Clayton's Birthday

Exactly six months ago CAL passed away... and today would have been his 35th birthday. I marked the occasion by giving the altar flowers at our church yesterday. Saturday morning I went and bought them -- they are gorgeous and I'm supposed to got get them and have them here, but I didn't make it over there today.

I spent the day with his sister and his old roomie Jamie. We spent a lot of time just gabbing, laughing, and didn't mention him once.

I think it was good to do it that way instead of dwell on him.

To be completely honest, I would love to pour my heart out to them about how much I miss him so damn much, how I see and hear things all the time and say "oh, that reminds me of..." or "oh, he would have liked that."

The geocache that we did was close and nice, and way too easy. Doug taught me over the phone how to put the coords into the GPS, so now I'm dangerous -- I know how to do it and just might do that on my own when I'm unattended by the rest of my family. Why the hell not.

We had lunch at the Chinese restaurant up the street from my house and we were the only patrons. So it was kind of odd. I enjoyed their company greatly on this day.

Fall is slowly infesting the area, and each day is glorious. But I'm noting a lot of naked branches, which means her lush cloak of color is quickly falling off to reveal her bare essentials. I have a feeling it will be a long and somewhat depressing winter. I don't know if that's just me feeling bummed today because of the whole CAL thing, or if I really feel that way for real.

Well. Sorry this is a shitty boring entry. I'm just glad that I had fun with Jamie and Ivy, got in a good and fun geocache, and only picked up a few ticks in the walk (stupid little bastards). I guess that's about all. Honestly -- more happy fun ball entries lie ahead. I'm almost done annotating my archives, and so that's been loads of fun, looking back on the contents of each entry in the past. I'm glad I'm doing it too, because I realized that the links to my archived entries off the monthly pages for the past 2 months are all broken, so I fixed them all. Huzzah.

ipswich river at dusk, bradley palmer park 10/18

PBS, geocaching

PBS has done it again. Those jerks have sucked me in whole hog with yet another historical recreation "reality" show. You know how fond I was of "Frontier House."

Well, thanks to the friends at the BBC, our local PBS is now showing "Surviving the Iron Age," which takes place in West Wales around 800 B.C. It was filmed in 2000, and this is the first time I think I've seen it here in the states... at least on our local PBS.

I haven't gotten sucked in nearly as badly as I did with "Frontier House," but I'm fascinated by some of the people on the project.

One of them is exceptionally brilliant (Chris) and another is exceptionally insane (Yasmin).

There seem to be only four episodes, and I've seen two. Which is sad because I like the program and I don't think you can get a real understanding and feel for the project with just four episodes... But they only lived up there for like five or seven weeks or something, unlike the six months the volunteers spent on "Frontier House."

PBS will be showing another BBC series called 1940s house, which focuses on life in London during WWII. I'm intrigued. The bombings, the war, the rationing, the air raids... all narrated by Geoffrey Palmer ("As Time Goes By"). I'll be tuning in.

---

Yesterday we were planning a go down to Bonnie and Duncan's in the big City (er ah, er ah, Bahstin) for some urban geocaching. Doug got up and picked the caches in the Arnold Arboretum for us to do, and then checked the weather.

The news was not good. It was expected that before 2pm it would start raining and blowing harsh windiness on us, so Doug thought it best if we didn't go down. I agreed -- being on the hill at the Arboretum when it starts to wind and rainstorm on you is no party, so I called Bon to reschedule.

I was disappointed, so was she. I think we should have just gone to the city ANYway... and I moped around the house for a while. Doug went out and got the lawn mowed (most likely for the last time this year unless we get another warm couple weeks for the rest of this month) and cut down the sunflower heads so we can dry them for their seeds.

At 5pm it finally started raining, and was really just a little pissy storm. We SO could have gone down there, geocached, spent time hanging around the schitty, but no.

Sigh. Disappointment 101.

We geocached Friday after Doug got home from work, it was a quickie, but we all picked up ticks. I thought we'd had a good frost that knocked those suckers down, but I was wrong.

The sun set at 5:57, and at 6:06 we abandoned our search for the second cache right in the same area and decided to do it another day with more time.

We took the dogs swimming in Topsfield in the darkness, with the full moon shining on the lake. There was a sharp drop off where there used to be a paved boat launch that the town seems to have removed, and I was quite anxious about Geoff falling into the pond in the dark. I hate that it is pitch dark at 6:30 p.m. now, and I hate knowing that in a week or so we'll be turning the clocks back and making it even darker earlier. Gah.

It was 7:55 a.m

Doug was up and out of bed, and turned the alarm off rather than leaving it in a state to cause me to hit the snooze several dozen times while he showered and got ready in the bathroom.

For a half hour, I slept deeply. Very deeply. I had this dream in which my friend Ben was telling me a story about helping a Puerto Rican maintenance worker from the college move from one apartment to another.

In the dream, he tells me that while he is getting ready to meet the guy the phone rings. It is 1:30 in the morning (in his story) and he can't figure out why he needs to help a guy start moving at 1:30 in the morning. He can't even figure out WHY he's helping this guy, because he hardly knows him, and can only think that he's "a big fat sucker." So I start laughing at his self depreciation. He lets the machine answer the ringing phone because he is in a hurry.

The voice in the other end of the phone starts babbling hoping Ben will pick up, which he doesn't. Ben imitates the man in a voice that sounds a lot like "Fez" from "that 70s Show."

The man wants to know when Ben will be there, and eventually says something like "Oh, Ben. I guess you are already gone so I'll stop talking. You aren't picking up so I'll see you later..." the usual thing people do when they know the person isn't there... all in Fez Voice coming out of Ben's mouth.

