About Robin Hood

So, I read this essay by Robert Duncan titled, "The Truth and Life of Myth", which is the first essay in the book "Fictive Certainties", a book I had to read for the critical thesis this semester. The beginning of the essay has quotes from other and then elaboration from Duncan about the myth being proof of fact and not the fact the proof of myth.

Ponder that for a moment, and I'll go on with the blog entry.

I'm also dabbling, when taking time off from the critical thesis, in watching BBC's television series "Robin Hood." It is a merry time, watching the merry men outsmart the Sheriff of Nottingham. But what is more pressing, in light of the TLM essay, is the question: what truth does the myth of Robin Hood represent?

I have a copy of a version of Robin Hood on my children's books bookshelf. I got it for ten cents at the book sale at Tufts library two summers ago, when I first moved back to Mass. I read it this morning, because I had the leisure. (Eye roll. Oh God, I have so much leisure ahead of me...)

This version is very pared down and geared toward boys, because there are no women in the story whatsoever. Also, there's no Friar Tuck and no Prince John. It's by Orville Prescott from Legacy Books. In this one, Robin Hood and his men are loafers, skilled at fighting, charmingly robbing the rich and valiantly giving to the poor. They're like Dude Lebowski's but instead of being burn-out slobs from weed, they're merry and energetic from ale. Today's equivalent of those care-free hippie Bowdoin kids & Batesies, who wear their hair floppy and scruffy t shirts but drive BMWs; who go to keggers and volunteer at the food shelter, but major in finance. One day, when the world hits them, they'll stop trying to Free Tibet and instead invest in Chinese manufacturing plants or something to that effect. LUGs - but in this case I mean Liberals Until Graduation. That's what Robin Hood's merry men remind me of...

[Here is this paragraph translated into Spanish:
Esta versión es muy reducido y orientado hacia los niños, porque no hay mujeres en la historia en absoluto. Also, there's no Friar Tuck and no Prince John. Además, no hay Fray Tuck y no el Príncipe Juan. It's by Orville Prescott from Legacy Books. Es por Orville Prescott Legado de Libros. In this one, Robin Hood and his men are loafers, skilled at fighting, charmingly robbing the rich and valiantly giving to the poor. En éste, Robin Hood y sus hombres son loafers, experto en los combates, encanto, robando a los ricos y valientemente dar a los pobres. They're like Dude Lebowski's but instead of being burn-out slobs from weed, they're merry and energetic from ale. Son como Dude Lebowski, pero en lugar de burn-out slobs de la maleza, son alegre y enérgica de cerveza. Today's equivalent of those care-free hippie Bowdoin kids & Batesies, who wear their hair floppy and scruffy t shirts but drive BMWs; who go to keggers and volunteer at the food shelter, but major in finance. Hoy en día el equivalente de los cuidados libre de hippie Bowdoin, niños y Batesies, que llevarán su cabello disquete y scruffy t shirts, pero en coche BMW; que ir a keggers y voluntario en el refugio de alimentos, pero importante en las finanzas. One day, when the world hits them, they'll stop trying to Free Tibet and instead invest in Chinese manufacturing plants or something to that effect. Un día, cuando el mundo hits ellos, dejaremos tratando de Libre Tíbet y en lugar de invertir en plantas de fabricación china o algo en ese sentido. LUGs - but in this case I mean Liberals Until Graduation. LUGs - pero en este caso me refiero a los liberales hasta la graduación. That's what Robin Hood's merry men remind me of... Eso es lo Robin Hood's alegre hombres me recuerdan ... ]

Anyway, this gets me no closer to the original question of what truth the myth of Robin Hood represents. I wonder if the History Channel ever did a documentary on it, like they do with the Knights Templar and Freemasons...I bet the Robin Hood legend is tied to something like that.

During the Celtics Game...

So there I was, having the Celtics game on in the background, reading, writing, taking notes, as ever.

During commercials, I switched to NECN to see about the latet details on the train accident. This was later in the evening, about 11 PM.

