SUMMER READING LIST

Book one.

(Thanks to Brian Heffernan)

Comments

[Jeff Meyerson]

Is this a rule or something?

Girl: He only stuck it in, so it doesn't count.
Boy: Stuck it in? Like what's that mean?
Girl: I dunno, like three thrusts, tops.
Boy: Yeah, you're a virgin still. It has to be at least five thrusts to count.

Good to know.

And then there's this classic:

Older woman: Excuse me, miss?
Younger woman: Yeah?
Older woman: Your veil, your burqa is very beautiful. I didn't know your people were allowed to wear it in bright colors.
Younger woman: It's not a burqa, it's a poncho. I'm Jewish. It's for the rain. I got it at TJ Maxx.

[Mad Scientist]

BigD-Congrats to littleD

All heinzed. Into the second hour of conference call about a grant. Someone shoot me please!

[Eleanor]

*points Huey the Howitzer at Mad*

Are you sure you want me to do this?? :)

[Marie in Kourou]

Ecuador won, 2-0. Oh well. I missed most of the match because I was hiking to Russian class and back - no one was home, darn.

They're showing a documentary on TV now about how they built one of the stadiums. I think it's the one in Munich. They tested the panels of the roof partly by lighting firecrackers and flares right under them, just like the hooligans would.

[MrFish]

hey, who you calling hooligans?! ;)

have a great weekend Moaties!

I'm up and outta here.....

look out beaver

[Jeff Meyerson]

Friday night and the ladies of the MOAT are ready:

Teen girl #1: I am so in the mood to get drunk tonight...
Teen girl #2: Yea! Tonight is such a good drunk night.
Teen girl #1: I can't wait to be drunk!
Teen girl #2: I can't wait to be stupid!
Teen boy: You guys say that every night. And have I gotten into either of your pants? No.

[Mad Scientist]

*snork*

[slyeyes]

*wanders in, pantsless*

I just realized I did not post a Hello and Welcome Back to Neo!!!

By the way, where'd she go?

[slyeyes]

Jeff, plans for NYC are to get together with you and Jackie at some point. Maybe the night of the 1st? Another other New Yawkers wanna join us?

Don't know yet where we'll be staying. My choice is mid-town. Jenni wants to do the priceline thing and try and get a room for $50.00 or so. I laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed. And then I laughed some more. Then she told me that she and Tim have stayed in some pretty nice places and the most they've paid has been $60.00. They stayed in the penthouse at a posh Seattle hotel whose name escapes me right now (Westin? Hyatt?) and paid $58.00 a night. So, we'll see. My fear is that we'll end up at Dave's favorite place, the Hotel Schmensylvania.

So, we'll see.

OH, and for dinner? CALLING JACKIE!!!!! That place in Times Square we tried to go to but was closed for renovations and Jackie was so crestfallen because it was FINALLY her chance to go there because you won't because it's always crowded, but we had time to waste between the Yankees game and the fireworks and so we thought what the heck let's try it.

*inhale*

But it was closed. So we went to it's sister restaurant, Virgils.

And, of course, we want to catch a show. Wicked is sold out for that time frame. We'll probably do the half-price ticket booth and see what we get. And Central Park, of course.

And then, the purses.

Atlanta in July, I can't do. That's the weekend I'm helping Jenni and Tim move. If I wasn't doing that and had money left over from New York (you know, because we're getting that $50.00 room hahahahahaha), I either wanted to crash Mad and Weasel's wedding if there was still room, or to Blogher Conference in San Jose.

Atlanta? Los Angeles? San Jose? Nope. Northwest Missouri.

*sigh*

[Marie in Kourou]

Oh, you aren't hooligans! The drunk fans picking fights after matches are hooligans.

I have Russian class tomorrow at 9 AM. I hope I've studied enough.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Bwaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahah!!! Good one, sly.

Has Jenni ever been to New York? I don't think you could stay in a sewer for $50 a night. There is a decent chain hotel near us that costs several hundred dollars a night.

I think there is one on 47th Street right near the theater district (down the street from the TKTS place) that was renovated and costs something like $90-100 a night, but it could well be full and I can't guarantee quality.

Jackie always thinks staying a little out of midtown is better - nicer area, quieter, and usually cheaper - at least cheaper by Manhattan standards. But I really don't have a clue.

You (or Jenni) should probably start looking fairly soon.

And Jackie's restaurant was Carmine's.

[slyeyes]

Jenni's been to NYC and still thinks we can get something fairly cheap through priceline. She never pays any hotel their asking price; always manages to get a deal. We'll see. We're going to start on it next week when they return from Spain.

[slyeyes]

I'm on Kaldi's Plaza having dinner. It's a beautiful night and people are out walking their dogs. For our dining entertainment, two dogs are humping each other and the owners are freaking out.

Of course, I left my camera phone on my desk at work, so I can't get a shot of this Kodak moment.

[Sarah J]

You're dining out, and you're pantsless?!?