And im my dream, I'm reclined on the couch in his livingroom laughing. Laughing my ass off.

I can smell bagels, and I can hear Sports Radio with Dennis and Callahan on WEEI Boston in the background. I'm laughing and laughing at Ben's Fez imitation and his ongoing exploits in regards to helping the guy move... And I'm aware in my sleep that I'm in the kind of place while sleeping where you're awake but asleep. I feel like any second now I'm going to start laughing in my own bed instead of on the brown couch at 1 South Street.

I still smell bagels, and I hear Ben telling more of the story in his own voice. Couches, staircases... And there is this amazing levity in my heart, I think there is a smile on my face while I'm asleep here...

I hear, "Good morning Geoffrey."

I hear, "Good morning Dad. I pee'd my bed. I have to get mom."

---

There is a naked little boy standing next to my bed telling me that he needs a shower. He woke me up rather than letting his dad (who I heard offer to help and attempted to stop him from waking me up, by the way) put him in the shower.

"No, I want mom to do it."

What's the difference kid?

Why do I have to put you in the shower when your own father, a willing participant at this moment, offers to do it? Is there something special about the way I turn on the water and yell at you to wash your whole body and not miss a spot? Is there something special that only I can do in regards to making sure the shower head is aimed correctly and the curtain is closed all the way?

It is 7:55a.m. This is my life.

I'm not sure why that dream-me thought Ben's story was so funny. I don't remember details of the story of the move, just the Fez Voice. I'm not sure why Ben would be helping some guy move other than he has a really big Dodge Durango. I realize as I'm scrubbing the mattress and trying to analyze the source of such a bizarre dream that my day is now officially "on." I am up, Geoff ran to the bathroom and Doug makes the assist and gets the shower running (he also gets him out of the shower while I'm cleaning up his dirty laundry).

---

Last night Jessica pulled out a loose tooth, all on her own, without fuss. She said it was loose for one day. She's got two teeth that have been loose for six months and refuse to come out. The adult teeth are up behind them, resulting in an inability on her part to brush correctly. We're going to the dentist to have the baby teeth extracted next week. She won't pull those ones out, but this one, "pop!"

She knows about the tooth fairy so she took a dollar in quarters out of the coin jar. I told her once you stop believing in the tooth fairy, you don't get no money for yer teeth! She pouted and I let her keep the money. She handed me the tooth and went on her way.

I have most of her teeth. One she lost at school in second grade and then lost in her classroom. The tooth fairy left her money anyway.

So my question is -- is it gross of me to keep her baby teeth? I kept them before just to hide them and so I could show her that I was the tooth fairy when the issue came up (she was impressed that I had them). Do other moms keep their child/ren's baby teeth? Is this utterly revolting or is it something everyone does? If you have any feedback, let me know. I'm sorely tempted now to get rid of them. Doug thinks it is gross.

I'm starting to think he is right.

---

Yesterday was a cateringman day. It was a hopping place. Five of us working doing prep, Cateringman taking calls and making orders for stuff and going to the store to grab stuff needed immediately. Two dishwashers. Sales Representatives from supply companies just "swinging by..." absolute chaos. Noisy, fun chaos. It was a pretty good day. It also rained like it did on Noah once upon a time. I had to run to the grocery store for an immediate need and got drenched in the process. Today is a professor MF day, and it is the first class session in many weeks that I don't have my heart in my throat with anxiety about how the class is going to work. I am relaxed, I need to shower and get ready, do more laundry and get down to the college, so this is a quickie. Not much to report. Fall is in full startup mode and I want to get some nice pictures of the trees in the yard before they are all "stripped bare of all they wear (but what do I care?)" Tra la, tra la. That's all for now.

In My Hometown...

I never spent a lot of time tromping around my hometown. There are parts of it I have never been in.

Huntington, NY, is a big place, with several small "sub" towns in the township. We went geocaching yesterday in South Huntington, and it was one of the funnest geocaching days I've ever spent. Doug was amazed that I'd never been in these parts, but to be honest -- why bother when you have no friends and you're hiding in your room listening to Jackson Browne all day.

Or, when you ARE out with the few friends you have, you're up in the bay sneaking into beach clubs to sit and drink on the beach. If you needed to find out how to get around Huntington Bay, I'd be able to tell you. But navigating through historic old South Huntington... that was a task in and of itself.

We went to a Jayne's Hill, also known as High or Oakley's Hill, which is supposed to be the highest spot on Long Island at 410 feet, and did three of the four caches in West Hills County Park.

Walt Whitman "is said to have walked through this area..." And there are tons and tons of blue and yellow "historic" markers all through the neighborhood marking all the places Mr. Walt was to have allegedly been/walked/ate.

All we could think of, naturally, was Homer Simpson in the episode where he finds out his mother is alive. He thinks the grave at the top of the hill is hers, but finds out it belongs to Walt Whitman. (Whitman is actually buried in New Jersey I think). So he starts kicking the gravestone, yelling: "I (kick) hate (kick) you (kick) Walt (kick) Freakin' (kick) Whitman (kick)! Leaves of Grass my ASS!" And then he falls into an empty grave, which is supposed to be his own.

Here is Doug doing his imitation of Homer, sans falling into empty grave, and instead of a headstone it's a boulder with a Whitman poem from "Leaves of Grass My ASS!"

All told -- Monday was Columbus Day and a great day for exploration by my clan. We had a lot of fun and quite a few laughs. Here is photographic evidence.