When I went back to the game on ESPN, the programming thingy incorrectly said that "SportsCenter" was on instead of the (loooong) Celtics game.

And this is the cable info description for ESPN's SportsCenter:

A hip, Emmy Award winning daily scrapbook of homers, touchdowns & slam dunks.

So, I decided to make that my new blog description, simply because it is so very lame.

Yay to Celtics. Bummer about the Sox. Suct to be a Detroit anything fan tonight, eh? Take you, your octopuses, your freakish Silence of the Lambs mask, your crap baseball team and your blond rapper and stuff it in the trunk of the car that's no longer made there & instead manufactured in Japan, okay DEE-troit? Nobody likes you.

I think I need a nap. I'm a little grumpy. It's the combination of school work, work work and West Coast baseball games, all conspiring to keep me up late and wake me up early. Plus my stomach is getting all weird again. Pinchers in my intestines. Really lovely and whatnot. I'm glad I shared. Okay, anyway, I'm off to go change my blog description then go to bed.

S'laters....

Are You Effin' Serious??!!!!

A licia alerted us to the biggest bulshisse story in the history of ridiculousness:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24860437/?GT1=43001

Repost: 1984 Reverberations

The following is a repost from the old blog from when I was reading 1984 for the first time.

August 25, 2006 @ 12:20 pm ·

So, I’m at the end of the second section of 1984, and I continue to be flabbergasted by its uncanny mirroring of now. This quote struck me today. Click on the links to view full texts or for definitions, etc.

“For the secret to rulership is to combine a belief in one’s own infallibility with the power to learn from past mistakes.”

-From Chapter 1 of THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF OLIGARCHICAL COLLECTIVISM by Emmanuel Goldstein of 1984 by George Orwell

From 100 Mistakes for the President to Choose From

May 3, 2004

During a prime time press conference on April 13, President Bush was asked to name a mistake that he has made since taking office and what he has learned from it. Bush, who was unable to answer the question, admitted “maybe I’m not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with [a mistake].” But weeks later, Bush still hasn’t answered the question.

Repost: I"m Getting Married So Let's Watch a Bunch of Men Dressed as Women

This blog entry from the old blog is about the time I went to Jacques, a drag queen parlor in Boston.

August 27, 2006 @ 10:55 pm

Yeah, interesting phenomenon I discovered this past Saturday while attending Danielle’s cousin’s bachelorette party: lots of Bachelorette Parties are celebrated at Drag Shows, particularly at Jacque's Cabaret for brides-to-be of Boston.

My favorite was the (wo)man who was so blatantly masculine. At 6' 5″, 250+, the strong black (wo)man amazed the crowd with (her/-is) ability to jump in the air and land in a split while wearing a black-and-white checked patterned catsuit with fluorescent zigs and zags. Oh and, girl, where’d you get those 6-ft-long eyelashes?!! Fancy.

Most the people around me were least enthralled with Destiny, simply because that little lady had as nice or better physique than the rest of us. (Only (s)he had ever-so-fetching bulging plastic surgery scars.)

Drag Queens wear eyeshadow as blush in long dark lines to create the illusion of cheekbones, BTW.

At Jacques, the Drag Queens retrieve their dollar bills out of the bachelorette’s cleavage. Or the audience members stick the bills in the the fake boobs of the Drag Queens. It’s very strange because it’s not necessarily girl on girl action, nor is it girl on guy. It’s this limbo place, which is why—I suppose—it’s such a popular bachelorette destination. It’s ambiguity on the gender scale leads to its ambiguity on the violation of the impending monogamy of the marriage-to-be-made-later.

Anyway, social and sexual issues aside, it was a jolly good time that I highly recommend to anyone. Very funny, very fun, very unique.

Whatever happens tonight...

Whichever David wins, the most important thing is noting that:

Ryan Seacrest has on way too much eye liner.

Is he trying to be Bowie circa 72?Seriously. WTF.

Celtics on Sunday

Steve (see blog listing at right for "Steve") wrote a nice bloggy blog about the game. See it here.

