Zeroing Out the Moleskine, Kinda Sorta

moleskine_pocketYeah, I forgot to take my “lunch” (8 pm) to work last night, and tore ass to the local Subway for a six-dollar lettuce sandwich.  When I went careening into the parking lot I was relieved to find the place empty, except for a lone samlich engineer.  I needed to make it quick, and didn’t want any fatasses impeding my progress.

I parked and entered the store, and the dude said, “Can I help you?”  But not in a friendly, helpful way.  It was more of an agitated tone, like he’d just caught me naked and peeing on his back porch.

“You’re open, aren’t you?” I asked, confused by it all.

And the guy just shrugged.  He was leaning against the counter with his arms folded across his chest, and just shrugged.  Big ol’ attitude.

“I guess not,” I said, and turned to leave.

“Hey, we’re open!” he hollered.  “Come back.  We’re open until nine!”

“Go fuck yourself!” I said, and went to McDonald’s.

What was that all about??  I’m thinking about calling Jared.  The man needs to step out of his giant novelty pants, and police the operation a little better.  Sheesh.

Toney and I are plotting a kidless day trip to New York City soon.  It’s a convoluted plan (we have no local fambly to watch the boys), but I’m confident we’ll be able to pull it off.

I think we’re going to try the commuter bus that runs between Scranton and NYC.  It’s an attractive option.  We won’t have to deal with the massive traffic and expensive parking, and will be able to have a few adult beverages at the end of the day, if we’d like.  Ha!  …if we’d like.  That’s pretty funny.

So, I’m looking forward to it.  I like going there with the younglings, too.  But it’ll be fun for just the two of us to sneak away for a few hours.  It’s quite, quite rare these days, and I sometimes miss it.

I’ve been posting a few of the old Charley West cartoons at Facebook (completely baffling some people).  So far they’ve just been repeats from TheWVSR, but I plan to start posting new ones, too.

I know some of you have an issue with social networking sites, and I can certainly understand your feelings.  But we do have some fun at Twitter and Facebook.  MySpace eats it from the ass-in, but Twitter and Facebook aren’t bad, shockingly enough.

So, I hope you’ll follow us at both sites.  Give it a try, and you might be pleasantly surprised, like I was.  Pass the beer nuts.

I’m also thoroughly enjoying Life on Mars, the UK version.  I tried the Americanized abortion of a program, and quickly abandoned ship.  But the British show is great.  And I just found out today the second season will be released to DVD on November 24.  Oh yeah.  My nipples are exploding with delight.

What other semi-obscure but great things should I be renting from Netflix?  And please don’t tell me about Dexter.  There’s nothing semi-obscure about that show; hardly a day goes by when someone doesn’t mention it.  And I’m starting to develop a bad attitude toward it, if you want to know the truth.

A Wall of Voodoo song just played on iPod shuffle, and I remembered how people used to call them “Ball of Doodoo.”  I always liked the band, and that “joke” kinda irritated me.

But what other derogatory tweeks to band names, TV shows, or movies can you remember?  Tell us about it in the comments, won’t you?

And while we’re at it, what are your favorite pornolized movie titles?  The Load Warrior always jumps to my mind…  Heh.  What are some of the other great ones?

I don’t know why I’ve started skipping Wednesdays all of a sudden, but that seems to be the current rhythm of things.  Sorry.  Once my “book” is finished, we’ll get back to normal around here.  I promise.  I feel fairly guilty about my Surf Report neglect…  But it’s temporary, only temporary.

I’m going to Wegman’s now, to pick out the evening’s snooty, snooty microbrew.  I’ll post my selection to Twitter later, in case you’re interested.

And I’ll see you guys next time.

Have a great rest o’ the day!

Now playing in the bunker

Do your holiday shopping at Amazon!

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  • A Surprisingly Unsatisfactory Halloween

    ween09

    Halloween used to be a big deal around our house.  When our kids were younger they jumped into it with all four feet.  Every weekend we’d have to take them to various “scary stores” around town, and they plotted and schemed for a couple of months in advance of the Big Day.

    Now?  They couldn’t give a single dingle.  …Well, OK, maybe a single dingle, but definitely no more than one.  It makes me a little sad, if you want to know the truth.

    I know they’re growing up, and things change, but I liked it better when everything excited them.  The jaded teenage “I’ve seen it all” years tend to piss me off.  Because they HAVEN’T seen it all; who are they trying to fool?  What kind of ridiculous scam are they trying to pull-off here?

    The older Secret went to a party at a trustable friend’s house, so he wasn’t even with us during the evening.  And his “costume” was thrown together at the last minute, with very little enthusiasm.  Boy oh boy… the nine year old him would’ve been appalled.

    The younger boy always goes trick or treating with a certain friend, and he was out of town this year.  So, that was kind of a bummer, too.

    I took him around the neighborhood, but his heart clearly wasn’t in it.  It wasn’t the same without his buddy, and he was kinda irritated that his brother wasn’t around.  There was a definite negative vibe wafting off that miniature zombie.

    Plus, I’d guess two-thirds of the houses had their porch lights turned off.  Wot up wit’ dat?  At many of the darkened houses I could see the light of a TV screen through a basement window.  The stick-up-their-ass bastards were hiding out down there, with their black, black souls.

    While we walked I kept hearing a weird noise off in the distance, something that sounded like cheering at a sporting event, but higher pitched.  The crap?

    Finally, we encountered a group of tragically nerdy high school boys, all dressed as ghosts and being “outrageous.”  While they walked between houses they continuously made shrill ghost noises, which they obviously believed was wild and wacky stuff.

    That’s what I’d been hearing: high-douchery in action.

    But even worse was what they did after someone answered the knock at their front door.  These guys would launch into a fully-scripted chant of some sort, that lasted WAAAAY too long.  And the poor sap who’d come to the door with a bowl of candy would have to stand there with a tortured smile plastered on his face, waiting for it to end.  …And would it ever end??

    Yes, it was a large roaming herd of boy-nerds, who will talk about that night for the rest of their lives.  It’ll be one of their greatest triumphs.  God, they’ll tell anyone who’ll listen, we were crazy back then, just out of control…  I was hoping someone would throw a Crockpot full of chili on them.

    So, yeah.  I was irritated that our kids weren’t more into it, and also irritated other kids were too into it.  I know it’s hypocritical.  What of it?

    Halloween night is also the traditional start of Bourbon Season, but that was compromised as well.  Since the older boy wasn’t home, we didn’t feel comfortable breaking into the bottle of Jack Daniel’s purchased earlier in the day.  He’d arranged for a ride home, but you never know.

    So, we didn’t kick off the Season until about 10 pm.  And only had one drink each…  Lame, man.  But I’m confident we’ll make up for it in the long run.  Especially once Sunshine & Mumbles arrive in mid-December, and the Nancy clan descends on the compound for Christmas.

    Yeah, it’s probably best that we’re pacing ourselves.  Sweet sainted mother of Bill Oates!

    I know this one is short, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.  In the comments, please tell us about your Halloween this go-round.  Was it more satisfying than ours, I hope?

    Also, do you have any actual wildness stories from Halloweens past?  Not choreographed nerdplay, but real craziness from your youth?  We did the normal stuff:  soaped windows, threw eggs (you have to shake them first, or they’ll explode in your throwing hand), wrist-rocket fun, M-80s in mailboxes, etc. You know, stuff that would’ve caused those “ghosts” to soil their sheets.

    Tell us all about it, won’t you?

    And I’ll be back tomorrow, with more.  See ya then.

    Now playing in the bunker

    Do your holiday shopping at Amazon!

    93 Comments »
    Filed under: Daily

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