	My children, lounging on the boulder with the "Paumanok" poem on it. I guess it is some ode to how wonderful Long Island was/is. Yawn. My whole childhood Whitman was shoved down my throat and I can honestly say it is the fault of my former school system that I hate American poets for the most part. Oh Captain, my Captain. My ass.
Jessie being extra dang cute in her brand new jacket. Love that blonde hair!	Found the cache! This one was a hard find, but a good one. We were the first finders! Again -- an homage to exploration and adventure!
Me. Looking red. I always look so damn red. I hate my skin. Like the head hankie? I didn't have time for a shower before hitting the trails... so I opted for farmer Jane headgear.	Geoff got Pokemon cards from one of the caches... Of course, the highlight of his little day.

Speaking of my public education experience, I was dragged on a field trip all the way out to Hauppauge to the top of a geological moraine and told THAT was the highest point on Long Island. Mr. Hiscox (nice guy, unfortunate name) was my 8th grade earth science teacher, and could have saved a lot of time and effort by taking us around the corner to West Hills.

Another thing that bothers me is my whole elementary/junior/and high school experience revolved around Walt Whitman (again, Hate Him!) and Harry Chapin. Had I known interesting tidbits like John Coltrane's final resting place is in my freaking home town, as well as Count Basie and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, I might have been more inclined to learn more about my home town.

A field trip to the Pinelawn Cemetery in Huntington would have been interesting to me at any age. But no. We had to learn about 20,000lbs of banannas and ... Leaves of Grass, MY ASS! I had to learn about these final resting places from an online GAME. Ugh. I hate my educational experience. It could have been so much better.

But as usual, I rant.

For more info on the 3 caches we got, visit these pages, and our comments (logged by me) are under "Team Screamapillar."

W2-4
SFR002
Kyle's Cache

The rest of our Long Island visit was ruined by a late arrival to the house on Saturday (due to traffic and weather) and rain all day Sunday.

My dad REALLY wanted to go to this Fall Festival in town, but Sunday was totally washed out, and our desire to get out for some heavy duty hiking and exercise weighed more for us in deciding what to do. I was irritated that he didn't want to come with... his longest hike is to the bar over by the train station that he frequents. Oh well. We didn't go into a town filled with cabin fever filled New Yorkers, and I'm happier for it. I wish it hadn't rained the whole time.

My parents' neighbors harbor a stray cat, and she had YET ANOTHER litter of kittens. They really should take her in and get her spayed if they want to keep her around. This is like her third litter and she's gotta be about four years old max.

But. Kittens are frigging cute as all get out and you know I'm a pet whore... so. Here are some quick pictures. I'm off to get my own pets from the kennel (freshly bathed and groomed, hallelujah!) and I have laundry and other things to do. Have a super day all.

Uh, Meow!??!
Stop, you're too damn cute!!

Away for the weekend. Topsfield Fair

Rather than deal with the nightmare of holiday weekend traffic last night, we stayed home to relax. That way we can face the nightmare of holiday weekend traffic this morning. We're off to grandma and grampa's (my parents) in NY, for relaxation, geocaching, and perhaps Doug and I will take an evening tonight or Sunday night to go out to dinner without the shorties. A night to ourselves.

I love my parents and my inlaws. I also love that we don't live really close. Why? Oh, you know. The really close in-laws next door types of familes always end up in constant struggle.

See the TV "comedy" "Everybody Loves Raymond" for a very good example of what I mean.

Geographically close families are often in conflict. And I dislike conflict. I have had moments in my life when I've wanted to run screaming into the night when dealing with either my mother or my mother in law, and if I lived next door I'd probably ... kill them. NO. Not really. That's complete exaggeration. I'm just saying that the distance between us makes for a nice, safe buffer zone. I enjoy that.

The one thing I don't enjoy is not having them close by to see the grandkids grow up. We probably see Doug's parents a couple times a year, my folks more often. My mother is willing to travel up here a lot, which is good... because I hate traveling home. I really dislike the ride down and back, not the being there. Traffic on Long Island is like death on wheels to me. It makes me angry, sick, frustrated and committed to never returning.

I also miss the concept of free babysitting. But I've seen that so abused by other people in life. The fact that grandma is home, and close, and the kids end up dumped there at all times... so the husband and wife can work, or go to a movie, or go on a cruise...

Doug and I have taken one weekend away from the kids in our entire marriage. I know people who do that once a month. Sometimes... more.

It is just wrong. Raise your own kids. Take them on vacation with you. Don't make grandma do all the work she did with YOU on YOUR kids. If you need some alone time, drug the kids, put them to bed and make your bedroom your own crazy fantasy zone (brings to mind Homer and Marge in the utility closet at the Camelot Inn... but if you don't watch the Simpsons the reference is lost).

I wouldn't mind having the rentals or the inlaws close by, like an hour away, so dinner out once in a blue moon wouldn't be difficult. Finding a babysitter, getting to know him/her. We've had three people sit for us, and each of them leave for college, or leave college in the area and go back home.

The girl who sat for us most recently is native to the area and is going to college in Boston in January. I asked her if she'd be willing to sit for us when she comes home on weekends and she enthusiastically agreed... but I hate the idea that I'd be cutting into her social life with my neediness.

Anyway.

---

Speaking of doing stuff with the kids, Thursday night we went to the Topsfield Fair. A New England Tradition. We went kind of late, and enjoyed the night greatly. Hardly anyone was there, and we got to ride some rides for free because the guys running the rides were bored off their asses.

We ran into Shelley and Steve and M, Jessie's friend from school. We spent a ton of time walking around with them and checking out the fair. We didn't intend to do that necessarily, but it was still a blast. They crack me up.

We sat in a Dodge Truck that made me drool at the Dodge truck booth, and are considering buying one, trading in Rudy the Red Saturn in order to buy a totally wicked extended cab 23mpg red or black ass kicking truck. I'd love it forever.

