THE PRICE OF...

I don't know gas prices elsewhere in the country or even township to village. Cleveland seems odd in how the price of gas is determined. First, Cleveland is split into the East side and West side (no Jets. no Sharks. ...that I know of.) One would think that when the streets turn from, say E. 3rd Ave to W. 3rd, somewhere inbetween you've hit the West side. You'd be wrong. The west side actually means the west side of the Cuyahoga River....which is past W. 9th. Don't ask. And people are realllllllly weird about the whole "oh.....you're an East sider!" kind of thing.

One thing the west side has going for it is its gas prices - they are always lower. Not by a penny or two, but usually by a dime. Sometimes more. The east side isn't less accessible for tanker trucks to deliver their goods. Refineries aren't either. We're even closer to the MidEast! What gives?

Anyhooo...I filled up last Saturday at what many would consider a ridiculously low rate of $2.05 a gallon. I understand supply/demand economics. I know that summer is over and vacationers are not demanding tanks full at this time. I get that the hurricane season wasn't the disaster they claimed it would be. I know that some gas company found what is possibly one of the richest veins of crude in the Gulf of Mexico a few weeks back. And I know that prices are supposedly based on 'futures'.

And here is the new future: mid-term elections. What else can it be? Maybe Shurb's low low low polling numbers when it comes to energy!

It's hard not to be a bit skeptical about Shrub and his boys (hey, he's gotta keep them happy w/high energy costs). Conflict in the mid-east isn't any better than it has been in two years. The vein of crude they found in the Gulf is a minimum of five years before they produce a drop. So are we saying that lack of hurricanes and decreased travelers let gas prices drop by almost a dollar in a month? PLEASE.

The government and the oil companies have gotten us to a point where when we're just above $2 a gallon, we exhale and think 'wow! that's low!!'. And to the rest of the world it's dirt cheap. To the U.S. it is not. They have succeeded in inflating prices over the last 2-3 years so that when prices fell, they are still statistically much higher than they were before then, the gas buying public's expectations have been shifted.

Well played Mr. Bush.

BATHROOM w/BLOBBY

Though I'm sure there is some niche blog demographic out there that would love to have a series of entries with this title, I can assure everyone this will NOT be an on-going thread.*



I just happened to find this funny, and so over-looked by the majority of people who see/use it every single day.

*Unless of course I find a continual funny stream of things in restrooms during my travels!

The Big Gay Office

I knew it would happen. My oldest niece and nephew's favorite show is The Office. They love love love to quote from there and have eagerly been awaiting the season premiere. I mean, so had I, but probably not to the degree that they were. These kids have downloaded every episode for their video iPod and can pull reference out of their heads like their uncle (that's me) can do Simpsons quotes. And they know I'll get all their tourettes like lines.

If you've never seen the show, I highly recommend it, though it can be painfully embarrassing to watch. I know that sounds odd, but watch a few episodes and you'll know of which I speak. Not only was last week's show no exception - it may have jumped to the head of the class. This is not only because of the content and delivery, but because of what I knew I'd have to endure Sunday afternoon when seeing the kids.

While trying to refrain from spoilers, I will just say that the words, 'gay', 'faggy', 'homo' and 'gaydar' all come up in the script. Several times. Oh - and just a little man-on-man action.

There was no disappointment on Sunday - in front of my parents and theirs - when the kids could not wait to ask me if I saw it. Of course I had, I replied. Matt says he didn't think the episode was that funny except the gay stuff. I laughed and said, 'that's all there was'. He pointed out that his disappointment stemmed from Jim no longer at the Scranton branch. It was still funny at two different Dunder-Miflin locations - and you know it's only a matter of time before Jim returns. I mean - you just know it!

I Am A Good Uncle

Or at least I think I am.

For a long time I was the funnest (ok, I still am) and bought the bestest gifts. At least when there were only a few nieces or nephews. When there became eight of them, the gifts became less original, eventually with me just getting whatever their parents told me to. For awhile, through the gifts I'd get, it was fun to have someone to mold, at least in my own limited way. I have to say, I also liked buying things that I knew would annoy the fuck out of their parents: the popcorn popper that Fisher Price makes (you push it and the balls pop into the plastic dome). Or for Maddie, getting her the instrument set that had a triangle, blocks, tambourine and I think maracas, and giving it to her just before their eight-hour car ride. Even I stopped short of the annoying million piece Lite-Brite set.

But in the 15 years I've been an uncle, I've never had any of the kids stay over. I've babysat for many of them. I've even done overnights at their house during these babysitting jaunts. Two of the younger kids (five and seven years old) have been dying to stay over and been asking us for at least the last year. We kept putting them off - all for legitimate reasons. Either Denton was traveling or the house was under construction. Katie, the 15yo, wants to stay too, but only because she is convinced the house has to be haunted. Granted, it is almost 100 yrs old and big, but haunted it is not.....and I know from haunted (right Jon? right Dity? right Becca?).

