SITE OF THE MONTH


I've said it before, I am not a huge Colbert Report fan. But who can resist putting eight things/people on notice? It's like your very own electronic Grandpa Simpson-isms or Peter Griffin ("you know what really grinds my gears?"). In a way, I guess one could argue that blogs themselves are a huge 'on notice' electronic board.

Actually it was harder to come up w/eight than I thought. I was slanting to all anti-GOP things. I had to fight my urges. It would have been too easy to put: Shrub. Rove. Cheney. etc.

You can make your own On Notice board here!

RECORD OF THE MONTH

I figured I'd do a monthly 'what I'm listening to' kind of thing. This could be viewed as a lame placeholder kind of post. And probably it is. But it's my blog! So there!

These may or may not be newly released disks. They might not even be a good disk - just what is been in heavy rotation in my car (as usually the iPod is playing anywhere else).

Remember, this is what I am listening to, not necessarily what I recommend - though usually if I'm going to post it here, I pretty much like it. Maybe I should change the title segment of these monthly postings.

While pondering that, I am not not recommending (did you follow that?) Shawn Colvin or her brand-spankin'-new disk, These Four Walls. It only came out yesterday. Even bad Shawn is still usually pretty good.

I really haven't formed a solid opinion yet. My initial thought was - "eh, it's ok". Her last disk, Whole New You, took a long time for me to appreciate - but that turned out to be her best disk. There are usually a few songs that jump out at me - and so far only one has ("Tuff Kid"), though the first single, (they don't make those - do they?) "Fill Me Up" is ok, in a light kind of way. Producer John Leventhal has not gone out of his way to distinguish this disk from her last two.

Colvin covers the Bee Gee's "Words", and it works ok. If you want to hear her do a killer cover, check out her greatest hits collection where she does the Beatles' "I'll Be Back".

Blobby did purchase this via iTunes and w/there is an additional track there that is not found on the versions sold at the brick & mortar.

I do, however, love the cover art.

HOBBY

It's come to my attention that in the upcoming weeks / months of potential (or should I say 'probable') unemployment, I might need a hobby.

Sure I'll be job searching, but I suspect there will be lulls in the market as well as in my spirit. And there is only so much job hunting that one can do in a day. So I need something else to do that isn't reading, television or even blog related.

I figured that I can ride for a few more weeks, possibly up to two months, after my last day on the current job - weather permitting. But all these things don't add up to a full day.

But hobbies are money related - usually. I might have to suck up some expense to keep my mind going. And then there is the thing that this is the opportunity and time for me to do something new and different. A chance to better myself. Ok, maybe not in the big societal way, but in a way I've thought about or wanted to, but never got off my ass to do anything about it.

• Guitar. Always wanted to play (acoustic). I tried once a long time back, but the instructor was of no use, as I'm left-handed. He couldn't grasp how to teach me backwards and upside down. I couldn't translate what he was attempting to teach me. Of course, I was in 4th grade. Maybe now is the time to retry.
• Piano. I know which keys are for which notes. I can read music. Haven't done 'chords' per se and then there is that whole playing chords w/one hand and notes w/the other. Oh - and I don't have a piano. But those are just minor details.
• Gym. I need an upper body. I'm fine w/my weight. The number is correct even if it's not distributed to where I think it should be.
• Cooking. Taking cooking classes. Do they tell you how to make Kraft Mac & Cheese at these places?
• Knitting! (ok, I'm soooo not doing that. I just had to take a jab at Dity and Becca.)

But these are just a few things I've thought of off the top of my head. I'm open to suggestions. Please be kind - oh, and realistic.

Tower of Song

They are gone. The towers.

For anyone who'd never been in/to the World Trade Center, it is hard to say what you were missing other than the view of them and from them. I'd been in the concourse dozens of times, but I'd only been at the observation deck twice and at Windows to the World only once. All of them hazy days. The first time was my inagural trip the city - my high school graduation present from my parents. I still have the pics I took w/my Pentax K100. The second time was with a friend which was her first visit to the city. That meant a little more to me - as I knew the city at which I was now looking. I pointed things out that weren't the Empire State or Chrysler bldgs, which was about all I could identify that first time.

My one time on Windows to the World was just an office outing with the library staff @ Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft. The WttW experience was only drinks, no dinner, but it was with a fun group of people, that unfortunately I have fallen out of contact with over the last 22 years. Hands down, that was the best summer ever (thanks Ade!) ! At that time the firm was located at 1 Wall St. Literally the office existed within the shadow of the towers. Actually, not much down there didn't. The thing that strikes me now is that without the towers how light downtown has become.

My first time back to the city post 9/11 was only a month after the fact. We had already had a trip planned to DC, then directly up to NYC. Both cities were in flux. In DC, the Metro was free, as the city was practically begging anyone to do anything around town. If it weren't for Becky and Andrew, we would have skipped DC. Jon and Tommy did. (yes, they were the ones that let the terrorists win!).

Driving into Manhattan was most unnerving. The approach to the Lincoln Tunnel was disturbing for two reasons: one being the jet that was approaching Newark and low in the sky over the Hudson. Never has a jetliner make me stop and think "OMG" - (unless I was on it and it had screaming kids, but that is a differnt kind of OMG). The other was curving down prior to entering the tunnel - where you get a great view of the city - and what was missing. The downtown skyline is so packed, that in a weird way, from that angle, if you'd never seen the city before, there did not look like any building - let alone two - were missing. But they were - and the loss was palpable.

Subway lines in NYC were sporadic at best. Waiting on platforms for trains that never came b/c of suspicous packages left behind. Or worse, stuck in trains for 40 minutes while they checked out said packages. On a day out, we actually walked from mid-town to Battery Park with no real intention to see the site....but there it was. Unavoidable. And still burning a month later.

I know many people who found the WTC an eyesore. Personally, I liked the buildings. I never worked in the WTC - but they served such a useful everyday puprose. For anyone unfamililar with the island and attempting to navigate Manhattan, all you needed was to spot the towers, which were visible from just about anywhere, to figure out which direction you needed/wanted to go or at least were headed in.

I actually made my first trip to the Empire State Bldg. I never felt any need to go. This time I did. It was a few nights before they turned off the beams of light that shone into the sky from the WTC site. I don't know that I've ever been colder. 20 degrees at street level became 20 below eighty-six flights up. Literally, I could stand outside for about 30-60 seconds at a time. And it was all worth it. Those spots were a better tribute and memorial to the towers than any Freedom Tower, which I find to be completely self-indulgent.

When my OCD kicks in, it can kick in hard. If I get on a subject, I can read and/or watch everything on it. This wasn't too much the case for 9/11. I watched a number of PBS specials on 'why the towers fell', but in reality, most of them are just too painful to deal with. Even in Farenheit 9/11 when the screen goes black and doesn't even show a plane hit, I turned away from the movie screen. But there are two WTC things I recommend:

Ric Burns' eighth part of his New York series: Center of the World. It is a three hour history of the WTC and doesn't completely focus on 9/11. Actually parts 1-7 on city history are great.

For something a bit more harrowing: the book 102 Minutes. As best of a reconstruction of what happens in the towers from the time the first plane hits until the second tower falls. It is both an easy and uneasy read. I don't know how else to describe it.

SHOPPING w/BLOBBY

Yet another installment in the drudgery that is everyday shopping. The camera-phone makes it a bit more fun - though I get looks whenever I take pics of products. Like I care what people think!


It's been months since I've posted a Shopping with Blobby segment. I've never been thrilled w/the grocery store chore. I guess me not having to go is one of the perks of Denton being out of work.