And we got home, everyone was so tired, Geoff tried to go to bed with shoes and his hot fleece on. It was a hard time getting him to actually get bed ready.

---

Last night I spoke at very great length (uh, 2.5 hours, I think) with my very good friend Rob, the one who spent the prom with me in the hot tub singing "It's Raining On Prom Night" (see my 100 things, number 36).

He lives in the Washington D.C. area, works in a middle school as a counselor. So he's telling me all about what he's dealing with in the classroom, not only with the kids but with the faculty and staff.

He went to the gas station today with three other people who needed gas in their cars but were too petrified to pump the gas. So he pumped it for them.

He was a big focus for counseling for the kids after the September 11th attack -- it's his job. So many kids in his school are military kids and had family or friends impacted at the Pentagon that day. So not only did he have to deal with his own feelings, he had to put the kids and the staff first. It's so hard.

I want you to pray for Rob and for his school. I'm not kidding.

Pray for these children. He is doing such a good job with them, but the situation there is fraying everyone's edges. And pray for him specifically -- he has a lot of people who unload to him how they feel, and I know he could use the spirit sent his way to lift him and provide him with the strength to help them and to deal with stuff he's feeling as well.

Anyway -- here are a couple pictures from the fair. I will be here again to update life for you on Monday or Tuesday. Try and enjoy yourself as much as you humanly can this weekend -- and special love to Tess as she travels. Wooo!

"Carnival. The wheel flies and the colors sing..." An artsy couple pictures of crazy rides. Doug went on the one on the left with Geoff. Geoff loved it -- Doug felt w

Spongebob in a wheelchair. He must have suffered a ride-related accident. Not that I should joke, because someone did at the fair a couple days before we got there!	I am sorry this picture came out so dark. She looks so cute, and the lights on the ferris wheel were so pretty.

post-interview, babies

You are all dying to know about the interview. I've gotten a ton of email. I can't believe that people ... are interested.

The interview went really well. I was interviewed by only part of the search committee, the faculty decided not to show up and the CIO had to rush off campus for something. So instead of 8 people I interviewed with three. I had a lot of fun. One of the guys interviewing me graduated with me. I thought he looked familiar, but I didn't know his name until we got on the alumni topic. He's been there for a year and is really happy.

The job seems like it will be hard. A good part of me wants to work only for professor CM as he is continuing to make contacts and sell his ideas to local school districts. Another part of me knows that I need to be making some serious money in the next 4 month time frame. We'll see what the future holds.

I could see myself doing this job easily. It is the first job I've interviewed for that I can actually envision being in without saying "Oh my GOD! I am so lame! How did I talk my WAY into this job!!!"

So that's a good sign, right?

Today -- follow up cards to the interviewing staff thanking them for their time.

Alright. This was a quickie. I have to get Geoff ready for school and I've been goofing on this for an hour now with my joys in playing with Photoshop. Snarf...

First things first... an email from Chad that I didn't expect to get this morning:

Our new arrivals are here a bit early but in good health.

We are happy to announce the birth of Jacob Michael XXXXX and Jadon Tyler XXXXX at 5:38 and 5:39 respectively on October 9th, 2002.

Jacob is 3 pounds 12 ounces and Jadon is 3 pounds 7 ounces. They are currently in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Medical University of XXXXXXX. They will remain there for one week and then they will be brought down to the step down unit.

As of now, Jacob is doing very well and Jadon requires help breathing from a respirator, but that condition was expected and he is doing very well. Both are expected to be fine.

Mom is recovering nicely after a c-section. Her water broke some time on Tuesday and she would not dilate past 3 centimeters, so in order to prevent risk of infection, the doctors opted to take them out. Remi will be allowed to come home on Saturday. The twins will be in the hospital for at least four weeks.

Dad and grandmom are exhausted from attempting to sleep in hospital chairs while Remi was given drugs to help relax. I guess that's only fair because she did all the work.

I will write more later and provide pictures on my website sometime in the near future. For now, I'm going to bed a happy guy.

Wow. Shocker. I totally didn't expect this one. Great joy, great praise and thanks for a good delivery for these little guys. They weren't due until ... oh, December? So send them good vibes, hearty prayers and mojo to be able to do what twins do these days and make it home in a decent amount of time. I love his line about being exhausted from sleeping in hospital chairs while Remi got drugs to relax... hardly seems fair, eh? Snarf! Funny. Way to give me a good laugh.

And I whipped this up for them quickly this morning to welcome Slash and The Bus to the world. If I'd had more time today, I'd have made little Steelers Jerseys for their bodies. Yuk Yuk. As is, I had to quickly grab a picture of a newborn and just slap the heads on. It didn't come out too bad. I love the hand position on the kid's body (I used just one and flipped the second one horizontally so they'd look good.

New Sink, job interview

The plumber is here. He's doing his plumbery thing. Geoff is all over him. Fascinated. It is all I can do to keep him from talking the guy's ear off about tools, where our sink is going, and Spiderman.

Anyway.

I am glad we'll soon have a new sink. And I'm glad I had a professional come in to do it. When he removed the cold water pipe, it busted in half. The drain pipe crumbled in his hands.

The guys I work with at cateringman's were all "Go to home depot, buy a factory second sink for 40 bucks, install it yourself. How hard can that be?"

Um, yeah. Plumbing and the residents of this house do not mix, friends.

There are two home improvement items we don't muck around with. Plumbing and electrical stuff. No way. Electrical stuff scares the bejezus out of me. Plumbing is easy enough to screw up and have an instant catastrophe on your hands to deal with.

