Get On The Bus

I'm sitting on the Fung Wah bus (aka Chinese bus) to New York. It's only $15 per person so we thought it would be better than the train, although for that price, I have to admit I was kind of expecting a bus with chickens in crates interspersed along the ceiling, and let's not forget uncomfortable, cramped seats.

I'm pleasantly surprised to find it's more like a Greyhound. It is crowded; D and I are sitting across from each other. He's sleeping. He must be really tired; normally he can't sleep in moving vehicles.

I was particularly proud of us for making our bus on time. I thought I had the transit system figured out and we had plenty of time, but the train stop by Rachel's house is an outbound only, when we wanted inbound. We actually managed to walk to the next train station, catch the train and walk to the bus station (stopping along the way for some quick breakfast a la Dunkin' Donuts). And we made it!

Now for New Year's in New York. Should be interesting...

Killing Time

I'm leaving for my Boston/NYC trip at 1 a.m. tomorrow morning.

The house has been cleaned and prepped for the housesitter.

I am packed, except for a few last-minute things I'll throw in before I leave -- like my toothbrush. I'm planning on sleeping through the flight, so I'm sure I'll want to brush my teeth before I leave. Better not forget that!

Other than that ... I'm kinda bored. Waiting for said housesitter to get here so we can maybe grab some dinner and then chill till it's time to leave!

Christmas Eve

I just got back from my mom's house; we did Christmas tonight instead of tomorrow because she has to work.

And it was nice. We ate dinner; Mom and I poured ourselves some wine; and we did the traditional present-opening in a circle. I think my fam liked the gifts I got for them, and they definitely hooked me up with some stuff I didn't know I needed until I had it.

But. It seemed strange ... stranger than it was last year, maybe, even. My dad wasn't there keeping track of whose turn it was and snapping pictures (from which I hid incessantly ... I mean, honestly, who takes a picture on Christmas morning when you've all just rolled out of bed? Well, lots of people, probably. I guess I don't have much of a point, but I am notorious in my family for hating/refusing to have my picture taken.).

I never really noticed before that it was different on the holidays after a loved one dies. To me it seemed like any other day to begin with -- I miss him every day; I think about him every day. This was something more. Maybe it takes longer for your brain (or your emotions) to register that someone's not around during a time of year when people really value and cherish the connections between them.

There's a wonderful image in The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay; awesome read if you ever get the chance, way better than the movie) where the author talks about loneliness birds flying into his chest -- his heart -- and laying stone eggs. Kathy and I would talk about the physical effects of depression. When people use phrases like "it's weighing me down," or "it broke my heart," those words make perfect sense to me. I think you feel it to some extent when you break up with a boyfriend or girlfriend or get in an argument with someone or are disappointed in yourself. I don't think most people realize how severe those feelings can seem when something really bad (damaging, traumatic, life-altering, unfixable) happens. It's crippling.

I'm not that sad. I'm functioning still. But there is definitely a stone egg or two incubating (or, more probably, failing to incubate ... that would make more sense) in my chest.

I'll be okay. It was just sad.

Thoughts on Textese

I think I am the last person in the world who still spells out "you" while text-messaging. Abbreviations bother me. And it bothers me even more that textese has crept into the common vernacular ... and when I say common vernacular, I mean primarily e-mail and letters. I've gotten e-mails before from people wanting to write for me, but when they type: "i really want to write 4 u," it kind of makes me think that maybe they shouldn't be given any assignments at, you know, a newspaper.

That being said, I do understand that textese allows the texter to text faster, thus increasing the speed of communication. So the sacrifice of spelling and grammar seems to be a small price to pay for the reward of more efficient communication ... but I read about a study the other day (which, of course, I now can't find) that confirmed textese makes it easier on the texter ... but the textee takes longer to read textese than he or she would ordinarily take to read a normally written sentence.

Take these as an example:

"R U going 4 coffee w/ Emily 2day?"

"Are you going for coffee with Emily today?"

Most people take longer to process the first sentence than the second, even though it's shorter; this is because when we learned to read, we learned on full sentences. Maybe that will change as the next generations grow up with cell phones in their hand instead of Dr. Seuss.

In any event. I don't like textese. I think it has something to do with my job as a spelling/grammar policeperson of sorts.