This might be stretching the 'shopping' part - but I was in a party store, as we acquire supplies ("supplies! supplies!") for my parent's 50th anniversary party. I'm not sure I've ever been to a party supply store - so had no idea all the crap they sold. I've decided these costumes were amusing at first, but just kind of lame overall.


The good ones are a little more imaginative. I remember back to fall of 1982. A young Blobby was in scrubs, carrying a hanger...along with a plastic bag w/broken eggs mixed with a little catsup.

Oh before you judge - keep in mind there was a staunch republican in the White House who'd have done anything to set-back woman's reproductive rights. But that was 24 years go. At our leaders have progressed so far beyond that now. ........oh.....wait.

If you're good - and I mean REALLY good - I might just post those 1982 pics closer to all Hallow's eve.

I GOT NOTHIN'

No updates. Not really.

I took off work yesterday. Gotta burn through that PTO before my last day. In reality, I'm thinking I'll only get one or two more days done before my last official day of work.

We did some decorating things as the painters are trying to finish up, like finding a rug for the entry way. It wasn't the bathroom tile row of 2000 - but wasn't pretty. But we moved past it a lot quicker than the tile incident.

I was forced (kind of) to go to a happy hour where I knew someone who was guest bartending for charity. But the main reason is, she works at the cancer center which I'm trying to get employment. I figured face time w/any of her bosses could not be all bad. None of them were there.

Since the bar was having a promotional tie-in w/Miller Lite, they were trying to shove that down my throat. I was having none on it. If I wanted to drink urine, I would. But I'm not paying for it. The bar-staff was not exactly pleased w/me. Everyone else I knew caved and was drinking that swill.

I did get info out of Denise though. Her boss is the person I interviewed w/on Wed. and she really liked me. But the first guy I interviewed w/ two weeks ago said he didn't think I could do the job b/c I was "too nice". Denise's response: "clearly, he don't know fill in my name here". And the guy has only been there 3-4 wks. Yet when I left the interview, his response was: "I thought this went well. I can't imagine why we wouldn't hire you.".

But they're discussing me - which I'm taking as a good sign. And they're discussing me before the initial candidates are done w/their interviewing. Or at least that's the story.

I have been given the possibility to go back to my old department which at first presented great relief. This has been replaced by angst of what it was like and why I left. I am leaning against it - going against my security issues. Taking David & Becky's advice on using the time. Or using a colleague who was in a similar situation to avoid going backwards. It will be tough - but necessary.

btw....painters should be done. Before, During and After pics should be posted in the next week or so. We still have pictures to hang, lights to hang, etc. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.

WELCOME BACK RIDERS

Rollercoaster......of love. Rollercoaster. Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo

The week has been a rollercoaster. I figured it would be. Highs. Steep drops. Nausea inducing. Pain in the neck. Long long lines....wait, I think I lost my analogy. The next few will be similar - or at least I'm guessing. My interview on Wednesday went fairly well. Now it's just a waiting game. As Homer said: "oh, the waiting game sucks. Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos!" They are actually finishing interviews with other candidates. OTHER CANDIDATES?? Are they out of their frickin' mind?????

I've been fairly mum at work about my 'outplacement'. I was hoping to know something more about the possible new job before saying anything. When that was clear it wouldn't materialize I had to make a plan to let my staff know. I did that today - telling my direct reports in person and to the masses via email. It had already started leaking anyway, though oddly enough, not to my own team. And everyone is sooooooooooooooooo sorry. They can't believe it..... not that they know what to believe. But as luck would have it (not), invariably I'd end up trying to make them feel better about my misfortune. It's like when you're in the hospital yet you feel the need to entertain the visitors.

So two more weeks of at least of this rollercoaster. But next summer there is going to be a new rollercoaster....at Cedar Point. It looks ok, but nothing outstanding. Or is it just me? Jon? Jon?

GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD NEWS

This is the way that CNN's website had a paragraph of their wrap-up of Katie Couric's first go at anchoring CBS' nightly news. It was from yesterday morning and it has since been fixed, so clearly some other than me caught it.

Couric's only real nod to her newbie status came at the end, with a joking report on her difficulties coming up with a signoff. She showed clips of Cronkite, Chet Huntley, Dan Rather, Ted Baxter and even fictitious anchorman Ron Burgundy giving their final words, then invited viewers to submit suggestions on the CBS News Web site.

5 STAGES

Do I grieve for my job? Or should I say - my soon to be gone job?

Oddly enough - no. I grieve for the thing my job brings: security.

I know most people would say money. Trust me, I'm not immune to the want/need of cold hard cash (or in this case - direct deposit!). But I'm not talking material things, but I won't lie that those can't be nice. And I'm not even necessarily talking about house, food, heat and medical/dental benefits, though there is something to be said for all those things and the security they bring.

It should be no surprise that I'm a worse-case scenario kind of guy. It is just my nature. When you live in that world, it is hard to be disappointed. Case in point is that whole tumor issue 14 years ago.

On some levels I will always be that guy who was making $14,000 gross (!!) and living off Mega pizzas (for the uninitiated, Mega pizzas were/are individual 7" pizzas that one could get for $0.69-0.89 - and tasted like it). Sure, I spent equal amounts of my rent and car payment on beer - so I brought on that poverty by lonesome. Even when we got our first house almost ten years ago, it was surreal. Who'd-a-thunk I wouldn't be a renter my entire life? Certainly not me.

Last week David and I discussed that though we loathe to admit it, we often identify w/what we do for a living moreso than who we are as people. If I am out of work, what is my self-worth? What do I do w/my day? There is something to be said about the security of structure - at least there is for me. ...and trust me, it's not watching Judge Judy and Ellen!

Denton and I discussed that in other jobs we made a difference. We had impact in how things ran - good or bad. When you leave in an unexpected manner you immediately begin to question your contribution - and was it all just a waste of time.

The loss of a job is still a loss. Why shouldn't you go through the five steps of grief? Ok, not all five. I don't really believe one goes through all five - and definitely not in the order they say:

• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining
• Depression
• Acceptance

Even with cancer I pretty much skipped Bargaining. So far, this time, I've missed Bargaining and Acceptance - though it's early. Denial was a blip here. I tend to bounce between Anger and Depression.

I border on Acceptance, but it's not there. Not yet. David has been encouraging me to take the six months and do something....anything. It is so tempting. But I go right back to security and stepping outside my comfort zone. It's scary. Denton has been supportive in me not going back to my old department (who wants me back) if it would make me unhappy. Again, I gravitate to security - at this point for the household. Everyone has been great and supportive.

I guess I'll just take it as it comes. Today is a third interview for a job I wanted and now need. My goal for that hour today is to convey the want and not show the need. All of the sudden I hear John Lithgow and Jon Lovitz in my head from their bad SNL skit (wait....is that redundant?) saying: "ACTING!"

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

Every year, I promise Denton that we will go out to more movies. The goal is at least one a month, at least on average. That sounds doable - right? Then why do I have so much problem meeting expectations in this field?

Socially, I swear I'm turning into my father and his mother. They never wanted to go anywhere. Our best laid plans always shot down at the last second (by me) in favor of staying in and just doing our thing. Leaving Columbus a decade ago, and throwing ourselves into long-houred, demanding jobs really stunted our ability to get out there. The little time we had at home and together really took hold. Jerry Seinfeld was right - you can't make new friends after you're 30. Ok....you can, it's just so much more difficult. I at least recognize the not-going-out cycle....and now I have to break it.

