sunny blizzard

~E~ What are the one or two things you have given as a gift that made you feel really good? My little brother and I used to watch David Letterman every single night, so I had the brilliant idea of giving him a "Paul Schaefer Kit". I included an electronic keyboard, a wireless microphone and a bald-head wig. I thought it rocked. I had a great time figuring out what to put in it, and drawing the packaging. He wasn't quite so impressed. He claims he just didn't get it. Whatevs. Although I guess the point is to make the recipient happy. My dad used to talk about a book he read and loved as a kid, called "Shaun, A Boy From Ireland". He had incredibly fond memories of it. While browsing a used book store one fine sunny day, I decided to look in the kids section (alright, I used to look for it whenever I went into a used book store) and ohmygod they had it!! I bought it, I swear I was shaking, I went home, and asked my dad "was that book you liked called Shaun...

~E~ OK, I have to admit the cat is engaging on some level. She plays fetch! For real! I've never seen a cat do that. She will bring her toy over, drop it in your lap or at your feet and wait for you to throw it. She flies off to retrieve it and brings it back - this goes on for five or ten minutes. Bizarre, but really cute. She only does it with Daughter and Al though, never me. Hmph.

~E~ Shorter Dear Abby: You must totally squelch your inner self to get a man. DEAR ABBY: I haven't had a boyfriend for a while now, and I'm not sure why. Everyone says I'm cool, funny and outgoing. I play video games, sports, and do things that boys think girls would never do (like paintballing in the woods or bungee jumping over and over again).All my guy friends think I'm awesome, and I do get compliments on my looks as well. I'm not a tomboy, I wear nice clothes and some makeup, but for some reason, wwhenever I get a crush on a guy, he says it would be "weird" because I'm a "really good friend." What am I doing wrong? I love who I am and so do boys. So why don't they think I could be "girlfriend material"? -- BOYFRIENDLESS IN CONNECTICUT DEAR BOYFRIENDLESS: It may be that "guys" see you as one of them. And because of it, they don't consider you in a romantic way. Therefore, it's time to emphasize your femin...

~E~ Joe Francis claims he was picked on in jail. Waah.

~E~ Puss-n-boots, Tom & Jerry, Sagwa. And Simone. I imagined fun evenings spent playing with string and feathers. Putting her on a leash and letting her hang out in the great outdoors. Having a warm bundle of fur purring on my lap on those cold winter nights. I got the purring part right. Sure, she plays and jumps and makes us laugh, and she's lovely and soft for petting. What she does at 3 am is not quite so endearing. She likes to place all of her paws on my head and let go with the loudest purring I've ever heard and she never stops to breath!! Since she's got those four contact points on my head the purring reverberates through my skull, making sleep a distant dream. Other nights she will lay innocently beside me until some inner clock tells her it's time to shove her ice cold and very wet nose right in my face. I'll throw an arm up to block her, but I peeked a few times and discovered that she sits and stares at me until she deems that there is enough room ...

~E~ This is pretty neat, especially if you're a word geek. You have to choose the meaning of a word; if you get it right, you earn 10 grains of rice and move on to the next level. Play here .

~E~ Why have I never heard of this? In 1979 a group of people of different races gathered to protest against the KKK. As law enforcement watched, the KKK and American Nazis pulled up, got out and started shooting. Five people were killed. Four news networks filmed the whole thing, but no one was convicted of anything. See more here. This seems like something I would have heard of somewhere along the line. I wonder why I haven't.

~E~ I'm feeling rather quiet lately, so I'll just post some random thoughts. I'm pissed that it looks like the democrats are going to go ahead with bush's choice for attorney general, Mr. "the president can break the law and it's not really breaking the law/torture is not torture" Mukasey. I visited the acquaintance I mentioned before who is in an abusive situation. She's hanging in there but not really making any progress. My friend Anthony just had a birthday and I hope he had a most enjoyable celebration. Dating advice: if you finally get a date with a woman you've had a crush on for years, and you're watching a movie together, and she says "I think that actress is cute", don't turn on her with "GOD, what are you, gay or something?" True story. Really happened, pre-Al. Also don't go on and on about how, as you've gotten older, your feet sweat and stink more, and your breath gets nasty faster. Oh, and from anot...