It Finally Rained Today

It was a great day. Nothing too exciting happened and my hair has officially frizzed to new heights but it was a great day. Here are some of the good things that happened today:

1. Char and I walked at lunch.
2. Char's grandson is not sick.
3. I got to visit with the folks at the Bagel joint (I love that guy that works at Bluegrass Kitchen and the Bagel joint -- he rocks) and Charleston Bread Company (the people there are too wonderful -- I can't even describe them).
4. It will soon be Festivall so everyone in Charleston is anticipating a good time.
5. I feel blessed to have Corby alive (even with a dislocated jaw) after his terrible accident on Sunday morning and Jenna too.
6. Just wanted to thank everyone for smiling today and being nice.
7. No one put bugs in my office or complained about anything (well almost no one).
8. I got an email from Kung Fu Nation and they have shipped me my vinyl record (yes that is a VINYL record that is played on a turntable) of the new White Stripes' Icky Thump along with my own one of 3,333 Jack White memory stick.
9. When I left for work this morning, Bottle Brush was in Heather and Lefty's yard. But guess what, he didn't come over and whip Max's butt or anything.
10. I heard some great music - very little opera today but some bluegrass, Blind Boys and George Jones (I think I am going through a vintage country phase).
11. The July 2007 Texas Monthly came in the mail.

Should I go on? I think not because I don't want to jinx tomorrow.

I Admit a Deep Dark Secret

Okay, this is a really, really big secret. However I suspect there are those who know, possibly my boss Ken and Robes Pierre (keeper of all knowledge about The Third T). I love opera. As an authentic, undereducated, backwoods, fresh off the turnip truck, country hayseed, I know nothing about it but I love it. Especially Italian opera. In my next life I hope to be cultured, urban, suave, etc. and know about these kinds of things. However, here and now, in this life, if I hear it sometimes it makes my stomach turn over and my heart really heavy in my chest. I have watched the semi-finals of Paul Potts singing on Britain's Got Talent over and over. I cry every time. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDB9zwlXrB8. If you click on it, please fast forward over those bozos talking and get to the good part where he sings. Turn your speakers up and if you are afraid of being embarrassed by being caught -- do it anyway. It is like looking at something really beautiful -- maybe a great sunset or baby birds. Or reading something you can relate to. He is just an average person with an incredible talent.

Now that you know one of my secrets, feel free to make fun of me. Everyone else does. Especially Loraina and Mr. Aardvarck.

Speaking of which, let me take this opportunity to thank our two summer interns, Andrew Aardvark and his little assistant, Loraina (with the large office and picture in The State Journal) for putting dead roaches in my office. I actually took those two to lunch earlier this month. I have also bragged to the other employees about what great interns they are and how successful they are going to be when they get out of school and blah, blah, blah.

I stand corrected, after last Friday's incidents, I think they are both geniuses and the next big things. They have even topped some of the tricks I have played on them. Watch out WVU and Marshall, I have taught them everything I know (miniscule amount of knowledge) and they have learned a lot from Vickie, Heather, Benjamin Bunny, Little Darla, Margaret, Crystal Lite and the Incredible Shrinking Laura. Summer interns -- you rock!!!

That's all for now and if you don't like the opera or my post -- just remember, you are not being forced to read it (well most of you aren't).

Die Phil Die

Please join the movement to will the death of Phil Leotardo this weekend. I am so depressed by the ending of the Sopranos that I am considering cancelling my subscription to HBO.

Why would the entertainment gods do this to us? I know somewhere there are people with exciting lives and wonderful charming family members and interesting works of art and delightful books and marvelous wines and meals, blah blah blah. But not here, not in my house, not in my world. There is just me, Scrappy, Corbs -- living for the Sopranos.

And I am borderline strange, Scrappy is a dog and Corby barely grunts at me when he encounters me in the house. So why would they take away the Sopranos? My life is now officially an empty vessel for storing evil thoughts.

I may never forgive HBO. I was loyal to Tony even when the shows were disjointed and not exciting. Even when they had gratuitous (and totally unnecessary female nudity) I hung in there and paid my bill. I kept the stupid service for years (when I didn't even turn on channel 400), they cancelled Carnivale, then Six Feet Under (gulp) and now the Sopranos is going away. Is there no justice?

Why me? Why not cancel some loser shows? Shows like SuperNanny or cartoons or anything else? Except maybe Antiques Roadshow (my secret show that no one knows I watch).

Help me. I am spiraling out of control. Monday morning -- I am calling the cable company and cancelling HBO.

Don't Count on Your Life Being Saved

My camera and I made a trip up to the CPR training today. Here are some of the shots. Caption them yourself. Benjamin Bunny is now officially dating his dummy just so he can tell everyone he is dating a "model." The skills of blowing in the ear of an inanimate object will really come in handy once he gets to Spain.

Andrew Aardvark did a great job pointing his smiling and point his finger -- if only that was crucial to life saving.

Here is Ted with his stable of lovelies.

Have a good evening. Get out and enjoy the nice weather.

Peeps Gone Wild

Here is the link to the video "Peeps Gone Wild" by Rebecca Burch.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HVuPp1KP3Y>

If you are unable to directly link, just cut & paste it into your browser. It was featured at the ArtWalk gallery at the same time Corby was exhibiting. It is really good but warning for some viewers . . . might be a little racy for your "taste". The section called "Peeps Kegger" is probably apropos for Corby's WVU days.

I hope to post more this weekend and remember if you feel you are insulted or offended by anything in my blog(s), no one is forcing you to read it.