Monthly Archives: February 2004

Only on Tuesdays, Fridays, And Alternate Saturdays

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It occurred to me again that I can only be sick on Tuesdays, Fridays, and alternate Saturdays, because those are the days my doctor is “in” the office nearest to us. He has two offices – one that used to be convenient before we moved, and one that was inconvenient before we moved (and is now even farther away).

Every now and then we talk about changing. I’ve been pretty fed up with his “15 minutes max” approach to medical care – that’s how much time I get with him.

Really need to do something about it. Otherwise, the next time one of us is sick, we have to schedule it for the right day.

Bullshit! Total Bullshit!

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Here’s what David doesn’t want to know about his recent experience with a major computer manufacturer’s tech support desk.

Interestingly, the tech that helped David was not a giver, but a taker – he had to send his laptop in for repair, but all they did was replace the fans.

I think I (heart) Ken, the tech with a &!%%#* heart of gold and a vocabulary of salty $#&*!!ing goodness.

Thanks to ***Dave Does the Blog for the link to the article.

My Life Sucks Compared To This

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Yep, it would be so cool to hang out with cool people who just won the friggin' Golden Globes for Chrissake, and also to be able to play the accordion yet maintain coolness. I am just bowled over that Ricky Gervais seems to go unrecognized, but then I'm a BBC American, we're funny like that. Seriously – what a fun life, although it's definitely one lived in the public eye. How odd it would be to know that untold numbers of strangers were checking in on your life, and whether you were treating your loved ones right (and wondering who ruined your towels at the last party). And then there's my life, which revolves around my hubby, work, TV, home improvement projects, the uncategorical weirdness of being me, and trying to make sense of it all. Not so cool, but quite liveable nonetheless. Well, this is productive. I wonder when the pizza dude is going to get here?

Moleskine Madness

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It’s high time I started getting the next England journal entry in (when finished it will pretty much be the entire month of September, with a little bit of story to finish up in October, 2003).

I kept the journal in a small, handy Moleskine pocket journal (the kind with the integral rubber band, lined pages, and a pocket for receipts). I bought mine at the local “Container Store;” they always seem to have a few of the small and large blank journals in stock, along with some different Moleskine books that have extra receipt pockets.

I’m not sure, but I think I have an extra blank one kicking around that I bought as an extra Christmess present. May start carrying it with me, don’t know. But I was astounded recently when I was doing a little background checking that there’s quite an enthusiastic online fanbase for Moleskine journals – and even a blog. Even Neil Gaiman uses them, apparently (or did when this blog entry was posted).

Sadly, according to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (now living at BBCi), the marketing of the Moleskine as “Bruce Chatwin’s notebook!” is a bit, well, spurious at best. However, it’s a decent little blank book and probably a very similar design to the one Chatwin used and enthused about in his book “The Songlines” (which I read long, long ago).

Oh, dear.

A little more browsing at H2G2 led me to this entry on aspiring writers. I think I just heard Marvin sighing very, very sadly and patiently.

Days Without Candy: 7

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The aftermath of Valentine’s Day left me with a few more extra pounds I don’t need, so on a whim I decided last week to just not eat candy at all. In addition to munching on all the candy normally around the office during any holiday associated with chocolate, I was in the habit of getting a candy bar out of the vending machines. And also David and I usually get favorite candy treats at the grocery store – his is strawberry or raspberry licorice, mine is Peppermint Patty (brought home from the store intact and frozen).

Well, something’s gotta give… something’s already done did give, as another pair of button-fly jeans gave up the ghost the other day.

Haven’t had any exercise since going cross-country skiing, but maybe it’s not a bad idea to start noting whenever we do something exercise-like.

Well, maybe most things exercise-like. Not everything exercise-like.

Impassioned Views

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BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Film | Bible belt devoted to Christ film

We’re weird about religion in the US – in some cases (as stated elsewhere in this blog) very weird.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the controversy surrounding this film. The furor reminds me of the one surrounding “The Last Temptation of Christ,” but as I vaguely recall, the more fundamentalist wing of the US religious spectrum (cough) was up in arms about that film and demonstrated against it.

They seem to lurve the idea of this film, because it apparently toes their line of dogma(or has the reputation of toeing their line of dogma). The purchase of group tickets in large blocks is getting a lot of press – the mainstream denominations (which seem to get a lot less press these days than the more colorful fundamentalist ones) don’t seem to be jumping on the “group movie night” concept.

I’m not sure I’m in favor of “groupthink” for religious belief extending to “let’s all see this movie together that we already agree is from our point of view and validates our position.”

In fact, I’m sure I’m not in favor of it (seeing as I belong to a faith that tries to welcome many different liturgical styles, at least I’m consistent). So I’m in the “viewing with alarm” camp on the “Passion” controversy – actually, probably in the “not viewing” camp, but then if I don’t see this film, how can I effectively criticise it? David does not want to see it – it goes totally against the grain for his orthodox agnosticism. So if I see this film at all, it will be either alone or with a friend. I like the actor they cast.. on the other hand, Mel Gibson’s views on faith and reproduction are a bit… off-putting for a high church-liberal Episcopalian like me.

I’m interested to see how the foreign press tries to explain to their readers/viewers just what the big fuss is about.

Lava Lamp Or Goa’uld Trap? Gummint Conspiracy!

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goauld.jpg
Goa’uld captured in lava lamp – note human decoy figure to right

You saw it here first, conspiracy theorists – everything on “Wormhole X-Treme!1!” is totally real.

This juvenile specimen was lured into the containment vessel (cleverly disguised as a Lava Lamp ™ by the use of a simple decoy. Is this why these retro-cool novelty items are suddenly available at your nearest Walgreens? The gummint is quietly trying to place one of these snakehead traps in every home, because invasion is immanent!1

I (Heart) My Mother-In-Law

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We went to the concert at the church with David’s parents and two of their friends. Enjoyed the music and dessert, then went to Brass for dinner. Very nice evening, we actually enjoy socializing with the ‘rents and the ‘rents friends (a fact that causes them no end of wonder, but we really do).

As my mom-in-law was removing her coat, I realized she was wearing a “No Bush” button.

I just love her to pieces!

Chicago – On Deck?

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Could Chicago be next in the gay-marriage stakes?

Da Mare has no problem, and County Clerk David Orr says he’s “game.”

“A devout Catholic, Daley scoffed at the suggestion that gay marriage would somehow undermine the institution of marriage between a man and a woman.

“Marriage has been undermined by divorce, so don’t tell me about marriage. You’re not going to lecture me about marriage. People should look at their own life and look in their own mirror. Marriage has been undermined for a number of years if you look at the facts and figures on it. Don’t blame the gay and lesbian, transgender and transsexual community. Please don’t blame them for it,” he said.

Daley said he has no control over marriage licenses in Cook County. But if Orr wants to take that bold step, the mayor has no problem with it.

Orr said he was “game to looking at options” provided a consensus could be built.

“I’m fed up with people being discriminated against because of their sexual orientation. We can’t even pass a law that eliminates discrimination against gay couples. [But] whatever you do when it comes to challenging laws, you want it to be effective and not knee-jerk,” Orr said.”

Well, “game on,” I say. Usually, Da Mare’s statements are a confusing mess. For once he manages to be coherent. It’s a miracle – quick, somebody, strike while the iron is hot.