I wrote a comment saying that it was magical and that it was as if the ghost of Red Auerbach had swooshed in and placed that awkward foul shot that really put the game to rest in the basket at the end of the fourth quarter.

My comment:

At the end, with that last, seemingly impossible, yet nail-in-coffin foul shot of PIerce’s that went in, I said, “It is as if the ghost of Red Auerbach just swooshed through the new Garden and placed the thing in the basket.”

How beautiful was that? And, even though you’re not a Red Sox fan, how beautiful was that no hitter tonight? It’s a magical time to be a Boston sports fan, I tell yah. There’s something in there. Maybe it’s because I moved back from Maine.

Yes, that’s it! It’s all one, giant, years long celebration of my reluctant return to MA. Trying to entice me to stay a little longer and whatnot.

Enh, probably not. But anyway…

Then I went to You Tube to find a highlight of the shot. If you go to 1:54 of this clip, you'll see it:



Then you'll hear that, while I was in my living room in a section of Boston, Paul Pierce was in the Garden-- thinking the same exact thing!!!

Isn't that amazing?

No, not really. I know.

But, still, it's cool that after that foul shot went in I thought of Red and so did Pierce. It shows I'm a sensitive fan, even if I am an fairweather one.

Swooning at Fenway

Mmmmm, delicious. [licking lips] Yummy. Steamy. Tasty. Dreamy.

=sigh=

Huh? Why am I so dopey right now? Oh, well, guess who's back?


Phantom Husband Extraordinaire AKA The Hottest Man Alive AKA Adonis Incarnate AKA Oh-My-God-I-Think-I'm-Going-to-Faint-at-His-Handsomeness GABE KAPLER.

Love love love.

LOVE.

Honestly, my heart began racing just now when he got up to bat. It was really weird, actually. Because I was like. "Yay," but also, "okay, now strike out." But also thinking, "Can we make babies?" Heh heh.

Anyway, isn't he just gorgeous? And I'm glad this year that he's a mediocre utility player, because it bodes well for the Sox during this interleague series. But I hope people hit out to left field a lot. Mmmm. Gabe.

For more Gabe Kapler worshiping from me, click here to see all my Gabe Kapler blogs. Yeah, there's that many. I have a collection.

An enticing contest, I can attest

Ooooohhh, lordy. I just found out about something while listening to Morning Edition today:

The O. Henry Pun-Off in Austin, TX

Holy dream come true.

Although, I think if I were to enter, I would get creamed because as it is, I'm having a hard time trying to think of one under the pressure of writing a blog about a pun contest.

But I definitely know a few people who would be all about this thing. And, of course, the champion would have to be my brother's soon-to-be-father-in-law (that's a lot of hyphens), B il Bur ke.

When I told him that I was buying the new legal absinthe, he didn't miss a beat:

"Did you know that absinthe makes you fart?"

"Really?" I said.

"Yeah, and when you do it sounds like this, 'hhhaaandahhh.' "

"Hm," I said.

"So, it's just like they say:

Absinthe makes the fart go Honda."

Check out the details of the O. Henry Pun-Off here.

A Neophyte's Theory on Why the Celtics Are Inconsistent in the Playoffs

I am a neophyte when it comes to basketball. I'm an uber neophyte. I mean, I barely know anything. (Accept I know that the Celtics won all three games I went to at the TD Banknorth Garden.) That said, here's my theory as to why, to put it in neophytic terms, they've been playing so off-and-on.

A while back, I read an article in Sports Illustrated about a new offensive strategy for basketball. The strategy is called the "Dribble Drive Motion" and Doc Rivers and the Celtics are one of the few NBA teams to employ this method. It is often used in high schools and colleges and getting out to the middle school level, too. (Read the article here.)

This is from Wikipedia:

Dribble Drive Motion AKA Memphis Attack...The offense focuses on spreading the offensive players in the half court set, such that the point guard can drive through the defensive gaps for a layup or dunk, or kick out to the perimeter if the defense collapses on the driving guard. The offense is also known by various other names, including the AASAA offense (for attack, attack, skip, attack, attack), the Walberg offense, three or key or Princeton on Steroids.

