Padiddle*

I've had at least one eye open for the better part of the day -- a grand improvement over the past four. I'm still an irritable, uncomfortable, phlegmy, miserable mess with a barking cough and the attention span of a gnat, but that's what makes the intartubes wonderful -- they're as good taken in small bites as they are in big gulps.
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I suspect that even if I was feeling better, this would have given me a major case of the sniffles:

Who: Joe Brottman, 15, of Palatine, founded the Taps Brigade, a group of volunteer high school trumpeters who play taps, the haunting, 24-note bugle call played at military funerals and ceremonies.

What he does: Brottman, a sophomore honor roll student, is an award-winning trumpet player in the marching and jazz bands at Fremd High School in Palatine. He formed the nonprofit brigade after he learned that because there are so few buglers left in the military, a recording of taps is very often played at military funerals instead of being performed live.

"It's more respectful for the veterans and more meaningful for the families to have someone playing taps for them," said Brottman.

Go read the rest your own self. Even Donald Mills would approve.
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As far as I'm concerned, this is a novel... and probably valid... argument... but ballsy:

The gay soldiers arrested outside the White House protesting "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will annouce today that they're demanding that President Obama testify in their trial on minor civil disobedience charges.

Their novel argument: Obama himself called on gay rights advocates to pressure him, so they were just following orders.

It's about time the Big Cheese learned to measure twice and cut once with his words.
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Three quick laughs... and if it made me actually crack a smile today, I know it'll give you a giggle:

• Expert riposte.
• How much do you want to bet this brain trust is a gold digger in training?
• The song I'm adopting as my personal anthem, given my own Facebook experience (NSFW):

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Quote of the Day:

"Can you imagine, Obama as President under Acidblogging? Heh." -- Jay Solo (from my comments)

Yes I can, actually. He'd have formed his own legion of pissed off folks, but I suspect he'd have preferred to call it a Whiskey Rebellion... or a Sweet Tea Party.
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Headline News:

'Tessellation' starts Thursday at Subway, avoiding gaps and overlaps

Elisson, my cheese-loving friend? I expect at least a 100 word story!
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That's it. I'm pooped.
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*What? You don't know what a padiddle is?

PSA

There are people in this world that do good things for others. Erik Johnson is one of them.

4 years ago [my good friend] Rob told me he was diagnosed with Chondroblastic Osteosarcoma, a childhood form of bone cancer, and I decided that it was my responsibility, as a friend and teammate, to help him and his family. My way of helping Rob and his family was to raise money to help cover some of the extreme expenses they were sure to have; therefore I decided to start a fundraiser in Rob'sname. I talked with the captain of the competition dance team at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse (UWL) and organized a dance benefit show with the dance team and 12 football players (Rob and I were teammates on the UWL football team). I was responsible for bringing all the dancers and football players together and creating an amazing event that we never thought would last more than one year. The first two years the show took place I danced in the show and organized a large majority of the responsibilities. The last two years I took a step back and helped on a behind the scenes basis. As the spokesperson for, The Rob Wagner Dance Benefit Show, I feel I deserve to win one of the 3 Lionheart's for the Grand Award because of the tremendous impact this event has had, not only on myself and Rob, but the dozens and dozens of other young men and women who have put in hours upon hours of hard work, sweat, tears and emotion to help another person in need.

Help him out by voting here so that he can win $10,000 towards this worthy cause. He's done all the work. All you need to do is click your mouse.

Thanks!

Drive-Bys

I see articles like this that lament the lack of library staff and resources, music and art programs, etc., and I think of the Princess Mom, who was so busy and influential in my own grade school:

While she wasn’t a huggy, kissy mother, she was an involved mother – room mother, den mother, picture lady, she also helped start up and run our elementary school’s library.

Instead of bemoaning what the state isn't giving us, maybe it's time to bring back volunteerism and bring moms and dads back into the classroom on a regular basis, at least until life gets back to "normal" -- whatever that may become.

I know mom was really hurt when she got told, "Thanks a lot for all you've done and don't let the door smack you in the ass on the way out," when the library was up and running and the school district decided to bring in a "real" librarian to run the joint... but she also had the satisfaction of knowing that the library wouldn't have existed in the first place without her and the handful of other moms who conceived it, stocked it, organized it and ran it first (and would probably still be running the darned thing today, given the chance).
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Super Squirrel? I want it. (Blame Helen.)
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I needed an uplifting story today. This one did it:

The night of the fire, I sat at a laptop in the hotel room, eating a takeout order of sesame chicken and answering those e-mails. Dona was asleep, nearly crowded out of the bed by two dogs that couldn't get close enough. Over and over, I read these simple messages offering support and help.

I cracked open the fortune cookie.

"Your wealth is where your friends are."

Too right.
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Easter is coming. Time for Peeps on Parade! (Stop back, as more photos are added daily.)
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Ear Worm of the Day:


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I recently had a dream that included Rahm Emanuel and William Shatner doing a skit wherein they were both channeling smart-ass dogs (black & tan, short coats, Doberman mixes) and Becky (with a boyfriend 10 years her junior in tow) in the same night. While you wrap your head around that odd combination, keep in mind that wasn't as nutty as this... and I don't speak out loud like this.

Still... it was an odd one.