*is shocked*

[Eleanor]

*zips in*

I thought I heard from afar someone say 'handbags'!!!

I'm going to watch what may turn out to be a not very good movie on Showtime in about 10 minutes, "De-Lovely", but Kevin Kline is in it, and I like him a lot, so....we'll see. If it's decent, I won't be back til morning.

Yankee game in rain delay, which is a good thing, since we're behind 6-1. eeekkk!

Toodles - I think. :)

*zips out*

[BigD®]

*snork* at Sly's dinner entertainment. It seems that whenever the wife and I are together in the car and see a dog it is either taking a dump or humping another dog, without fail.

Thanks for the congrats everyone. She is at that age when she thinks she is 30 and behaves between 12 and 50. Also, she hates us (she told her step sister who, lo and behold, called mom to tell on her), so we must be doing the job correctly! She is really a great kid and I am proud of her and have been blessed.

$50 in Manhattan? I agree, hahahahahahaha. Maybe in the winter when a homeless guy would share his grate?

Stayed near Grand Central Station one time and was awakened at 4:00 AM by the garbage trucks. It sounded like people were dropping bowling balls into empty dumpsters from the 10th floor - that was a real fun trip - not! But I do love Manhattan. I did a lot of programming work for MUDD Jeans and went to the sales office a few times, the owner's office window looked out on Times Square. Their warehouse is North of Hotlanta, so it was only a 2 hour drive when I needed to be on site, so most work was done there.

WLTTG, MiK. We had an earthquake here, something in the 3 range, but it was weird. I was at work and it felt like a wave went under my chair and a really low rumble, almost like a really low frequency moan, but no moving of things on the shelf or walls. EEEK

[slyeyes]

It's a pants optional plaza.

[Jeff Meyerson]

For our dining entertainment, two dogs are humping each other and the owners are freaking out.

Of course, I left my camera phone on my desk at work, so I can't get a shot of this Kodak moment.

Bummer, sly.

Jackie just checked every hotel in New York on expedia. We haven't looked at priceline. I'm sure she knows what she's doing, but it is July 4 weekend.

El, we watched the Cole Porter movie in Arizona last year - my mother rented it - as Jackie is a huge Kevin Kline fan. I'll be curious as to your reaction. Some of it I found rather distasteful - he loves his wife yet goes trawling for rough trade (men) while she puts up with it.

Stayed near Grand Central Station one time and was awakened at 4:00 AM by the garbage trucks.

That sounds about right. Jackie saw that the Grand Central area has a LOT of hotels. She still prefers other areas (Murray Hill, etc.) which are quieter - she found what sounds like a nice one, fairly reasonable, on the Upper East Side - but you guys have to do what is good for you.

It's a pants optional plaza.

Then you'll fit right in here in the Big Apple.

[Jeff Meyerson]

It sounded like people were dropping bowling balls into empty dumpsters from the 10th floor.

Absolutely, BigD - that's a favorite pastime among the hipper than hip crowd after a night of clubbing, drugging and seeing Paris Hilton naked.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Actually, there's no extra money involved but I think the garbagemen do try and see which can make the most noise and wake the most out of towners.

[insomniac]

paging el.-
Denis Leary will be on Conan O' Brien... he will have some unkind things to say about Ben Affleck... that is all.

[djtonyb]

*is somewhat heinzed*

*admires Mad's fashionable hoodie*

YaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaY! for our Doctor Mad!

Glad to see everybody seems to be doing OK, and I have good news! After much waiting and agonizing after I submitted my LabSpecimen for review for the new job... (pausing to snork at the vitamin b/neon/lightsaber thing)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I passed! I got the damn job! I just got all the final paperwork in the mail today, I just have to fill it in and accept the position! No more sitting at a desk all day, I'll be out on the road repairing your local ATMs for a very old and established company.

*pops champagne and hopes he didn't miss something really serious while speed-heinzing*

[djtonyb]

*re-heinzing*

re: Willem DaFoe was in one of my favorite movies of all time... Streets of Fire. Definitely worth a rental if you haven't seen it... just the lighting has a surreal comic book quality, the story is classic, and the soundtrack is flawless!

*wanders out humming "I Can Dream About You"*

[djtonyb]

*twiddles thumbs*

Sure, I get a few moments to myself to play on the blog, and nobody's here.

*looks towards New Zealand*

Even Kaf's not here.

*shrugs*

*starts to prepare brunch with paakes and wffles, biscuits & sausage gravy, bacon/cheddar omelettes, and of course, MiMOATsas...*

[djtonyb]

*looks around*

Fine! All of you stay in bed.

*begins making dough for apple strudel*

*sneaks a Xanax from El's stash*

*sets oven timer on "really loud"*

*nods back off to sleep*

[Jeff Meyerson]

OK, I'm here. I was going to wonder where the night shift has been lately, no Peri, no djtony, ...and where the heck has eadn been?