As devised by Walberg, the Dribble drive motion offense is predicated on some basic principles. Like the Princeton offense, it is a "four-out" offense. That is, only one "post" player (generally the center) plays under the basket, while the other four players play the "perimeter", outside of the three-point line. Unlike the Princeton offense, which is built upon passing to players who cut towards the basket, the Memphis offense uses a player (usually the point guard) to dribble-drive towards the basket. Depending on the response of the defense, the driving player can either take a lay-up, pass to the post player to shoot, or "kick-out" pass to one of the perimeter players. If the ball is returned to the perimeter, the player that receives the pass either takes a three-point shot, or dribble-drives to the basket themselves, restarting the entire process.

My theory is that this new offensive strategy worked fantastically and got them to the playoffs. However, once they got in there, they tended to want to go back to the old ways of playing--the familiar ways, if you will. And that's why there's so much inconsistency. They're either killing by double digits and making crazy plays because they're employing the DDM, of they're falling back on the old ways of playing and barely scraping by, if at all.

They have to renew their confidence in their way of playing and right themselves for the rest of the playoffs--resolve to see this DDM thing out--or go back to their old ways that didn't work well (hence the poopy previous seasons) and lose. What's it gonna be boys? Yes or no?

Thus ends the basketball neophyte's pontification. I will now return to my regularly scheduled cluelessness.

(I stand by this banner and get my picture taken with it every time I go to the Garden. It's a sort of talisman at this point. Plus, it isn't a bit dorky at all...What is this tune I suddenly have in my head?........Fill the steins to dear old Maine! Shout til the rafters ring. Stand, and drink a toast once again. Let every loyal Maine man sign!--Drink Drink Drink!)

Holy Android

Oh my god. Check this out:

http://www.raytheon.com/newsroom/technology/rtn08_exoskeleton/

Raytheon has created an exoskeleton suit that enhances human power to superhuman strength.

Whoa.

The first applications will be for cargo, but they are hoping to build them for American soldiers of the future, too...

Whoa.

Anyway, ah, um, is anyone else totally freaked out by this?

It makes me want to hide in the woods away from the threat of Androids...as opposed to working down the street from that place that builds them.

2 down, 48 to go!

Yay yay yay! It looks like California will be making gay marriage legal! This is the type of fantastic story that actually makes me happy to listen to the news. With Cali joining Mass, that only leaves 48 more states until it's legal everywhere. To be honest, since it has been legal here for so many years now--four I think...Yes, a quick check on the Google thingy says it was four years ago this Saturday since it was legally sanctioned--Anyway, it being in my head that gays and lesbians can marry without any problem for the last 4 years, it's hard to remember that in other places, that is not the case.

I'm sure if I... a.) had a life partner, b.) wished to marry that person and c.) couldn't because I was gay, I would very easily remember that it isn't legal everywhere....

Which state do you suppose will be last to make it legal? Viriginia because it didn't learn its lesson last time? Alabama because it's, well, Alabama? Mississippi because it was the last to repeal Prohibition and it can't be beat by Alabama when it comes to bigotry?

Oh well. Now's not the time to dwell on the homophobia. Instead, let's just cheer for this fairly giant step towards equality for all.

Yay gay marriage! Yay hippie lefty liberals! Yay diversity! Yay!!!

Alright, I'm off to go eat a tofu hot dog and continue not shaving my legs.

Retro Review: Sliding Doors

The other day I was listening to two voice coaches talk about Gwyneth Paltrow's fake British accent and how "too good" it was. I wasn't sure what they were talking about, but now I do.

It's a bit obnoxious really. Especially when she says Britishisms, like "tosser".

"Sliding Doors" started at 10 and the Red Sox LOST A EFFING GAIN to Baltimore this time, at 1025, so I missed the beginning.