I must say here though that I am very proud that my husband made do and did the work he did for as long as he did to prevent us from calling a plumber in immediately. He tried very hard. Did a great job.

Well. Today is not just groovy new sink day, it is interview day! As Spongebob Squarepants says: "I'm READY!!!!"

I'll be using the groovy new sink to brush my teeth and apply makeup over, and then I'll be off to sit in front of oh... 9 people or so, and make my case for why I'd be an asset to this institution of higher education.

I feel like puking already.

I don't know why I'm nervous. I normally never GET nervous before an interview. I interview very well for the most part. I remember to amazing detail the interviews I had for my last company and for the last college I worked at... even what everyone was wearing.

Let's see if I blank on this one or puke on the conference table. I'm sure it's been done before in history.

There really isn't much of interest to report in my life right now. I did get thank you notes from the girls (even my own daughter) that I chaperoned. Which made me smile. K. wrote me that it was the best field trip she's ever been on because she learned so much and I was so smart. Hey. Truer words never spoken, eh? cough gag.

Oh, and speaking of Spongebob... what the hell is the deal with people running around saying he's gay.

All of the Boston Talk Stations yesterday were on this story, and it was way over the top.

The news reports I heard initially said the show is popular with gay men. Which is fine. So are the Powerpuff Girls.

And surprise surprise people. Both are popular with people with senses of HUMOR. Gay or straight. Duh!

The discussion warped to "Spongebob is Gay."

How does one wander to that conclusion automatically. Really. Does it MATTER if gay people LIKE the show a lot and think it's funny? And does that automatically make the character and storylines "gay?"

Millions of people gay and straight are SBSP fans. Myself and my husband and my kids totally included.

If you need to categorize him, I actually think Spongebob is more like an evangelical than a "gay" person. Look at his personality:

• He is kind
• He is lighthearted
• He is very very genuinely happy in a life-loving way
• He is enthusiastic about everything in life... his work, his friends, jellyfishing, karate...
• He is annoying to those who don't understand him (ie Squidward)

I think that someone somewhere along the lines read too much into an episode that aired recently. SB's "sexual" role sort of comes into play when he and his buddy Patrick find a lost sea scallop who needed a home.

They "adopt" the scallop. SB assumes the "mother" role, cleaning, caring for the baby, wearing himself out to maintain the household. Patrick shuffles off each morning to "work" in a tie and a hat, with briefcase in hand, and returns home dog-shit tired and ready for a beer.

By the way -- Patrick's "job" was sitting in over his own apartment watching TV. He came home exhausted on a nightly basis, because it's hard watching TV all day. Sometimes the remote control falls on the floor and you have to find it. And all the clicking around the dials... wears a guy out, ya know.

So they weren't necessarily being "gay" in the sexual sense. I believe the writers were more or less just illustrating how parenting works, and they were dangerously close to ending up like Paula Cole's "Where Have all the Cowboys Gone" song.

I suppose the creators would have been better suited to pair up SB with Sandy Squirrel, but SB and Patrick are such good friends, and their relationship is funnier than that of Sandy and SB.

I didn't read "sex" into the relationship for that episode personally. Did you?

When "The Lion King" came out, no pun intended, everyone was insistant that Scar (voiced deliciously by Jeremy Irons) was homosexual. He was "single" and had a British accent and was evil, but charming all at the same time.

I mean, when I was watching the movie, I didn't think immediately about the stupid lion's sexuality. Same with Timon and Pumbaa. Everyone says THEY are gay. First of all -- they aren't even the same species. I can see how Chip and Dale, the chipmunks of Looney Tunes fame could possibly be "gayish," again with the whole English accent and proper grammar thing. All gays are SO proper (snarf) aren't they?

"Oh, do let's invade the duck's cellar and get all the acorns!"
"Indeed, dear sir! Invade is such a rogue term! Let us stealthily procure said acorns under darkness of night. After tea."
"Very well then, after you."
"No, I insist -- after you..."

---

I read a great book that looks into the creation process of comics and the possibility of underlying homosexuality. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon. It was a fabulous story -- about two cousins, one is gay but quite closeted. Together they build a comic empire, and the gay cousin ends up getting dragged into testify in court against his will that all the comics are gay propaganda stories. Pairing men and young boys into exciting relationships. The wearing of tights. The riding one seater motorcycles together...

It's a horrible situation for him. He created wonderful stories that had nothing to DO with HIS sexuality... but others interpreted his personal life as being broadcasted through the characters to children across the country. His empire crumbles. It is... sad.

I highly recommend the novel if you're looking for something to read by the fireside this fall.

Anyway -- Spongebob isn't gay. But if he was... I'd be alright with that. He's a nice guy. I think Squidward is gay. But that's a whole nother analysis for another day. Guffaw.

I'm going to go hang out in the living room now. I'm sure I'll post later or tomorrow about my interview. Just remember. Good vibes/mojo/prayers my way for 3:15 p.m. And hope I don't barf on things.

And, I'm going to use my new sink. More later...

ain't she purdy?

New Sink, job interview

The plumber is here. He's doing his plumbery thing. Geoff is all over him. Fascinated. It is all I can do to keep him from talking the guy's ear off about tools, where our sink is going, and Spiderman.

Anyway.

I am glad we'll soon have a new sink. And I'm glad I had a professional come in to do it. When he removed the cold water pipe, it busted in half. The drain pipe crumbled in his hands.

The guys I work with at cateringman's were all "Go to home depot, buy a factory second sink for 40 bucks, install it yourself. How hard can that be?"

Um, yeah. Plumbing and the residents of this house do not mix, friends.