But at least Tony is back. And great news about the job!

[Jeff Meyerson]

Girl #1: So my co-worker is kinda cute, kinda not. Like Jersey-cute. No offense.
Girl #2: Jersey cute?
Girl #1: Yeah, fake tan, big muscles, clearly injects.
Girl #2: Oh, you mean Guido cute!
Girl #1: Guido, yeah, that's the word I was looking for.

[Jeff Meyerson]

And now for some new sexual euphemisms:

Crazy old lady to young clerk: Whatsa matter, you don't like old ladies? If I was forty years younger, I would eat you up like an, like an apple. [to older clerk] C'mere gimme a kiss. C'mon gimme a kiss. What are you, scared? I'd have you laying out in my funeral parlour in a pine box. What do you think if we skinned the knish? They'll wrap you in sheet and ship you back to Yemen. You want to ride the bull with me? You'll decide you love America.

[slyeyes]

Skinned the knish. Sounds like Jack Lemmon's father in Grumpier Old Men.

Jeff, on Priceline, you can name your price and see if they take it. You also name the level of hotel you want and the area. You don't know the actual hotel itself until your bid is taken and your card is charged. THAT's why I don't like it, but the kids have had great luck. They've stayed in a nice hotel on Michigan Avenue in Chicago for under $50.00 even.

But once you put in a bid for a certain level of hotel in a certain area and your bid is denied, you can't use that credit card for that area again for 24 hours. They get out their credit cards and start working on it, cards, changing level of hotels and bids and sometimes areas. So, we'll see what happens.

[slyeyes]

Oh, and as I said, the stayed at a hotel in Chicago fairly cheaply. I don't know if that was their bid PLUS all those surcharges they slap on you. I know that my $79.00 room in Memphis ended up being $90 a night with the various taxes and surcharges, which is JUST WRONG but, oh well.

[slyeyes]

So, this is the first time this season I've been able to sit on my front porch on a weekend morning enjoying my coffee, fruit'n'yogurt and blogging.

And my neighbor is having a yard sale.

OH! Blender! I broke mine!

[Jeff Meyerson]

Some hotels and chains tell you about taxes, surcharges, etc. Others just let you discover it when they give you the bill.

Jackie was just concerned because it is a)summer, b)the weekend, and c) 4th of July Weekend. And d) only a few weeks away.

I don't like doing things that way but they are not old fogeys and are - obviously - comfortable with it and successful. So let's hope you get what you (they) want.

[slyeyes]

I'm back with a new blender AND a Mr. Coffee expresso machine for Meghan. Total price for both items, $6.00.

Meghan has been wanting an expresso machine for her apartment for school. And I was going to replace my blender today.

I was going to sneak a photo of my across-the-street neighbor's house this morning and show you. I want their house so much! He cut down the shrubbery around it and redid the front porch and it's just beautiful. But with the yard sale going on, there are too many peole and cars in the way.

One woman keeps looking over here. I think she wants my computer and porch furniture. Maybe I need to put up a sign "NOTHING OVER HERE IS FOR SALE STAY OVER THERE ON THAT SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY".

Oh, I talked to Annarae on the phone last night. And, of course, I'm using "talk" in it's broadest sense. I said highly intelligent things such as "how's my little Annarae, how's my baby doing" in a singsong voice and she squeeked and did a little mewing sound. Melted my heart. Can't wait to see her next weekend.

[slyeyes]

Jeff, one thing that surprised me last year about NYC was that the prices of the rooms went up by $35.00 a night the weekend after the 4th. Our last night in NYC was at that higher price. I said something to the desk clerk about it being more than the weekend of the 4th, and she said that weekend really isn't that big for hotels in NYC.

I was surprised by that. Watch it be different this year.

Well, my morning time on my porch is over for hte day. *sigh* I feel towards my porch like Leetie does about her computer. "My preciousssssssssssssssssssss".

But, even though this is my first weekend home in ages, I need to go into the office this morning. And the Komen Race for the Cure is going on, expecting 50,000+ downtown this morning. This is going to be crowded.

Booger.

OK, that was strange. Some guy from the yard sale people just came over here and asked if he could use my bathroom.

!

I said "no" of course. The NERVE!!

GASP!! (momentarily speechless)

I just had to shoo someone else away FROM PARKING IN MY FRONT YARD!! What is this craziness?!!?!? OK, these people attending the yard sale are NOT from Kirkwood. They're from Arnold, I can tell.

Yard Parkers!

[Marie in Kourou]

{{{{{newborn babies}}}}} I agonized between translating and medicine (neonatology) for the longest time. Squishy baby loveliness!

Great deal on the appliances, Sly!

There's not much to say here except that Giant Frog just turned on the TV, so today's marathon of (I think) three games in a row has already started. *sigh*

[Marie in Kourou]

"Yard parkers!" *snork*

[Jeff Meyerson]

Yard Parkers - GNFA SuburbanSt.Louis RB?

