Leslie's Omnibus

Drive-Bys

I think I may have to crawl back to the airport from Jekyll Island. Yikes.
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Leslie

Roadside Diversions

Carnival of the Recipes is up. A very yummy diversion, by the beefcake, for the beefcake.
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As the old saying goes, "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit" -- Latin-style. Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur.
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

I swear that certain office supplies come with a built in expiration date, at which time they sprout legs and run away. Staple pullers. Scissors. Rulers. My favorite ballpoint pens. (I could Super Glue one to my desk, and it would still free itself and flee in less than half a day.) Letter openers. Post-It notes. Paper clips.

They are all wily and despicable escape artists.

(The office supply companies appear to be in on the conspiracy.)

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The awful thing is, I think the office supplies have been talking with my eyeglasses, as my eyeglasses have been playing hide-and-seek for the last couple of weeks. What do I mean? There never where I put them when I took them off... and sometimes it takes me a couple of days to find them. It's a communist plot, I tell you.
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Death to the bastards that did this. I mean it. And WE'RE the infidels???
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Leslie

The Campaign Trail

Jeff rounds up the best of thoughts posted by Iraqi bloggers just before and after their elections. It doesn't get any better than this.
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Oh, yeah. And go see how Ali went from thinking this to thinking this.

"I dipped it deep as if I was poking the eyes of all the world's tyrants."

Amazing, idn't it?
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Smash has more here. I got a little misty-eyed more than once yesterday, too, I'll tell you.
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I'm going to let Alaa have the last word on this subject.
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Leslie

PSA

Another word of thanks to all who said prayers for my Blogdaddy. As you can tell, he's a tough man to keep down.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

Not that I would ever advocate faking it, but... sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. (A tip of the cap to Yarbz at Juggernuts.)
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

Bet you didn't see this in the MSM, did you? Grrrrrrrrrr.
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Leslie

The Campaign Trail

Our elections are over, but Iraq's start in less than 48 hours. Let freedom ring.
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Go here for comprehensive coverage.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

I am putting this on my birthday wish list. (A tip of the cap to Ayelet.) Heh.
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Speaking of birthdays... have a happy one, Mr. Bland!
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Leslie

Rest Stops

Okay. I can't stop giggling. It's all Jeff's fault.
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Leslie

From the Rowdies in the Back of the Bus

Jeff went a little crazy tracking down alternative e-cards. If you're a little tired of Hallmark (although this e-card is truly hilarious), you'll probably find what you're looking for somewhere in his list.
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I gotta order one of these for the Princess Mom. It's about as high tech as she's ever going to get.
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

You know, this not having a television at the might not be the best idea I've ever had. Why? Well, I miss news like this. Jeeze. That's only about 3 blocks from my house.

I go boasting about the new restaurant down the street, and there goes the neighborhood.
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Some people clearly have too much time on their hands. Sheesh. (A tip of the cap to Lair.) The Divine Miss Marilyn says, "A pox on your house."
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I fail to understand how some young people can think this is a myth. Teach your children. Teach them now.
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"The biggest difference between me and conventional bloggers is that I usually pause between first thought and posting."

In the immortal words of Steve Martin, "Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuse me."

I have news for you, Buster. I play around with my posts in draft form all day. Some times I'll let one sit and marinate in its own juices for a couple of days. I frequently edit and re-edit. Many, many of we "conventional bloggers" write as an exercise in creativity and the discipline of putting meaningful thoughts and words together -- not just to see how many links we can string together, and just how fast we can do it.

Wait a minute! I get it. (Mental headslap here.) Since we're not in the newsroom where you can see us working, we must just be tossing this stuff off thoughtlessly and carelessly. I suggest you think again, Pal. Look at folks such as Bill Whittle, Phillip Carter, Professor Bainbridge, Baldilocks, Michele Catalano, Meryl Yourish, Pejman Yousefzade and more and tell me these folks don't edit, re-edit and polish their work to a high gloss. I'll bet you can't.