The timing goes back and forth from past to present of the movie. Though it's in the middle of the story, in the beginning of the movie, Gwyneth's character cuts her long red hair, dyes it blonde and jaw length. There's this "reveal" scene of new haircut and I went, "This movie came out in 1998, I bet. Because I think I copied that haircut."


(for some reason this clip is partially in French or something)

I checked info and I was right. Even though I didn't see the movie, I must have seen the haircut, because I totally copied it sophomore year, when I was into cutting my own hair and dying it super blonde.

I wonder if you can tell that this movie is a mildly engaging, stereotypical romantic comedy with only a slight twist but not really engaging enough to keep me focused to not go off and do things like write blogs and play tetris on my cell phone, etc?

Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008)

Robert Rauschenberg passed away earlier this week. If you don't know his work, NPR just did a very comprehensive remembrance:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90411572

I learned about Rauschenberg when I took the "Black Mountain College" course my final year at UMaine from Steve Evans with guest professor Robert Creeley.

After that I hadn't thought much about Rauschenberg until I went to the SFMOMA in 2003 during April vacation (my first April vacation as a teacher). They had an exhibit that featured Rauschenberg's work prominently, and I was grateful for the course I had taken two years beforehand, which enhanced my appreciation for the exhibit.

That course was something else, I tell yah. (That's the 1950s way to say it, which is how a lot of the quotes sound in Duberman's book about it) and I had no idea how lucky I was to have been in it while I was there.

So, here's to Robert Rauschenberg. Thanks for being so kick ass.

Dur...

But seriously, he was.

Some Serious WTF-itude

First and foremost, I love me some Sarah Jessica Parker, but seriously, WTF is up with this hat?

And also, along with the WTF-itude, I am on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/greenandmore

Lord help me. I am a DORK. But we already knew that...

Old School Review: Being John Malkovich

With the myriad of movie channels we have, you might end up seeing some old school reviews on the blog, because I'll be seeing old movies from time to time.

Today's old school review: "Being John Malkovich."

What a freakin' awesome movie. It's been a while since I last saw it, six years, maybe? Since then "Adaptation" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" have come out and my adoration for Charlie Kaufman (ha ha I first wrote Andy Kaufman!) has grown even more. But to rewatch Malkovich today was fun--just the right surrealist silly escape I needed before going back to my reading.

The puppets? The portal? The chimp? Cameron Diaz's hair? The fact that when Malkovich becomes the puppeteer "Malko" and they make a bio of it, and it is a perfect satire of those pompous docu-TV-show thingies? What isn't effin hilarious yet absurd about this movie? Nothing! The whole thing is one lovely, very asinine ride into some serious WTF-itude. Ooo I made up a term. "Serious WTF-itude."

But, of course, the best is John Malkovich who plays "John Malkovich acting as the actor John Malkovich" and "John Cusack acting as a puppeteer invading John Malkovich" and "Cameron Diaz acting as a mousy basketcase invading John Malkovich." The layers upon layers are endless. It just shows how kick ass John Malkovich is as an actor. And how great Charlie Kaufman is.

Neat-o Word of the Day

Mandala is the word of the day.


It was in an essay I was reading about Robert Duncan. The essay is as dense as the subject matter it discusses. Anyway, I don't know if you're like me but a lot of times I'll go about reading something, see a word I recognize and keep going but then a little after, I stop because, "Wait, I have heard of that word but I don't know the definition!" So then I go back and look it up.

That's what happened with the word "mandala" today. The essayist used it to describe the poetics of Robert Duncan.

Here's the definition:

(n) mandala (any of various geometric designs (usually circular) symbolizing the universe; used chiefly in Hinduism and Buddhism as an aid to meditation)

It reminded me of the description of a spider's web, which, if you look to the side of the blog, you will see a spider as my "profile" photo. That's because I love spider webs. So non-linear, so inclusive, so expansive. That's why I never kill spiders. I always shoo them away or outside if I'm with people who freak at spiders.