So this last weekend we had the kids. Ok, that's a stretch. We had them for like 22 hours. But it was 22 hours in a row!!! It just felt like an entire weekend. It is times like these I know I am now and was never cut out to be a parent. Not that I haven't touched on that here over the years, but things like this just confirm it that much more. I love them, I do, and they were very well behaved.

What is the problem you ask? ME! Even though they are young, I swear I have a shorter attention span than they do. Ok, that's not quite fair, but it's not too far off. I can only feign interest in their likes/dislikes for so long....and the length of time is definitely too short for a babysitter. Denton is so much better about it than I am. Sadly, I subscribe to the "play with them and give them back" method.

I will give them this - they were not weepy about being away from home. I loathed staying with my relatives when I was their age. Well, when I was ANY age. It was also Dominic's first sleep-over. Tough for any kid. They did great though. Carmen didn't do a bang-up job eating dinner (just as Morty predicted she wouldn't) and it was only cheese pizza. But it wasn't the cheese pizza her parents got, so it was only one small piece which she consumed. Since our waffles weren't cinnamon waffles (who knew? ok...I mean, besides Morty!) she would not eat those either, even if (or especially if) we added the cinnamon ourselves. Dominic ate every piece of his individual pizza and a pudding!

When it came to entertainment, they both wanted the GameCube, but not the same game (natch!). Or when it came to TV, one wanted The Incredibles, one wanted Schoolhouse Rock. There wasn't time to watch both, let alone of them through completion before bedtime...which was to be 7:30p, but we let them stay up later. However, they opted to stay up much later, coming downstairs multiple times ('we forgot how to turn off your lights'. uh-huh!). I think their lights upstairs went out at 10p.

Since we've never had kids over, there were questions I should have asked their parents, like their sleep,eating and peeing patterns etc. But I didn't, nor did they offer it up. The one thing the kids did request was to go to Dunkin Dounuts. We thought that was a hit - mostly because they did. While there, Denton thought we should go to a new park that had just opened up, which we've seen being constructed over the past year.

Preston's Hope is in our Jewish Community Center, and built with the specific thoughts of children with disabilities. It really is a small town with great access for all kids. It is quite extensive and extremely impressive. Carmen & Dominic loved it (so did we). We literally had to pull them out of there, but they had to get home to get ready to attend a wedding.

Both kids were better than this uncle. The good uncle, who'd get secretly annoyed at the mess they made. The uncle who was also was peeved (at himself) for not having a better plan to entertain the kids. I don't think they cared and seemingly had a good time. Hey - they want to come back, so that is something.

Maybe I'm not such a bad uncle, but Denton is a great uncle.

One by One All Day

I say I don't use the YouTube virals too often - and I swear I somewhat, kind of attempt not to. But it is Sunday and traditionally it is the day of the lowest hits to Blobby's Blog.

I don't want sound like I am disrespecting my reading public and I try not just go through the motions. Honest, I have semi-interesting things to write. Honest!

That being said, I do like this viral.

Noah has taken a pic of himself everyday for over six year. I think one would be hard pressed to say these are arranged in order, as hair length changes can happen pic to pic. And yes, I know I don't have much hair, but from my recollection, hair does not grow THAT quickly.

The music fits the sequence, and the entire package is somewhat hypnotic. What I find interesting is Noah's eyes and mouth, or just his general expression. Rarely, if ever, does it change.

How he do that?






Song by:  the Shins

....but who's counting?


Click Here to get this from FreeFlashToys.com!



Oh that's right...........................ME!

AT THIS VERY SUNDOWN

we're gonna party like it's 5767!

Yeah - it just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?

Clearly, Prince is not a jew - or apparently a man who wears briefs. Going by this pic, one could almost surmise the his royal badness could be jewish!

CHAVEZ on SATAN BUSH

Besides just calling him 'the devil' (which is way too forgiving), he went on to say of Shrub at the U.N. "The devil came right here... And it still smells of sulfur today."

Say what you want about Chavez. No one in an authoritative position has called W out they way they should. The French tried - too nicely - and now we get Freedom Fries, Freedom Doors and Freedom Kissing.

What will W do w/out Blair as his only butt-kissing friend? Clearly back-rubs are out in Germany.

It is (more than) time for just the american voters to turn their back on this administration.

In the meantime, Bush says he'd order U.S. forces to go after Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan if he received good intelligence on the fugitive al Qaeda leader's location.

ummmmm..........he had NO intelligence for WMD in Iraq and it didn't stop you sending a few thousand troops there to die.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKIN' AT ???

