Guys, I don't know if you've heard, but there is a new STAR TREK movie coming out tomorrow and I am fucking giddy about it. I am dancing around the office and singing (not singing a Star Trek song, per se, but singing nonetheless) and tomorrow is going to be the greatest day of my life.

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I like Star Trek. But I've only been a fan since 2003 or so, which means that this is my FIRST STAR TREK MOVIE. And it looks like it might actually be good! Fingers crossed we get a new TV series out of it! Though I suppose another movie is more likely.

Simon Pegg! Chris and I watched Spaced not too long ago, and I am excited to see Simon Pegg.

I haven't watched any trailers so far, so it will all be new to me!

MAAAAAAAAN STAR TREK. TWENTY-EIGHT MORE HOURS!!!

Today I went to my lake to have lunch. It was not my first lake visit of the year, but it was the first time I actually got out of the car and sat on a blanket.

I heard birds chirping and singing in trees, but I was too lazy to walk around. So I sat on my blanket and read a book about birdwatching instead. Much easier.

Seriously though, this morning I saw an American Goldfinch on my way in to work! I never see those guys around. I was excited. One more for the Life List!

I was pretty excited about this weekend that just passed, because I had nothing planned for it. The previous two weekends were spent building and then painting a wall, and I was happy to have no obligations.

After work on Friday I stopped by the library to return Anathem (best book ever: read it) and pick up a new audiobook. I managed to find The Audacity of Hope on the shelf! Read by the author! Score! I also picked up a few books on birdwatching, because I decided a little while ago that this will be my new hobby.

I eventually made it over to the Manse to hang out with Chris and Dave and Kevin and Drew and Teege. I told Chris about the birdwatching books and said, "now all I need are a good pair of binoculars!"

"Oh, remind me later, I got you something," he said. And later, it turned out that he had bought me a nice pair of binoculars for my new birdwatching hobby! Hooray for Chris! They are really nice but not too big and bulky. I can see through them a lot better than I can through other binoculars I have known. Excitement!

Saturday, Chris and I got to sleep in together for the first time in what feels like forever. But we still got up at a decent hour, and drove to Silver Lake Park. This is a place that is about a mile from my house, and yet I have never visited it.

I watched the HELL out of some birds, let me tell you what. First I saw a Canada goose. "Canada goose!" I said. I noted that it was odd to see just ONE goose; he was swimming around in a small body of water. Then Chris spotted his partner "sleeping"; I soon determined that the second goose was on a nest! I don't know if Canada geese take turns sitting on the eggs, but for simplicity's sake, we'll assume that they do not, and that the sleeper was Mrs. Goose, and the swimmer was Mr. Goose. It was cool to see an actual nest, but you know, Canada geese are a dime a dozen, so we proceeded through the park. There's no place in it that you can't hear traffic, but it is of pretty decent size, and we saw deer rubs! Chris pointed them out to me and gave me the low down. It's where deer rub their antlers when they're all soft and velvety. We didn't see any deer, though.

I like to think that I'm pretty observant of some things, and I try to pay attention when I'm outside. But being out on my first official Birdwatching Trip, it was amazing how many birds I heard. I only spotted some dark boring thing, like a raven, at first. But then I spotted a couple of woodpeckers! I have to look them up when I get home. They were pretty big! I like woodpeckers, they're cool.

After a little bit of wandering around we headed out again. We stopped a moment to watch the geese again (oh also I saw three drake mallards floating down the stream) and I tried to convince Chris that the goose was indeed sitting on a nest and not just "sleeping." He wasn't convinced until a great blue heron descended from the sky right near the nest, presumably hungry for eggs. Drama! Mr. Goose came over to honk the heron off, who flew fifteen feet away and lurked, pretending to be a reed. We watched for a while as Mr. Goose would float a little ways away, and the heron would creep close to the nest. Creep. Creep. Creep. It was windy and a few times he almost fell over (HILARIOUS.) Finally he got too close and the missus was like "seriously, can you make this dude go away?" and Mr. Goose gave him what for. But dude, the whole thing was awesome. I mean, species that I see all the time, but doing shit! What a successful bird watching experience.

(If I keep this up I'll need a nice camera. But I am going to wait to see if I keep it up. I have had a short attention span, historically.)