There are two home improvement items we don't muck around with. Plumbing and electrical stuff. No way. Electrical stuff scares the bejezus out of me. Plumbing is easy enough to screw up and have an instant catastrophe on your hands to deal with.

I must say here though that I am very proud that my husband made do and did the work he did for as long as he did to prevent us from calling a plumber in immediately. He tried very hard. Did a great job.

Well. Today is not just groovy new sink day, it is interview day! As Spongebob Squarepants says: "I'm READY!!!!"

I'll be using the groovy new sink to brush my teeth and apply makeup over, and then I'll be off to sit in front of oh... 9 people or so, and make my case for why I'd be an asset to this institution of higher education.

I feel like puking already.

I don't know why I'm nervous. I normally never GET nervous before an interview. I interview very well for the most part. I remember to amazing detail the interviews I had for my last company and for the last college I worked at... even what everyone was wearing.

Let's see if I blank on this one or puke on the conference table. I'm sure it's been done before in history.

There really isn't much of interest to report in my life right now. I did get thank you notes from the girls (even my own daughter) that I chaperoned. Which made me smile. K. wrote me that it was the best field trip she's ever been on because she learned so much and I was so smart. Hey. Truer words never spoken, eh? cough gag.

Oh, and speaking of Spongebob... what the hell is the deal with people running around saying he's gay.

All of the Boston Talk Stations yesterday were on this story, and it was way over the top.

The news reports I heard initially said the show is popular with gay men. Which is fine. So are the Powerpuff Girls.

And surprise surprise people. Both are popular with people with senses of HUMOR. Gay or straight. Duh!

The discussion warped to "Spongebob is Gay."

How does one wander to that conclusion automatically. Really. Does it MATTER if gay people LIKE the show a lot and think it's funny? And does that automatically make the character and storylines "gay?"

Millions of people gay and straight are SBSP fans. Myself and my husband and my kids totally included.

If you need to categorize him, I actually think Spongebob is more like an evangelical than a "gay" person. Look at his personality:

• He is kind
• He is lighthearted
• He is very very genuinely happy in a life-loving way
• He is enthusiastic about everything in life... his work, his friends, jellyfishing, karate...
• He is annoying to those who don't understand him (ie Squidward)

I think that someone somewhere along the lines read too much into an episode that aired recently. SB's "sexual" role sort of comes into play when he and his buddy Patrick find a lost sea scallop who needed a home.

They "adopt" the scallop. SB assumes the "mother" role, cleaning, caring for the baby, wearing himself out to maintain the household. Patrick shuffles off each morning to "work" in a tie and a hat, with briefcase in hand, and returns home dog-shit tired and ready for a beer.

By the way -- Patrick's "job" was sitting in over his own apartment watching TV. He came home exhausted on a nightly basis, because it's hard watching TV all day. Sometimes the remote control falls on the floor and you have to find it. And all the clicking around the dials... wears a guy out, ya know.

So they weren't necessarily being "gay" in the sexual sense. I believe the writers were more or less just illustrating how parenting works, and they were dangerously close to ending up like Paula Cole's "Where Have all the Cowboys Gone" song.

I suppose the creators would have been better suited to pair up SB with Sandy Squirrel, but SB and Patrick are such good friends, and their relationship is funnier than that of Sandy and SB.

I didn't read "sex" into the relationship for that episode personally. Did you?

When "The Lion King" came out, no pun intended, everyone was insistant that Scar (voiced deliciously by Jeremy Irons) was homosexual. He was "single" and had a British accent and was evil, but charming all at the same time.

I mean, when I was watching the movie, I didn't think immediately about the stupid lion's sexuality. Same with Timon and Pumbaa. Everyone says THEY are gay. First of all -- they aren't even the same species. I can see how Chip and Dale, the chipmunks of Looney Tunes fame could possibly be "gayish," again with the whole English accent and proper grammar thing. All gays are SO proper (snarf) aren't they?

"Oh, do let's invade the duck's cellar and get all the acorns!"
"Indeed, dear sir! Invade is such a rogue term! Let us stealthily procure said acorns under darkness of night. After tea."
"Very well then, after you."
"No, I insist -- after you..."

---

I read a great book that looks into the creation process of comics and the possibility of underlying homosexuality. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon. It was a fabulous story -- about two cousins, one is gay but quite closeted. Together they build a comic empire, and the gay cousin ends up getting dragged into testify in court against his will that all the comics are gay propaganda stories. Pairing men and young boys into exciting relationships. The wearing of tights. The riding one seater motorcycles together...

It's a horrible situation for him. He created wonderful stories that had nothing to DO with HIS sexuality... but others interpreted his personal life as being broadcasted through the characters to children across the country. His empire crumbles. It is... sad.

I highly recommend the novel if you're looking for something to read by the fireside this fall.

Anyway -- Spongebob isn't gay. But if he was... I'd be alright with that. He's a nice guy. I think Squidward is gay. But that's a whole nother analysis for another day. Guffaw.

I'm going to go hang out in the living room now. I'm sure I'll post later or tomorrow about my interview. Just remember. Good vibes/mojo/prayers my way for 3:15 p.m. And hope I don't barf on things.

And, I'm going to use my new sink. More later...

ain't she purdy?

JPUSA, Christian Rock

Doug got an earlier flight than he thought he would on the way home. He showed up at the airport three hours early and asked if he could get on an earlier flight than the one he planned on getting into. They told him there was room, so he called me. Instead of getting him at 8:45pm, he got in at 5:20. So we had dinner and got to catch up.

The wedding was in the Uptown Baptist Church, which is on the same street but several blocks up from where Lee lives at Jesus People, USA, or JPUSA for short. If you visit the website, be sure to go to it through Internet Explorer. Netscape does not render the pages at all... they come up blank. Mark of a bad webdesigner if you ask me, but... I've made my share of bad design mistakes and I won't hold it against them.

