I'd be much happier WITH the dollar

The title of this post is a Simpson's quote. Free stuff to the person who gets it and cites the relevance to this post.

I had a false start to this day. The first came when my phone rang and through my grogginess, I listened to the message. It was an automated one from the town alerting me to the fact that there was an overturned tractor trailer on Route 6 and that the road was being shut down. I rolled over and looked at the clock 6:30???? Really? Freakin's 6:30 in the morning. I had a half a mind (still being asleep) to make an angry phone call back. But I was angry and sleepy so I fell back to bed.

True morning arrived and I dithered around the house for a bit. I had a car full of boxes to be shipped to the recycling place in Missouri, and they needed to be gone so I could fill the car with more stuff to recycle. After further dithering (did you know there is a new Let's Make a Deal show, yeah, I didn't either and upon further exploration of what the web has to offer on this game show, I stumbled upon the classic three door conundrum of "The Monty Hall Problem." And no, it wasn't because of his personal life.) Anyway, I rushed to the post office, looking for a spot close by because I had three 30 pound boxes (and many thanks to Bernie who helped me take them down to my car) and who should I see but Perilous Cheryl herself! Out for her noontime post office visit. She was under the impression that I had left already but seemed pleased that I was still in town. I told her I was giving away lots of stuff (take the box! Take the BOX!). She indicated that cartoons would be an acceptable offering. Lo and behold, I flipped open my trunk and there was a box of videos that I was going to dump in a donation box later today (what with them being legal and all, not fansubs). I felt a camaraderie with purveyors of goods that fell off a truck!

Deal done (although I still have the tapes -- I know where you live!), I went into the post office where Joe, my pal, gave me a dolly to push my boxes. Media mail was not expensive and I walked out feeling smug about my green-ness. Back to the apartment where I awaited two gentleman callers to do heavy lifting. Ken arrived and because the day was muggy, we decided to put in the A.C. which can be a little tricksy. (A.C is for sale, but not until I move out. I want to get rid of stuff but I'm not stupid). Then Leigh showed up. Leigh took back the four chairs that he had loaned me several years ago. He also got Kate's Hello Kitty planter with plant (for Ro). (Anybody want a plant?). Ken helped me take the rest of my computer down to the car.

Then the grand road trip. First a stop at the movers with some more questions. Then to Best Buy where they took my dinosaur of a computer. I shopped for a hard drive case but could not find one that I felt I wanted to buy. I drooled over the televisions (avert your eyes!!) and then we dumped videos in the bin. Lunch/dinner at Panera Bread. Then to Petco to return the leash/harness set I had purchased thinking I would train Boo to use it. Ha ha! I looked at kennels but ended up with Feliway spray instead. Then since Ken is an aficionado of malls, we went to Crystal Mall and walked around. There is a huge comic book/action figure/vintage video game systems store there. If you ever wanted an action figure. There is where you can find it. Ken was in heaven. I asked if there was a Mandarin Spawn figure since mine had been decapitated (many of my figures end up that way), and he told me that those are a hot item. Even out of the box, 60 bucks. Damn! So, more looking. I saw a pink bunny mecha kit which looked like fun and should set a cool statement in my office but decided to pass (too much work). However, I was tempted by a Big Barda figure in one of the cases. Since we had spent so much time asking so many questions, both of us felt we should buy something. And, it has been a long time since I got a new action figure.


The guy, being a good salesmen, asked if I wouldn't want to buy Mister Miracle, her husband. Ken had to laugh because he knew what I was going to say "she doesn't need a man." So, she will join my shrine to female superheroes. If only I could find the Valkyrie and Hellcat (aka Patsy Walker).

Probably not new news, but...

I haven't been posting so here's something that has floated across my screen. Apparently some "library workers" in Kentucky decided that Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier was too obscene for the general public. After checking said book out for a year, one of the ladies discovered that someone (gasp! an 11 year old -- think of the CHILDREN) had put a hold on the book. In a nutshell, they canceled the hold and then the library canceled their privilege to work at the library.

Perhaps my favorite quote out of this entire debacle was from said library worker who decided to risk her soul to read the darn book to see if it was truly pornographic (dunno -- were you turned on?). From the Lexington Herald-Leader: "People prayed over me while I was reading it because I did not want those images in my head." Ye gods, this book was very tame compared to so much more that Moore has done. Are you kidding me? They should have taken it out of circulation because it was a badly written book. See my review on January 2008 (I'm actually linking to myself! Have I disturbed the space-time continuum?)

All a bunch of silliness.

Re-establishing web presence in 3...2...1...

Yeah, well, it was a tough summer and a tough fall. I had so much going on, and, frankly, when I'm down in the dumps, I do not like to blog or reach out. Probably not a good habit. Anyway, what, may you ask, inspired me to write today? I just found out that awesome and acclaimed author, Salman Rushdie, has put out hints about doing a graphic novel. Though I did not watch the talk show event, I am curious what he had to say about Aquaman. (finally a novelization version of the Simpsons' quote "oh Aquaman, you cannot marry a woman without gills. You are from two different worlds!").

