The dudette abides

Joderama has posted not one, but TWO new entries on her blog!  She's right -- most of the things she sees in L.A., I've never seen.  Who would have thought that a place could be weirder, in terms of people-watching, than NYC.

She also invents a new term:  Wii-sick.  (Rhymes with seasick.)  She searched the Web and couldn't find any other mentions.  So please credit Jodi whenever you use it.  And please also repeat the term to anyone you know who has a Wii, especially when it causes soreness, panic, or any other symptom.

Thanks and God bless.

On an unrelated note, the Hubby and I got to take a free cruise around NYC today as part of a press junket.  I get remarkably few free things for someone in the news business, but the cruise was pretty nice.  Someday I'll write an entry listing the precious few free things I have received in my life as a newspaperwoman.  Maybe I can categorize them:  Best, worst, weirdest, etc.  And then there's biggest waste of taxpayer money (the Xmas tree ornament I got from the postal service.)

Helpful blog entry

Stamps are going up to 42 cents on May 12, the day after Mother's Day. However, you can buy those "Forever Stamps" at the post office now for 41 cents each, and they will STILL WORK!!!

What are you waiting for?


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legal notice

It is a policy of this blog to occasionally take photos of cute bulldogs. Therefore, if you do not like pictures of cute bulldogs, please turn your attentions away from this blog. Thank you.

New 'puter

We got a new computer and downloaded recent photos onto it, so I wanted to put up more photos, but it takes Blogger so long to put them up.

However, I did want to post this photo of the area in our living room that we cleaned up and organized for the new computer.  

We got this computer desk at Office Depot for under $100.  The only problem is, the screen is so big on the computer and sometimes you have to drag the mouse across the whole screen to click on the tools on top, and there isn't room on the desk to drag the mouse far enough without bumping into the keyboard when I'm dragging it to the left.  I bet I'm not the only person to deal with this problem.  I actually prefer smaller computer screens because of it.  Or I guess I need a bigger mouse area.

Anyway, here's a photo of the area - so nice to have it all neat!

Update:  The Hub suggests that I actually post a photo of the desk WITH the computer on it.  Okay, soon!  (First, have to take said photo.)

Today's bulldog photo

"You ain't enlisting, son.  You'll work guarding the back  yard,

just like your father."

So right now, the hubby is watching "Spaceballs" and shouting dialogue from it and I'm supposed to know what he's talking about.  If it was a film about cute dawgs, I'd know.

Thanks

I'm writing this before trivia, but in advance, let me say thanks to everyone who came out tonight!  I know some old friends and longtime trivia folks are coming, and it's going to be great to see you all.  And to give you some extra treats.

It's six years since trivia started, and it's been so wonderful to meet so many nice people, some of whom have become close friends.  Even in New York, you can find a nice community.

I hear that another new trivia night may be starting soon, and there's also the Drinking and Thinking night nearby at Dempsey's -- I'll have to publish info on that soon.

Doggies

The Hubby sent me this link today to warn me about an unfortunate experience Natale Portman had while petting a strange dog.  Since I pet strange dogs, he wrote "Let this be a warning to you."

Point taken.  But  do you think I should also not take photos of strange dogs, like this cuddly pair I saw this morning?  What do you think??

I think that's a great idea...for me to poop on!!!!

Senior 'nerd' writes in

I got this e-mail last week and kept meaning to post it.

By the way, don't forget to come see hubby and me hosting trivia tonight!!

Dear [Addled],
Thank you for Carrie Pilby! I am a 60 year old woman, retired from teaching, living in an "active adult" community in Florida. We have a library in our neighborhood where residents donate their old books and, after hunting through the shelves for something worth reading, I came upon your novel. I thought at first, that the book was probably directed toward a much younger audience, but decided to read a few pages anyway, in case it was any good -- and besides, I love teenagers, having been a middle school teacher. And I love "young adult" literature as it is usually well-written with interesting characters and tight plots. Teens don't continue reading a book once it bores them!

Well, your book was a revelation to me! I AM Carrie Pilby at 60! I wish I were as bright as she, but I do have that nerdy personality that wants to learn new things and becomes fascinated by each bit of knowledge the world reveals. I am just bright enough to have that "black-white" thinking that plagues Carrie in her quest to understand hypocrisy, and I must admit that I still am often disappointed by people's actions. The world is rife with hypocrisy, and I have had to focus on motives rather than actions as Carrie learns to do.

Her acceptance of herself at the end of the novel was wonderful--a perfect ending. As a senior who tries to fit in--even at this age--it was a good lesson for me to relearn. I don't enjoy "doing lunch" every day with others who want only to gossip, and I would only join Red Hats if someone put a gun to the head of a loved one. Yet I am not a snob at all. I love people but just don't seem to have the same interests. It was a good time to reaffirm my own self-acceptance and realize that nothing was "wrong " with me . In fact, I feel quite excited today and look forward to some "projects" that I have wanted to start but have been putting off in order to socialize more. Hooray for the Carrie in all of us! And thank you.
Sincerely,
[Senior]

The Hills

For anyone else who watches: Lo is secretly in love with Lauren, isn't she? She gets jealous whenever Lauren even mentions a boy. (Just a theory.)