Partially though it's the movie theatre experience - start to finish - which is why I avoid films. It makes it hard for you want to get out there. It's not the movie price. It's the crowds. We were the youngest people there today - and the elders behaved worse than any children I'd encountered with their yammering through the entire movie. Then there is the 30 minutes of forced commercials and the previews. You have to be there for them if you want a seat that is not front row center. Oh - and it's the movies themselves. Predictable. Try finding 12 movies you actually want to go out and see in a calendar year. Anymore, what you really hope for is one good performance w/in the movie that is destined to be fair (i.e. Meryl Streep's great job in the otherwise lame The Devil Wears Prada).

So here we have Little Miss Sunshine. The rave of much of the indie and film festival circuit. And I give it the big -"EH"! (actual word/phrase I muttered upon movie's completion. Denton agreed.) What do you say when the best performance is by an unknown seven year old? Even Toni Collette, whom usually pulls off a really good performance in any movie was just ok. ...and then there's Greg Kinnear. I mean - well with him, what you see is what you get.

All the hype - and it's just not that good of a movie.

ALWAYS HATED STANDARDIZED TESTS

From the Iowa Basics to the SAT & ACT, I loathed them. Even a minor 16 question test can throw me into little seizures. Though the scores are not bad - everything (to me) seems askew. Me? Below Average in Logic? Me? Exceptional in math? GET OUTTA HERE!

Your IQ Is 115

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius Your Mathematical Intelligence is Exceptional Your General Knowledge is Above Average

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

MAKING THE INTERNET ROUNDS

Travolta's wife is looking a tad too manly - don't you think?

I can't claim originality on this, not even in the slightest. You can't sneeze without tripping over this pic, which appears on just about any and every site on the internets....except maybe johntravolta.com (not that it necessarily exists).

Becca? Does this help w/the gay/not gay question??

THE DAY AFTER

So - how am I doing after Thursday's big news? Am I reeling? The answer is yes and no.

I have never been out of work before. Not really. When we moved to Cleveland 10yrs ago, I quit my job to be with Denton. From my last day of work to my next job, it was six weeks. That included looking for employment, interviewing and pre-employment health screenings. I've never been 'let go'.

I decided not to go into work yesterday. On one hand, why bother? On another, I want to remain in good standing, as I was trying to move positions anyway. I don't want to look like some bitter guy....but I do have about 70 hrs over the maximum of Paid Time Off. I'd lose it at the end of the year if I had my old job or the new one. I will definitely lose those 70s hrs at the end of September if I don't get another job in the same organization.

So yesterday was a bit trying. There was an army of workers doing painting and woodwork. The main house was uninhabitable. We (including the cat) took refuge in Denton's office. At some points in my life I thought I might be able to last in prison. It turns out I wouldn't make it a day. And prison doesn't even have wireless access. I was stir-crazy. Is this how it will be after there are no more office days?

I flash on things where I am like "oh, I should be at work." Then it's "no, I don't have a job".....but I actually do. At least for another month. I fret about being broke - but I'll pretty much have full pay well into next year.

David called yesterday after reading my blog. I should take heed from his experiences. He is a man who knows about job transition. G-d does he know. Don't even ask what his new dream job would be. He can tell you himself. He WILL tell you himself. It's safe to say we don't have the same career aspirations.

I do agree w/David that is time for self-reflection. What DO I want to be when I grow up? Does what we do really define us? Why do all my sentences seem like I'm Carrie Bradshaw writing her crappy little column?

David thinks I have a good book in me. He believes I'm bitter enough, sarcastic enough and funny enough to pull it off. He also says the last few entries of this blog have been kicked up a notch. Let's see....how did he phrase it? Something to the effect that: 'it was a like a sad little tv show that finally got a good storyline'. He wasn't being rude and I couldn't help but laugh. Do I take the subtitle of 'stuff and nonsense' off the header?

I do believe my biggest challenge will be these upcoming three and one-half weeks. I'll close-up some of what I'm working on and make sure not to take anything else on at all. That can be the problem of the administrator to which they are transitioning my work. Of course, I'll be helpful, but why take on bigger pieces they'd eventually be responsible for anyway?

I will use up as much of the now 63 hrs of PTO that I have in overage while continuing my quest for the job I really wanted. If that doesn't come to fruition, I have short term non-work goals: my parent's 50th. maybe a trip. lots of house stuff.

Did I mention that I will have full access to an executive search firm who will work w/me at no cost to me? So, I have that going for me - along w/a great support system of friends and family. Well, some family. I will wait to break this news depending on the next week or so, after seeing how the my next interview turns-out.

BLOBBY: SO VERY FIRED

There is a line in Angels in America which I love: "you don't intuit well at all". It is a word I like and one rarely sees in that form.

(Un)fortunately, much of the time I do intuit well. Let's take yesterday's post by chance (feel free to read it first if you'd like to catch-up)

2p came around. I walked into the appointed conference room w/my boss and a Human Resources rep. Even before a word was spoken, I knew of my sealed fate. But the first words were a doozy - and uttered by me: "Fuck! This can't be good!". Technically, I was not fired. My position was eliminated. I was "outplaced". Call it whatever you fuckin' want.

I mean, I knew it was coming - didn't I? Many many people tried to tell me I was on the wrong track. They weren't being mean - just supportive. I appreciate that too. I flashed back 14 yrs (!!!) or so to when many of those same people tried to reassure me that the shadow on my xray was not a tumor. They almost had me believe it too. But my worse case scenario mind actually got me to a place mentally that when it was confirmed to be a tumor, I was well prepared. Today was a lot like that.

As predicted, it was not performance related but a consolidation of resources. Why me? I don't know - there was no real point in asking. The decision was made and the severance package made up.

It's a decent enough of one. One that will keep me in ok shape at least until March 2007 for pay and benefits.....and beyond that if I indeed need unemployment.

I am still hoping not to need the severance package, let alone the unemployment lines. The other job I mentioned, for which I am interviewing, I'm still in the running and a viable candidate. I even went to the person I interviewed w/and would report to, so that I could update her on my situation. Some might think that was a mistake - but I think it was more important that she hear it from me and not via a grapevine. I was on an adrenaline rush so I figured do it before chickening out. I tied it back to my interview when she asked if I was worried about reorganization in my current area. I answered at that time that while I thought eventually it would happen - it was not the reason for my interest in the job I was interviewing for....and that IS the truth. Both my admin. boss and my doc. boss said they'd talk me up for any position I was considering.

So beginning in October (yes, I'm gainfully employed until near end of Sept), I can get a lot more bike riding in - and will have lots and lots of time to work on my blog. I know - you shiver with anticip.............................(SAY IT!)............ation!

GET NERVOUS

.....get nervous....get nervous....get nervous..... (may as well keep Pat Benatar in all my posts from now on, eh?).

So - am I losing my job today?



Yes, I bet that comes as a shock to everyone. Present company included. It remains to be seen, but odds are there is something in the wind. Majorly.

I basically have two bosses. Technically I only have one. I work for a department headed by a physician - he is not my boss, though he thinks he is and which I have much more contact with him than my actual boss. I actually report to someone who works in 'the division'. My job is to make sure the department runs the way the division and organization want - while trying to appease the clinical staff.

So the secretary for my 'real' boss calls me yesterday afternoon to schedule me for a 2p today. No - she says she doesn't know the topic. The boss doesn't answer my emails asking what the meeting is about. All ignored.

I should mention that the division is going through some reorganization. The talk has always been how to restructure administratively. Discussions all over the board about how we won't have traditional reporting structures to there won't be any significant changes.