On the way back to the Manse we stopped at the new Asian supermarket (called FLK Grocery) near my house. It smells like fish in there, but it is amazing. Their produce section is ridic. We hadn't even seen half of these things before. And they had durian fruit! Just like in Super Mario Sunshine! Also they have fresh fish -- like, whole fish, and also live fish. Carp! Just swimmin' around! We bought wasabi peas and frozen gyoza and noodles.

Then we went back to the Manse and I prepared lunch (leftover Chinese, coupled with the lo mein noodles we had just bought) whilst Chris readied the guns. Yes guns!

After lunch, Chris and Kevin and I went shooting! This is my third time shooting, my second time at an outdoor range, and I am kind of loving it. I had always have a very liberal, guns-are-mostly-bad, why-do-you-need-them-anyway attitude, until Chris took me shooting, and now I think they are neat. I didn't know this before a month ago, but at wildlife refuges in New Jersey, there are shotgun and rifle ranges set up. They're just . . . there, and you can use them for free. (They're paid for with money raised from taxes on gun and ammunition purchases.) Chris has a hunting license and so can shoot there along with a couple guests. There was no one else there, and we tried out Chris's .22 rifle. We shot at spinny targets, and paper targets, and clay pigeons stuck to the back wall. It was fun! I am a pretty good shot!

After shooting, Chris and I stopped by Tesa and Travis's new house, which is pretty cool (and on a whole lotta land.) It was good to see them -- also Tesa likes Star Trek almost as much as I do, so it's nice to talk about Star Trek with someone who isn't Mitch, without feeling vaguely embarrassed.

We went back to the Manse and . . . did we eat dinner? We must have. I can't remember what it was though. Oh it was dumb salad from Pine Hill Pizza. We turned on the 'Nova game and during the first half, Chris fell asleep on the couch and I tried to figure out computer stuff. Then I joined him on the couch for the second half. Then we went to bed. We had had a long day!

On Sunday we woke up and I helped Chris make breakfast. Then we all went bowling, and I did pretty horribly, but it didn't make me all cranky like that sometimes does, so hooray for that! Then Chris and I drove to Wildwood. He's working on a construction site there, and the dudes said he could have broken cinder blocks and whatnot (he had a better term for them. Building blocks, maybe? That makes it sound like legos) so we loaded up Chris's Outback. I didn't complain (out loud) (much)! Actually it wasn't terrible work, it just seemed ridiculous. Also I was afraid someone was going to come by and accuse us of stealing construction material.

I slept pretty much the whole way home, and finished up the nap in bed at the Manse when we got there. Then I ran to the food store (FLK grocery again FTW!) and came back for the Phillies home opener. Flapjack came over! I am always excited to see Flapjack. Chris made homemade crab rangoon, which was pretty damn good, and hamburgers. The stupid Phillies lost. Then I should have gone home because it was past my bedtime, but I stayed and watched Oldboy instead since I have always heard such good things about it. I slept through bits and pieces, but I saw most of it, and it was pretty good! I thought the protagonist looked like a Korean Wayne Coyne.

When the movie was over I kissed Chris and went home to a cat that had missed me so much. No one wanted to see my condo this weekend, which was disappointing. But man, look at that awesome weekend I had! Life is good. Hooray for Spring!

Last night I saw fluidbeauty and Trish's cool house, saw schtune and corrigami and met Lily (cutest baby ever! Don't tell the other babies!), and had a long, wine-fueled, wonderfully delicious dinner with manningkrull. We closed the place out! Um, it was only like 10:40 though.

Ben and Corri and Manning and Lily and I briefly discussed Nicolas Cage, and I mentioned a few pictures, which I am posting here now for their benefit, and for yours. You're welcome.





(Both photos are from Film Drunk.)

Today is my birthday and I wish that I were not at work!

I am listening to the new Lily Allen album and wishing that we were best friends. I love her. I just can't stop. Everything she sings, I am like, "man, YES!" I love the way she describes being in love: that it's all staying in bed and playing video games and eating Chinese food and making fun of each other and accidentally calling me baby. I don't know. I just love her. I read her entire Wikipedia entry today and want to be her best friend.