Florida

(That was several weeks ago...it's warmer there now.)

We were in Ft. Lauderdale.  It was gorgeous (well, it was a bit chilly some days, but mostly beautiful.)

A few things before I forget

The Hubby and I are hosting trivia this Tuesday. It's one of the last trivia nights at the Baggott Inn, and we'll have a few extra prizes, as well as ample boxes of Nerds candy for all!!! Come and play.

Also, happy Passover, to fellow Jooz. Please check out The Anonymous Blogger's annual "Passover Parody." Well done, friend, well done.

Finally, if I haven't returned your e-mail, I will soon. It's nothing personal. Cheers!

T.G.I.F.

With our new computer, I downloaded some iTunes songs onto my iPod so I could listen on the treadmill. One of them was Kanye West's "Stronger." So now I am aware of this lyric:

"You said you'd do anything for a Klondike/
well, I'd do anything for a blonde dyke."

Come on, West. You couldn't do better than that??

Update: I just found this blog entry calling the whole thing sexist.

Polygamy

Why are so many people up in arms about the polygamist sects out West? Seems to me that polygamy can solve a lot of problems. How many times have you heard a girl say, "Oh, too bad he's married," or "Oh, I hate that he's already got a girlfriend" or "All the good ones are taken." Well, this would solve the problem!! Let men marry lots of women! We've all heard about the 4,000-to-1 female to male ratio in New York City, right? How to solve this? Let each man marry 4,000 women!

Write your congressman about this. Except, let's make it not apply to men already married. Because I'm not sharing my adorable Hub with any single girls. BACK OFF, biotches!!!

I mean it.

'The Hills'

Okay, I often express my disdain for reality shows. I find a lot of them exploitative. But someone (who shall remain nameless) got me into watching "The Hills" on MTV, which chronicles the dating and professional disasters of a group of young women (early 20s) in L.A. I know some of you watch; admit it. Here's what is a little silly about it, though. How come all the people on the show who hate each other just happen to end up in the same clubs, restaurants, and -- yes -- computer classes as each other every night? On every episode, every one of the characters just HAPPENS to appear at the same club, and then they all fight with each other. Talk about staged...

Update: The abovementioned person "who shall remain nameless" wants to point out that he no longer watches to the extent that I do, and wouldn't watch at all if I hadn't gotten completely hooked. Okay, "anonymous," your dignity is restored. ;)

Photos

The technical difficulties I referred to a few months ago are supposed to end today, and I may be able to post a few pictures taken in recent weeks. So watch this space.

Writing update

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a satirical essay I was revising to submit somewhere. I predicted that it would probably take them only a few minutes to reject it. Well, it actually took them a half hour. But I do have the editor's name, so if I think of anything else good, maybe I will try again. Good ideas for satire -- that haven't been done to death already -- are hard to come by. But ya never know.

Thanks

The Hubby prodded me to post today because I haven't posted lately. So thanks, Cutie!

Mets blog

My friend Phil has started a Mets blog. Please go read and comment on it, because so far, there's only one guy commenting (although said commenter seems to be a brilliant sports anaylst).

Mailbag

I got behind and didn't get a chance to put in Blogfan Sam's response to an earlier entry. Pretty busy today but I wanted to say, Thanks, Sam!

Sam wrote:

I hope I'm considered one of the six (I still check in every day)... You know if you ever find yourself without anything to say, you can always wake up, put clothes on and go to work.

Hey, good idea....

Does this make Dan Brown almost as popular as God?

I got this in an e-mailed publishing digest today:

Harris Interactive surveyed American adults to find out "What is your favorite book of all time?" The answers:

1. The Bible
2. Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
3. Lord of the Rings (series), by J.R.R. Tolkien
4. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
5. The Stand, by Stephen King
6. The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
7. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
8. Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown
9. Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand
10. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

Hmmm, judging from #1, #3, and #4, too much sci-fi/fantasy on that list. (Ha ha, just kidding.)

Hello everybody (all six of you)

The Hubby complained that I didn't post today. Well, I didn't have much to write...except that he is wonderful. And if I wrote that, you would all barf. Well, all six of you, anyway.

I remember that back in the '90s, when the internet was kinda new, there was an internet list going around of synonyms for "throw up." Some of them were standard (puke, hurl, yak, etc.) but some of them were elaborate: "Call Ralph on the big white phone."

On another note, a friend e-mailed me and pointed out that I still have not posted my photos from Florida. I'm waiting until we get a new 'puter to download them onto, and that's still a week or two away. But I'll post some photos when I'm all set up, I promise.

Speaking of computers, I'll be needing Microsoft Word for Mac. I suppose I should buy it...

Well, how 'bout that. I did have something to say after all. I bet you are much more enlightened now.

Joyce Maynard

There was a New York Times story last week on the "second home" of one of the writers I admire, Joyce Maynard. I really like the photo of her writing as she gazes out on the waters of Guatemala. I'm glad she found some peace after years of tumultuous relationships (including one with J.D. Salinger, which she wrote about in the memoir At Home in the World, which I keep harping on.)

Anyway, read the story here.

Happy April Fool's Day

ha ha! gotcha! it's really april 2!