That's on the one hand. On the other hand, the beauty of blogs is that they can also be so incredibly nimble. How else could Dan Rather and Mary Mapes been brought down so hard and so fast? The MSM were all sitting on their thumbs waiting for some editor's okay to even look at the story while bloggers were debating, examining, and disproving the story -- in fact, doing the MSM's job for them.

God, I hate self-righteous prigs. Especially ones that are two days late and a dollar short in their reporting.

(A tip of the cap to Jeff Jarvis. Good job, Jeff. Obviously this really got my knickers in a knot.)
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Leslie

Roadside Diner

Sometimes something good comes out of not feeling well. I worked late last night and, still feeling kind of blah after four days of the flu, decided to be lazy and check out a new restaurant in my neighborhood. Much to my delight, Sizzle on Broadway turned out to be a real treat. Why?

First, it's in a lovely old building that used to house the Pumping Company -- a local pub that featured all sorts of antique toys hanging from the ceiling. The toys are gone, and the place has certainly gotten far more sophisticated. Brick walls, hardwood floors, a cozy fireplace, modern (and comfortable) seating at the bar, snug leather booths, three different levels.

Next, there was live piano music last night (no cover charge), and the entertainer was great. I understand that live entertainment is unusual during the week there, BUT... on the weekends, they have live blues/jazz/rock/alt country -- also with no cover charge.

Okay. We've got a cozy, inviting atmosphere and good music. What more could you want?

Well, if you're me, you want good food at good prices. And if you can surprise me a little with the menu, more's the better. And surprise you, they do. Whether it's brunch, lunch or dinner, there are some delightful twists to the menu. (And given that this is pretty much a burger joint/greasy spoon kind of neighborhood, this is a very welcome change.) Another reason I really liked the menu is that they have a tasting menu, as well. Personally, I have found that restaurant portion sizes have gotten way out of control. This is a delightful change.

Finally, scroll down the food and drink specials and you'll probably find the bargain I scored last night. Yep. On Wednesday nights they have a $10 ribeye steak dinner. What a bargain! And it's not some piddly 6 oz. deal, either. I had a large steak with red wine reduction sauce, garlic mashed potatoes (a tad salty) and fresh green beans and carrots. Okay -- maybe the steak could have been a little more tender. But for that portion and that price, I really can't complain. In fact, I'm taking Buckaroo Bonsai next Wednesday night. And we're definitely going to have to try the brunch.

One last thing. It's really in a great location, reachable by the Broadway bus or the Granville stop on the Red Line... and only two blocks away from chez moi! Eat your hearts out.

[A note to the owners/managers of Sizzle -- Bring Barrelhouse Bonni back soon. She was terrific.]
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Update: (2/3/05) A second visit was equally as wonderful. A couple of things to note: 1) the ribeye is a 12-ouncer; 2) they do run out, so order early; 3) if they do happen to run out of the ribeyes, the chicken cacciatore is wonderful. My friends were so impressed, we're going to try the brunch soon!
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

Gah! I hate being sick. After four days in bed with the flu, you couldn't have kept me away from work for ANY reason. I am a lousy patient, so I don't inflict myself on anyone but the Divine Miss Marilyn when I'm sick. She's the only one who would put up with me in that state -- and she not only puts up with it, she loves it.

I did notice one thing over those four days. A cat's gravity increases in direct proportion to the amount of time it remains in the same position. That's how a five pound kitty turns into a fifteen pound dead weight in the space of about an hour. (Ask any cat owner, and they'll confirm this phenomenon.) How do they do that???
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Oh. My. Gawd. I just looked out the window, and it's snowing again. I may as well kiss my Kia goodbye until Spring rolls around. It's buried under about a foot of snow already -- not to mention what the snow plows pushed around it. Argh! I hate street parking.
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Will somebody remind me to never, Never, NEVER buy another Fern Michaels novel? Would that I could return Crown Jewel like I could any other unsatisfactory consumer product I know of. I mean, who else could sum up a screwed up family relationship and a stint in rehab in seven pages or less? Stupid names. Stupid, stock characters. Idiotic plot line. Writing even TMBCITW could improve on (and she's only 2-1/2). I want my $7.99 back. Right now.
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Yowza! Citizen Smash hits one right out of the park.
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Leslie

From the Rowdies in the Back of the Bus

Speaking of my Blogdaddy's sense of humor, he sent this:

DR PHIL'S INNER PEACE

I am passing this on to you because it definitely worked for me and we all could use more calm in our lives. By following the simple advice I heard on a Dr. Phil show, I have finally found inner peace.

