Thursday, January 22, 2004

60s folk icon Art Garfunkel was arrested for possession of marijuana this past Saturday. The arresting officer noticed the tell-tale smell of pot coming from the back seat of his limousine, which had been pulled over for speeding.

This event brings up many vexing questions, the most vital of which may be this: Art Garfunkel can still afford to hire a limo?

Posted @ 12:52 PM

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Wednesday, January 21, 2004

Sad news for anybody who grew up in Greater Chicagoland from the early 60s to the early 80s: children's show host Ray Rayner has died.

Rayner was a big part of my childhood. Along with Bozo's Circus (of which he was a cast member before I was born), Ray Rayner & His Friends was a weekday morning staple for me from toddlerhood through elementary school. He's as much a part of my earliest memories as Big Bird and Mr. Rogers. An entire generation of Chicago kids feels a little bit older and lonelier tonight.

Godspeed, Ray.

Posted @ 4:07 PM

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Tuesday, January 20, 2004

I've noticed a rash of five or six "Soup Nazi" references in the last 24 hours. Since yesterday evening, news outlets as disparate as NPR's All Things Considered and Human Events Online have cribbed from the popular Seinfeld episode to punch up their stories and lend them a little bit of the funny.

Hardly the most significant meme ever to sweep through the collective consciousness of the nation, but certainly one worth noting in this humble space.

And if you don't agree, well then... no updates for you!

Posted @ 1:26 PM

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Thursday, January 15, 2004

Wow, am I on a roll or what! I've now posted something here four days running. I can't think of the last time I did that. Maybe I'm finally getting back on a regular, sustainable track here. Hooray!

What's that? I haven't posted in over a week? Surely you jest.

::checks date on most recent previous post::

Well, damn.

Between my continued euphoria over the return of Coach Gibbs and auditions for Anything Goes, an entire week seems to have slipped past me. Not to worry, though. Now that I know I've been an absentee blogger of late, I can make adjustments and find the time to post.

I just have to decide whether I want to cut down to five hours sleep each night or forgo bathing.

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For a change, my blogsire Tim has followed in my footsteps rather than the other way around. Yesterday he had a Station Break posted over at TeeVee on the topic of mission creep in cable networks. A hearty "bravo!" to you, DangerBoy!

Posted @ 6:55 AM

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Wednesday, January 07, 2004

Daddy's coming home! Daddy's coming home! Great day in the morning, Daddy's coming home!

Most of the DC region started to hear whispers last night about Joe Gibbs returning to the sidelines here in Washington. I didn't catch wind of this wonderful news until I heard it on the radio driving in to work this morning. (Here's a hint, kids: if you're catching a breaking sports story on NPR, you are the last one to hear about it). Now, after a morning of breath-holding by every football fan inside or near the Beltway, it's official.

If there is anyone who can turn Washington's moribund football fortunes around, it's Coach Gibbs.

Wow. Coach Gibbs. It feels so good to be able to use those words again.

I do have some worries about whether Coach Gibbs (!) and owner Daniel Snyder will be able to work and play well together, but as Michael Wilbon pointed out in his column today, Snyder is in awe of the man. Therefore he's much more likely to give Coach Gibbs the freedom he needs to get the team back in championship shape.

Just when I was almost willing to consider the possibility of switching my allegiance to a different team (like I really could have), my gaze and affection have snapped solidly back in the direction of FedEx Field.

Posted @ 1:57 PM

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Tuesday, January 06, 2004

Today is Epiphany, so it's time for the Christmas decorations to come down. As always, I do so reluctantly, with a feeling of wistful melancholy. But better to take them down now than be the guy who still has plastic reindeer on his roof past St. Patrick's Day.

Posted @ 7:55 AM

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Monday, January 05, 2004

Why is it that, on the first Monday after the holidays, the morning rush hour is twice as bad as a usual Monday? Did everyone forget how to drive between Christmas Eve and today? Have the routes and roads changed so much in the last twelve days that it's thrown the entire DC region into a state of mass confusion? Ugh.

Add to this the fact that I was able to get something under four hours' sleep last night, and you've got the ingredients for a less than stellar day moodwise for me. So far I'm amazingly perky, considering, but I know it's just gonna take one little thing to push me into grumpiness. But if I can keep my head down, avoid others, and only leave my cozy little office to replenish the ol' coffee cup, I should be okay.

It's a good thing Monday Night Football is done for the season. Without that tempting distraction, I should be able to hit the sack very early. Like 9 o'clock early.

Of course, if the evening rush is anything like the morning, I might not get home until 9.

Maybe I'll just scrounge up a cot and sleep at the office tonight...

Posted @ 1:22 PM

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