Stardate December 19...The Story So Far.

I sit all day in front a computer and now I sit all night in front of my computer. How can this be right? So, what's your excuse?? Am also watching my favorite holiday special, South Park's Christmas Critter special.

Well, to sum up the week since I survived my harrowing drive home (and now the fun of ice!). On Friday night, had a real ZOMBIE at Aloha Alochohula. You know it started to work when you felt the need to nosh on brains. I didn't drink too much because I had to get up and help lead services Saturday morning. What I like the most about the people at this synagogue is just how helpful everybody is. So, we are standing up there and, despite a cheat sheet, we sometimes don't know what is supposed to happen next. So, ask the audience and they help out. It takes a village.....

Saturday afternoon was game "night" with goodies and gossip! I'm sure J-zone heard more than enough about hair products than he ever cared to.

Saturday night and Sunday, I spent all the time finishing my students' research papers. There were some low points (and a few high ones). At least I didn't completely despair that I was the worst teacher on the face of the earth. On Monday, another instructor and I worked on placement for next semester. I allowed some of my students to come talk to me about their papers and placement (just one more teaching chance! "Wait! I have to tell you how World War II ends. We won!!! USA! USA! USA!") I was there until eight and had to talk two students "off the ledge."

Monday night, I called to with a very, very happy birthday to Miss Kate! Happy b-day!

Tuesday I had lunch with a special guest in from the West Coast -- Ms. Bertoni. She was visiting family in New York and had to drive her father to Brainard airport to pick up a two-seater plane he had bought. As proper ladies who lunch, we went to Rein's Deli in Vernon (ok, as two Jewish ladies who lunch). She and Lisa are doing extremely well and it was great to see her. Rachel is changing jobs, and it sounds like a great opportunity. After that and on Wednesday, busy, busy, busy (WHY did I start another job this week??)

Netflix viewings: Twin Peaks, season two (besides the clothing and hairstyles, holds up pretty well); an anime series that even my neighbor likes (there is an anime for everybody)-- Mushishi; and finally saw Stranger than Fiction which was worth it just for Emma Thompson and Maggie Gyllenhal.

Oh, and forgot to say that I talked to Ms. Hunt (check out her awesome webcomic listed to the right. She's got a new artist who I really like).

*whew* that ought to hold y'all for a while.

Yikes, I haven't been posting

...and I really should be in bed. But what the hey, I'll be home for the holiday soon and won't be able to post from there. Did you catch the Simpsons comix extravaganza this past Sunday? Fortuitously, I tuned in and caught it. Had some amusing moments although surely they could have come up with better lines for Art Spiegelman, right? Kate did point out that Alan Moore singing to his Little Lulu comic was definitely worth the price of admission.

Another amusing thing for you as you waste time at work or at home: if you remember the "Land of the Lost" and ever been in a library, check this youtube video out. It's nine seconds of silliness that made me laugh out loud.

So, I leave for home on Wednesday. My sister's birthday always falls around Thanksgiving and I finally realized the absurdity of having a full (and I mean FULL) meal and then having birthday cake. How is this possible or normal? Fortunately, I have her gift ready to go.

Happy Thanksgiving you turkeys....gobble gobble

Why did I have the bowl?

Surfing the internet looking for an easy laugh, I came across a Simpsons' quote and immediately giggled to myself out loud, while alone:

Milhouse: Remember the time he ate my goldfish? And you lied and said I never had goldfish. Then why did I have the bowl Bart? Why did I have the bowl?

Okay, laughing aside, I should be bloggy and think deeply about the issue at hand. Do you ever come across a possession in your life and wonder where it came from? You know it because it holds a place in your house or apartment and yet, you aren't totally sure who gave it to you or where you bought it or what need it fulfilled when it was purchased. The opposite of this, of course, are those items that elicit a very clear memory. For instance, I keep ticket stubs for movie theaters (I get really put out when I get a misprint or one of those paper thingies they tear in half). I like to remember the movie, who I went with, what time of day it was, what else was going on in my life at that time, and so on.

On the other, other hand, you would think that items that we have to keep track of all the time would be important to our memory. Take the keys on my key chain. I have two for my apartment, two for my office (and one for the bowling alley there -- yes, where I work has a bowling alley), one to my mother's house, two car keys, and then two mystery keys.

I have no idea what they go to nor when they appeared. I used to think that there are two types of people in the world -- the ones who know what all their keys open and the ones who don't. Like, "that's a person who has it together -- he must know what all his keys do." But maybe it's just me.

So glad that all of you reading this know the obsessive minutia of my brain. Gotta stop otherwise I will be verging on deep thought territory (and must have one link on my blog).