Dr. Phil proclaimed the way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started. So I looked around my house to see things I started and hadn't finished; and, before leaving the house this morning I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Baileys, a bottle of Kahlua, a package of Oreos, the remainder of both Prozac and Valium prescriptions, the rest of the Cheesecake, some Saltines and a box of Chocolates.

You have no idea how freaking good I feel.
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Once again, the Manolo he has me all over the monitor spewing. Also, go here and scroll down to the "Dansko" post. (If you can read any of these with a straight face, you're a better man than I, Gunga Din.)
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Marian sends 30 Lines to Make You Smile:


My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God and I didn't.

I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.

I Work Hard Because Millions On Welfare Depend on Me!

Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.

I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Don't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive.

You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me. [I don't know why, but this one resonates with me today.]

Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.

I'm not a complete idiot --Some parts are missing.

Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.

NyQuil, the stuffy, sneezy, why-the-heck-is-the-room-spinning medicine.

God must love stupid people; He made so many.

The gene pool could use a little chlorine.

Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?

Being "over the hill" is much better than being under it!

Wrinkled Was Not One of the Things I Wanted to Be When I Grew up.

Procrastinate Now!

I Have a Degree in Liberal Arts; Do You Want Fries With That?

A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance

Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere!

They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken.

He who dies with the most toys is nonetheless dead.

A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up three thousand times the memory.

Ham and eggs. A day's work for a chicken, a lifetime commitment for a pig.

The trouble with life is there's no background music.

The original point and click interface was a Smith and Wesson.

I smile because I don't know what the hell is going on.
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The Sweetheart of Shell Knob, Missouri sent this:

COWS: Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington. They also tracked her calves to their stalls... but they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give them all a cow.

CONSTITUTION: They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq.Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it's worked for over 200 years and we're not using itanymore.

TEN COMMANDMENTS: The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a Courthouse... you cannot post "Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not commit adultery," and "Thou shalt not bear false witness" in a building full of lawyers, judges, and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment!!
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Leslie

Roadside Diversions

Carnival of the Cats is up at Music and Cats, and it's a dandy.
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Leslie

PSA

I talked to my Blogdaddy last night. Surgery is imminent. Prayers gratefully accepted. In the meantime, it's nice to see he's keeping his sense of humor intact about the whole thing. (Egads!)
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

This is just the coolest thing going. But I sure do wish we could get these critters shipped over to Iraq before the elections. (A tip of the cap to Spoons for the picture.) Looks like the long arm of the military just got a lot longer. Let's build a whole lot more, while we're at it.

Damn, Skippy! This might could change the whole color of how warfare is waged.
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I knew about the latter, but I didn't know the former... and I live in Chicago. Sheesh.
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What kind of leader am I? According to this test:

Wackiness: 40/100
Rationality: 54/100
Constructiveness: 72/100
Leadership: 54/100

You are a SRCL--Sober Rational Constructive Leader. This makes you a Ayn Rand ideal. Taggart? Roark? Galt? You are all of these. You were born to lead. You may not be particularly exciting, but you have a strange charisma--born of intellect and personal drive--that people begin to notice when they have been around you a while. You don't like to compromise, but you recognize when you have to. You care absolutely nothing what other people think, and this somehow attracts people to you. Treat them well, use them wisely, and ascend to your rightful rank.

Of the 81439 people who have taken this quiz since tracking began (8/17/2004), 5.5 % are this type. [It figures.]