My doc (boss) really wanted to talk to me right before I left yesterday. That is his M.O., so I'd normally think little of it. But coupled w/the unexpected meeting w/no topic w/my boss-boss, my back was up. My instincts were good. Turns out there will be an administrative reshuffling that he is not liking it all. He's the kind of guy who could care less if it doesn't affect him - so if he's not liking, it means this reshuffling will. I did ask him outright if I was being fired - and the answer was 'no'. But keep in mind - he's not truly my boss.

Any movement cannot be based on performance - as in my 10.75 yrs here, all my evaluations have fully met or exceeded expectations. So, I don't know how exactly they'd base this. I've been here longer than some others, though not in this position. But I'm also not the lowest man on the totem pole in this position.

I could be going worse-case scenario. That is my nature. If they wanted me gone-gone, they'd have just shown me the door - right? I mean, that's how I've done it. Or since it's budget season will they tell me my position has an end-date - like when budget is done, APRs are done etc?

As you can imagine, last night was not a good one for me...and today will drag on for-fucking-ever. I have never been fired or downsized - so I'm slightly queasy. It's just the uneasiness of not knowing, I guess. That and the possibility of having two people in a household who are looking for employment.

Ironically, I've been interviewing for a job w/in the organization that I really want. Now it turns out I might really need it.

RADIO KILLED THE VIDEO STAR

As I was flipping through channels the other day (and btw....how about a shout-out to whomever invented the remote! I haven't seen a commercial in 13 yrs!!!) I came across a video for a band I had never heard of or seen. I don't remember which channel I saw it on - but rest assured it couldn't have been MTV.

I have to say, the song is ok....at best. But the video was great. Let's face it - there has been nothing new in music video when Pat Benatar chose to shake her little pine cones in "Love is a Battlefield".

Robert Longo's video for New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle" w/the complete acting nonsequiter in the middle was a highlight for me. Que asian woman and caucasian man w/caucasian woman looking on:

"I don't believe in reincarnation, because I refuse to come back as a bug or a rabbit!!"

"You know - you're a real UP person!"

I know that Fatboy Slim's video w/Christopher Walken is supposed to be this great great video and it was amusing, but I'm loving the OK GO's video for "Here it Goes Again"*.

I don't care if they taped it at an extremely slow speed and sped it up for effect. Though I don't know that they did. Either way, it's great. And for the life of me I cannot see/find an edit. You really have to watch the entire thing. Enjoy.



* By clicking on the OK GO link you can see a slightly better resolution of the video. I just couldn't embed it from there.

.....from the AP

JESSICA SIMPSON ORDERED TO REST HER VOICE

NEW YORK (AP) -- Talk about bad timing. At the start of a media blitz to support her new album, "A Public Affair," Jessica Simpson is on vocal rest.

"It is true that she has indeed lost her voice," Simpson's publicist, Rob Shuter, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "She's been ordered to rest. ... She can talk, she can croak out a few sentences. She sounds a little off, but, you know, she can't sing."

NO SHIT!

BOOMER x 2

One of my sisters got a miniature australian sheepdog. Isn't he cute? His name is Boomer. These pics are from a few weeks back and though I haven't seen him since, I understand he's in an "awkward" phase. Welcome to the club, Boomer!

Even two weeks prior to these pics his legs weren't nearly as long, nor did he has his snout. I hear he is growing out of his puppy fur, but not quite into the fur he'll have. Tricia says he currently just looks a little 'sad' (not downbeat - just pathetic).

But he loves his Uncle Blobby - and really - what more can you ask for?




I guess the other Boomer (and Morty is about to be disappointed to whom I do not reference) is a friend of a friend: Michael Beaumier (yes, who goes by Boomer). Todd (whom I cannot link to here for sooooo many reasons) used to date Boomer whom I think I met once in Chicago. It's all a blur.

Anyhoo.....Boomer, the man, has a book coming out today. I can't recommend it. I cannot not recommend it. I haven't seen it or read it. Apparently it is based largely on his experience as editor of the personal section of the Chicago Reader. Along with his personal relationship and family experiences. (the italicized portion is paraphrased from an email I received from Todd.)

I also seemed to have missed that Boomer, the man, was on This American Life in the last week or two.

Becky - exactly how are you parlaying your way onto Ira Glass' show when your book comes out???

KILL. CRUSH. DESTROY

As g-d is my witness, if the Thompsons (who sold us this house) ever come w/in 5 miles of Ambler Hts, I will hunt them down and kill them.

Don't get me wrong - we love the house. And for the most part the downstairs (and main stairway) renovation is going better than expected. Everything seems to be on or ahead of schedule. Unheard of.

But take a look at this.The morons previous owners painted over the windows on one set of the French Freedom Doors. So Blobby did this most of the weekend:
I scraped glass w/a 5" razor blade for hours at a time. My knuckles are raw. My thumbs are sore. And yes, while multi-tasking, I put the razor blade into my knee. The silver lining is that it was a dull razor blade. I had been swapping them out every 4-5 panes of glass that had been completed. A newer one might have done more damage - but on the other hand, it might have cut more cleanly.

And this was the end result. Ok. Not the end - b/c clearly it's not completed. As each pane takes about 15-18 minutes (yes! I timed it!!), I have an hour or two worth of work to finish the inside.

Just the inside you ask? Yes - believe it or not, this picture was not taken at night, they actually painted both the inside and outside of each pane of glass. Multiple coats!!! on each side. Two things are seemingly clear - the Thompson's wanted privacy (though they didn't paint over any other windows!!) and they had never considered curtains/drapes.

We will eventually get the outside cleaned up, but are under the gun to make sure the inside is done before living room painting gets done.

SEND IN THE CLOWNS

The "woman" who would have liked to have decided the 2000 presidential election (no.......Not Sandra Day O'Connor, who actually did!) is at it again. Rockery (not Jonas boss) her stupidity and antics will most likely get her nowhere this time.

While running for the Senate, Katherine Harris says not only did she believe that separation of church and state is "a lie" (which I'm guessing is true of many many many republicans), but she takes it a step further to include that the Founding Fathers also didn't have this intention. Trust me, under all that spackling, she could be 250 yrs old for all anyone knows. She migh have first hand knowledge of what discussions took place.

Of course there is much disagreement about any verbiage on church and state and in which articles/writings that might exist. Not unlike the 2nd amendment...............or the bible.

Denton found a comparison of gas prices in Cleveland to other states. Now, I don't know if you know this - but Cleveland is not a state. Really! It's true!!

So one can compare Cleveland gas prices w/any other U.S. state. Which he did. He chose Massachusetts (for Becca) and North Carolina (for Jon). He didn't pick Columbus (for Morty or Dith) well...b/c Columbus isn't a state.

Looking at the price variation, I'm reminded of a line from Airplane (as I so often do during everyday life). It is when Stryker's altitude fluctuates, first flying too high, then too low. And the guy watching the radar says - 'he's all over the place. What an asshole!'.

IF ONLY O.J. NICOLE'S REAL KILLER LEFT A NOTE!


I'm not sure what possessed Denton to keep a note that David left us when we went to visit him and Jack in P-town in 1990. 16 yrs ago - almost to the day! So not only did he find it, he scanned it too.

This was the good old days before cellphones - and no way to reach us to relay he would not be at their house when we got there or what happened to him. So only the primitive, but tried and true communication method of pen and paper towel was available. We figured something was wrong upon arrival w/the bloody footprints going down the stairs. Had the Simpson/Goldman murder happened prior to this visit, I would have been listening for a dog barking in the night or looked for a bloody glove. But we knew nothing of Court TV or forensic science as we do now. What fools we had been!!!