Anyway, so there's mandala for you; you're word of the day.

love hate relationship with shoes

Last night was Amanda's Bachelorette. We had a grande time at Lobby and then Revolution. I felt so special getting in VIP to new places in Boston. It's usually not my thing--I prefer a laid back night. But this wasn't any given night; it was my future sister in law's bachelorette. I won't get into the details in the interest of privacy (I realize not everyone all life's details published).

Anyway, such occasions call for more adventurous outings, and it was an adventure. They also call for more adventuresome outfits, which brings me to the actual topic of this blog: my love hate relationship with my beloved leopard print shoes.

I mean, look at these things:
They're gorgeous! And, for the first 7 hours, they feel perfectly fine. I was perfectly capable of walking down Broad St to Lobby (and having a middle aged husbands get whacked on the arm by his wife for looking at me...yes, that happened. It was pretty funny, actually).
I was perfectly capable of dancing with the wall at Revolution when, among the other old school hip hop/ RB tunes mashed up with rock and 80s pop music, Cam'ron's "Too Close" came on.

I think I did feel a little bulk coming through on that wall, come to think of it...

I was even okay with modeling my leopard prints and fishnets outside for my fellow Bachelorette Party attendees (and anyone else who happened to be standing by...)

But by 1 AM I was done. I kept taking them off and sitting on the window ledge. I couldn't wait to get home and de-nightclubify myself. Look at the remnants:

It took me 7 seconds to get all that off and an hour to get it all on.

Now, this oversized long sleeve tee, pony tail and glasses, this feels much much better.

I'm off to go massage my poor, aching feet some more.

Karma - The Fine for Being an A-hole

I'm reeling right now, having just received a completely uncalled for, super a-hole-y email from a person who is pompous but without any justification, fairly idiotic but thinks he's a genius, etc. etc. An overall "schmuck" as some might say.

My only consolation during times like these is my belief in karma. Like, if you write a derisive email to a harmless person, your tire will break off from its axel due to a massive pothole in the road.

Here's hoping.

Papsy - Goin' Down Hill - Too Many Dunkin' Commercials

I think Paps is exhausted from pimpin' himself out to Reebok (this commercial is so lame, I can't even deal):



and this from Dunkin Donuts:



this old one, which is horrible:



Clearly all he thinks about is acting these days:



Because he's not winning games:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/24547840/

Twin, again

More look-a-likes!

Okay, I have to steal this image from his website, but if you'd like the real thing, just click on the image and you'll get to the homepage.

Looks just like
Which reminds me, I haven't been to one of my favorite websites in a while:

http://menwholooklikeoldlesbians.blogspot.com/

Scroll down when you land there, so you can see the list. Effin hilarious.

Obama Just Called

Obama just called. I think he got my number from Deval (Did I mention that Deval is on the list of phantom husbands? He is. I think he's the only politician, too...) .

The call went like this, "We're looking for donations of $200 after our North Carolina win, but any amount will be welcome." And I responded, "I'm not--I don't--[pause] I voted for Hilary?"
"Oh well okay--" "But I'm not sure who I support--I mean, it looks like he'll win the nomination, and that's fine with me. I like Barack. And I'll definitely support him in the presidential race. So keep my name on the list and call me when he's got it and all that."

Blubbering silly nilly. It was just weird to get that phone call, 'cause last night I was thinking that I've come to prefer him over her. This happened recently when the race got all mudslinging political and non-policy focused. It was just gross, you know? And I liked what he said about that:


(PS the kid in the aqua polo who keeps checking his cell phone behind the Obama sign was annoying the crap out of me. I wanted to smack him.)

Repost: Actors Losing Lustre

July 29, 2006

So, here’s the mini-existential crisis I’ve been dealing with ever since N a te Cor d dry made it into Entertainment magazine:

Is every quirky-cute actor like him? Because if that’s the case, then every quirky-cute actor I’ve ever had a crush on (see previous posts about potential husbands including Ron Livingstone, Colin Firth and Matt Damon) loses their lustre. Because N a te isn't lustrous, whatsoever and if they’re all like N a te, than they’re not that luster-y, either.