(A tip of the cap to Acidman.)
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Boy, oh, boy! Buckaroo Bonsai, charter member of the Weather Channel Fan Club, is going to love this, as will all Chicago weather geeks -- my brother, included.
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Leslie

Roadside Diversions

Carnival of the Recipes. 'Nuff said. Just go there.
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

What the Rifleman said. Word up.
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Leslie

From the Rowdies in the Back of the Bus

That nut Nancy V. sent this:

The Washington Post's Style Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:

1. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

2. Foreploy (v): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

3. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

4. Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

5. Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

6. Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

7. Hipatitis (n): Terminal coolness.

8. Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

9. Karmageddon (n): It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

10. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

11. Glibido (v): All talk and no action.

12. Dopeler effect (n): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

13. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

14. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

15. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

And the pick of the literature:

16. Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
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Leslie

PSA

Blackfive has a prayer request for you. Please check it out.
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And while you're working on those prayers, add one for my Blogdaddy, who's having some kind of a lump removed today. Scary stuff.
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Leslie

From the Rowdies in the Back of the Bus

Jeff Jarvis pointed me toward this nifty new JibJab video just in time for the inauguration. Giggles galore!
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Velociman spins an Athens Tale that had me spewing all over the monitor. (Is it any wonder why I’m going to Jekyll Island in April?)
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The kids in my firm would go crazy if they saw these. Heh! (A tip of the cap to the Paratrooper of Love himself.)
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Want to have some fun with the subject line from spam emails? Go here. (A tip of the cap to my Blogdaddy.) Who knew spam could be so much fun?
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

Patrick delivers a smackdown to Barbara Boxer.
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Ah! A sheriff after my own heart.
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

Damned if we do, damned if we don't. *Sigh*
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How many big bombs like this are the networks going to foist on us before they stop insulting the intelligence of the American viewing public?
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You want to know the answer to this? Go read this. And quit whinging about it, for cripes sake. (A tip of the cap to Ann Althouse.)
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

Did you see the great big flash of light and then the mushroom cloud on the horizon this morning?

Yep.

That was me as I started reading this.
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Leslie

Tootin' the Horn

I'm going to see Spamalot tonight with Buckaroo Bonsai, my Blogdaddy and assorted other friends, and I can't wait.

David Hyde Pierce.

Tim Curry.

Hank Azaria.

Together.

Ooooo!!! (I'm so excited.)
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UPDATE: Pure Monty Python gold. My blogdaddy, curmudgeonly and skeptical as he claims to be, giggled like a teenager through the whole thing.

The standout of the show? Funnily enough, none of the big boys. It was Sara Ramirez (The Lady of the Lake) who absolutely stole the show in the same splashy, over-the-top style as Bernadette Peters or Madeline Kahn.

Tim Curry was Tim Curry.

DHP was DHP times two.

Hank Azaria, on the other hand, was curiously flat. I'm not sure if it was the character (Lancelot) or what, but he just didn't do it for me. (Maybe it's that it was live theater, as opposed to film or small screen.) A small, but notable, disappointment.

Kudos to Eric Idle for some of the funniest lyrics ever heard. I'll have to get the CD when it comes out.

One final note -- the show started off a little show and dragged a bit in places, but I'm sure it'll be tighted up by the time it hits Broadway. Thumbs up.
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Leslie

Wide Open Spaces

Well, what do you know? The earth may be round, but the universe is flat and expanding.
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Leslie

PSA

There's a pledge drive going on, and it won't cost you a cent. Just post a comment. (A tip of the cap to Andy.)
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Leslie

Wide Open Spaces

Flyby and Impactor are set to unlock the inner secrets of comets.
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1500 times bigger than the sun? Whoa.
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Leslie

Rubber-Necking

What we have here is a failure to communicate.
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This sounds like a cross between a Tom Clancy spy thriller and a John Grisham legal potboiler.
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This will raise the hair on the back of your neck.
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Eye-popping headline of the week: "Man Eats Raw Duck Before Undies Save Him" Huh?
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This reminds me of that old "St. Elsewhere" episode where the MRI sucked Mrs. Hufnagle's bed down through the floor above it.
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Here's your discussion topic for the day. Read it all. Think real hard about it. Then, have at it.
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Leslie

From the Rowdies in the Back of the Bus

My friend Robert sent this:


A police officer pulls over a speeding car. The officer says, "I clocked you at 80 miles per hour, sir."

The driver says, "Gee, officer I had it on cruise control at 60, perhaps your radar gun needs calibrating."

