Can I toucha-toucha-toucha touch them?

On the shuttle to work (school) this morning, the lady across from me was wearing fishnet stockings. The only other times I've seen them in use has been at the Rocky Horror Picture Show. She looked pretty bad-ass in them too; I wanted to say something, but withheld due to the likely creepiness factor.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

OK, it's not exact. But it's what I thought of when I saw a license plate that said LORD ICY.

They probably meant: Lord, I see why.

I read it as a shout-out to the White Witch in the Chronicles of Narnia.

It's alarming how charming I feel

One of my (male) coworkers said to my (male) boss this morning, "Wow, you look nice today!"

My boss replied by saying -- then singing -- "I feel pretty." (It doesn't start til the 50-second mark.)

I tried not to guffaw.

Mail

I got two unexpected pieces of mail -- and one of them, adorably enough, was an invitation to a first birthday party. How cute.

To reciprocate, I sent three pieces today of what will likely be unexpected mail when they arrive. OK, two of them are unexpected -- I didn't have the last address I needed.

Even so, the content is a surprise!

It's not Eureka, but still

Today during our lab meeting, my professor said, "By Jove." It was cute because it's so, so, so stereotypically professor-ish.

Water, water everywhere

In case you haven't heard, it's pretty wet in Atlanta these days.

I came across this picture (tweeted by a friend who's now living in Philadelphia) and was amazed by how beautiful it was. This, actually, is my favorite spot in Atlanta -- it's a bridge that's always covered in the most beautiful graffiti. In addition to just being a gorgeous scene, I'm jealous that these guys were able to take such a leisurely trip through it.

Lovely.

Yiddish curses

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, was this weekend, and part of the rabbi's sermon today had most of the congregation doubled over in their seats laughing.

He began by lamenting the cursing of recent times -- not the fact that there is cursing, mind you, but the fact that we aren't more creative about it. Yiddish curses, he said, start off sounding like a blessing -- but then there's a twist. My favorite, which I've used more than once, is this: May you grow like an onion, with your head in the ground and your feet in the air.

Others include: May you lose all your teeth but one, and may you get a toothache in the one you have left; May you have a sweet death, may you be run over by a sugar truck; May you be like a chandelier, hanging all day and burning all night. You get the picture.

So now I'm contemplating good curses. (Some others are here -- enjoy!)

Names

One of my friends is having a baby, and doesn't yet have names picked out. This means I get to pore through baby name books and make suggestions.

Of course, I'll be pleased if my suggestions stick. In the meantime, though, I'm happy enough to learn that the female form of Xerxes is Sherry -- and that it means "pertaining to Caeser."

Names rock my world.

On paper

One thing spotty Internet access will lead you to is the written word. Like, on paper.

As such, I've been spending a lot of time with cookbooks, instead of looking up recipes online. And coming across things that look delicious, but that I wouldn't have thought to make, had I not flipped past them. Like tonight's frittata. Yum. Mushroom leek risotto is next on the list.

And this weekend brought a trip to the library, which meant three unread (adult) Roald Dahl books. Maybe no computer (I'm on a borrowed one right now) isn't all bad.

What's up, Doc?

Last week, I went to Blossom to see a performance of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies music, complete with cartoons. This was super-adorable and fun.

But the thing thing that made me really grin? At the end of the show, instead of tossing flowers on the stage, someone brought a bunch of carrots to the conductor.

Bugs Bunny, indeed.

On a completely unrelated note, I have a dead computer. So I will once again be sporadic, at least until a new one is acquired. Anyone have suggestions for awesome new or horribly awful computers?

America's Roller Coast

If this doesn't make you smile, then I don't know what to say to you!

Maybe try one of the other ones, I guess. (In other words: A day well-spent.)

I hope a rhyming dictionary was involved

Because otherwise, why would the Black Eyed Peas rhyme "mazel tov" with "take it off" in the song "I Gotta Feeling"?

They did add a "l'chaim" in for good measure, though.

The future is the past

I saw a woman hula-hooping on the sidewalk today. She was really good -- it was going up and down her torso to her neck, over a shoulder, on an arm. I was impressed. Much better than me -- either IRL or on a Wii.


And then, a limo that had doors that opened up, like a DeLorean. I wanted to stop and stare, but the light was green.

Hey, mister... can I have a ride?

One of my co-workers interviewed a German steel magnate at his Gates Mills home (for example) today. He came back talking about how impressive it was -- the driveway til forever, the giant house, all the trees. The carved wooden table. The fact that everything in the house looked like it was an antique. The organ that the house had been built around, that played through the vents.

And this magnate, after the interview, invited my co-worker to lunch with him at the country club. But my co-worker declined, deciding he had to get back to the office instead.

Just one problem.

The magnate had just flown in from Germany. His wife had the corvette. Could he get a ride to the country club anyway?

I don't remember what kind of car my co-worker said he had, but it was a 1990 something with CDs all over the seat. And that's how the magnate got to the country club.

But no one knows how he got home...

Don't forget your sheath

From the Web site of the Ohio Renaissance Festival: (It's in caps lock, so you know it's important!)

PLEASE OBSERVE THE VILLAGE POLICIES: NO PETS. NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR BEVERAGE MAY BE BROUGHT INTO FESTIVAL.
ALL WEAPONS MUST BE TIED IN A SHEATH AT ALL TIMES.

Mr. Golden Sun

Drove past a car on the way home that had a giant sun, branches and a ladybug painted on the side. It was lovely and creative and fun. And way better than the original wood paneling, too!

Board game mania

I played a lot of board games this weekend, which I love.

But I need to give a special bit of glee to games of Scrabble that net words like xenon (mine) and quinoa (not).

Also, the "xenon" game had only two words that were more than one syllable (ova was the other). I thought that was pretty amusing. Especially since the words were still good ones -- like jeered and thrall.

And it feels just as hot, too.

As I was driving to Peoples State Forest this evening (which is a story that most definitely does NOT make me smile...... at all), I passed the most awesomest thing ever: Satan's Kingdom Road. And then, as if things couldn't get better, I passed Satan's Kingdom Recreation Area!! And you can go tubing there as well!
I squealed gleefully in my car. Multiple times. I think Connecticut just clawed its way into the top 5 of the "Best States Ever" list.

Busting makes me feel good

As if Ghost Busters on the big screen wasn't enough... the half-dozen guys (and a girl) who sat in front of us totally came in costume.

And one even had a light-up pack!

Banana banana

I make a mean banana bread. But today, I made these with my overripe bananas instead.

The frosting has yet to be done, but the cake part is delish.