I hope you made sure your "new" purchases have all their parts and really work. Don't want to waste the big bucks on nothing!

We have half-price tickets for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - well, actually quite a bit less than half price, thanks to TDF - for tomorrow's matinee. Tomorrow is the annual Puerto Rican Parade on 5th Avenue. Let's hope we can avoid the crowds.

So El, how's Roger doing?

[Jeff Meyerson]

Right, England is on in the first match today.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Whoops, forgot - the men's final is tomorrow, so El has 24 hours to worry.

Federer vs. Nadal.

[Marie in Kourou]

Yes, I think it's 3-2 in favor of England.

[Marie in Kourou]

It's Rafa all the way for me. I like that kid.

[Marie in Kourou]

Huh... No, it's still 1-0. I wonder what the "3-2" that I saw in the lower left corner of the screen was about. It disappeared a split second after I looked at the screen.

[Blogchik]

All heinzed (on this MOAT, not the last one). I can't believe we're still here!

Thanks for the birthday best wishes.

I pronounce paakes 'pah-ahks' or 'pahks' (with a drawn out 'a'.

I applied at a temp agency. They sent me for an interview on Thurs; blew it; didn't get the job. Then I had a phone interview yesterday. I have to fill out forms for a background screening on Monday. Also a drug test. I hope I get this one, since it's for the whole summer, and probably more interesting than receptionist work.

a belated 'welcome back!' to neo and Bangi.

As for me, my three-week internet-free drought is over. Broadband has arrived. Hallelujah.

In other news, since I've been back, I keep going to bed late and getting woken up early. Earlier this week it was my dog who fidgeted me out of bed. This morning it was my mom. Grrr. However explaining to my mom that waking me up early on a Saturday morning *when I don't have to work!* is about as futile as explaining it to my dog....

I saw two bands at the Birchmere last night: The Seldom Scene and The Country Gentlemen. Good bluegrass pickin'. Love that stuff. I also ran into a girl who used to live down the hall from me in the dorm. We just happened to go to the same show! Her sister plays banjo; so does my friend who took me to the show, J.

[Blogchik]

Forgot to add: I saw X-men III on Thursday with Wurm. Then, last night, I read the review on Pajiba. There's an extra scene? Gack! I always stay til the end of the credits. The one frikin time I don't, they have an extra scene....now I'm going to have to see the movie again!

Also re: movies: I saw Da Vinci Code with a largish group of seminarians before we all dispersed for the summer. It was amusing. Particularly amusing was the depiction of the First Ecumenical Council as an Italian Rennaisance painting. It was about a half an hour too long- at least. Much better than the book, though- I actually didn't want them to get killed this time! Ha!

[Blogchik]

Speaking of yard sales...my church is having its annual rummage sale this morning. I'm not there cause I dropped off my stuff yesterday (of course, have since found some other things I could have donated, but there's always next year)- I dropped off my stuff yesterday and there wasn't really anything that grabbed me. Other than the NordicTrac, and since this isn't my house, I really can't buy it and bring it home with me. No room for it anyway.

We really don't need another vase...

Re: World Cup: Who is England playing, anyhow?

[Eleanor]

*zips in*

Good morning alll from su.so.ca.
Things here are just peachy keen!!

YAY!!! Tony! A job you like, how cool is that? Very! Go, girlfriend! :)

insom, was that TV note for last night?:(

Jeff, I liked D-Lovely, but I think that's mostly because of the music. That's the music I remember my parents listening to when I was a kid, and as for the "being with men" stuff, this was a biography and that was true, so...?

ANd yes, Roger and Rafa are playing tomorrow. I am not nervous. I am confidently anticipating the match. This is Roger's year. hope, hope, hope

sly, I can't believe that guy having the nerve to ask to use your bathroom!!! Dork!!
Also, FCDA says that's a common ploy to get into someone's house to look around and see if there's anything worth coming back to burgle for!!!

[Marie in Kourou]

England 1, Paraguay 0.
They won thanks to a goal by the Paraguayan Gamarra in the third minute.

There's a documentary on now, and they're showing Carcassonne's lovely castle.

[Eleanor]

I've been to Carcassone - it's quite a beautiful place, and so well preserved. :)

[neophyte MBE LP]

I'm trying, but I just can't keep up, much less catsup!
Kittens (no, thanks, Di; I can't afford the two I've got!)
and dropping bowling balls,
the price of hotels,
and Tony's new job (hooray and congrats, Tony!! I hope you love it!)
and Little D's many accomplishments (congrats to the proud Daddy D, as well)
and paakes (pronounces pah-ahh'-kies in my mind, with an Arabic "ahyn" in the middle,)
Blogchik saw a movie with Wurm,
yard parkers (oh my gosh. Not your driveway, Sly, but your actual YARD? I'd have to shoot him. That's simply not done!! That's worse than asking to use your bathroom, in my opinion!)
and there is some kind of sports thing that you all kept talking about(I never get the sports talk,)
and castles, and walruses, and... dang. I've missed this place with all its (not it's) odd topics.