What does this mean?

It simply means I’ll have to focus more of my fantasy attention on the silly athlete crushes--like Barry Zito & Gabe Kapler [update: and KG] since I have no comparable high school affairs to go on and ruin it for me.

Effin dork. As Erin would say, and does say every time N ate is mentioned, "Seriously, eeeuuuwwwww!"

Twins? -- mean observations during the Celtics game

Twins? -- mean observations during the Celtics game

Yeah, he's been hittin' the threes all night tonight, and he's been an almost silent partner in this quest for NBA championship glory, what with Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and (the of COURSE addition to my list of phantom husbands) "KG" AKA Kevin Garnett in the limelight, and yes, he is integral to this playoff season, BUT

Sam Cassell (#28)

looks like
Lord Voldemort

Prairie Home Companion at the Bangor Auditorium

This Saturday, I went up to Maine to see "Prairie Home Companion" live from the Bangor Auditorium. Though the traffic was atrocious, stretching all the way back to way before the exit ramp & we didn't think we'd make it in the show on time, we still were able to see all 2 and a half hours of (15 before going live, 2 hour live show, 15 after off air). It was mighty fine.

The set looks just like the one in the movie. Garrison Keillor wears a suit but also wears Chucks--red ones to match his red tie, in this case. They had a "Bob the Artist" skit, the ennui couple skit (not the ones who need ketchup, though), attack of the mutant lobsters necessitating time for Powdermilk Biscuits and the news from Lake Wobegon, but no Guy Noir or Dusty and Larry. They did some jokes about Stephen King, played the Stein song (my favorite part because I'm a dork) and did a little song about the screwy manner of talking about directions in Maine. That is, up is down because from Lewiston you go "up" to Portland. North is over, because Down East is the northeastern most coastal region and...I can't remember the third one. But it was funny. And we all sang "You Are My Sunshine" which was fun.

Afterwards, we went to the Bangor Sea Dog, which I hadn't been to since November 2006. (I'll always remember that time because its when I met my friend Curt, who is now a GM for a minor league baseball team in Reno, which is a pretty cool job--if you like baseball, which I clearly do.) The sound effects guy, Fred Newman, and Andy Stein of the "Guy's All-Star Shoe Band" were at the table behind us. Sadie and I started chatting with them. Some of the band members played a concert in Rumsford tonight (gag). Sadie told Andy (we're BFFs now, so I just call him Andy) that there's a lot of cocaine use in Rumsford Mexico and also, a dirrrrty strip club with picnic tables for seating. Then she told Andy about her husband's bachelor party, in which 2 of the strippers from Rumsford were hired and they took off the belts of all the guys in the wedding and whipped them with their own belts. Yeah. Upon 1st meeting the PHC guy, this is what Sadie tell him. Andy was a pretty good humored guy and thought Sadie's stories were entertaining, or at least laugh about them and everything, and was really nice, but I can only imagine him thinking, Who the eff are these people?" Hilarious.

Fred Newman is not the sound effects guy in the movie version of PHC. When I asked him about this, he kinda freaked out in a joke-but-serious way, telling us that there was a sound effects guy who did all the shows in St Paul, and him, who did all the shows on the road, and he was, "the only cast member who wasn't in the movie so thanks so much for bringing that up because I'm not bitter AT ALL." But I just looked him up on IMDB, and he has way more teeny bopper connections than the rest of the cast -- who are all now one degree from LiLo. Because he used to host the Mickey Mouse Club, so he's got THREE tabloid stars in which he is one degree from (Britney, Justin, Christina), not to mention Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling and also Kerri Russel, so what's he complaining about?



(Fred Newman's at the end....)