Biggest Winner

Last night, Michelle won the Biggest Loser competition. I was so happy for her -- especially because I really, really, REALLY didn't want either Heba or Vicki to win. Those two connivers were so manipulative and almost had the final three down to what they wanted ... ha, ha, America decided, and Heba didn't get to be in the final three. Which was kinda funny, because last week I was on pins and needles ... I knew that we would get to vote the third contestant in because I'd been watching the commercials, and I was ready to flood NBC with votes for Michelle. But then it came down to Ed and Heba. Heba said, "Vote for me." Ed said, "Vote for Heba."

And you know who America decided to send into the final three, by a landslide decision of 85 percent? Ed.

I didn't even bother voting, because I was just happy Michelle got into the final three ... and I also thought that, as bitchy and rude as Heba was throughout the season, it might make her pretty sad if she realized that most of America hates her. So I didn't go down that road. But plenty of other people did!

And really, what I think did it for Michelle is her youth. Ed and Vicki didn't have a chance against her once she really started going. She looks hawt. I'm so happy for her!

And ... the new season starts January 6. This is just perfect as far as I'm concerned: I'm working for the next week (about), then I get time off for Christmas, then I'm going on vacation, and when I get back, a brand-new season will be all ready for me to watch. Thanks, NBC!

All I can report is a size ten.

You know ... I don't like George W. Bush as President. In fact, I would argue he's the worst President in the history of the United States. The only other President you could even make a case for is Andrew Jackson (way to almost wipe out an entire race of people, AJ).

But I have to admire the man's ability to make a joke -- immediately, to boot (ha! ha! I did it, too!) -- when an Iraqi journalist throws two shoes at his head.

"Who throws a shoe?! Honestly!"

Marilyn Musgrave Says Thank-You

Ugh.

So, here's the story: Marilyn Musgrave was a Congress representative who had a very protracted and messy battle to retain her seat in November, airing a bunch of attack ads against her opponent. She lost. I voted against her; personally, anyone who says that gay marriage will lead to people marrying their dogs will never, ever get my vote.

She's made national news because she refused to concede -- or to call and congratulate her opponent. Sulk, sulk, sulk. Poor Marilyn. Those mean ol' liberals and gay-lovers really effed you up.

But today, she wrote an opinion column for the Denver Post, basically saying how great it was to serve Colorado, how she's not sorry for being a rabid homophobe, anti-choice and candidate for Worst Woman Ever, and how she refused to change her principles in order to win an election.

Well done, Marilyn.

The funny thing is the comments behind the story. She had one comment supporting her, everyone else basically said, "Okay, so, 'Thanks, Colorado?' Well, you're welcome. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. We won't miss you."

And as far as I know, she still hasn't conceded or congratulated her opponent.

I mean, really. One commenter said it best, and I'll paraphrase: Isn't it awesome how these wholesome, let's-keep-things-the-same-and-never-change-them, I'm-Joe-the-Plumber-and-Suzie-Sixpack-mixed-up-in-one conservatives can't even manage basic manners, like saying "congratulations?"

She is a douchenugget. I, for one, won't miss her -- and neither will the rest of her district, apparently, because she lost in a landslide.

And this is a complete non sequitor, but every time I hear the name "Marilyn Musgrave," I think of a muskrat. A rabid, greasy, disgusting, diseased muskrat. That is her legacy in my brain.

Wilde Times

It's been a while (sorry, Jocelyn!), but I was compelled to write when I turned on my radio to Alice 105.9 for the first time in several months this morning and it was the morning show with "BJ and Howie." And I thought, "what happened to Jennifer?" So I listened for a few minutes and sure enough, they had changed all the intros around to just list BJ and Howie. So when I got to work, I looked up Jennifer Wilde's MySpace page to see what the deal was and found that she had been a victim of downsizing.

Which, I think, is pretty freakin' lame. Her blog said that her contract was up and she'd expected to negotiate a new one, but that didn't happen; they just let her go. And the reason why this is lame is because Jennifer was the best out of the three hosts on that morning show. I used to listen to Wilde on Hollywood when I caught it in the mornings, and really anytime she was talking as opposed to when BJ or Howie are talking. I hold a serious dislike for one of those two -- either BJ or Howie, I'm not sure which, because I usually change the station when either of them is talking. But one of them is always going on about how his wife essentially is not allowed to do anything -- have male friends, go out by herself, etc. That's the path to divorce, according to BJ/Howie. I'm just waiting for his wife to meet someone new (less anal and controlling) in the checkout line at the grocery store.

Alice, you had a strong morning crew, that was certain. And I will still listen to Slacker & Steve on my drive home when they're talking and/or taking calls -- but your music sucks. By getting rid of Jennifer, you have lost 50 percent of my listenership. Good job.