[neophyte MBE LP]

Heinzing from the beginning of this moat to noon on May 26:

Mad was sick (I hope you're well by now, sweetie!), we got a moat, Bumble joined us on her birthday no less (Welcome aboard, Bumble!) ... F2.3 and Kibby’s mom went to visit Kibby and his back is better? (Kibby hurt his back??I hope not badly. And hooray for having the family visit!!)

Sharon is home and a little raspy??? What the heck happened to Sharon??!!! I’m going to have to heinz the previous moats, too, aren’t I? Is Sharon OK??!! Sharon, if you’re back, I hope you’re ok!!

El seems to have been having a few problems with Cox. (Don’t we all, honey, don’t we all.)

DDi had plans to go to Starved Rock?? I LOVE Starved Rock. They have really nice cabins to stay in, DDi, from what I’ve heard. Some of my favorite fantasies used to involve camping at Starved Rock. I even wrote them up into an erotic (read: pornographic) story.

Ok, breaking for lunch and to go to a friend's wedding. Will try to heinze more tonight.

[Susan]

DJT...Yay!!!!!!!! And I loooooooooooooooooove Streets of Fire.

Neo!!! Wooo!

BigD...if I forgot to say it...yay for the LittleD!!!

I am not really here...I am cleaning.

Ugh. Piles of stuff (*snork* I first typed my daughter's favorite word "sturf" first...) to haul out...a broken filing cabinet, a big old speaker that doesn't work...I don't think...(old...uses tubes...) You can tecnically get to the windows now...but we're gonna finish up back there.

[Eleanor]

YAY neo!

Sharon had surgery on her discs which were totally f-ed up, but she's recovering nicely AND had really good drugs! They went in through her throat - ick! but she's still able to talk - whew!
/end sharon summary

[slyeyes]

Tony! Congrats on the new job. And thanks for holding down the fort so well by yourself last night.

My work here at the office is done. I'm heading home to see how many Yard Parkers have ruined by lawn.

sheesh.

[Bangi]

Argentina plays in 10 min
YAYYYYYYYYYYY
..no...im a Brazil fan

[Eleanor]

Is it a round robin or single elimination or what?

*trying hard to get with the program*

[Bangi]

wrong info...they play a bit later.
Congrats DJTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
*jumps on DJT and smooches liberally*

Sharon--get well soon

I havent heinzed :(

[Marie in Kourou]

Just for the record, I'm not rooting for the Argies. My family considers me a traitor for this, but ah, what the hell... it's just football. :-)

[Jeff Meyerson]

Jeff, I liked D-Lovely, but I think that's mostly because of the music. That's the music I remember my parents listening to when I was a kid, and as for the "being with men" stuff, this was a biography and that was true, so...?

It wasn't the 'being with men' but the extreme tackiness of his behavior. And the way he humiliated his wife over and over.

El, first round is a round robin, with the top two teams from each group advancing.

Sly, Jackie still can't get over the nerve of the guy asking to use your bathroom!

[Eleanor]

Oh, so you were saying Cole Porter was tacky, not the movie depiction - got it.

I couldn't agree more.

[djtonyb]

Bng!!!!!!!!!! *SMOOCHES BACK*

{{{{everybody}}}}

I've been being busy cleaning off my desk and getting my space set up for the new job... it's really going to be nice to know I'm not going to be in a f#@%ing cubicle after this week is through! Which reminds me, I have to go clean out my car... a clean office is a happy office!

Is there some sports thingy going on that I am totally unaware of? (just kidding, I know it has something to do with a round ball and men in shorts...)

*sprinkles sharp objects liberally around sly's front lawn*

That'll teach them there yard-parkers!

[Jeff Meyerson]

Men in Shorts WBAGNF Something that El would like.

[wolfie]

YaY DJT!!
Congrats :-)

[Jeff Meyerson]

I think I had this one on my last flight:

Intercom: Please take a headset before you get on the plane, because they're free now. They're actually free once you get on the
plane, but I charge $50 labor for bringing them to you once you're on. So it's in your best interests to take one now. Can you tell I'm a happy person?

[slyeyes]

*limps in from front yard*

There are a lot of sharp objects out there.

The yard sale is over and all extraneous yard parkers and potty poachers have gone back to Jefferson County where they belong.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Something Like That

Girl #1: I am, like, so sick of eating matzah!
Girl #2: I'm not Jewish, but I like to eat it.
Girl #1: Do you know why the Jews eat matzah at passover?
Girl #2: I think it's, like, because the Jews were baking bread when the Nazis came and they didn't have time to wait for it to cook, right?

[Jeff Meyerson]

In My Family, Jack Daniels Is the Tradition

Middle-aged woman: Tradition brings us all together and makes us feel close.
Twentysomething woman: That's not the tradition; it's the Jack Daniels.