Except that I already have a pretty awesome best friend: Michelle took me out to lunch today and we ate sandwiches in a dark dining room near a fireplace, and talked about . . . well, what ladies talk about. Michelle, we should do that more often. I love Michelle.

Also awesome today: my parents sent me flowers. When I went out to warm up my car this morning, Andrew had scraped the ice off of my windshield and was attempting to write "Happy Birthday" on my side window, because he is cute and thoughtful. Chris is cooking steak for me tonight, and he bought me a genuine work of art for me for my birthday. It is a painting of a grilled cheese sandwich.

Today is sort of . . . mild, weather-wise. For a string of four or five years (back in the late nineties/early aughts) the weather was unseasonably warm on my birthday each year. One of those years I took a physics exam whilst wearing a tiara. That stopped for a while (the unseasonably warm weather I mean -- but I guess the tiara-wearing stopped as well, and I haven't taken a physics test in years), but maybe this is a new beginning.

Happy my birthday, everyone! I love everybody! Life is great!

There were a lot of parts of the inauguration that I liked. Like the Obama girls walking down the hallway, and also Michelle, and also Barry himself (although I wish he had smiled a bit.) And Barry messing up the oath a little (he was nervous! I found it adorable.) And Cheney looking like either dude from Dr. Strangelove, Jeffrey Lebowski, or some dude from It's a Wonderful Life (I've never seen it). Oh and George Sr's hat. And Barry's speech, especially the shout out to all the "non-believers" out there (I woo'ed at my desk.)

But hands down, here was the high point for me:

"We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around. When yella will be mella, when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."

From Reverend Joseph Lowery's Inaugural Benediction, January 2009

Amen!

Per the episode of Top Chef last night:

Poll #1313533 Padma looked hot as hell last night
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Have you heard the expression "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue"?

To what does the expression refer?

My grandpa turns ninety years old today! Man. That's old. I hope I get to be ninety.

He's a pretty cool cat. I wish we knew each other better. He used to own a boat. And he was super into technology: he had a camcorder before anybody else, and he bought the Odyssey, which was the first home video game system. We should get that guy a computer.

He also fought in WWII. He rode a motorcycle in the war. He rode one at home, too, and that's why my grandma liked him, because he rode a motorcycle. He and his friends used to ogle her as she walked her dog in the neighborhood.

Happy birthday, Grandpa!

Chris and I rented a house in Alburg, Vermont for a week in December. I'd like to take a day trip up to Montreal: it's only 60 miles away, and I've never been to Canadia.

Does anyone have any recommendations on something to do, or to see, or to eat? Will we be okay not knowing ANY French whatsoever?

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks much,
Washu

I know this news is weeks old now, but I have photos online, so whatever. Here I go.

I already mentioned that I was in South Philly (specifically, the sports complex) after the World Series win. Well, here is what my crew looked like:



And here is what the scene outside the ballpark was like:



If you have fifty-two seconds to spare, then I'll tell you the story of my life I urge you to watch that video, because it is awesome. Especially Michelle and Flapjack.

Then that Friday I went to the Championship Parade. We parked near the stadiums, and walked north along Broad, to ostensibly meet up with Kevin, Cass et al, who were ostensibly moving southward, though every time we managed to get through to them, they were at the same freaking intersection.

We stopped heading north when it was clear the parade was on its way, and walked back to a spot where we could go right against the rope "barrier;" nay, right into the street. It was awesome. The phanatic led it off, followed closely by Pat "the Bait" Burrell. Then the trucks filled with our heroes. Here are the people I saw: Charlie Manuel (whom I did not recognize at first, because he was wearing a suit,) Mayor Nutter (holding aloft the trophy), Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Harry Kalas, Brett Meyers, Jimmy Rollins, Jason Werth . . . probably some others, I don't remember anymore. But they were right there! Excited as we were! A dude near us in the crowd had a sign that said DAVID WRIGHT IS GOLFING RIGHT NOW - THIS IS BETTER and they all pointed at it and took pictures.

