand). The film titles were in bold centered Futura, much of it all caps (the only good way to set Futura). After the reenactment, and a short course on the history of trial by jury (Greeks good, Romans bad, Medieval Europeans horrible) we were treated to a cross section of New Yorkers complaining about how much they were not looking forward to their jury service. (This video was made before “a wifi” was put in their waiting room, I bet.) Note: one of the complainers is obviously drunk. There was some talk about Charlemagne, and then Ed Bradley was done.

Diane Sawyer was next. Anyone who babysat me back in the day knows that I used to have a huge crush on her, so it was nice to see her here, in this unfamiliar place. She showed us some clips of what the court room is NOT like. Apparently it is NOT in black and white, people are NOT allowed to just walk around as they please, and dewy-eyed blondes do NOT start crying on the stand. Also, Perry Mason is NOT there. We learned about the people in the court room: Claire Huxtable’s look-alike is the judge, the court reporter has excellent posture, and the clerk is so guilty-looking I couldn’t possibly be impartial in that trial. Marcia Clark appears to be the counsel for the defense. She’s very commanding, but her hair is ridiculous, and that red suit is straight out of the “Dress for Success” bin. You can do better, girl!!

Two important takeaway points from Diane:
1. people who have been on juries have a much better opinion of our legal system than those who have not.
2. “In many ways, serving on a jury has more impact than voting.” Tell that to Al Gore, lady!

Back in Realityland, the guy in charge led us through an hour of turning over and over one little piece of paper on which we were asked to answer about six questions. (It’s starting to be clear that this system is meant to accommodate the many many people here who are, let’s say, not fit for jury service.) The highlights of this section were his Valentine’s Day greeting and when he introduced one question by saying “If you are a housewife, full time student, retired, self-employed, or unemployed…” First off, “housewife”??? Can you still say that? And secondly, since when is self-employment somewhere in between retirement and unemployment? I’m beginning to feel alienated.

Seven categories of people who can be excused are called, and I’m including head counts:
1. People who don’t live in Brooklyn/Kings County. (0)
2. Not a citizen of the US. (3)
3. Parents or guardians who do not work, with children under 14. (14)
4. Convicted of a felony. (2)
5. Served as city, state, or federal jurors within 4 years. (2)
6. Medical exemptions (30, including a lady in a neck brace! Diane is wrong, this is EXACTLY like television)
7. Difficulty understanding English (20, and they were mocked mercilessly, which was funny and either illegal or tacky)

Jury duty, if you don’t get on a jury, is now only one day long we’re told, and your services exempts you for EIGHT YEARS. I’m soaking this up.

There were lots of people with special cases to deal with, and since that excitement died down I’ve been sitting here for about an hour trying to get work done. A group of twelve people (who I’m guessing are an empaneled jury although I have no proof, which is essential in court proceedings) just filed in and sat in a row together. They seem to have a real rapport, and I’m jealous. Oh, and now they’re getting up and filing back out.

My feelings of alienation are growing.

Nothing interesting happened today at my polling place, mostly because we still have the same voting machines that we’ve had since New York became a state. (Fuck HAVA!) So instead I’ll share with you my experience from voting in the 2004 primary. (Sharpton ‘04, totally not kidding.) This is a quote from an email I wrote at the time:

Needless to say, I was beaming when I went up to the table to sign in, because I love voting, and I love the weather. A lady sitting next to the registrars exclaimed “What a nice smile! You have a smile like Kennedy. He was always smiling.”
“It’s an incredible day out!” I said. “Everyone’s smiling!”
“Kennedy had red hair too, he was always smiling.”
“Which Kennedy?”
“The Kennedy that got killed.”
“The president?”
“Yes, John Kennedy.”
“Really!?”
“You have a beautiful smile, just like Kennedy. You know, Kennedy came to my country, and I met him there.”
“Where was that?”
“Costa Rica. Then I moved to America the same week he was shot.”
“Really?!”
“Yes, it was very sad. I met him, and he shook my hand. He was a very nice man. You keep that beautiful smile, ok?”
“OK! Thanks!”

Photo by Sam Sherman Andy & I were feeling “Angel” so hard, we had to take an iPod break to hear it just one time. Later on I locked myself in the bathroom to hear the first two minutes again. Then, when we were leaving, I got one last listen on the stoop while people put on their coats and gathered their umbrellas.

PS: See some of Stevie Nicks’s artwork here; See art inspired by Stevie Nicks here.

4:55 pm After much consulting with me, friends on ichat, Andrew Sloat has determined that he is going to buy an iPhone. It is also determined that his need for an iPhone is immediate, since he wants to use it on his trip to Washington DC this weekend. His train leaves at 9pm tonight. Stay tuned to find out what happens.

5:04 pm Andrew has his coat on. A called was made to the AT&T store in downtown brooklyn— iPhones are available and they are open.

5:06 pm Andrew has left the studio. We’ll see what he comes back with, and if he has enough time to sign-up/set-up the new iPhone AND make his train! Meanwhile, I continue to work (iPhoneless).

5:15 pm This just in—live and unedited—from Andrew (via text message on his non-iphone): foot traffic toward at and t is LIGHT. just realized i will not be able to play face book scarble on iphone! requires flash!

5:23 pm More updates from Andrew at the AT&T Store (unedited, as always): a quote… day bringin de iphone (west indian sales associate)

5:28 pm Andrew: turned down hard sell apple case plan

5:34 pm This just in from Geoff: This is terrific!

5:35 pm Andrew: iphone acquired at 1730 [UNCONFIRMED]

5:52 pm Andrew walked in with an iphone.

Andrew will now take over the live blogging as I am launching a website.

ANDREW SELF LIVE BLOGS FROM HERE

5:55 pm Can’t figure out how to open plastic wrap. It is as seamless as the phone.

5:56 pm Plastic wrap conquered.

5:56.5 pm Box opens like an Egyptian sarcophagus. iPhone sits on large empty molded plastic bed.

5:57 pm Brief Facebook break.

5:57.5 pm First physical contact with iPhone

5:58 pm Unplugging iPod. Basically trash anyway?

5:59 pm Noticed that they spelled my name wrong on my receipt; foresee hours of headaches with customer service.

6:00 pm Renda is angry that I’m not blogging in the right entry. I will fix this later. [CONTENT ON RENDA'S LIFE REDACTED]

6:07 pm iTunes update still downloading. Thinking about how I will decide which 8Gb of my music I will put on the iPhone.

6:10 pm Opening iTunes. Agreeing to licensing agreement, I confess I’m too excited to read the whole thing as I normally would.

6:11 pm Renda exclaims (mostly for show) OH MY GOD, ANDREW HAS AN iPHONE. HOLY FUCKING SHIT.

6:18 pm Noticed that the iPhone’s bed is a very high quality plastic.

6:20 pm iTunes is doing a lot of quiet thinking. That makes one of us!

6:20.5 pm choosing service plan. Hm. They all seems sort of bad.

6:24 pm A number of odd questions have been asked of me. More careful thinking by Apple.

6:29 pm Approving licensing agreements and terms of service for a number of big companies willy-nilly.

6:35 pm There is some syncing happening.

6:46 pm You can file email that you’ve read and replied to! For some reason I thought you couldn’t, and I foresaw having to move things I’d already read when I got to my desk. PRAISE HIM!

I will post more from the iPhone itself later this evening! Bye for now!