[Eleanor]

The Yankees lost - again.
The only sports thing I have to live for now is Roger...tomorrow.

[KDF]

Just stopping in to say hi to everyone! I have been so determined to get caught up and heinz everything I've missed prior to posting, but I've finally come to the conclusion that I don't have a prayer. So I hope you'll forgive me for jumping in head first with sorry equivalent of one of those awful ketchup squeeze packets. Messy and never enough.

{{{MOAT and MOATIES}}}

I miss you guys! Why can't there be more than just 24 hours?

I wriggled out of a trip to my in-laws' house this weekend, so I'm enjoying my first quiet solo weekend at home in... I have no idea how long. But it is heavenly.

So, sure, I still have to periodically wet-vac the basement because the Great Northeast Spring Monsoon of '06 is still in progress, and my weekend is pretty much consumed with activities such as cleaning the ink out of the carpet in my son's room and organizing the growing piles of laundry everywhere else, but I'm still enjoying the peace. Maybe I'll go see a movie tonight. Maybe I'll just take a nap. :)

[KDF]

Oh, and Sly, the guy asking to use your bathroom and the parking on your lawn thing... both are unbelievable. I think I would have been struck speechless, and probably would have spent the rest of the day making strips of upturned nails for the perimeter of my yard.

[slyeyes]

Well, it just gets more and more interesting.

Just came in from a confab with some other neighbors. From descriptions, the bathroom guy was making the rounds of the neighborhood asking to use the potty. A guy down the street got suspicious and called the cops. He was gone before the cops got here, but it seems that here lately in neighborhoods that have had yard sales, there's been a guy or guys asking to use the bathroom. Not surprisingly, there have also been some items that have gone missing, as our resident FCDA had warned.

What I don't get is that he/they don't restrict their potty request to the house having the yard sale. They go to neighbors, too. What's with that? "excuse me, I'm attending a yardsale at your neighbors' and need to take a whiz. Mind if I walk through your house and use your potty?"

As if!

However, I was the only one dealing with a yard parker. One neighbor said she saw that and couldn't believe it. She said "Jefferson County". I laughed and said that was my first thought. But she said that she stood guard on her yard in the event that happened.

She said after I left for work, nothing more exciting happened other than some people parking on the wrong side of the street, but that happens normally.

Sheesh. People.

[Sarah J]

I got my furniture today, so I'm (mostly) moved in! YAY! Maybe I'll be able to write better now that I have a desk and (swivel) chair to work at.

[Sarah J]

YAY! for nobody parking on sly's lawn!!

[slyeyes]

Question. This was part of the neighborhood confab about yard parkers.

In our front lawns, there is a strip of lawn about 8 feet wide between the sidewalk and the street. We live 3 blocks from the City Park and sometimes we get people parking on our street who are attending events at the park. Some of these events are huge (4th of July for example) and parking gets crowded. One of the guys in the neighborhood said he has no problem with people parking in that 8 foot strip in front of his house. That happened to me last fall and I didn't like it.

Would any of you have a problem with someone parking their care between a sidewalk and street?

BTW, today, they had pulled into the drive and then backed up into the yard to let someone else out of the driveway, but tried to leave their car in the yard. And were not in thea 8 foot strip.

Anyway, I for one, do not consider that 8 foot strip as part of No Man's Land.

[Sarah J]

I wouldn't like it if someone did that to my yard. I would have a big problem with that.

[Jeff Meyerson]

I don't think I totally understand. Is the 8 foot strip part of the street or on your property? If it's the street and not private property, I don't see how you can stop someone from parking there.

If one of your neighbors (or you, for instance) has a party and there is no room for all the cars, could the overflow park by your house?

There is no such thing as private parking on NY streets, but I once read a book set in St. Louis that said the people were very territorial about people parking in front of their houses.

What people do here is more insidious: they make illegal curb cuts in front of their houses to give themselves a "driveway" that isn't, even if it just leads to the front of the house. Then they paint the curb yellow (hint: this is illegal and means NOTHING) and put "No Parking - Driveway" signs up to stop people from using what should be the legitimate parking in front of the house.

Now, even if you know this is illegal are you going to risk parking there and have your car in danger of being bashed or vandalized? I doubt it. The only recourse is to report them to the city. Usually you can get a permit for a curb cut but most of them don't want to bother, and don't want to spend the $300 or whatever it costs to get one.

Of course this doesn't answer sly's question. My answer is: street yes, driveway no.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Programming Note:

Tonight at 8:00 (here at least) some PBS stations are running a John Fogerty concert.

At 10:00 a NEW Lewis Black concert is on HBO.

/end programming update

[Marie in Kourou]

I am having, a very, very bad day.

That is all.

[Marie in Kourou]

When I was little I had (and actually still have) a book called "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day".

I feel like Alexander now.

[Eleanor]

The grass strip between the sidewalk and the street is not for parking.
The end.