The crowd was great. EVERYBODY was wearing Phillies gear. Like honestly probably 85% of the people there. Another 10% were wearing red. It was wonderful. Not as manic as right after the game, but still great. After the parade passed we walked up the middle of Broad to meet up with the rest of everybody. When we got there Neil was like, "did you see the Runway dude?" and I said "whuzzah?" and he pointed out Jay McCarroll! Season one winner of Project Runway! I knew that he lived in Philly now, he's teaching at one or two of the art schools in the city. So Neil and I went over to him and met him and got a picture. I looked remarkably boring and had NOTHING of interest to say, but he was very nice and friendly (and drunk,) and they thought Neil and his tattoos were cool. So we chatted a bit and then left.

Then we all meandered south towards the stadiums, and the car. There was a long period of time where we lost Flapjack and Chris, because they broke off from the group to pee; instead of walking right back, they tried to cut us off. But everyone was polite and waiting for them, whilst they were wandering farther down Broad. Also everyone was drunk on 40s. This was further complicated by the fact that the cell phone lines were jammed, and it was nigh impossible for anybody to get through to anybody else. But I found them eventually, after finagling an EXTREMELY inebriated Kevin back to the car (I offered to hold his hand to keep him from veering into traffic, but he refused.) Oh man and when I was waiting for Flaps and Chris to come back, I climbed up on the outside of a little landscaped area of some brownstone, so that they could see me better. And the homeowner came home and yelled at me for being "on his property!" On Philly day! What a toolbox. He's like, "you think you can just stand on other people's property?" and I said "you can if they're friendly!" but not too loud because I was sober and wimpy. But I wasn't messing anything up! He wanted me off on principle. He probably voted for McCain, that douchebag.

Anyway, I drove us all home and we got hoagies and no kids came to trick-or-treat at my house. That was my Halloween proper. It was worth the day off.

The next day was the Halloween Party. Chris and I were Captain Murphy and White Debbie from Sealab 2021, respectively, because we are lazy. It was our third [adult swim]-themed couple costume in a row! Phew.



This is me, and Kevin as a prisoner. We are in the Orange Coveralls Club (OCC). I don't think anyone took any pictures of Chris and me together, which is sort of funny. You should check out the rest of the pictures by clicking above: Michelle had the best costume by far. It had sound effects, and her boobs were flashing red lights. Did YOUR costume have that? No, didn't think so.

What is up with the stickers?? Some of you people get STICKERS when you vote? What is this, third grade? Stickers, seriously?

Poll #1291373 Seriously, stickers?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Do you receive a sticker for voting in your district?

Where do you live? What state, I mean.

I have never received a sticker for voting in my life. It's kind of a cute idea, but . . . man.

I also think that voting via a paper ballot is CRAZYPANTS. When we lived in Queens and I went into the voting booth with Mom, it was levers. In South Jersey, it's a touch screen. Not like an ATM touch screen though, I would never think to call it a touch screen, it's more like pressing buttons. I get the paper trail thing, and trust me, electronic voting machines give me the willies, but still. Paper ballots? What is this, the CATs? Why is everything about the election elementary school-stylee?

I overslept so I'll vote on my way home from work. And then create some sort of drinking game. A shot for every swing state that Obama carries, maybe? Oh, how about every state that Obama wins that Kerry didn't. Hopefully I'll be passed out by 8:30.

I just watched this four times in a row (thanks, ranai.) In the beginning it's sort of funny but by the end my heart is swelled with the thought of revolution. As my bro just said to me, though, it would have been cooler if the lip synching were a bit better. Don't they know that show backwards and forwards like we do?

I'm nervous and excited for tomorrow. It's like Christmas, only what Christmas would be like if there was a slight possibility that Santa would steal your shit and, like, smack you around a little. And then make fun of you for crying.

While I'm embeddening YouTube videos, here are two from the most convincing Obama impersonator I've ever seen. Um, also the only one I've ever seen, but just from promos, that guy on SNL looks awful, so:

Last night a bunch of us went to the Sixers season opener. The game was okay; the Sixers lost and the arena was half-empty and everyone was in Phillies gear.

As soon as the game ended, everyone went to the bars that are sort of in the arena to watch the World Series on the teevees. It was magical and amazing to be surrounded by so many Phillies fans. After the final out we all poured out into the parking lot and mingled with the folks from the stadium. My voice is hoarse from yelling "Phillies! Yeah!" and I have never slapped so many high-fives in my life, or hugged so many strangers. I'm a little hungover and very, very tired, but man, that was amazing.