Not looking up from her knitting the wife says: "Now don't be silly dear, you know that this car doesn't have cruise control."

As the officer writes out the ticket, the driver looks over at his wife and growls, "Can't you please keep your mouth shut for once?"

The wife smiles demurely and says, "You should be thankful your radar detector went off when it did."

As the officer makes out the second ticket for the illegal radar detector unit, the man glowers at his wife and says through clenched teeth, "Darn it, woman, can't you keep your mouth shut?"

The officer frowns and says, "And I notice that you're not wearing your seat belt, sir. That's an automatic $75 fine."

The driver says, "Yeah, well, you see officer, I had it on, but took it off when you pulled me over so that I could get my license out of my back pocket."

The wife says, "Now, dear, you know very well that you didn't have your seat belt on. You never wear your seat belt when you're driving."

And as the police officer is writing out the third ticket the driver turns to his wife and barks, "WHY DON'T YOU PLEASE SHUT UP??"

The officer looks over at the woman and asks, "Does your husband always talk to you this way, Ma'am?"

"Only when he's been drinking."
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Eric, Eric, Eric. What are we going to do with you?
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Best caption of the day, hands down.
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"hairy man-jubblies"??? The horror, indeed.
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Leslie

PSA

Speaking of prayers, if you've got a moment, please say one for my friend Donna. She's a diabetic whose system gets thrown way out of whack every time she gets a stomach virus, and she's back in the hospital for the second time in six months.

She's my buddy. We guard each other's backs at work. She laughs at my terrible jokes.

I'm worried about her. Your prayers have helped my mom. I know they'd help Donna, too.

Many thanks.
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UPDATE: I talked to Donna today. Good thing she hauled her happy behind into the hospital -- she was in the beginning stages of renal failure. Thank heaven above for IV fluids. She's improving slowly.

See? Your prayers do make a difference. Again, many thanks.
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Leslie

The Mom Update

Good news! The chemo appears to be working. The tumor has shrunk quite a bit.

The so-so news? The CAT scan shows some new nodules on the lower lobe of the same lung.

Mom's oncologist was very upbeat, however. Since Mom has planned a cruise around her chemo schedule (yes, another one!), she'll be having two more courses of six weeks of chemo. Then she'll undergo radiation. But that's after the February cruise... and before the spring cruise. Plus, she's got golf, bridge, circle and all sorts of other stuff to keep her busy.

I told you she's made liars out of doctors before!

Once again, thanks for keeping those prayers coming. Every one helps.
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

There are none better than this, my friends. I stand in awe.
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"Close your ears, sphincterhead." Heh! (She's right, you know.)
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Have you added the Diplomad to your favorites yet? No? Just do it.
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Leslie

Rubber-Necking

Great. 1st Sargent in the loon platoon, I think.
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Acidman is worth $1,610,234.91. Velociman is worth $2,741,964.09. The most expensive person in the world is worth $4,892,410.42.

I'm worth $2,083,280.34! How much are you worth?
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Egad!
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Curses! Foiled again. I was really looking forward to pictures.
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Leslie

Carnival of the Cats

Welcome to this week's Carnival of the Cats! Once again, I'm overwhelmed with the number and quality of the submissions. Thanks to everyone who sent in links. Haven't submitted before, but think it looks fun? Send your submissions for next week's Carnival to cats-at-isfullofcrap-dot-com (hosted by I be JO). Want to host? Contact Lair at laurence-at-isfullofcrap-dot-com. It's a lot of fun. (And you get to see all the submissions before anyone else does.)