The entire P-town thing was completely weird and showed that as Walt Disney said, it truly is a small world after all.

A few weeks prior to us going to Provincetown, my phone rings at 2:00 a.m. And yes, I answered. It's Morty. A very very drunk Morty. I know - you're shocked....but it's true. He, along with Pat and a few others were in P-town. And being...well....them....got a little too rambunctious a little too late at night (or the next morning as it turned out). The next door neighbor came over to complain. It turned out to be Jack. Jack who had never heard of nor met Morty. The word 'Columbus' must have been mentioned and the conversation must have deteriorated to get to the subject of me. Hilarity ensued. It seems, I am the world. I am the children. I do make a day better for you and me! Everyone was now bestest friends.

...though I don't know how that disturbing the peace thing played out.


(and note how I really mentioned nothing about our trip to P-town. and i think it shall remain that way. Denton? David? Jack? are we all on board w/that?)

RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, it's two years away, but I'm already dreading that fact that Cleveland might even have the slightest chance to host the 2008 GOP Convention (I was going to link to the GOP site, but I went there for the first time in my life. SCARY!!!!! I'd guess snuff/porn sites would be less frightening!!).

We They (I refuse to be in anyway associated w/this) are in competition with Tampa, Minneapolis, New York City (didn't they just have it?) and Philadelphia. PLEEEEEEEEASSSSSE let it be some other town. ANY other town.

Two days ago when the GOP deciders came to town to see what we were alllll about, they were greeted at the airport by jugglers, clowns, bands - oh and the mayor. Our democratic mayor, from our democratic town. But really, why wouldn't the Republicans reward us w/this great event? I mean, we fuckin' handed them the 2004 election. Ok - Cleveland didn't, but Ohio did.

Though it would seem the right thing to do, if we bestowed the opportunity to host this shin-dig, I should probably stay to protest whatever dastardly deeds they do/have done. However, I'm more apt to plan my vacation around this debacle and get the hell out of Dodge.

To be honest, I haven't read that much about the sites they are looking at. For all intense purposes, we don't have a convention center. The convention/travel site lists things to do, eat, go, how to get - but no venue. I guess they'd have to use Gund arena, The Q. The only thing I hear them touting is where to visit and eat. I guess like any convention, it's about the attractions, not the meeting.

Maybe we can rent the house out for that week or two. Not to republicans. Perhaps to media or some nicer moveon members. We could probably make two months worth of mortgage that way.

....and for the record, I'd choose death!

RENOVATION

No - not of this space, though that is in the works too. This is of the house.

The house was either built in 1910 or 1920, depending on who you believe. The county says 1920. The research Denton has done at the Western Reserve Historical Society has the house listed in 1911 w/the list of residents.

The last owners lived in the house for 26 years - and while they clearly had money, it is questionable if they had taste. The hardwood floors were in pristine condition when we took ownership 15 mos ago. But a kitty getting sick on those floors stripped off patches of stain. There was no sealant on top of the stained wood, so they don't look quite so good currently. ...but the floors are another project.

The walls were another matter (let's not even discuss window treatments! - man that sounded queer!) When we were looking at the house, the first realtor told us how much they thought it would cost to do interior painting.....and no, I'm not telling you how much. But, I about choked! Unfortunately, she was correct. As we get assessments on rooms or floors, it adds up pretty quickly.

Painting is the easy aspect of the entire thing. The wallpaper removal is one. The skimming the plaster walls and ceilings is another. Then there is the trim. Lots and lots of trim. And windows w/multiple panes. Not the kind you can snap out. So costs go up exponentially.

We're doing what we can on our own, but that is turning out to be not a lot. Carpet (a runner going up the central hallway) removal? Not a problem. Wallpaper removal? Easy Peasy..... well.....at least in some areas. But some of the above stuff I know nothing about. I don't know how to plaster, let alone how to fix molding.

And let me tell you - some of the wallpaper was U-G-L-Y. I can't say we haven't grown accustomed to it, but it is not our style. Don't you people listen to Morty - it's not good. It's not even kitsch. It's F'UGLY (that's french, dontcha know). Or was. In a fit a few weeks ago, I started taking down the paper in the main entrance and stairwell. Then Denton jumped in - and it was amazing how quickly it all came down. It completely changed the look of the house.

Of course, then we realized that we really needed to do something about the bare bare walls. Ironically enough, this is of where we are little use. This whole queer/decorating thing doesn't work for me. We don't have that gene.

In the old house, we went with our gut and it worked ok. This house is more substantial and we wanted to take it back somewhat to its historic colours. ...but not in a fussy, late19th/early 20th century way. So we actually sought out a person who works w/these houses who knows what is and is not the correct thing to do. We still have to pick colours, and we are closer to it. We'd better be - as the the plaster guys started yesterday.

Our painter is saying it will take 2-3 weeks for prep to completion. Which is aggressive - or our last guy, who was nice and very thorough estimated 10 days for our bedroom and finished six weeks later. Oy.

To break it down - we are doing the main entrance/stairwell, the hall at the top of the stairs the living room and dining room. Oh - and the 1/2 bath. It sounds like a lot - and it is. But since each room flows into the, it kind of makes sense too. We'll do the sunroom another time.

It does look like the dining room will need to be wallpapered. The walls under the paper that existed before can be fixed, but it would take a lot more time and money. It just means now having to sort through however many books to find THE wallpaper.

Anyhoooo.......I know I didn't do it w/the bedroom, but I promise to post pics as we go along. Promise!

REASONS NOT TO LISTEN TO THE RADIO #261

It's no secret that I pretty much loathe commercial radio. It's been dead for well over a decade. For all of Cleveland's self-proclaimed claim (can that be grammatically correct?) to fame of the origins of Rock N Roll, we have sucky radio stations. It's true. And do you know who has worse? Los Angeles! UGH.

You really can't blame the city location. Infinity and Clear Channel rule. The latter alone has a reported 73% market share of all rock radio stations in the U.S. - so whichever 29 songs they choose to put on their playlist, that's it. Done deal. Looking for something new and/or different, try a college station, if they actually broadcast anymore.

Whenever I do turn it on (and it's always in the car), I swear radio has gotten worse than the last time I listened. Who knew you'd long for the good old days just to hear "Mambo #5".

I'm KIDDING!!!!!!

Maybe w/my next car Sirius or XM will be standard - but I'm fine listening to my own CDs or NPR. Then sometimes you don't even have to search out bad radio. Snippets of it comes to you. Thanks Internets!

And for this I mean, the complete lack o'talent, Jessica Simpson. Apparently she has a new song out that is apparently a rip off of Madonna's "Holiday". Someone was nice enough to lead me to a mash-up of the two songs. The note on the site reads:

Take a listen to a mash up of Madonna's "Holiday" and Jessica Simpson's latest single "Public Affair".

Regarding the mash up, there has been no manipulation in the speed or the key of either song. This is their original form.

So see where when ends and one begins (if you can). It's amusing b/c where radio might say they have nothing new to play (and this mash-up kind of backs them up on that), there is soooo much untapped music that never even gets its foot in the radio door.

So, it's just not radio that sucks. The songwriting that is suspect (at best). Though no one should let the performance (Simpson's) off the hook by any means.

SITE OF THE MONTH YEAR?

FUCK Heck w/a site of the month (even though I already had one for August)! This is possibly site of the frickin' year.