I'm sick and tired of having electronic things wrong. My Windows is counterfeit, my TV picture jiggles, my tapes aren't taping correctly. I thought that VCR Cleaning Tape fixed the noise problem but it didn't and now when I tape the noise records and then the tape is ruined.
Stop taping on that VCR, Eleanor!
That's what you're all saying, isn't it?
Yes. Well, I thought the noise was gone, OK? So I guess it came back.
I taped Rescue Me for CG on the *ahem* good *ahem* VCR and he couldn't play the tape, lines, static, blah, blah, blah. And now the same thing is happening to me - and they're brand new tapes???
/end electronic rant

Thank you for listening.
No, I don't feel better.:(

[Susan]

{{{MiK}}}

{{{El}}}

{{{all the other MOATies}}}

The cleaning is not finished. Not even remotely.

This is despite the *counting* 6 big bags of junk we took out...and the amp...we realized the two drawer wooden filing cabinet was good...of course we realized that after we hauled it out to the road and I put the drawers back in. Oh, no, my mother said, the drawers have never closed right. I had put it on its back to put the drawers back in...they closed perfectly.

So it got hauled back in...a record cabinet emptied and put in the back room...a big record cabinet emptied and moved and refilled with records...

I did manage to get a load of my bead stuff and beading books back there too...

[Eleanor]

Good going Susan!!
Sounds like you are motivated!!!
Yay Susan!
Keep up the good work!!
You're doing a great job!
/end motivational pep talk!!!

Really, it sounds like you've accomplished an enormous amount. I cleaned up a stack of papers on my desk and feel good about that!

[neophyte MBE LP]

Sly, in town, grass is not for parking. Ever. You park in the street. On the asphalt. NOT the grass.

[BigD®]

I hope I got some good pictures of DRD today. Needless to say, I did weep a little. My baby graduated High School, with honors, today. I am so proud, but I remember feeding her when she was about 3 hours old, like it was yesterday. Well, I did my job as a Dad, as well as I could (I know we did better than my c*nt mother did for me, or my wife's c*nt mother did for her)

You'se peeps with newborns, do the best that your parents ever did for you, and do better where they let you down, and your kids will be better than you - obviously your goal. I think that is where we are. We tried so much better than "our parents" and placed love, responsibilty, education as the top priorities - screw the "stuff" all the other kids have. I really could smack some people I know giving a BMW to a 16 year old - people like that are killing this country with their stupidity,

[Jeff Meyerson]

The grass strip between the sidewalk and the street is not for parking. The end.

Gee, didn't I ask if she was talking about the street or the grass? Sheesh.

So, Marie, what's the problem? By the way, Jackie used that book in her classes for years.

Your TV picture jiggles, El? Are you sure you're not watching Three's Company?

Sorry for the old "jiggle TV" joke.

Your new fabulously huge HDTV jiggles?

How can such things be?

Really, the problem could be with - dare I say it - Cox and not the TV. What about the other one? Or maybe the connections are loose. Sometimes when I have a problem it is solved by making sure all the connections on the switching boxes are tight.

John Fogerty concert was terrific, even if he never said a word, just sang.

Going to watch Lewis Black now.

'Night all.

[insomniac]

you're responsible for mowing that strip of lawn, right, sly? i say if you mow it, no one else can park there without your approval.

[Eleanor]

*zips in after watching Lewis Black*

Although I know you're gone Jeff, I also know you'll be back, so I'll leave this here for you to peruse in the a.m.

Cox does accept responsibility for the TV jiggle. They have been to the house 12 (twelve!) times, different groups of men with different levels of bot expertise and cuteness. They have climbed poles, changed call boxes, moved wires and cables and they all say they have NEVER seen this problem before.
And yes, it does it on both NEW HDTVs but only on certain channels (digital ones?) and only intermittently. So I've had to tape it when it happens so they can all look at it.
It's almost funny - but not.
/end TV update

[Eleanor]

Please substitute both for
bot in my above post.

Thank you.

[djtonyb]

*wonders if the RSS Alligator has eaten the night shift*

*reapplies giant squid repellent*

*falls gently asleep in the barcalounger*

[Jeff Meyerson]

El, that stinks. I hate when that stuff happens. Rules of cable companies:

#1 it is NEVER our fault!

Lewis Black on Dick Cheney's "hunting" accident, and the difficulty of killing quail in those conditions:

"They turned a petting zoo into Auschwitz!"

[Jeff Meyerson]

MiK: I asked Jackie about your book. She said it is by Judith Viorst, who wrote one of her favorites, the wonderfully entertaining Earrings, which we got for our niece Blythe.

Yes, along with earrings, of course.

[slyeyes]

HOLY K-E-RAP, WHAT WAS THAT?!?!?

We had a few thunderboomers last night. And by "a few" I mean ones that lasted from 11:00 pm through 3:30. Some of the thunder claps were real shingle-shakers. I checked the news and no damage has been reported. Amazing.