Ready? Okay, buckle up, and lets get this bus rolling.
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First stop? Why, Buckaroo Central for the meeting of the significant others, of course.
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Tig and Gracie are mugging for the camera over at Meryl's place. Read the "Fight! Fight!" post here to learn how Tig and Gracie defend home and hearth.
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Petra pontificates on Dead Pool picks.
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Frank J. has a new kitten. Help him pick a nifty name for her.
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It's amazing what Key finds entertaining at 2:00 in the morning.
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My favorite Grouchy Old Cripple sends New Years greetings to Acidman (the world's biggest cat lover -- HAH!). (A tip of the cap to Darcy, who also saw this post and passed it on.)
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Zonker serves up a perfectly good reason to get a cat. (Heh!)
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Vodkapundit has a visitor -- a really cute visitor.
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Jack's kitty finds the warmest (and tastiest) spot in the house. And then he finds his best pal.
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Clay sends us a little road kill. Hey! Let's be careful out there.
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Steve says, "Here you have Hakuna and Matata acting like nice sisters. But any moment now, Matata will bite Hakuna's ass. No good deed - facial grooming included - goes unpunished in Kitty World."

Steve works, Matata lurks.
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Colin posts pictures of his own traveling companions. Your Omnibus Driver approves.
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Steve has partnered with the Orange County Animal Shelter in Chapel Hill, NC, to feature traveling companions needing good homes. Go have a look. And if you know anyone in the area looking for a pet, spread the word.
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Jazz says, "Our fat cat came home for a visit from fat camp. She's still a huge tub." (Fat camp. I love it.)
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Kimberly does a riff on soft white throats.
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Mira sends two posts -- a cat's list of New Year's resolutions (major spew alert) and advise for your cat on what not to wear. (I'm sure the Manolo and the Fugly Girls would concur.)
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Kat proves that cats and men do go together nicely.
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Dave drags out his wallet and passes it around the Omnibus to show off cute photos of the kids. (Can you tell that he's a proud papa?)
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Michael shows off his beautiful Harley. ("Getcher motor runnin'. Head out on the highway." Nope. More like "Born to be Mild.")
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Kathryn says Pixel is finally learning to make herself comfortable.
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Sissy shows us how Tiny and SpongeBob supervise installation of the new equipment.
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Bruce the Human Pet presents Ferdinand T. Cat demonstrating the "withering look." (With good reason, I might add!)
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Brendan's cats have made the move to new quarters. He also sends this little tidbit that's just too farookin' funny. (And here's a little shout-out to the Boi from Troi, who made it all possible.)
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Thomas passes on Feakin's tale of woe.
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Ever been someone's cat's paw? Sharon delves into the definitions. And look what won her the "prettiest CAR" award in the Feministe Anti-Awards. Yup. Cute always works.
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Douglas must have known I'm a sucker for a redhead. Even a pissed off redhead.
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The Carnival's Ringmaster proves once and for all that it's a Zionist conspiracy.
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One of Maggie's moggies is making bed bumps. Carlos, however, is strutting his stuff.
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Matt shares Daphne and Chloe eploring the universe from the insides of their eyelids.
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Rahel and Hakuna have a mutual admiration society thing going on. One cat. Two blogs. Wow!
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More New Year's resolutions from Melvin and Lorax. (Thanks again, Darcy!)
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Watching out the kitchen window, Psycho Kitty is guarding Mog's yard.
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Rusty is thinking deep thoughts. A disciple of Jack Handy, perhaps?
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Still haven't killed those cat cravings? Wander on over to the Friday Ark at the Modulator. Sheesh. If that doesn't do it, nothing will.
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Dragonfly Jenny introduces Josie Starshine. Welcome to the Carnival!
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Zozo sends us a picture of her friend's new kitten, Dulcie, snuggling up to her housmate, asweet male named Rufus. ("The other adult cat, Suki went nuts and madepoor Dulcie's first few days a bit hectic, but as you can see allthings are workin' out fine.") We always welcome new traveling companions here, Zozo!
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Well, it's the end of the route folks. Hope you enjoyed the trip. Be sure to take a moment and read some of the regular posts by folks who submitted here. They're some pretty cool cats, one and all. Who knows? You just might find a couple of new people to add to your favorites. It's happened more than once to me.

Here's a toot of the horn and a tip of the cap to one and all!
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Leslie

Traveling Companions

Lately your Omnibus Driver has been traveling a lot on the weekends, and the divine Miss Marilyn Monrex has stayed home to guard le (tres) petit chateaux. This weekend, Buckaroo Bonsai and I decided to conduct a little 'speriment and see how she and the charming Miss Tiger Boots would get along.