Denton's parents and aunt stayed w/us this last weekend. It's nice to like and enjoy your in-laws. I think I mentioned this in May when we met them in West Virginia. But they had never stayed w/us before. We have the room - kind of. In theory we should have more bedrooms than we actually do (don't ask) and we're working on that, but Denton and I abandoned our room to sleep on the 3rd floor - on a futon. I'm tellin' ya, I felt like a Romanian au pair! I'll be happy to get back to our bed. Tovah will be happy to have us back to where we should all be during our designated times. Sadly, we are all that much creatures of habit.

Back to the site. Denton's family is firmly Democratic. I can't say that about mine. Except for Ade (who btw, still has no posts to her blog!), and sometimes my mother, I have more of a right-wing family than I care to admit. So when we visit w/any of Denton's family, it's a relief not fret when politics comes up in conversation.

Denton's aunt occasionally supplies us w/Dem doo-dads or better yet, anti-Shrub stuff, like the car decal you see up in this post. Of course, you can't have product w/out a website.

Actually, I hate adorning my car w/stickers - campaign or otherwise (Morty - wasn't it you who just scotch-taped your Lee Fisher sticker in the back of the Impala?), but I am seriously considering plastering this to be rear of Viggo Volvo.

The website is kind of fun - yet kind of depressing. Who the hell wants to see we still have 883 more days of this asshole in office? But the clock does count down, so there's the silver lining. And though I suppose he could have some unfortunate "accident" - that might be worse for us if Dick were in charge 'officially'.

Some truly viable democrats better appear for 2008.....and soon. As much I'd kind of enjoy it - I hate to say, I don't think it's Hillary.

GROUND CONTROL TO MAJOR BLOB

I didn't really have anything to post. But it's Sunday - which is typically my lowest volume of hits per week. Not that I should slack for the few....the faithful.

This picture was actually taken in November 2002. Denton and I went to a night time shuttle launch. A shuttle launch that never took off. Well, it did - just three weeks after it was scrubbed. It was also turned out to be the last shuttle launch before the ill-fated Columbia re-entry.

There isn't a definitive launch time for shuttle lift-off, but a window - usually a four hour window. But you have to be there a few hours prior to that existing window. You think disco naps are hard to work into a schedule? Try resting up for a visit to NASA at 4:00pm when the shuttle might not launch until 2:00am.

We ate the crappy dinner in the crappy space cafeteria, at only a cost of like $23 for two sammiches. We endured the IMAX film on the Space Station. Actually, it was ok except for the narrator, Tom Cruise (blech). We visited the overpriced gift shoppe that had absolutely nothing we wanted. But mostly we just sat and waited. And waited. And yet again, waited. We at least at the foresight to bring papers and magazines to read while we sat.

The PA system at the Kennedy Space Center is second only in clarity to the NYC subway system. So as we were boarding the trams to go out to the launch site and there was seemingly mass confusion, it wasn't horribly unexpected. What most people were missing was the announcement that the launch had been scrubbed. This was only seven hours or so into our stay. Rucikry (not Jon's boss) we did hear it before getting on the tram. We also made a hasty retreat out of there so not to get stuck in the parking lot and traffic for another two hours.

We thought we'd hang out at our Cocoa Beach (yes! Where Majors Nelson and Healey lived!) hotel for the new launch date. But the next morning it was going to be a minimum of three days and of course, the shore now had red tide. Not that we knew it. Not that the hotel would notify its guests. As we walked the beach and began seeing the 100s of fish washing ashore and noticing people coughing. Granted, they were older folk, but I joked to Denton, 'does everyone here have TB?'. By the time we turned around and were walking back to the hotel, both of us had the same cough. We opted to go inland (Orlando) to get away from the microbes that infiltrated our lungs. And a day after we were there, NASA determined it would be at least two weeks before the shuttle would be rescheduled. We stayed in Orlando the rest of the trip.

...and all I got to show for it was this dorky picture.

Actually, I got lots of dorky pictures in Orlando: me w/SpongeBob. me w/Curious George and the Man w/the Big Yellow Hat. me w/Mickey. me w/Dale (no Chip).

A BRIEF HISTORY OF GRIND

"Einstein's General Theory of Relativity implied space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes. These results indicated it was necessary to unify General Relativity with Quantum Theory, the other great Scientific development of the first half of the 20th Century. One consequence of such a unification that he discovered was that black holes should not be completely black, but should emit radiation and eventually evaporate and disappear. Another conjecture is that the universe has no edge or boundary in......WHOOO-HOOOOOOOO HALF PIPE!!!! "


Personally, I'm waiting for the Larry Flynt edition!

THE 24 hr NEWS CYCLE

Damn this Jon-Benet story. 10yrs later and i is still annoying me. Leave it to the cable news channels to take a five minute story and beat the hell out of it for 4-5 days continually. If they do sports or weather at all during these times is just to report what teams are playing in Boulder or what the dew point is at Patsy Ramsey's grave!

Part (ok, more than part) of me wants this guy (who seems creepy as hell, and like most "alleged" criminals, has a three part name) to be innocent just so possibly, just possibly, the CNNs, FOXs and MSNBCs of the world stop and go, 'oh........man, did we just fuck up'. I know, I know......that's just crazy talk on my part.

But with the Nancy "I Wish My Dick Were Bigger" Grace's of the world (and by world, I mean cable tv) is there such a thing as a fair trial anymore? That bitch will have you tried and convicted before anyone's even been arrested.

Of course, isn't the bigger crime making your daughter up as a 6yo whore?

I felt the need to make some light of it (I mean, I am after all............me!) and I flashed on the mother of all 24 hr news stories. Though I located the clip I wanted, it was lengthier than I thought I needed...but then I figured you'd kind of need the set-up. The part that really made me chuckle is almost 3 minutes into the clip and really only goes for 30 seconds. But I loved it. So you must too.

RECORD OF THE MONTH

I figured I'd do a monthly 'what i'm listening to' kind of thing. This could be viewed as a lame placeholder kind of post. And probably it is. But it's my blog! So there!

These may or may not be newly released disks. They might not even be a good disk - just what is been in heavy rotation in my car (as usually the iPod is playing anywhere else).

Almost a year after it's release*, The Cardigans' Super Extra Gravity keeps finding its way to my cd changer. Actually, I'm not quite sure it has ever left my car. While not as good as 2003's Long Gone Before Daylight, it holds up pretty well. Of the first five songs, I can easily skip three of them. But from track 5 until the end, I play straight through.

Though the dog analogy gets a bit tired, the beat and pace (and title) of "I Need Some Fine Wine and You, You Need to be Nicer" becomes the centerpiece of the disk. Super Extra Gravity is like a collection of songs. There is not a lot of cohesion to it - but it kind of works. I just take them as 12 individual songs and not as 'an album'.

Again, not a desert island disk - but good enough where I keep it in medium, but seemingly continual rotation.

* There is no U.S. release of this disk, btw. It is available by import only. However, amazon sells the import for no more than any domestic release.

SITE OF THE MONTH

Remember when you thought that Peter Pan only meant Mary Martin, Kotex spokesperson, Cathy Rigby or that lady w/only one eye Sandy Duncan? Those days are forever gone.

Let me tell you - the Lost Boys are the least of your worries. And it turns out that Tinkerbell is way less feminine than this Peter.

And about never growing up? Well, there is something to be said about a 52 yo man in green tights. I'm not exactly sure what that 'something' is.....

But for truly disturbing - make sure you visit the 'fashion' section of Petes's page. Let's just say there is a lot of crushed velvet that died for those outfits!

