Two Separate Thank-Yous

One:

I hope this means that both Rosie and The View can now slide back into their respective obscurity, and nevermore will I be subjected to news reports of "what ridiculous, and occasionally physics-defying, twaddle Rosie held forth on today" or, really, any other "who said what on The View." (Honestly. Women. I swear...) O Bliss! Nevermore!

Two--and significantly more important:

Thank you, on this Memorial Day, to the thousands upon thousands of brave men and women who have given life, limb, and sacred honor to defend this beloved country. "Thank you" is too small and insignificant, but it is the best we can do in honor of your heroism and sacrifice, of what you have done for us and for peoples around the world, and for what you continue to do.

Happiness is...

Sticky kisses. (The hardworking Little Bro will appreciate this.)

Real Men Do Not...An Occasional Series, Parts 1 & 2

Real men do not...

1. Wear fuchsia.

2. Tattoo enormous angel wings across their backs. (And if, for some wholly inexplicable reason, they have such a tattoo, they ought not jog by me, shirtless. Twice.)

Ha! (ish)

Well, it may be entirely possible to think one has a quasi-decent understanding of assorted international agreements--TRIPs! Paris Convention! Berne Convention! Patent Cooperation Treaty!--or to think one does, and yet to know that it is equally possible to have answered every single exam question incorrectly.* However, I did correctly answer that Canada is the 2nd largest country in terms of area, unlike a gaggle of TV anchors. Ha! Small victories.

*Actually, I think I got one right. The other 19, not so sure. Fortunately, most everyone else was probably in the same boat.

Observations over Ice Cream

I'm not persuaded that Segolene Royal's economics are much more than wishful thinking (I grant you I'm watching a translation, y no hablo el frances), but I am persuaded of her excellent taste in blouses.

Difficult Questions

Do I love Trip Tucker III Enterprise enough to purchase Seasons 1-4?

Update: Ayuh, apparently I do!

Hereby and Forthwith Concluded

Perhaps I should not be allowed to chose my own topics, for I shall inevitably have chosen something much better suited for a dissertation, without realizing it upfront.

Manual Gaming Gone Wild

Rock, paper, scissors? You ain't seen nuthin' yet. I'm not at all familiar with Lovecraft, but seriously, how does this not sound fun?

From the RPS-101 Outcome Guide: Chainsaw DICES Turnip, Turnip STAINS Cup, Cup HOLDS Beer, Beer AFFECTS Chainsaw USE. Wow.

Delightfully nerdy. (Would 'Mesh prove to be the champion of this game, too?)

Not a Popularity Contest

This is a refreshingly realistic observation:

I am somewhat pleased by the fact that very few of the frontrunners in either party are particularly likeable. We have had 7 elections in a row in which we were supposed to
care about how much we "liked" the candidates [...]
[...]

We're not electing a dad or a mom or a best friend. We're electing someone who is supposed to: show up on time and sober every day, even when he's on vacation; work his (or her) tail off; juggle an enormous amount of responsibility; use good judgment with little information or time to respond; appoint reasonably competent people
to wield enormous (and sometimes lifetime) power; engage in hardball political negotiations with a sometimes-hostile and sometimes-stupid Congress.

I want a competent President who uses his head and who, at least occasionally, sees things "my way". I don't care if he or she is a jerk.

Quite so. We're electing a President, not a Prom King.

Quizzie Time: L.M. Montgomery

Which L.M. Montgomery Heroine are You?

Way to make my morning!

TT Ben

Reflections

What's in a compliment?

I don't mean a throwaway "Cute shoes!" or an "I love that dress!" but rather a real, substanative compliment, one you will never forget and will always strive to fulfill because it concerns a trait or goal you value most highly. Though the speaker probably didn't know it would strike you so deeply, it did... And you gathered it into your head and heart so that you might try to incorporate it in order to one day be more deserving. In nearly twenty six years, I can think of exactly two--which is probably as it ought to be, else one's head should be sorely swelled.

Funny things, words.

Where I wanna be...

Springtime in Princeton. Funny how just a picture can bring back all the emotions associated with this time of year there...for Yours Truly, it was always intensely bittersweet. It still is...and being unable to go to Reunions this year doesn't help any. Next year, though, next year.

Thanks to TH.

Q: Who could possibly have predicted this?

A: Pretty much anyone with a pulse. See "Well I'll Be Darned -- Norks Ignore Deadline to Shut Down Nuke Plant." (Don't you just love Andy McCarthy?) As a friend once remarked, Kim Jong Il may be nuts, but he knows what he wants and is acting very rationally. Et voila... Some days ago--maybe it was last week?--C-SPAN2 had on a panel discussion regarding NK, and one of the panelists drily remarked that it would be very interesting if someone were to do the research to find an agreement of any kind, nuclear or otherwise, that NK had actually ever followed. Indeed it would.

Nor is it difficult to predict that Ahmadinejad & co. have been taking copious notes for quite some time. Whatever else they may be, naive and stupid they are not, particularly given their most recent success.

SmorgasBorge

Happy April Fools', y'all!

Some year I'll remember to plan some sort of practical joke, but this year, it will have to be someone else's wit instead. A few days ago, I was noodling around YouTube, looking for Victor Borge clips to show El Novio, and I was pleasantly surprised to find several.

For your April Fools' amusement, some vintage Borge--comedy with a musical touch:

Hungarian Rhapsody

Two versions of "Phonetic Punctuation"

Czardas duet-duel

Intro (in Minneapolis) Parts 1 and 2

Warning: since this is comedy from a slightly different day and age, you may find it lacking in shock and offense. You may, however, laugh anyway.

Yip, yip, yip

For the Nomad Little Bro: little Flat-coat furballs.

The Hammie and The Broccoli

I used to use the expression "toe-wigglingly happy," though I think people found it puzzling. But no more! With this expert demonstration by a wee hamster experiencing the transcendent joys of His First Broccoli, the days of befuddlement are ended!

Courtesy of Cute Overload, purveyor extraordinaire of warm fuzzies and the greatest site on the interwebs.

Fusion Flauting

Despite my firm--nay, passionate and immutable--string loyalties, I do think this "beatbox flute" concept is creative and well-done...as well as very entertaining listening:



That and I have a soft spot for Axel Foley and the Beverly Hills Cop theme.

Quizzie Time: Tarot Card

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

h/t Jeff the Baptist

Hmm.

Is there anyone who actually adores writing research proposals? I'm going to guess no...

Teensy Study Break

I saw printouts of these lying in the building printer this morning and thought they were entirely too funny (and entirely too true!) not to pass on:

Application for a Boys' Night Out
Application for a Girls' Night Out

Hehe...Yes, I'm sure those have likely been floating around in cyberspace for years, but (1) they're still hilarious and (2) see blog subtitle above.