2/29/2008

Bet you wish you'd thought of this in eighth grade

This story will totally get picked up nationwide by the AP.

2/28/2008

Smile

Hello. I am an omnipotent martian who transformed into a computer screen. Right now I am directing your computer keyboard to have sex with your fingers. I can tell you like it because you're smiling. Shame on you, pervert.

2/27/2008

Readers

I haven't gotten any Carrie Pilby-related e-mails in more than six months, but I got one today. That was nice!

Subj: Official: Fan Mail

Dear Caren,

I was meandering around a little used bookstore in my neighborhood the other day and picked up a copy of your CARRIE PILBY novel along with a stack of other novels. I caught the flu over the weekend and have done nothing much...other than sleep, moan-n- groan, and read your book. I just finished it today and felt really compelled to write to you.

Brilliant! What a fun and refreshing read...and very deep insight, with just the right amount of delightful wit! Thank you (and Carrie Pilby) ever so much for helping get me through the flu! It was deliciously better (and more healing!) than a bowl of chicken soup!

My best regards,

Amy
Writings by Amy home <---little shameless self promotion never hurt!

2/26/2008

Snowy colonials







(see below, and thanks again to the hub for his patience while I took these.)

2/24/2008

Ooh, preeeetty

We were in Connecticut this weekend, and the snow had piled up higher there than here, making some of the colonial houses really beautiful. The Hub was kind enough to stop while I took some photos. So I will post some later so you can enjoy them too.

But the way, so many people make fun of New Jersey, but at least it's easier to spell than Connecticut. What's with the silent "C"?

2/22/2008

2/19/2008

Trivia Night

My Hubby and I hosted trivia tonight. Thanks to all our friends and trivia vets who came out!!

As usual, the generation gap reared its head. We asked the teams to write down Madonna's first 10 top-40 hits. Some of the teams could only think up 7 or 8 Madonna songs. Doing the math, people have to be at least 21 to be in the bar. If they were 21, that means they could have been born as late as 1987. 1987! Madonna's first 10 hits were between 1983 and 1986.

So I guess asking those young 'uns to name them was like asking me to name Wings' first top 40 hits, or something. But still, Madonna's still around doin' her thing.

This subhead's just six words long

In other news, the folks behind the six-word memoir book are quite good at getting publicity. This week, they rated an article in the New Yorker's "Talk of the Town" section. Almost all the sentences in the article are six words long. Pretty impressive.

It's probably getting so much attention because a) it's a good gimmick, b) it includes a lot of literary people who no doubt have connections*, and c) it's fun.

[*a good number of whom once worked on the U. Penn school paper, like myself...]

Check out its Amazon rank. Damn, I coulda used a rank like that! (No, I don't get any royalties from my six-word contribution.)

Moms are funny

In other news, recently, my mom asked me if it's true that they're not selling records anymore. (Moms are funny like that.) She also said the following: "My mother wanted to name me Amy. My father wanted to name me Annie. (Pause) Nixmary is not a nice name."

And finally

Combonym of the week:

Wrestless -- When you're so antsy, you want to wrestle.

2/14/2008

Happy V-D!!!!

I mean, Valentine's Day, of course.

P.S. Hi cutie!!

2/13/2008

Weather or not

Conversation from yesterday morning, getting ready for work in the chilly darkness:

Me: Do you know when it's not going to be so cold?

The Hubby: In June.

Well, thanks.
New expressions I thought of recently

(and are probably all over the internet already because it's hard to be original)

"Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die...t."

"Put that in your pipe and choke on it."

Update:

Like I said, it's hard to be original. About a thousand other people have thought of the same thing.
At last

A beagle has won the Westminster Dog Show. They are wonderful pets, very sweet, playful, and have long waggy tails. Some other breeds don't have long tails, and I'd hate to get a dog without one. Part of the fun of having a dog is knowing when he or she is happy.

An article sent to me by The Hubby says this: "His tri-colored image certainly drew a nationwide following, and that will surely prompt a spike in beagle adoptions. Wilkerson had one bit of advice for anyone planning to get one as a pet. 'Better have a fence,' he said."

There are plenty of beagles in shelters, so it's good if people adopt them - as long as they (and I say this for any dog) intend to be good dog owners for up to 15 years, not return their dog to the pound in two years because of some change in circumstance.

The man is right about having a fence. They love to be chased. My beagle used to slip out of her collar when she was a pup and make us chase her around the development. She also would run in front of cars. Luckily we always caught her.

Thanks to Hubby for sending it my way. Yay for beagles!!

2/12/2008

Combonym of the day

ENDORPHANAGE -- N. A gym.

2/10/2008

Combonym

Monopulative - Able to monopolize a conversation in order to manipulate.

2/07/2008



This memoir's just six words long





I have a contribution in this book that just came out. Probably my smallest contribution to a book ever. It's a book of six-word memoirs.


Apparently, they will be having a reading at KGB bar soon, where some of their more famous contributors will read their six-word memoirs. (If you click this link, look on the right.) It promises to be...well, short.

2/05/2008

R.I.P. Amy Vining

Disclaimer: This entry is of interest to practically no one, except those who watch, or once watched, General Hospital. Hubby and all men: You may turn away from the blog and go back to your Giants parade.

Anyway...

Shell Kepler, the actress who played Amy Vining on "General Hospital," has died at the age of 49. No cause of death has been released as of yet.

She hasn't been on the show in six years, but I remember fondly her gossipy, funny young character. I grew up watching "GH" right after school, mainly because my mom always had it on. For a little while during the early 1980s, the storylines and dialogue were quite brilliant.

I remember in particular one time that Luke Spencer, who was on the run with Laura, called the hospital to get some information. He was trying to do it secretly, but who should pick up the phone but Amy Vining, who was a nurse and also Laura's sister. Amy blurted out, "HEY, EVERYBODY, IT'S LUKE!"

I guess the actress ended her TV career a few years ago to do charity work or something.

It's funny - I bet I could still turn on GH today and know half of the characters. So Amy Vining was part of my extended TV family.

Rest in peace, Ms. Kepler. http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=%22amy+vining%22&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn

2/04/2008

Hot links

Jane was kind enough to forward me this NY Times story about the slowness between getting a book deal and actually seeing your book come out, and all the things that happen afterward...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/books/review/Donadio-t.html?ex=1202706000&en=bb0d330fad7dc58d&ei=5070&emc=eta1

TAB sent me this link to an article about the TV show "The Greatest American Hero" being made into a movie. It's one of my favorite TV shows of all time, which TAB knows. Who wouldn't love seeing a hapless teacher of problem high school kids suddenly get a super suit...and not know how to use it?

http://www.comicmix.com/news/2008/02/01/the-greatest-american-hero-headed-to-theaters/

to give credit, Neil C. also sent me an article on the casting for the movie.

Jon B. sent me some more three-letter male names with two vowels, in response to a recent blog entry:

Lee.
Lou.
Ray.
Avi.
Uwe.

Very good, Jon B., but should we really count "Ray?"

Anyway, I linked to all three people's web pages, so check them out.

2/01/2008

Story

A sad story from the Times about hearbreak and hope.
'King' sized

I just saw Reese's peanut butter and banana cups in a store. I looked them up, and apparently, these Elvis-tribute cups have been out for quite a while.

Hmmm, I'm all shook up.

Have a good weekend, all.