All STOP

Superstickies are fun!
 

Dancing Machine

Yes, yes he was.



I'm sitting here in my office with tears in my eyes from watching this. I hope to hell no one walks by. I tell you, in 1974, it simply didn't get any better, badder, cooler than that. Especially for a 14 year old white girl in Indianapolis.



It still gives me chills. He was a fucking genius. And, like many geniuses, he paid for it by turning into a fucking wacko. It's all very sad.



Go watch more Jackson 5 stuff on YouTube. You will be shocked and awed.
 

A moment

Just heard Michael Jackson died. He was just a wee bit older than me, so his music was an integral part of my childhood. Sister was a huge fan back in the day, when he was cute.

It's so sad, on many levels.
 

The Master

This is for the two of you who do not watch The Daily Show. I believe every American with any sort of sense of humor simply must see this. Why? Because it's AWESOME!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Obama Kills a Fly
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran

I love this clip so much. I'm not sure which part I enjoy the most, but Dan Rather calling Jon a pussy is hard to beat.
 

Guilty pleasures II

This one really hurts to admit, but I feel I will be stronger for it.

This show airs on TLC. I hear there's an hour-long show on Discovery Health but I don't get that channel.
I'm hooked on The Duggars.

They are about as opposite from me as white middle-age people can be opposite from each other. They are devout capital-C-Christians who believe that capital-G-God has a plan for them and they are subject to His Will. Their "desire is to make Christ known and for others to see that the Bible is the owner’s manual for life."

I, on the other hand, am not, and I don't.

Let me state specifically that I do not watch this show wearing my Sarcastic Irony Hat (patent pending). I'm not writing this to belittle them.

So, then, what's the point? Why am I so fascinated with people who believe something so fundamentally (ha!) different from my experience as a liberal atheist blue-stater that it seems almost freaky*? If I'm not watching to mock them, what can I possibly find to relate to?

I think it's that they walk their talk. They respect each other and their kids. I'm no patron saint of parenthood, but there are some fundamental (ha!) parenting principles that so many people simply don't get. The Duggars get it. Even though theirs is wrapped in a cloak of religiosity, it boils down to simple love, respect, and responsibility.

I tried to watch Supernanny a few years back but couldn't even make it through a whole episode. I mean, I enjoy a little familiar dysfunction as much as the next person, but to see so many fucking clueless and selfish parents... couldn't do it.

So even though I am a godless heathen left-wing radical wacko, I think Jim Bob and Michelle and I are probably closer in some ways than any of us would care to admit.

Oh, the other reason I watch it? Mr. B can't stand to be in the same room when it's on. It totally weirds him out, and that cracks me up.
:)

* I also read the Left Behind series as science fiction. Actually, it was pretty good until the last book, when it just got silly. If you like post-apocalyptic speculative fiction, I highly recommend the first book.
 

Your application has been received

After hearing the big news, Mr. B's (adult) nephew J sent me his heartfelt congrats, which led to the following exchange:







What I wanted to say next was "Oh... should I shave anything?" but just as I reached for the SEND button, I realized that might be a bit suspect to send to one's future nephew, even is said future nephew is over thirty.

But it was oh, so tempting.
 

Bravo

This week's been a whirlwind. Hell, the month has been one endless rollercoaster ride. I went from feeling tapped out and brutalized to, well, like I could burst out in song at any moment. I wanted to Rock this Friday in a manner befitting my current state of giddiness. It took several moments of concentration on YouTube, but I finally found it. The perfect song!



OK, all together now: "Can I get a napkin, pleeeeeease?????"

Thank you. Thank you very much. You're too kind.

Read more about Food Court Musical and other wacky hijinks at ImprovEverywhere.
 

Save the date

We did it! We set a date. Well, actually we set a date range, since there is information outstanding that may affect our final decision.

I'm such a romantic, aren't I?

We knew pretty early on in our relationship -- like, about two weeks in -- that we would be getting married eventually, but we were nowhere near rational enough to discuss the when. Now that we've been together over two years and The Move is history, the time has come; we're as rational as we'll ever be and the clock is ticking.

Mr. B said he couldn't, in good conscience, marry me before I turn 50 because I would be underage. I thought it was very gentlemanly of him to show such concern for my virtue and reputation, even though it puts us into 2010. We chose mid-March, for not only does mid-March commemorate First Coffee, it's also right in the middle of Anniversary Season and is the traditional observance of the Ides of Meatloaf. Add in Spring Equinox and it seemed plenty auspicious enough to counteract any bad karma incurred by disregarding the instructions we received from the universe last January.

That gives us nine months (give or take) to plan/obsess/fret over what might well qualify as one of the most minimalist weddings of all time, aside from showing up at the courthouse after work. Which I seriously considered. Briefly.

I think the most fun part is going to be picking out rings. Did you know you can get wedding bands with meteorite inlays?? Look at the Widmänstatten pattern on that puppy! All it needs is something in Elvish, or perhaps the wedding date in binary* (hexadecimal?) engraved inside the band and it'll be perfect.

Other than that, and a potential post-nuptial/pre-honeymoon trip Back East to visit Evil Twin and Sisters for an Ides of Meatloaf Reception, plans are sketchy.

Just the way we like 'em.
:)

* So maybe 0011·00010100·011111011010, or 3·d·7da. Whaddya think?
 

Looked better in print

What was advertised:

Celebrate the Joy of Reading!

Every student will receive a new book Monday June 15th, thanks to our grant from the children's literacy program.

Parents are invited to join in our celebration of reading by enjoying a BBQ lunch together on Monday June 15th.

The Ex usually covers school-day events since he works in the area, but the Ex was scheduled to be out of town that day. So Monday I added some vacation time onto my lunch hour and headed south to partake in a celebratory BBQ lunch with Young Son. A BBQ! With new books! What fun!

I envisioned everyone sitting on blankets in the schoolyard, munching burgers and hot dogs, books being handed out, maybe a short speech... you know.

What actually happened:

The handful of parents who attended joined their kids in the lunch line. Young Son's class was the last one in line. When it was our turn, we grabbed a disposable styrofoam tray, loaded it up with our pre-grilled burgers - very well-done- condiments and chocolate milk, and went to find a seat. The weather was nice so most of the collapsible lunch tables with benches on wheels had been set up outside on an adjoining covered concrete slab. Those table being full, we wandered back into the lunchroom/gym/auditorium where we found an open corner at a table full of 6-9 year old girls and one other adult.

At the five minute warning, we finished up and obediently cleared our places. Maybe now there would be a presentation outside. Young Son ran over to tell his friend he would meet him at the tetherball pole. We walked outside together, whereupon Young Soon sprinted off to the far reaches of the playground.

I walked over to where he sat, near the tetherball pole.

M: "What am I supposed to do now?"

YS: "Oh, you can go back to work if you want."

Dismissed.

An hour in the car, half an hour in an elementary school lunchroom. At least I got chocolate milk.
 

Webisode 4! Yippee!

Without further delay...

My Transient Life, ep. 4
Warning: Mature themes!


Can't remember if Lovely Daughter's in the next episode, but she did say she'd be back at some point.