JPUSA was started in 1972 by a Christian Rock band called The Resurrection Band. They were pretty popular for a long time, and then got totally into this community thing.

Lee and Stefie's wedding was performed by one of the former band members -- Glenn Kaiser.

In my opinion (note, that's MY opinion there... you can freely disagree if you like) JPUSA isn't a cult. They are affiliated strongly with Chicago's Evangelical Covenant Church. Some people think they are cult-like, and I often joke about it with Doug and Scott (Scott, living in Chicago and getting a Ph.D. in theological studies is very familiar with folks from JPUSA). Doug told me that unlike a cult people come and go all the time, but our buddy Lee is... well. He's been there forever. He told us 10 years ago that he was going to stay there forever and "die with the Jesus People." I'm glad he's found a place that makes him happy. More power to ya, buddy!

JPUSA is also affiliated with Cornerstone Magazine, which is a hugely popular conservative Christian publication, one which I haven't read since 1984 or so.

They also started a wildly famous music festival called Cornerstone... and I have lots of friends and acquaintances from around here who drive out to Chicago whenever it is held.

I've never gone.

I'm not a big fan of Christian Rock. It always has sort of smacked of insincerity to me... the YOU could mean a girl in a love song or God... it's all interchangable.

Don't get me wrong, in all genres there are poseurs and there are authentically talented people that I admire. Even in Rap. Believe it or not -- I can count a few rap artists in my mind that I think do a good job. Most of it sucks though.

Same with Christian music. I liked Amy Grant a lot when I was in High School, don't laugh. Long before she fell into the trappings of Country Nashville culture and left her dishy husband for... Vince Gill? What's up with that? He's so gross.

Keith Green has always been one of my favorite musicians -- his sincerity I never questioned. He died before I even discovered him. He could play a piano inside out... he was like Hendrix on the keys.

I loved Steve Taylor back in college. He played a concert at our school and I thought he was just the best. He SO 80s and sarcastic. He wore big weird suits like David Byrne and had a lot of electronica in his music before anyone else did.

Randy Stonehill music was played at my wedding reception, and it was great music to have as part of my memories of that day. Gregg J. brought a CD and played it while we were eating. It was lovely. I guess he's got a new children's album out now and a lot of people are just loving it... I should check it out for the kids.

Another great album was from The 77s... their first one "Ping Pong over the Abyss" lived in my walkman for over a year. They've released 14 albums since then and I've not heard a single one.

Real life Catholic monk-dude John Michael Talbot also known as the "Troubador for the Lord" is an amazing guitarist, songwriter, with a gorgeous tenor voice, and a sense of spirit rivalled by none. I love the work he's done musically. His album "The Painter" is one of my favorite works of music and art.

The musician that hooked me into the genre in the first place is Larry Norman. His album "Only Visiting This Planet" was on the shelf at a house where I was babysitting.

Sidebar note: The people I sat for were Christian Jews, or Jews for Jesus, which bothers me. Either you are a Jew, or you're a Christian. Christ himself made that clear, people. You can be a Christian who likes Jewish tradition and makes the OT part of the bible important in daily life, or, you can be a Jew. Once you accept Christ -- guess what. You are not a Jew any longer. But... I digress. I know a few people who call themselves Jews for Jesus, and they are sterling, golden, shining people that I love. I have had this argument with them and they insist that Jesus never stopped being a Jew. So they should also be Jews... for Jesus. Okay. Whatever. I digress.

Anyway -- like I was saying, I was sitting for some folks who had the album and I liked the cover. I popped it on the turntable, and listened and loved it -- I asked them if I could borrow it, and they let me keep it. I still have it today.

It's a great album. And for a lot of people it is THE Christian album of the century last. I have to say it is in my top 100 albums of all time... Larry is such an amazing poet. My friend Gregg goes to see him live whenever he can. I guess he's still an amazing performer.

But I've moved away from any knowledge of substance in the Christian music scene. There are a lot of popular artists who are "Christian" artists, either by record label boxing or their own admission. P.O.D., dcTalk, Jars of Clay... of those three I only like Jars of Clay. P.O.D. is trying too hard to be Korn. dcTalk I've despised since I first had them cross my ears. Ugh. They are horrid. Of course, there is U2, and the Alarm fell into a Christian categorization in the 80s. I think that killed their career, that coupled with the constant comparisons to U2.

And SixPence None the Richer are Christians but not a lot of people know that. They seem to be ashamed of the label, or at least hiding their affiliation so people won't "judge" them before hearing their music. Too bad. Their music is pretty good. They had that one big radio hit "Kiss Me," and everyone knows that one.

The Call had one big radio hit in the 80s/90s "Let the Day Begin." I thought they would be the evangelical breakthrough band of the century... at least as big as U2 or REM for alternative Christian types. When I wasn't listening to Ping Pong over the Abyss (see above) It was "Reconciled" by the Call in my tape walkman. "Everywhere I Go" and "I Still Believe" were very important songs to me as I was starting to grow into my faith. We have a local radio station that pulls "Let the Day Begin" out once in a while smile and cry. What a great anthem.

A lot of Christians are really REALLY into Creed. They're okay. But give me the Foo Fighters any day instead.

I haven't listened to any "Christian" music since leaving college. I've never even heard stuff from ResBand... Gregg and Doug both are familiar with them.

I don't know if I'm missing anything really.

Anyway -- I was talking about JPUSA and ended up all over this Christian Rock thing. What's gotten into me?

