Victory!

Young Craig Beattie scored in the 89th minute today to ensure that Scotland will remain tied for the top of its group regardless of what France does against Lithuania later today.

Scotland probably should have done better against a side like Georgia, but a win is a win is a win, and they move to 4-0-1 with for 12 points.

Up next a much sterner test later in the weak at Italy. An away draw would make for a successful trip, a away win against Italy would be magical!

I could smell it before I could see it

Today I was off running some errands.

While walking across a parking lot I smelled something wonderful. I stopped, lifted my head and looked around, and saw the source of the wonderful aroma- White Hut.

You can learn all about it at their website, but here are a couple of things that will give you a better idea of what the place is like.

First, it seems like everyone there is a regular- that's probably why they've been in business for almost 70 years.

Second, drinks only come in bottles and cans. Although, you can get ice water at the counter, and without anyone giving you a dirty look.

Third, the restroom doors say "Ladies" and "Gentlemen."

Finally, if a woman orders a hamburger, it is cut in half for her.

Jam Band Felons 2.0

First Trey from Phish gets popped for having lots of painkillers in his car that didn't belong to him and now, John Popper, formerly of (despite-my-playing-the-harmonica-our-band-has nothing-to-do-with-the) Blues Traveler gets stopped in a car going 111mph, has weed in the vehicle, and has numerous guns hidden in custom built hidden compartments. His PR people are now spinning his gun-fetish as a result of him being an avid target shooter or something, but the original article quoted the arresting officer as saying that Popper made some comments about (and I'm paraphrasing) wanting to be prepared when the "end" came or something like that. This seems rather credible given the way the the guns were hidden.

Also- and keep in mind I don't wish death on anyone- it does make me smile a bit to know that Boston will never reunite.

$60.00

I took $60.00 out of the ATM machine today.

I now have $8.75.

I know exactly what I spent the money on- doing my laundry, buying dinner and lunch, and paying for a new battery and water seal for my watch- but somehow I still feel like something untoward has happened.

On the bright side, yesterday I went grocery shopping and paid $45.03 for a month's worth of groceries- leaving me almost $5.00 for other incidental food items I may need in the next four weeks.

I guess I'll call it a tie.

Calling all Grammarians

Specifically, my aunt, I suppose. I heard a phrase the other day which, while it might be grammatically correct, struck me as nonsensical/a logical impossibility and would appreciate anyone who might like to either confirm my analysis or point out where I've gone wrong.

The phrase: "...a group of individuals..."

My problem with this is simple, if they are members of a group, how can they still be individuals?

Valentine's Day

If you noticed that there hasn't been a new post since the day before Valentine's Day you can go back to last year at this time for an explanation.

Gruel...

...so I'm savin' up for a new bed and a new couch (I'll have most of the money put aside by this Friday), so I'm trying to save a little more money by being efficient around the casa.

So, today I emptied out the fridge/cupboard and made multiple meals out of:

-two cartons of beef broth
-part of a day-old baguette
-spices
-about a third of a jar of spaghettis sauce
-almost a full bag of baby carrots
-an onion
-garlic
-Chipotle Tabasco sauce
-rice

And you know what? It ain't have bad!

Yeesh!

Have you ever met one of those people who sings along with every song, laughs at every joke (funny or not), and probably thinks after every television commercial, "Yes, I do need that product"?

Word of the Day

"tablescape"

Oh, wait, that's not a word!! I guess, if you have your own sort-of cooking show, you can make up your own word! I don't have a show of any kind, but maybe I'll take a stab at making up my own word anyway- I'll even use it in a sentence.

"Later tonight, when I am tired, I'm going to climb into my sleepscape."

W-W-What?!

"(Kelly) Clarkson will likely release the new album in early 2007. One of the guest musicians on the album will be punk rock legend Mike Watt (Minutemen, Firehose, Iggy Pop & The Stooges), who contributes his bass skills to six tracks on the disc."

Didn't George Costanza once say something about "worlds colliding..."?

I'm a few days late with this but...

...take that Mark McGwire

Thanks SNL!

Now I remember exactly why I don't like The Shins.

Good job, eh.

I draw your attention to the following news article out of Toronto:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070103/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_parents

I must say that sometimes the Puckheads show themselves to be a little more human and humane than we here in the States. I was particularly impressed by the judge's rational for his decision- maybe a child's happiness is more important than "tradition." No, not "maybe," definitely.

So, well done.

Good Movie, Bad Movie

Bubba Ho-Tep: I could not even begin to explain this movie to you. I'll simply say that when it was over I felt like Elvis (yes, that Elvis!) had regained some of the dignity he lost during the Las Vegas years. I was also thrilled to learn today that there is going to be a sequel.

The Producers: Ugh. The first one was H-Y-S-T-E-R-I-C-A-L-L-Y funny, the remake was painfully bad. I was reminded of all of the reasons that I dislike Nathan Lane, of why it puzzles me that anyone finds Uma Thurman attractive, and of the fact that Ferris Bue- er, Mathew Broderick, used to be funny.

For What It's Worth

Despite my comment about the cost of fixing my soon to-be-sold car* being a little negative, I would like to point something out to anyone who may still be reading my blog.

While there were (and are) those who questioned my sanity in leaving teaching (whether temporarily or permanently, I would like to point out to those people that my day-in-day-out sanity has greatly improved. In the recent past (less than two years ago), spending what amounts to an entire paycheck to fix a car I will be rid of within a few months would have devastated me and led to much self-loathing, hopelessness, and general depression. Instead, I just thought to myself, "Aww...f***." and moved on with my life.

Finally, if you're still out there, Diane, thanks for your support of my decision, you're the only one who never questioned me and I appreciate that greatly.

*which is only being sold because my grandmother's death has resulted in the opportunity to get a car which is four years newer and has 140,000 fewer miles on it. My car has be GREAT to me and overall, it's cost me almost nothing in upkeep. And, I'll admit, I'll miss it a lot.

Thank You Nick Tosches!

I'm currently reading Nick Tosches' In the Hand of Dantes - I think I like it, at least the more linear story line, but I'm a little luke-warm on the more Dante-related story line. But I digress...

Despite many attempts to explain to various people (colleagues, girlfriends, etc.) why I just can't stand poetry, I've never felt like I've quite hit the proverbial nail on the head. I've known what I meant, but I haven't been particularly articulate about it.

Thankfully, however, when one reads as much as I do, one occasionally come across the perfect words written in another's hand. Thus, I will let Mr. Tosches- via his criticism of Dante's Commedia- make my point for me.

"Dante had chosen a cage of rhyme and meter so confining that no majestic creation could survive within it, so often did it necessitate unnatural affectation to accommodate structure, so often were soul and beauty and power sacrificed to sustain the structure of the work, as might be done by one so cold as to value artfulness above art. As no beautiful wild bird born to soar free could survive in a cage, so it was with the beautiful wild bird of his poem."

Lie Back And Think Of England...

I spent over $700 today on a car that I'll be selling within the next two months...and I'll probably need to spend that much more on it in the next few months.

ugh.

This made me happy...

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1215062trey1.html

ARRRRRRGHHHHH!!

How many more times am I going to go to the grocery store and forget to buy peanut butter?

I even bring a list with me most times!

:(

Quote of the Day

It's been a long time since I've had a "Quote of the Day" here on my blog, but rereading one of my old favorites brought me to a quote that I absolutely love. So, from Raymond Chandler's "The Simple Art of Murder," I give you...

"The English may not always be the best writers in the world, but they are incomparably the best dull writers."