Fingers crossed that I can take tomorrow off for the parade without too much strife.

Go. Phils.

I'm so proud.

Hooray for everything!

On Saturday night the Phillies game was rain delayed which gave me plenty of time to get totally drunk on Wild Turkey. I was so excited about the Phillies that I acted extremely inappropriately! Or so they tell me. But the Phillies won hooray hooray hooray!

Then came Sunday. The Eagles won! After a shaky start, they looked pretty good! Hooray for that! I won one of my fantasy games, Flapjack kicked my ass just like he said he would, and the last one is a tossup, and depends on how well Peyton and the Tennessee defense do for my competitor, and LenDale White does for myself.

Then the Phillies won again! Man were they piling it on.

Chris is making me watch True Blood. It could be okay, but it's sort of inexcusably cheesy. I guess we'll finish watching this season anyway, since it's OnDemand and whatnot.

My condo is on the market! Has been for a week and two days. I had two showings last week. I received feedback from one, and my realtor wants me to a) put up the wall in my bedroom to make it into a true two-bedroom and b) repaint it a more neutral color. I think I'll let it sit on the market for a little while first. I don't know. I know I should have painted it, but so many people told me not to bother! I should have just done it before I had new carpet put in. Arrrgh. Oh well. I don't really want to build a goddamned wall, though. We'll see.

I am excited to watch the Phillies win the World Series tonight! I hope that the city doesn't burn! I am planning to see the parade, no matter the stakes! I have not yet started to prepare our Halloween costumes yet, but we are half-assing it this year! I find it difficult to go into a Target and not spend money! Speaking of spending money, I won $200 in the suicide pool this year, and I think I'm going to spend it on a pair of brown boots. I have been looking for over two years for a nice pair of brown knee-high boots that I like and are affordable, and now I'm willing to spend the appropriate amount of money on them, so maybe I'll actually find them. 'Course, that means I have to buy some brown skirts after that.

I am tired of being at work! The leaves are beautiful! Appreciate them!

GO PHILS!!

THE PHILLIES WON THE PENNANT!!

Oh man, was that exciting or what?? Small ball! I love small ball. I love hits that drop into the outfield, that bring a man home. I think I enjoy that more than home runs.

I, erm, actually didn't see the end, and what I assume was a celebration in an almost-silent stadium. Chris and I were snoozing on the couch by then. But hooray anyway! I almost started to tear up on the ride in this morning, listening to everyone on the news, yelling and hollering and filling the streets.

We also watched some of the debate during the commercials. (I'm still getting used to DKNJ, the man who has never voted, being all hype about this stuff. "Can you turn it?" he'd ask, 0.005 seconds after every third out.) McCain looked terrible. Pale and sickly, and grimacing and smarmy. And his eyes! They're too dark. He looks like a shark. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes. The faces he was pulling whilst Barry spoke were terrible. Does he not know what he looks like? Man. Just three more weeks and this will all be over.

Happy Thursday everyone!

In England they would say, "Hooray for sport!" Or maybe they would say "huzzah."

All three of my fantasy teams were trounced this week, but I don't even care, because the Eagles won, all the other NFC East teams lost, and the Phillies won three of the first four games in the NLCS! I can't believe they are only one win away from the World Freaking Series! That is fucking major. (Oh and also I am still surviving in my football suicide pool! There is only one other dude left besides me! Exciting.)

Last night I watched the game at home and was quite productive. I like being in my home. I like being productive. It makes me feel good to lay down at a reasonable hour, knowing that I have accomplished something, even if it's only some laundry and copying DVDs and cleaning a little.

Speaking of laying down at a reasonable hour, Chris and I were asleep by nine (9pm) on Friday night. Seriously! We "laid down" after the Phillies game to read and/or watch TV and conked out almost immediately. On Saturday my tummy hurt so we left 508 before midnight and went straight to bed. Hi I'm old! I don't even mind anymore. My "Contacts" page on Flickr is filled with babies. I'm cool with it.

Hey guys! This morning I paid off my car loan a few months early! I OWN MY CAR! It is now the most expensive thing that I own. Please do not stab it.

For fun, here is the picture that I posted when I bought it almost four years ago: