Pig Flu

Now, I understand Mother Nature being a tad grouchy about the current state of affairs and the role humans have played in it. However, I'm going to have to give her a yellow card for pig flu and its means of transmission. I mean, at least mad cow was equitable in that it took down the meat eaters and passed the rest of us over. This may be too much of a peek at my humanitarian side, but is it too much to ask that the innocent not get lumped in with the guilty? I'm good with a little nature strikes back on the factory farm front, but this is like going to your room because your sister got bad grades. Not cool nature, not cool at all.

Goat Button

D'oh

Do you ever pin your bangs back in a very unattractive manner just when you're alone and just to get them out of your face? And do you ever have to give papers to a new coworker and forget your bangs are pinned that way when he comes to your office and only remember an hour later? Yeah.

TOURISTS!!!

Argh!!!

Performance Art

I will simply quote my brother's email:

"First the anti-stimulus people held up this sign,

now the marriage people named their group this.

At what point do we have to seriously consider that the entire conservative movement might be performance art?"

5-2-1-0 Plan

I was reading this article about childhood obesity, which is obviously distressing just to read about let alone live through, and I was struck by this advice:

He recommended the 5-2-1-0 plan. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, cut screen time down to two hours or less, exercise at least one hour, and have zero soda and sugary drinks.

Is it just me or does this make a lot of sense? Call me Occam, but it seems like very straightforward advice that would be easily transferable for educational campaigns, school initiatives, etc.

Secret Agent Man

I am not James Bond. But even I know to carry the secret papers in the folder and not on the folder when you get out of the car.

Happy Passover!

I've been wanting to go to a Passover Seder for a few years now, and yesterday my friend Seth invited me all last minute like. The thing is, even though I love him, he is not a planner. So, we're going to an orthodox congregation to have dinner with about 260 people. Having been born and raised a heathen, this meant nothing to me until about 20 minutes ago when my friend Steve said, "Oh, you're screwed." Now I'm getting kinda nervous, and it doesn't help that Seth isn't exactly the touchey feeley type who would be a good tour guide for this type of thing. Luckily, I'm guessing my freckled, green-eyed, extremely Irish looking self will blend right in. Shit. I'd been looking forward to it until my friend freaked me out. Well, if nothing else it'll be a good story . . .

DC to Honor Gay Marriage . . .

. . . or as I like to call it "marriage" which I define as, "You two crazy kids go on now and enjoy the honeymoon." I am very proud of the city council, even if they took their sweet time.

Panhandler

A special note to everybody panhandling today: I've got change, sometimes I've got mad change, and I can imagine what it's like to really need a meal and frankly I'd be glad to give you a little change to make my purse lighter. The thing is, if you have time to pause your workday in order to hit on me, it makes me think you don't really need the change. Also, it creeps me out. So let's make a trade, I'll give you my change in exchange for you not hitting on me like a creepster. Okay?

'08 Book List

For those of you (both of you) who read the blog and for those of you (none of you) who have been eagerly anticipating the list of books I read last year, I'm finally getting around to posting it. As always, let us not be all judgey about some of my more craptastic reads. This year was a bit hectic so the list is a bit short, but here ya go:

1) French Lessons
2) Darkmans
3) Shopgirl
4) Jazz
5) The Memory Keeper's Daughter
6) The Sound and the Fury
7) A People's History of the United States
8) The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
9) Fight Club
10) Invisible Monsters
11) New Moon
12) Eclipse
13) In Cold Blood
14) Marley and Me
15) Breaking Dawn
16) In Defense of Food
17) Love Walked In
18) Watchmen
19) The English Patient
20) Brisingr
21) The Motorcycle Diaries
22) Dune
23) The Road
24) Bonk
25) Rant