Accordingly, I packed up a small litter pan, fleecy kitty bed and collapsible show "cage" made of ripstop, mesh and clear plastic (in case a "time out" corner was needed), popped the Divine Miss M into her carrier, and headed off to Bonsai Central.

Because the two girls have such different purrsonalities (Tiger Boots being a more 4-on-the floor, occasional lap kitty; the Divine Miss M being much more of the "velcro" purrsuasion), I was hoping that their purrsonalities would harmoize, rather than clash. But, having owned, bred and shown cats for a long time, I made sure to hedge my bets and provide the Divine Miss M with a safe house if a round or two of Rock-em Sock-em Robots turned out to be the main event.

Prepare for the worst.

Hope for the best.

Much to our surprise, there's been a minimum of hissing, no spitting, and no swiping at each other. The "time out" corner has gotten no use. They're more interested in each other than afraid.

Hmmmm.

The omens and portents are looking good all the way around. I see more travel in both our futures.
Leslie

Roadside Diversions

The Carnival of the Recipes is up! Mmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
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Don't forget I'm hosting the Carnival of the Cats this Sunday. Get your posts in to cats-at-isfullofcrap-dot-com.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

I don't have kids of my own, but if I did, I think I'd be tempted to home school. Very tempted. Kim du Toit has a long and thoughtful post about why he and his wife home school, and gives a detailed example of the curriculum they use.

No wonder home-schooled kids are winning science fairs and national spelling bees!
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Leslie

Wide Open Spaces

The big burp?

"It's like a 300lb person eating 100lb of meat in one sitting." Eek.
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

As you can imagine, this sent flames shooting out my ears. Argh!
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Dear God, there are some sick people in this world.
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Fumes? You want fumes? Here you go. It's a doozy, too.
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Leslie

PSA

Dean Esmay has a really important announcement about how you can get donated items directly to tsunami victims. Still haven't done your part? Just go there.
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Leslie

End of the Line

Here's a really nice tribute to Artie Shaw.
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Leslie

From the Rowdies in the Back of the Bus

Snerk!
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A cheese BRA? I'm a girl and I wouldn't wear the darned thing if you paid me. I take my hat off to this guy. (I'll bet Pejman would understand this kind of loyalty to his beloved Bears.)
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I really do want to meet Michele some day. Sometimes she's a girl after my own heart.
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

The reason you buy trip insurance is so that you don't have to resort to the court system to resolve crap like this later. It's all in the contract each passenger has to sign. Sheesh.
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Can you spell F-L-A-M-I-N-G A-S-S-H-A-T???
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I'm with Jeff on this, and have been since I first heard about the case. This is a tragedy all the way around. Why not get the poor woman the help that she needs, rather than leaving her to rot in jail? Can you think of any worse punishment -- ever -- than the guilt she'll undergo when she's finally mentally healthy enough to realize what she did?
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Leslie

Wide Open Spaces

NASA has finally given the go ahead to develop a method of repair for the Hubble telescope. Yahoo!
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It's about time.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

It's deja vu all over again. I hope he stays in Lebanon. Our marines don't need him.
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I'll bet this place would be a kick on International Talk Like a Pirate Day.
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Ah, the byproducts of lawsuits!
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Just when you begin to think that working at Wal-Mart would not be in your best interest, something like this happens.
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Relationships, life, and work can be like this. Heh. (A tip of the cap to Zonker!)

P.S. -- Can we play this instead of half rubber when we go to Jekyll Island?
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Leslie

Traveling Companions

There are some strangely sweet ones out there, no? Here's another.
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Acid Dude is right (even if he does hate cats). Go help if you can.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

The three things you're never supposed to discuss in public are art, religion and politics, right? Well a couple of bloggers I really respect have done the unthinkable and taken on the religion issue. Start with Velociman, and be sure to click all the links. Really thoughtful writing. (And, as I'm sure you know, I'm in total agreement with Queenie.)
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Leslie

Wide Open Spaces

Only two more weeks before Huygens lands!
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

I'm with Damien. Word up, Dude.
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Leslie

Drive-Bys

Pejman points to an interesting "thought experiment." Fascinating stuff.

