martinimade

What were you doing ten years ago? At about this time a decade ago, Scott and I were getting married. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that this much time has passed. There have been ups. There have been downs. There has been a baby and, hopefully, there will be at least one more. (No, there is nothing to announce here. Just an intention, not a certainty.) There has been rich unrest. And I wouldn't trade any of it.

Happy Anniversary, love. Here's to ten more.

From the press release:

Sugar Hill Records' Scott Miller has been chosen to join the set of the WB's upcoming comedy series, Blue Collar TV, set to debut on Thursday, July 29 at 8:30 pm (EDT). Miller and his band The Commonwealth will set the stage for 8 episodes of the trademark comedy of Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy. The band will play original material from Miller's two Sugar Hill releases, as well as some older favorites and new material. An instrumental version of "A Mess of This Town" has been chosen as the theme song for the program.

While I must give a big boo-yah to my buddy Scott, whose discs you should own already, this does mean that I'll have to subject myself to Larry the Cable Guy. The things I'll do for a friend...

As much as I hate to post about the weather, yesterday was just climateologically wrong. Cold, driving rain that screamed September more than it did July. Brrrrr. My poor petunias are just baffled about this wackiness--one day it's 85, the next it's 50.

And, that, friends, is today's profound thought.

A quote to ponder: "The couldn't hit an elephant at this dist -- "
--General John Sedgewick, scoffing at Confederate sharpshooters moments
before he was shot and killed. From Famous Last Words.

To all the Secret Pal 2 folk who are dropping in--Welcome! Usually, I'm not so dull, no matter what Adam may tell you. And I can't wait to start swapping fiberly goodies with ya.

My goddamn rock solid ghetto shiznit name is Ass Machine Kawfi.
What's yours?
Powered by Rum and Monkey.

Mojave 66 asks:

What were your five favorite classes in College (or in the highest educational institution you completed), and why?

In no particular order:

* Sonja Jones, who I had for two English classes, the names of which now escape me. She is the only Southern Lesbian Buddist Poet I have ever known and her classes were a hoot, full of great discussions and the occasional fit of yoga. Sonja is the first person who really encouraged me to write and mentioned that I seem to have some talent for it. She also was the first to make me realize that talent is no substitute for working your ass off. I'm not sure what where she is now. She doesn't seem to be at Allegheny anymore and there have been rumors that she is either a) living in Atlanta or b) living in India. Right now, the weather is probably the same in both places.
(In related news: The Book seems to have sold to a real publisher for enough money that I can take some time off and do nothing but write for two years. It doesn't quite seem real yet. I'm both thrilled and terrified. Woot!)

* Dr Lyons, who taught some history course about civil liberties and modes of thought. It was a tough class, frankly, even for Allegheny, which was an institution filled with tough classes. Lyons had us reading a book a week--but the variety of books was what worked so well. One week it was a weighty tome about Marxism, the next it was J.G. Ballard. The diversity helped illustrate how history isn't just dates and movements, but is the way of describing how people actually behave.

* My high school chemistry teacher, whose name I've forgotten, who informed me that "my ass is grass" if I cut another one of his classes. I still don't know what that means--but I did "apply" myself after that. In his class, at least.

* A University of Texas women's history prof, whose name I've also forgotten (sorry). Without her, I would not know who Boadicea is--and every woman should know who Boadicea is.

* Mrs Stohr and Ms Palfy, the fourth grade teachers from Hamilton Martin Elementary. Fourth grade sucked. These two women helped make it bearable by just letting me hang with them when I needed to. As a "graduation" gift, Ms Palfy gave me a copy of The Hobbit, which is by far the most engaging of Tolkien's books (imo) and is a perfect gift for a bookish 10 year old.

Other fivers on the left list. You know the drill.

I finally hauled my behind up to the top Hartwick campus, which is carved into one of the hills that makes up Oneonta. I snapped two photos, just to give you an idea what it looks like here.

Photo #1:

and

Photo #2:

As you can probably guess, the big red arrow indicates (roughly) where my house is. That big red arrow comes in handy when I get lost.

From Neil Gaiman's blog, when asked about how one should parent:

What do you do? Well, mostly, I suggest you enjoy it. As far as I can tell, having now done it three times now, without an instruction manual, if you love your kids and don't actively work to screw them up, they seem to come out remarkably well, so I recommend not worrying and just enjoying it. They learn all the difficult stuff, like walking and talking without you having much to do with it. And it all happens much quicker than you'd believe. (One moment they're secretly selling their toys to raise money for sweets, the next they're telling you why Microsoft is The Great Beast.) Listening to them's good too; you learn an awful lot.

More reasons to love Mr G....

From Adam, who knows a thing or two about being naughty:

You've been caught with your hand in the cookie jar. Busted. Stone-cold caught and about to get the smackdown you deserve. What 5 things would you say to dodge the bullet?

1. Credible intelligence told me that this is where the weapons of mass destruction were.
2. Quick! Look over there! Killer zucchini!
3. I was sleepwalking. Naked.
4. Adam suggested it. He's very persuasive.
5. This isn't what it looks like. I was just checking Nathan Fillion for ticks.

Other fivers are on the left list....

(A note, added on sunday, for those who are puzzled: I seem to have taken "cookie jar" more metaphorically than the other Fivers, who seem to have taken it literally. Ooops.)

1. Today's The Boondocks nearly made me wet my pants.

2. Joe Tarr exposes his soul(s) to the fire and it is good.

And a shameless plug --

3. Interview with Jim Fisher and Spec Fic Floozy columns at Bookslut.

Mal: Appears we got here just in the nick of time. What does that make us?
Zoë: Big damn heroes, sir.

I'll be the first to admit that Firefly failed to move me when the first few episodes aired. And, like the rest of the viewing public, it seems, I stopped watching. Which, I've discovered, was a huge loss, since it is an amazing bit of TV and more addictive than mini Hershey bars. In my own defense, I wasn't too keen on Buffy at first, either, and didn't really watch it until the third season. I should know by now to trust in the Whedon. His shows will always be a journey rather than a one-stop destination. Wish the network could have given it time to develop, but that doesn't seem to be the world we live in anymore. Shows like "Yes, Dear" go on forever. Damn shame.

At least there's the DVD set, which we're slowly savoring, and the upcoming Serenity. I am aglow with anticipation. Or maybe that's just because of Nathan Fillion's tight trousers...