I do have to give equal credit to the site from Dith and Tom G. Dith directed me here years ago and I kind of forgot about it. Tom....well, he reminded me of it just the other day. My fear is - that he goes to Pixyland more than he goes to Blobby's Blog!! (sob)

10,000 MANIACS

Hey Jack Kerouac - you look like your mother I think of your mother.

No... no...not the group (though back in the day, I did like them). The maniacs to which I refer are my readership. By the time I post this, my counter will have surpassed the 10,000 hit mark.

I realize this isn't a lot for a blog that has been in existence for over three years. But to be fair, I only installed a counter in December of 2005. I have no idea how many hits I had gotten in the 2.75 years prior to that. I'd like to think tons - but I'm figuring most likely not. I tend to stay under the radar. The only place I know I'm blog-rolled at is at Rebecca's site and one or two anti-Bush sites.

I'm also not web-savvy enough to know who the exact hit was - but I can (and will) narrow it down to a city and IP address. My readership is wide. Mostly folks from the U.S. - but with some consistent visits from Canada, Mexico, Israel, the UK and for some reason the one that gives me the creeps: The Hague.

There are no prizes for being the 10,000th. No confetti. No oversized check. You'll have to do w/the satisfaction that you are one of the proud readers of this blog. The blog that I take minutes (if that) to think, type and post my random
thoughts.


....and it seems the person who was #10,000 is......drumroll, please: from Fairfax, VA.

MATTHEW & LANCE - BFFs

Well, I guess this explains Lance dumping Sheryl Crow (not that anyone really needs an excuse for doing that), or vice versa !!

STELLAR COMPANY


Actor Pat Harrington (''One Day At A Time'') is 77Singer Don Ho is 76Actor Kevin Tighe (''Emergency") is 62Singer Dan Fogelberg is 55Actor-turned-multiple addiction fiend Danny Bonaduce is 47Star Blogger Blobby is 43Actress Quinn Cummings (''Family'') is 39

Fuck. Who knew I'd have more of an on-going career than all of them combined?

FYI

Forces have conspired against me (read: Rebecca & David). They took a completely innocent, fun-loving post on August 9th and made it cheap!

...and yet, I played right into their hands. OY.

BLOBBY'S BLOG

Over a year ago I got the domain rights to Blobby's Blog. Clearly I haven't done anything about that as I'm still being hosted by Blogger. Denton got me a hosting site yesterday, so I'm hoping in the coming weeks to switch over to a new URL and probably a new look.

I actually like my current template, but really, if I'm going to make a move I should do it right and do some design changes.

I'm open to suggestions. Use the comments section freely to provide them. Anyone? Anyone???

now i know i have a heart, because it's broken

What can you say about a fourteen-year-old cat who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant? That she loved rubs and singing, Pounce, and her dad? (ok, I completely lifted that entire intro - kind of - from Love Story.)

I am sure I'm biased by saying she was the best cat ever! If not the best, she sure ranked up there. I actually drafted this earlier and it sounded eerily familiar. I looked back and I wrote much of our history w/Kylie on a post on 5/8/06 - her 14th bday. I'll try not to repeat that post - but feel free to go back and look at it.

She was one of the cutest kittens I had ever seen. That is she, against the brick in the top picture. Her little ears not as perky as they would turn out to be. Her colouring darker than what would it eventually be.

You can get a better idea of how she'd turn out by the bottom picture (her in the middle). Her pattern was gorgeous - down to the black tip of her tail, the one black bottom of a paw, and two black whiskers in a sea of white ones. (click on images to make them bigger!)


I know cats are supposed to be aloof and independent, but most of the time Kylie wasn't that way. When we moved into the new house a year or so ago, instead of hiding (which is what Tovah did), Kylie followed us around the house. We actually gave her a tour. She was much more comfortable w/her new surroundings.

She loved being by us - though she liked her alone time. She was the cat who could sleep anywhere, and would (see below).

Any of the bedrooms were fair game. Any couch or chair was hers. She loved sleeping under a desk lamp as Denton worked all day long. She loved the warmth and being next to him. But she'd just as easily sleep in the output tray of the printer and she would on something soft....and usually would hit the 'test' button in the process. I'm not sure how many wasted sheets of paper we went through due to her naptime. It was all worth it.

She (along w/her sister) made our house a home - and us a family. We got up in the night when they were ill. We worried about them and wondered what they were doing when we traveled. We'd watch them play, eat and sleep as if they were our children - which is really what she was.

Kylie was the silent alpha cat. No fights. No hissing. She just WAS. Tovah had a cat admirer (Smokey) with whom she'd have rows. She'd charge the screen door. Smokey wouldn't even flinch. But Kylie would come by and look at him - just look - and he'd be out of there in an instant.

There was not a day that went by that we didn't appreciate Kylie being with us and tell her so. We loved her and she loved us. This I know.

We will have other pets in our future, but we'll only have one Kylie...and she'll always be with us.

Justify Your Dance Shoes

If you haven't seen Dare to be Truthful - you probably should. Of course, it makes it a heck of a lot funnier if you've been subjected to Madonna's version first.

Though the individual jokes / lines are still funny (but maybe that is b/c I associate them so closely w/Rebecca), but the overall feel seems to drag. The extras suck beyond belief.

Julie Brown (no - not that one!) is still a riot. You can finally get DtbT on DVD - but only through her website, which links to a special eBay store. Unfortunately, her website sucks. Lots of bells and whistles, but an ugly unfriendly site that is difficult to navigate. I'd direct you to the exact link - but her site doesn't work that way.

If you can - find to the 'video' category, then hover over your choices (which are lettered!! ???) until you at least find "Party In My Pants" and stream it.


Song by:  Medusa

FIVE...SIX...SEVEN...EIGHT!

Someone caught Morty and myself on camera as we audtioned for A Chorus Line circa 1993.

KIDDING.

It was just us at Cedar Point on the Magnum XL (I know - it sounds like a condom - but really it isn't.) circa 1993.

...but please note Morty's Jazz Hands!


AMENDED POST
Becky sees it. I don't. Becky says it. David reads it. David sends it. Becky tells me to. I post it.

It seems I have a Jell-o Jiggler for a spine.

TWO-FER

Customer Service
Overheard by me in Home Depot by two of their workers this last Saturday (where btw, we dropped a shit load of money...maybe we shouldn't have).

Worker 1: "I hate these fucking people!"
Worker 2: "I just got here and I'm already tired of them too!!"


Monday Moaning
'Monday Moanings' are a part of each Monday's Cleveland Plain Dealer. It is just a strip that runs down page two, where people can gripe and grouse about anything they damn well please. ...and they do. I usually like to post really really funny ones (or that are funny to me), but lately they've been pretty lame - which is why you have not seen one in awhile. This one is not the best, but it still made me grin.

"I don't know why they reinstated the ice cream trucks coming around. They are an unnecessary nuisance, the ice cream is expensive and the little ones who can't afford it are crying because they don't understand why they can't get ice cream." - Parma

Honestly, I don't even know where to begin w/this one. OK, actually I do - I just don't know where to end w/it.

SILVER & GOLD

I knew it was coming up - but I never really cared b/c it never crossed my mind to actually attend. My 25th high school reunion (yes, start getting your abacus out or brush up on your chisenbop and try to calculate my age!). I've more than alluded to, in this blog, that I have no desire to ever go back to see these people. I've avoided most of them for a quarter of a century and see no reason to go, let alone PAY money to socialize with them.

