Saturday, March 29, 2008

Monday, March 24, 2008

it's cold as ... snow?

I'm not gonna lie, I'm sitting in the living room watching the food channel and contemplating some hot chocolate. I am cold. My nose is cold. I guess I am a healthy dog.

Unbelievably, it snowed today. Weird! I got a text message from John, and moments later from Vicky, and when I went outside, BAM! it was snowing. Go figure.

Friday, March 21, 2008

pretzel dog

This, by the way, is normal.

evidently my posts have been...weird

Not wanting to disappoint, I offer this new, random one. While I am not a fan of motorcycles (to ride or pass)I thought it was an interesting statement in general:


Wednesday, March 19, 2008

The [other] Picard Maneuver

I spent the ENTIRE day pulling my shirt down in the front. All day. Allll day. It was pretty odious. I felt like Captain Jean-Luc Picard. You can watch him do it here:


I felt so inspired that I came home and brewed some:

Remind you of something? I'm all about product placement.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Inky Dinky


I write a lot. All day in fact. Most of the time, it's stuff I'm not particularly excited about. I write evaluations, grade tests, write comments on essays. I write notes to myself, notes to other people, notes that will never be read.

I write elaborate essays that I forget I've started. Sometimes I make lists. I write notes on top of notes. I write rough drafts and final drafts.

I do it using whatever pen or pencil I happen upon when the need arises. Over the years, I've become very partial to two types of pens: the ones that release ink in a similar fashion to the old-style nibs, and gel pens. They both roll onto the paper nicely, and generally give a nice and positive experience with the writing process.

Nevertheless, my favorite pen, the best pen in the universe, happens to be the cheapest. It is the cheapo plastic Bic pen, preferably blue, with a medium point. It also has a second use when you're done with it. The blue cap on the end pops off and you can pull the nib off so that you're left will a hollow tube.

It's perfect for shooting spit balls.

Am I the only one amused by Google?

I just think it's entertaining and mostly amusing when Google changes the letters to match whatever holiday or event is happening.

Today, it's all full of shamrocks and green. Too cute.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

"We have cows"

and a close up:


Sunday, March 09, 2008

Sounds like Sean...Tim?



Had a bizarre experience at the BBQ restaurant. Went to the "to go" window where the woman proceeded to flirt with John....and Jonathan!

BIZARRE!

That'll teach me to sit in the back seat.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

let it snow (reprise)

After what I thought would be the beginning of spring, we get a snow storm. Understand that in Atlanta, snow storm means it is snowing big fluffy flakes for more than 15 minutes. I never claimed that anything stuck.

Nevertheless, it is lovely to look at, and for a little while, it awakens the child inside of me. In fact, I am sitting in my state-of-the-art classroom with the wrap-around windows enjoying the snowfall (which by the way hasn't let up in 2 hours) and having a delightful time. My students can't say the same, because they are diligently working on a writing assignment. I'll pay the piper later when I have to grade it, but for now I'll just sit here and enjoy Mother Nature's floor show.


there are big flakes, honest, this is just a camera shot

Friday, March 07, 2008

Starbucks vs. Pilon

My dad sent me a heads up on this cute little video about coffee. I have to give him props for this, since last month we had to have a little "chat" about his RIDICULOUS and OVER THE TOP habit of forwarding every single joke he comes across. Yeah, Pop, there's a very special folder titled "Pop Spam" where all those goofy emails went.

But evidently, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks, and he has very carefully followed my edict that he must be very judicious in his choice of forwards, and that I would allow him 3 per day. He's been very good, and now it is a joy to receive the random forward because it is indeed funny.

This one requires a bit of set up. We all know Starbucks, but few people outside of Miami know the delicious and fantabulous taste of Pilon, a coffee by Cubans for Cubans and the World!-- and evidently, God!

Thursday, March 06, 2008

happy b-day to me

My honey sent me these pretty flowers, and a little honey bunny to keep it company. I'm also looking forward to watching Dexter! Thanks to everyone for sweet greetings throughout the day. It's absolutley delightful to be 29...and holding.

Thanks for all the fish!

opportunity for mockery


Guess who got a bluetooth device to hang off his ear?


I'm going to sneak a picture just to maximize the full mockery that will follow.

Monday, March 03, 2008

Oh! The humanity!

It's a beautiful spring day in lovely ATL, which of course means that tomorrow it's guaranteed to be anything else. But I digress. Today was beautiful, and I went outside and did the carpe diem thing. By carpe diem, of course, I mean that I ran all the errands that I should have run on Friday. I guess you could call it seizing the day if you get stuff done. I'm all about getting stuff done.

So, among the day's activities was a trip to the bank. Always a trip to the bank. How come the people in Star Trek never have to use money? Are they socialists? Is the only hope for capitalism to be found among the Ferengi?

I digress again.

I am standing in line at the bank, doing the usual--avoiding eye contact with people so I don't have to make pleasant small talk. We were all rather compliant--facing the tellers like we were standing in an elevator.

The woman in front of me asked me for the time, and in the moment that I changed perspective, I caught sight of, of all people, MENACE!

If you don't know who Menace is, he's a homeless guy that is a menace on the streets. He rides a bike and carries around a lot of bags filled with....I don't know. Cans for recycling?

For years I've been sitting on the fence about him, alternately agitated by his presence on the roads (our fair burg has no sidewalks)and the compassionate desire to respect him on the road. Generally, I do a lot of the former, and little of the latter. The thing is, that most of his weirdest behavior is during twilight hours, or long after dark, when we take a turn and BAMMM, there he is in all his baggy glory.

I don't want to hit him, but he's not helping me, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, here I am in the bank line, with Menace a couple of people in front of me, and I am fascinated. Fascinated! I could reach out and touch him, but I don't. Instead, I just look at him surreptitiously. At one point, he turns around and makes eye-contact with me. Yes, indeed. He has big brown eyes. Honest. Human. I gotta say here, I feel like a heel.

And then, we leave at the same time. He held the door for me once, and then raced ahead a little to open it again.

Believe me when I say that my thank you's were the sincerest ever.

something to ponder

Sunday, March 02, 2008

I found my camera!

Thanks to St. Anthony.

"May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."

Now. If I could just find where I put my mind....