All I know is that music is very spiritual for me. Be it a hymn in church, or something played softly on guitar, or the Indigo Girls. Whatever touches me deep in my heart, Randy Stonehill or October Project -- doesn't need a label on it per se. I can feel as close to God when listening to "Solibury Hill" by Peter Gabriel as I do when I hear Enya, or old John Michael Talbot music. I don't limit my intake based on my faith. There's a lot of good Christian music out there, I'm sure.

But... I've admittedly been steering clear. Except for Veggie Tales CDs, which I get to listen to and enjoy with the shorties. I'm quite happy though with my BNL and DMB fixations right now.

I've got a load of things to take care of today, including taking Jack to the Vet for a quick checkup and frontline. He's picking up a lot of ticks, and he's limping and I don't know why. I think Kinger might have trounced him but good.

Single Parent Weekend

Send good vibes my way. I'm in line for that second interview with the faculty/CIO/Provost search committee AND other people from the IT/Multimedia department who are invited in to also consider me for the webmaster position that will be opening up in January. It should be stressful and hairy. Just the way I like job interviews. Make 'em laugh, sell myself hard, walk out of there glowing and victorious, get a phone call when I get home with an offer. That's the way every other full interview process I've gone through has ended up. Let's hope I keep my string of success going.

Part of me wants a job now, with faculty. Another part of me is equally happy to wait until January for a non-faculty design position. I wonder what the pay is for the second position?

Either way -- the fact that this woman is considering me for both means she likes me. A lot. And I like that. I have sent out gazillions or resumes with no responses back from anyone. So to send one in and have a phone interview which blows the interviewer away is a beautiful thing.

Damn, don't it feel good to be a gangsta. For a change. Unemployment has been fun, and I've sure loved being home for the family needs, but in the long and short of it -- we need thousands and thousands of dollars by April 15th to pay our taxes on all the unemployment I've earned and the contracts I had this year, so I'd like to be able to write that big fat check on August 15th and mail it that day, in full, without writing a check for a partial amount and sending it in with a letter saying "Dude, we dont' have enough money, here's some and you'll get more really soon." Which I've done before, and which has always worked out well, but it isn't a position I want to find myself in this year.

---

Completely unrelated to anything: Mark your calendars. As of 11am today I am officially sick of Eminem's "Boo Hoo, everyone thinks I'm bad so I'm going to BE bad/I want you all to leave me alone" Schtick. If he doesn't want to be popular or powerful, don't get on MTV news and whine about it. Take a cue from another recalcitrant rock star who had a lot more talent but took the non-TRL true confessionals interview exit off the stage -- Kurt Cobain.

Bye now. Seeya. Great to know we won't hear you bitch anymore about how the critics are so mean and fans want your flipping autograph. Get lost. Puh-lease.

---

I just got back from Logan Airport, where I droped Mr. (a)musings off for a weekend flight to Chicago.

A friend of his from high school (and, I suppose a friend of mine too, but I don't know him so well) will be wed to a lovely gal on Saturday. We couldn't afford for all four of us to go, and to pay someone to watch the kids for us would be just as expensive as all four of us going, so I am home being a single mom for a couple days.

I promised the kids we'd go to the movies tonight, so after I pick Geoff up at school we'll head off to see Jonah - A Veggie Tales Movie. I can't believe they are bringing Veggie Tales to the big screen. I'm curious to see if they water down the religious stuff for popular secular culture viewers, and I'm also interested in seeing how many people fall in love with the style of animation, the characters etc... and go buy the movies only to get huge religious messages out of them.

I wonder what critics have to say about this film. We shall see. I already know the kids will love it, and it will be an easy night for us. We'll get movie and pizza, and have some fun. Geoff wants to go bowling really badly, and I guess it is supposed to be crummy weather this weekend, so I'll take them tomorrow or Sunday. Doug's flight gets in at 9pm Sunday night, or so... We'll be daddy free the entire weekend.

I have had a busy couple of days. Wednesday I chaperoned a class field trip for Jessica and it was a lot of fun. I had four girls: Jessie, her good friend A (see Jessie's birthday for info on her), a very sweet and funny C, and a K.

K is quite peculiar, and A dislikes her greatly and was vocally opposed to anything K suggested or wanted to do. K took her time going through the exhibits, talking to the interpreters, taking notes. A thought that was retarded.

"What kind of idiot takes NOTES on a field trip?"

"I don't know, and idiot like me," I answered holding up the pad of paper I was using to take notes. The school gave us study guides to use to ask the kids questions. They were very helpful, and I did ask them a lot of questions about what they were seeing.

A wanted to rifle through all the exhibits and go to the gift shop. I told her I'd budgeted 20 minutes at the end of the day to hit the gift shop, and that she'd have to wait.

She didn't like that.

Anyway, we got to the end of the day, and there was an ice cream parlor. The girls wanted ice cream, but K didn't bring any money. "It's not fair, I thought we weren't supposed to bring money on field trips." She sulked.

When Jessie, A, and C were ordering ice cream, I told K to order some too and I'd pay for it. Then I decided I'd pay for all four of their ice creams (and mine. All told, less than 10 bucks). They were thrilled, "Oh! Now I have five whole dollars to spend at the gift store instead of just three! Thank you!")

At the gift store I handed K two dollars and told her to buy some candy or something, that was all I could really give her. So she bought candy to share with the other three girls. They all sat on the steps before we went to the bus enjoying their candy and playing with the toys the other girls got, and it was a nice sight.

A was markedly nicer to K once she was given candy (isn't that always the case?) and the trip ended on a happy note. All four of them told me it was the best field trip ever, and I was the best chaperone they'd ever had.

So in one year I've been the best substitute teacher ever, and best chaperone ever. That's awesome.