I don't own jewelry. I don't wear a watch (isn't that what the clock on my cellphone is for?). I rarely wear contacts. I'm not a candidate for lasix surgery. My only real accessory are my glasses. I currently have three pair. One really cool pair which I have had for years and just have the lenses swapped out as my prescription changes. Another are my old Armani frames where I have had transitional lenses put in. You know, the ones that turn into sunglasses when UV rays hit them? They never become completely clear, even out of the sun, making them look a bit creepy like a predator would wear (and you can see what I mean by a posting on July 29th w/me wearing them). And then there are these - which I call my 1957 algebra teacher glasses. Or my Malcom X glasses, as my staff called them.

I liked the look of the Malcom X frames, but after a few hours they are uncomfortable, and heck it's been two year, so time for new frames!!

Yesterday I got my eyes checked - including dilation. I hate that. Morty stated it best that afterward he feels like Mr. Magoo. For the younger readers here, you might have to Gooooogle that. And why is that I always feel like I'm never giving the correct answers during the eye exam? Someone would make kirjillions if there was a device to just hold to your eyes to determine your perfect vision. No more "one or two.....two or three".

So before my exam I stopped in to look at frames. It's doubtful I'd ever buy from where I was - but it gave me some ideas. I snapped some pics while I tried on, b/c well....when my glasses are off, I am blind. How else is one to evaluate? What I wasn't expecting was the clerk to catch me doing it. I found out not only am I not the first one to do it - I wasn't even the first one that day!!
So any thoughts on the styles I tried on? Anyone? Anyone???

The Moby

The Obermann

The Too Close to my OGI frame?

The Too Rectangular for my Face?

Dear Abby......

This is a letter a 5yo child of one of my doctors had to write. He posted it on his door for all to see (the doc, not the kid).

Note that Matt was sorry (or so he told Janie!), but not necessarily unhappy w/his choice. It seems that his teacher and the asst. principal were the buzzkills!

WEEKEND CLEAN-UP

Nothing fun this weekend. Just working to keep my/our mind(s) off of possible unemployment. The emotional rollercoaster remains. There are only nine more days of work. Ten actually, but damn if I'm not taking off next Friday too.

So yesterday we cleaned up the western perimeter of the property. I don't know it was really ever done before. We cleared out some of the brush along the sidewalk and then lopped off the overhanging branches. It is probably unnoticeable to the anyone else but us and the few people who walk up the hill. It was nice to get some validation for the work. While we were doing it some guy stopped to thank us, as he walks it daily and thought it was great that someone took the time to work on it.

The maps below show our house (the actual house in the top pic. The arrow in the bottom pic is on the wrong side of the street). We cleared all the way to where the M is in Martin. Yes, it's a big lot and I know MLK is a major street, but man motorists are pigs. I picked up what I'm guessing is between 20-25 lbs of trash. Mainly empty bottles of hootch. You know - the smaller rectangular ones that TV bums seem to drink out of. I easily found 15 of those. At some point we'd like to clean up the hill, leaving enough coverage not to easily see the house, but to know that someone lives there and it is well cared for.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY...

WTF.

Cable is the home for really really crappy products and advertising. Who knew the Ron Propiel Pocket Fishersman or the Bedazzler would be the high-brow items? The Egg Wave doesn't seem so far-fetched at this point.

Last night we saw some horrid product. It got to the point where Denton turns to me and says, "Is this bloggable?"

Silly silly man. Of course it is.

J'ADORE

I almost apologize for a second YouTube posting in as many days. I think anyone who reads my blog with any regularity would know this is not my modus operandi. Yesterday's post was really because I had nothing else to write about - that and I just love Samantha Bee. But it was a funky day - another one I took off from the limited time with my current employ. ...and I'm taking next Friday off too. Smell me!!!

No - this is one video I think everyone should watch. Is Keith Obermann angry? Yup. Is it partisan? Probably. Does it strike a chord? Absolutely. To the core - is it the truth? You fuckin' know it.

It is also long - almost nine minutes in length (trust me - it's worth it). My suggestion is to take a few minutes and let it load. Meaning you will want to hit 'play' initially and then hit 'pause' almost immediately. This will allow the video to keep loading and then when you hit 'play' a minute or so later, the video will actually stream w/out those annoying pauses. If that doesn't work - you can always view it (or just read the transcript) here.



Sorry - but you just have to love Keith.

I GOT NOTHIN'.......AGAIN

Another day w/nothing to say. Just sitting (or walking. whatever) on eggshells waiting to hear a job status. So today I'm distracting w/a YouTube experience....from the 2004 election season.

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???