I related the yard parker story to my sister and she laughed at me. She pointed out that when my brother-in-law starts acting crochety, I say to him "GET OFF THE LAWN!!!" mimicking a crotchety old man voice.

Oh, Jeff, the 8 foot strip belongs to the home owners, not the city.

Interesting to note after yesterday's craziness, there was a full moon.

Jeff do you remember the author of the book you read that took place in St. Louis? Was it Elaine Viets? She used to be a columnist for the St. Louis Post Dispatch and lived in South St. Louis. That's an area in which homeowners jealously and violently guard the curb space in front of their homes. That was often a subject of her columns. Then her now-never-mentioned husband (divorced?) got a job in DC and they moved out there and she started writing mysteries.

I find her to be a better columnist than a mystery writer.

I'm once again on my front porch and it's raining. A nice, gentle, respectable rain. Not a showy loud thunderstorm, thankyouverymuch. But this weather has got some of the neighborhood wild life acting strangely. There are two chipmunks who have been scampering around on the porch. There are two acorns on the corner and they've been working on those, then realize I'm here and they'll run away. Then they come back, crossing in front of me as though they are on little chipmunk tippytoes. Then they suddenly dash and pounce on the acorns. Funny.

And there's a squirrel that keeps jumping up on the bumper of my neighbor's van. Obviously something on there that he wants. I've got my camera ready in the event the chipmunks come back.

[Jeff Meyerson]

Sly, yes it was Elaine Viets. I think the book had someone digging out the space in front of the house after a snowstorm and someone else grabbing the spot, which would make me kind of angry too.

I think maybe she moved to Florida as her latest series is set there. A woman hits her cheating husband over the head, thinks she killed him (she didn't) and runs away to Florida, where she works at a series of (series title) Dead End Jobs.

I have the first three but just couldn't get into the one I tried.

In person she's pretty amusing, however, and very tall.

We are off to the city to see the matinee of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. I'm just glad we're seeing it now, as Jonathan Pryce is leaving at the end of the month, to be replaced by Keith Carradine.

NTTAWWT

[Jeff Meyerson]

Elaine Viets.

Apparently her next series will be set once again in St. Louis.

[slyeyes]

OPEN LETTER TO THE MEDIA

OK, we get it. Al-Zarqawi is dead. Now, please, stop showing his picture.

Thank you.

[Eleanor]

*sobs*

Roger lost. He fell apart and then he started to get it together and it was too little too late.
As Nadal fell to the ground in joy, the phone rang. It was CG, who hates Roger, calling to gloat. Nice guy!

*zips out to heinz*

*sobs some more*

[Marie in Kourou]

*sweep sweep* Hopefully.

[insomniac]

obligatory my-granddaughter-is-a-genius story:

(her scars are healing up, the drs. now say she won't need a helmet...) i have a blue hippopotamus flashlight (picture here) that when you turn it on, emits a particularly clueless laugh. when i turn it on for kylie, she imitates the laugh! she also imitates dogs, cats and the rogue neighborhood chicken...

[Marie in Kourou]

I have nothing against Federer, but having lived in Spain for a longish while, I was happy that Nadal won.

Thanks for the link with two drawings of Alexander, Jeff. One of them is my background image now (centered, of course, because it's small).

And as for "Earrings"... I had my ears pierced as a baby, so even if I was a fan of wearing earrings, I would never have had to bug my parents to let me get my ears pierced. All I've really worn since I was a few months old is little pearls (though not the same ones continuously, obviously).

[Marie in Kourou]

Rogue Neighborhood Chicken... WBAGNFARB?

[«LabSpecimen»]

I watched the match from the beginning, but didn't quite catch something - the ball went in the net a few minutes after the start of the game, but it wasn't a goal. What the hell happened there, Lab? Our reception was bad because it was very cloudy and the screen kept jumping, so I couldn't see much of the replay.

Marie, if you are talking about the shot taken by Frings about 3' into the match, that shot may have looked like it went it, but was actually on top of the net.

Tony: Congrats on the job! (And thanks for the snork)

Is it a round robin or single elimination or what?
El: This first round is what we call "group play". You play three matches (one against each of the other teams in your group). You get 3 points if you win, 1 point if you draw. At the end of the three matches, the two teams with the most points go on to round 2.

Round 2 is single elimination. You lose, you go home.

For the record: The "cool" people call it football (or footie) and snicker at the people that confuse it with that stupid American sport. (Yeah, American football is stupid to me while I'm watching the beautiful game).

Sly: People who go to yard sales for some reason think there are no rules anymore. Except for me and The Wench, of course.

Sly: Yes, they can park in the 8' strip. And in my yard. For big events, that is. Yes, money must change hands - I'm not an idiot. $5.00 sounds fair.

Yes, getting peeved over people parking in the grass makes you a crotchety old person. So what. Go with it. It works for me.

And, GET THE HELL OFF MY LAWN!