Was high school a living hell? No. I didn't even think I was better than most of the shlubs there - but I didn't fit in either. Few probably did. It WAS high school after all. But I don't care if they did or not. I really wasn't included in too many of their reindeer games - nor did I want to be. I saw high school more or less as county jail where I just had to do my time and get out. I can't say it wouldn't be interesting to go back as a fly on the wall - or w/Romy and Michele.

Even if I had entertained the idea of going - any chance would have been dashed by the actual invitation. It started:

Dear Bob

Ok. I really almost stopped there completely. I am not Bob!!!! I never have been. My father is. If they want to invite him - they can knock themselves out. I actually will stop someone when they call me Bob and correct them. Nothing against my father's name, but even my parents went way out of their way to not call me that.

Granted, I don't know the alumni committee in the slightest - and clearly they don't know me either. So don't you think they would error on the side of formality and go by what is on one's permanent record? I can almost assure you that anyone in the class w/the name of 'Brian' - didn't get a Dear Bri.

But I did in fact keep reading. The letter was general to 10th, 20th, 25th, 30th and 35th reunions. (The school hasn't been open 40 yrs, so 35 is the highest reunion class.) Yes, I got an almost generic invitation. Each reunion was meeting the same day. At the same place. At the same time! The day starts off w/a golf tournament b/c, well, EVERYONE just MUST play golf - no? To be honest, I might harbor resentment as I've played since I was eight and STILL suck at it. By the 12th hole, I'm carrying 5 clubs, b/c I am not bothering to go back to the cart & bag and not talking to anyone. I can be a bad sport.

Then there is a general reception w/all these classes where no one knows anyone (most likely) from the any group but their own. And I'd be surprised to find how many actually know others from their own class. I'd be interested to know how well attended these things are. For dinner and whatnot, you are put into separate rooms w/your former classmates. At that point, why bother?

Did I mention I went to an all boys school? Do 'boys' give a fuck about getting back together to reminisce? You can't talk about who you dated b/c well.....no one knew any girls or knew of any girls the other boys knew (follow that?). That leaves sports. High school sports from 1977-81. Shoot me now!

If I thought I could go and shock the fuck out of them and leave, it might almost be worth it. Almost.

And here I've been babbling about the silver part of the show. Now on w/the gold.

My parents celebrate their 50th anniversary this October. I didn't have to lobby too too hard to do something for this (either w/my parents or sisters). Friends of mine who let their parent's anniversaries slip w/out any to-do told me if we did nothing we would regret it. They did. We're opting for no surprises - and to do it at our house. An informal affair - maybe around 40-50 people, but we'll cater most of it. That would be the only real expense. Oh - that and the booze!

But my father sometimes kills me....in a good way. I see him weekly. He has email (has never sent me one nor has acknowledged if he's ever received one I've sent him). Yet he sends me a letter-letter w/a list of whom he would like there. Some people who were in their wedding party (whom were already on my list). My mother's brothers! (who, duh, were already on my list) and my oldest sister. ....b/c it was possible I wasn't going to invite her? Or maybe it was specific to her and the other three aren't actually welcome?

Invitations go out at the end of this week, so hopefully this will be an easy event to plan and pull-off (see the booze comment).

BEEN GOING ABOUT IT ALL WRONG?

I've been going about this blogging thing in the entirely wrong fashion.

Only maybe 100 of you hit this site daily. I could be getting thousands of commuters during the same time frame! WHAT was I thinking?

Sure, I'd have to post shorter, more concise messages and w/out the .jpgs or the opportunity for you to reply. Sure, I could spend a small fortune in bed sheets or poster board, paint, wire and even more time to scout out good locations (and probably bail money too). There'd be no links, additional graphics or anyway of you knowing it was me! Mucho effort for no recognition.

Fuck - it seems like too much work. I think I'll just stick to this medium.

TUTTI FRUITTI

....indeed

NO POST TODAY

Today we mourn

THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH

On the recent trip to NYC, we felt the need to stop by the new Apple store. It resides underneath the plaza of the (former?) GM bldg on 5th ave. The bldg is also home to Ron Lauder (Estee's son and investor in Denton's former company) who, btw, just bought the most expensive piece of art ($153 million - which happens to be the same price as a Boeing 787!). Right around the corner (or is it attached) is FAO Schwartz. UGH.

Anyhooo....the Apple store represents much better in real life than it does in this cameraphone picture. It looks slightly cooler at night also. And speaking of night - it is open 24/7. We went in once or twice - mostly to cool off, but I did blog from there too. There is nothing actually in the store that is not in other Apple stores - just more of it. And seemingly always packed. Maybe it's just the FAO Schwartz of geeks.


My other favorite place is Central Park. You can actually get lost in the park - or be in places where you can forget you are even in the city. Here is Bethesda Fountain, which I've always loved. It's a great place to relax and /or people watch....though I've been there when I've been the only person around. The end of Angels in America has an eloquent synopsis of the fountain - and her (Bethesda's) supposed backstory. I liked being there even before knowing it. ...though, is it just me, or is something around there always under construction?

THIS DAY IN MUSIC

OK, maybe not this day - but a day not too far off. Dith provided this site and I kind of laughed b/c she didn't know "Judy in Disguise (with Glasses)", which was #1 on the day she was born.

But then I did my birthdate (well, b/c it IS all about me! - but if you want to figure out my age, you got some Gooooogling to do), and I like to think I'm very knowledgeable about music - but both songs that charted in the U.S. and the U.K. stumped me.

U.S. - "Fingertips (pt 2)" - Little Stevie Wonder (was there a pt 1?)
U.K. - "Sweets for my Sweet" - Searchers

I listened to the 30 second spots on iTunes and I still don't recognize the Stevie Wonder song. And fuck if I know the Searchers' song either. It was a crappy day for music, I can tell you that right now.

That being said - VH1 (ironically enough) is celebrating MTV's 25th anniversary. It seems that MTV was not....since I don't think they actually play videos. So, VH1 is playing the first day of MTV in its entirety (sans Mark Goodman and crew). Yes, all 28 videos they seemingly had at the time, over and over and over. Who knew REO Speedwagon had two? Who ever realized that The Who just recorded the videos from their 'Face Dances' album on the same day in the same clothes? (one notices these things when they are almost played back to back. and 'one' would be me!)

But for every three crappy MOR pieces of shit they had, they also played stuff like Robert Palmer's "Looking for Clues" or Split Enz' "One Step Ahead".

This being 1981 (oy), it was before MTV was Medusa TV. ...and you know it to, don't ya MTV?

DREAM or NIGHTMARE

...you decide.

In my REM state (rapid eye movement - not 'World Leader Pretend' mode. ...think about it. think about it....), I go into a pet store. But you have to sign-in when you go into this pet store. Stranger yet, the people working the sign-in desk are Paris Hilton & Nicole Ritchie. eeeek. The two most over-exposed tramps television has seen since...well.....ever. I feel even a little dirty that I had to search for a picture of them.

Scanning the store - though I have no idea what I was there for in the first place - there is a giant octopus slithering down the wall. Creeped me out - even more than the two whores at the sign-in desk. ...and I know that's an insult to whores but...........

But as 'we're' walking towards a certain aisle (I have no idea who 'we' are - I just know I was not there by myself), I encounter two men. One who is a Cyclops. Yes, you heard me. One eye. Dead center of the face. Naturally, I get out my cellphone to take a pic, but the other guy grabs it from me after I snap it.

Then I woke up. Damn this heat! Like my dreams aren't f'ed up enough!