Alright, I'll Admit It--I'm in Love

I know, I know. It's so early to declare, but after the crab rangoons & water-cress laden veg fried rice I bought at 11:15 last night, which I walked to go pick up, I am ready to declare: I love West Roxbury. Not only was the Chinese food tasty, close by and available late, it only cost $7 and made an excellent dinner then lunch (hence the mid-day, after lunch blog). Now, I know it's early. And I'm sure they'll be plenty I don't like the longer I'm there; there's always something. And it's not Maine, which is Maine and therefore, by nature, better. But people, think about it--I'm moving from Weymouth. There's no way I'm going to sit in my room and think: "I wish I were closer to the Pleasant Shoppes!" Or "I miss the 8000 Dunkin Donuts of Weymouth."
I'm thinking about it here in the middle of the work day because I have to go to Weymouth tonight. Mom and I leave early to get to Bangor for "Prairie Home Companion" tomorrow with the Lewiston clan. [Note: friends in the area, I will only be there for the show and dinner then heading back south. But I will be visiting once this crazy month of May is over. I always liked it a little thinned out up there anyway. May Term was always the funnest time...]
Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how much time I can spend at the apartment before heading to lousy Weymouth.
Alrighty, back to work.

Payola from the Clintons?

Does anyone else besides me suspect the Clintons paid Rev Jeremiah a crapload of money recently? I know it's a very conspiracy-theory thing to think but, I can't help it. I mean, look at this "performance" at the National Press Club:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYr6jwqzEnE

Oh Yeah, One More Thing-The Story of Mural on the Liquor Store

As I was walking from the grocery store back home, I noticed that the side of Macy's Liquors (one of the many liquor stores on Centre St, not the department store chain) has a mural of a farm. Without context, it seems so anathematic. Why on earth would a liquor store have a mural of a farm on it in the city of Boston?

I can't be positive about why, but after a little investigating, here's my guess:

The neighborhood was home to an experimental transcendentalist Utopia community called Brook Farm, which attracted notable figures like Margaret Fuller and Nathaniel Hawthorne whose 1852 novel A Blithedale Romance, is based on his stay there.

I got that from Wikipedia, and then checked the sources (AS EVERYONE MUST DO WHEN IT COMES TO READING THINGS ON WIKIPEDIA) with the U S Register of National Historic Places, American Utopia listing. So, I think that that mural is a nod to the history of the neighborhood. I'm going to the library on Monday. Maybe they'll know.

Carrier on PBS

Please note: this is the USS America. The carrier in the PBS doc is the USS Nimitz.

Carrier on PBS

Has anyone else been watching this documentary? It's totally fascinating. It's all about life in the Navy on an aircraft carrier. Usually you only get the Hollywood story of the pilot (I can hear "Take My Breath Away" right now...). But for this documentary series, they tell about the lives of everyone: pilots, deck swabbers, chaplains, personnel liasons, everyone.

Last night they focused on religion & faith "on the boat." These carriers are like tiny floating villages -- but unlike the uniformity found in most small communities, this floating village has people from all walks of life. The two most remarkable stories were that of the younger Catholic man & a younger Pentacostal man.

The Catholic guy was actually considering becoming a priest. He is funny, silly but clearly intelligent. He has trouble concentrating and taking things seriously when being trained. However, he is also devout in his faith. He says, "I am Creationist. I mean, I don't walk around with a t-shirt that says, 'I believe in Creation Theory' or anything like that...but yeah, I believe."

Then we see him giving the readings at Mass on the ship. The priest, he explains, has been giving him public speaking lessons. There's also a scene with him talking to other shipmates about becoming a priest and what that entails giving up. One other guy says, "Nah, I couldn't do it." Then the conversation gets a little --well, they talk like sailors because...they are.

I must also mention the best friend of this guy. A different kind of guy, one who clearly doesn't know who he is and what he believes, but he likes having this friend he met on the boat. He departs early, from Australia, and says at his good bye dinner, "I learned a lot from you."

I'd be lieing if I didn't say there was a tinge of fondness that seemed more than friend-like in both of them, but that's conjecturing on my part. It's more like those close friendships gentlemen used to have in the old novels from England. Close but not flat out gay just because they're close.

More on the other man in the next entry....