Ton of Bricks

Though it is by no means a requirement of a marriage with Mun Mun, one of the cool things about TK is that he is actually strong enough to carry me over a threshhold. What he may not realize is that I've gained a few pounds since he last carried me anywhere.(And no, I'm not pregnant)

Crucifixion themed miniature golf

Next time you're in Kentucky, go and tell me if this Golgotha Biblical Mini-Golf is still running. Bible-themed miniature golf is something you definitely never see in SoCal.

Stylin' automotive parts

Today I was in Duarte and made my first ever trek to a Walmarts store. I was impressed by their super-cheap selection of slick-looking hubcaps that spin. I guess Walmart is bad for mom & pop stores and don't pay their workers much, but they had some mighty tempting prices. They had a decent selection of toys too. I may go back...

I'm reading Howl's Moving Castle. It's fun. I'd like to see the Miyazaki movie when I'm done.

Handyman, Argh

Anybody know of a good handyman that works in the West L.A. area? Pops fell down the stairs today and his railings need fixing.

Looks Like Another Perfect Day

I love TK.

Lyrics to some Mad Monster Party songs

Our Time To Shine (by Maury Laws and Jules Bass as sung by Gale Garnett)

It's our time to shine
Our turn in line
Everybody gets one chance in life
To make their dreams come true
I can do it with you
It's our time
It's our time to shine

It's our time to shine
Our bitter wine [our bit of wine?]
We have drunk you long enough my friend
And now it's time to prove
We can make the right move
It's our time
It's our time to shine

You and me
What a pair we'll make
Today the world is ours to take
Nothing can stop us now
We're gonna win and how

Because it's our time to shine
Our turn in line
Spin the wheel
Our number must come up
We're covered every way
Listen world when we say
It's our time
It's our time to shine

(Take it)

Because it's our time to shine
Our turn in line
Spin that wheel
Our number must come up
We're covered every way
Listen world when we say
It's our time
It's our time
It's our time to shine


Never Was a Love Like Mine (Laws/Bass)

There never was a love like mine for you
Never was a love like mine
All the other girls you may have met
Never gave you love you're gonna get
There never was a torch that burned so blue
Never was a love like mine for you

There never was a love like mine for you
Never was a love like mine
All the love you may have read about
Honey you can just forget about
There never was a screen romance for two
Never was a love like mine for you

Tell me a thousand times each day
You've never been loved this way
Swear to me you'll never roam dear
Promise me you'll stay at home dear

There never was a love like mine for you
Never was a love like mine
Little cupids with their bows and such
Never shot an arrow that meant much
To any little love for any two
Never was a love like mine for you
Never was a love like mine for you
Baby, for you

Okay, this is pretty gross

There's nothing like having to vomit to remind one it's time to clean the toilet bowl.

Music Meme Stick

I totally dropped this meme baton, but I'm picking it up again.

Total volume of music files on my computer: You don't really care, do you? 577.9 MB

Last CD I bought: They Might Be Giants - Here Come the ABC's (I gave it to my nephew, Danilo)

Song playing right now: Outside a gardener is playing a leaf-blower enchantingly.

Five songs I listen to a lot these days:

1. "Our Time to Shine" from the Mad Monster Party soundtrack, sung by Gale Garnett

2. "Funny" from City of Angels soundtrack. It has a great line -"My life's a joke that suffers in the telling"

3. "Soolaimon" Neil Diamond Greatest Hits 1966-1992.

TK and I have been listening to a lot of live Neil Diamond so TK can identify songs where Neil throws in "non-words" for me. Also I was trying to figure out the real words. I thought he was saying "Blood of my wine wine wine, Got on my knees knees knees" but it turns out it's "God of my want want want, Lord of my need need need."

4. "Fu Manchu" from Frank Black's self titled album.

5. "Always Better With You" from Suburban Voodoo by Paul Carrack.

I will now hand off the meme stick to RedFive and Oge if they are reading.

A Gadget for Lazy People Like Me

A few years ago when I visited my cousins in Germany, they had the coolest gadget that made taking the shell off the tops of our soft boiled eggs a joy. You put a little round cup over your egg and drop a steel ball on the cup to make a perfect circular lid out of your egg shell. No muss. No fuss. It turns out it's called the Clack: the Egg Cracker. In German it's called an Eierschalensollbruchstellenverursacher. I shall have one. Oh, yes, I shall have one.

Marriage License

I like to tease TK for choking up easily around some of the things we've done to prepare to get married. For instance, he started to tear up when I showed him my wedding dress and I think when we made our final ring selection (we decided to repurpose my grandparents' wedding bands after shopping around extensively for new ones). However, it was me who got teary eyed at the County Registrar today when we applied for our license. TK pointed out that I happened to get choked up as I was writing the check out for half of the license fee. As much as I hate to say good-bye to my little dollars, I swear they were tears of happiness!

Airbus 320

Pops is slipping. He forgot to grill me about what kind of airplane I flew in to Denver.

Carnivorous Nights:On the Trail of the Tasmanian Tiger

Hey, Homes, have you read my sister Margaret's book yet? No? Get with it!

Here are some review snippets:

"A transfusion of youthful energy is delivered in this winning book by a pair of zany New York wildlife journalists ... [Carnivorous Nights] has a magical quality ... Ms. Mittelbach and Mr. Crewdson have written both an engrossing study of Darwinian natural selection and a gentle fairy tale."
-- The New York Times

"A top-drawer journey into the natural history of Tasmania from two Brooklyn-based nature writers....Neatly and wonderfully sews together natural science and travel yarn."
-- Kirkus Review (starred review)

"The quixotic quest at the heart of Carnivorious Nights is more than just endearing and engrossing, it's inspiring."
-- Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Data First vs. Structure First

I love this article. Thanks to Arthur D. Hlavaty .