And what do I believe that I can't prove? I believe I've got readers out there... but can't prove it by my comments! (I know, I know. If I'd put up a Site Meter I'd have a clue. But since I'm technologically challenged...)
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I'm going to take Eric and Dax up on their challenges:

Five Historical People I'd Really Like to Go Drinking With

Tallulah Bankhead
P.T. Barnum
Thomas Bertram Costain, author of "The Tontine"
Herbert Humphrey
Phoebe Moses

Five Historical People I Would NOT Want to Go Drinking With

Lucretia Borgia
Mary Ann Cotton
Carrie Nation
Herman Goering
Caligula

Now you know.
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Yes, but can we paint'em red for him?
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Leslie

Roadside Diversions

The Professor rounds up the Carnivals so I don't have to!
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Speaking of Carnivals, I'll be hosting the Carnival of the Cats again this Sunday. Get your submissions in! (And if you see a cat post by someone who doesn't usually submit to the Carnival (and may not even know it exists), email me with the link, please!)
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Leslie

Wide Open Spaces

Wow! Has it really been a year? Happy Anniversary, Mars rovers!
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Sneak a peek at what Cassini's view of the Huygens landing on Titan will look like.
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Leslie

Tootin' the Horn

Let's hear it for the doctors that came up with this innovative and successful rabies treatment. Good on you, docs!
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I've got a lot of things to be thankful for these days:
  • Mom just completed her first 6-week course of chemo with no really bad side effects. If her CAT scan (tomorrow) turns out well, she'll begin another 6-week course next week. And the first oncologist didn't think she'd last six months. HAH!
  • I couldn't ask for a better brother, sister-in-law, nephew or niece. Period.
  • Things are warming up with my sister. Patience does sometimes do the trick.
  • Buckroo Bonsai (or "that Buck guy" as my friend Dick calls him) and I have gained quite a bit of traction in our relationship in the last couple of months. As you can imagine, traction is very important to an Omnibus Driver.
  • Making the leap from one long email of jokes to actually blogging. A year ago I couldn't have told you what a blog was.
  • A job I love, working for people I love. How many people do you know that can claim they've worked for the same guy since 1989?
  • New friends.
  • Old friends.
  • Seeing places I've never been before.
  • Being more at peace with myself than I've been in years.

If you're reading this, you, too, are a person I'm very greatful for.

Here's a big toot of the horn on the Omnibus to you all!

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Leslie

End of the Line

I really admired this woman, and wish I had been old enough to vote for her. Godspeed, Ms. Chisholm.
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Don't know how I missed this last Thursday, but the world has lost a great musician. Keep on swingin' in Heaven, Mr. Shaw.
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Leslie

Bus Fumes

Is anyone paying attention to this? It's seriously scaring the willies out of me.

P. S. -- I have serious doubts about the intelligence of a parent playing with a red laser pointer with a young child, let alone a green one. They might not be a Red Rider BB gun that'll put your eye out, but lasers sure as heck can blind you if you don't know what you're doing with them. Moron.
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Meryl points this out. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No matter what we do, some people in the rest of the world will always think we suck eggs. What? We aren't the good guys here?
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The Professor may be right... but what the heck took them so long?
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Jeeze Louise! Will somebody introduce the Archbishop of Canterbury to Rabbi Kushner, James Dobson, Philip Yancey and a whole host of others? (Hat tip to the good folks at Samizdata.) Shame on His Eminence. Surely if I can find this stuff online, so can he.
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Leslie

Wide Open Spaces

While Huygens is taking its time drifting down to Titan, Cassini is sending back pictures of more of Saturn's moons.
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Looks like we'll see some real life Space Cowboys in the near future. Yeeeeeeeeeeee-Hawwwwwwwww!!!
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Leslie

Roadside Diversions

Carnival of the Cats is up at Villa MartiniPundit.

Carnival of the Dogs is up, too.
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Leslie

Rules of the Road

The Manolo, he is now blogging for the super fantastic man. Want to look your best, guys? Follow the fashion rules of the Manolo!
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Leslie