The End of the Line

Farewell, Brendan. How lucky you were to be loved so well!

Drive-Bys

This one is for the ladies. I couldn't have said it better myself.
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Have yourselves a lovely holiday weekend! (See you Tuesday.)

Drive-Bys

This is just creepy. But I bet I know a couple of guys who'll think that's pretty cool beans. Ugh!
_____

Don't like it? Then don't act suspicious, you morons. People have a right to feel safe on an airplane. Get over it.

And by the way -- speak English. You're in America.
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Same goes for this guy, whose attitude makes me Sikh... er, sick.
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Bus Fumes

Still not convinced that the Chinese are not our friends? Here's today's lineup of recalls and other related stuff:

• 27,000 crayon and paint sets recalled
• Woman claims made-in-China flip-flops injured feet
• Maggot-filled chocolates, anyone?
  

Ah, yes! The trustworthy Chinese. Just so we're crystal clear how much they love us:

Mattel has only itself to blame for a huge toy recall that has stoked global alarm about Chinese-made goods, state media said on Thursday, charging that a slew of foreign safety scares had exposed a protectionist agenda.

You see?

"If it comes down to blame, then it all lies with the U.S. side," the paper said of the Mattel magnet recall, noting that the problem was a design defect. "The Chinese manufacturer only produced according to those specifications."

Yes, indeed -- it's all our fault.

Boycott Chinese products. Check labels. Hit'em in the pocketbooks, won't you?

Rubber-Necking

The news is always full of the weird, but is anyone else seeing a pattern lately?

Jeeze, Louise!

You'd think that there were a bunch of reporters out there with the same motivation as Contagion's kid, wouldn't you?

Drive-Bys

For my mommy blogging friends like Kate, Angie, Crystal, Moogie and more, this hilarious woman made my day, and I hope she makes yours, too:

In the bakery, they’re giving away free samples of coffee cake and of course, my kids all take one. The toddler decides he doesn’t like it and proceeds to spit it out in my hand. (That’s what moms do. We put our hands in front of our children’s mouths so they can spit stuff into them. We’d rather carry around a handful of chewed up coffee cake, than to have the child spit it out onto the floor. I’m not sure why this is, but ask any mom and she’ll tell you the same.) Of course, there’s no garbage can around, so I continue shopping one-handed while searching for someplace to dispose of the regurgitated mess in my hand.

In the meat department, a mother with one small baby asks me, “Wow! Are all six yours?”

I answer her, “Yes, but I’m thinking of selling a couple of them.”

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Chicagopedia... because if you're coming to town, you really do need to understand us.
_____

I look forward to the day when stuff like this isn't front page news any more because it has lost the power to shock or be relevant. Won't that be wonderful?
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Gotta remember to get my ticket tonight.
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He described Gilman as "very remorseful."

I'll bet. Because she got caught. Must be a long-lost relative of Michael Vick's.
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Bus Fumes

Styles says he never saw corruption by U.S. officers but think (sic) it may have happened. "I wouldn't doubt it. There was so much going on there. If anyone had any integrity ssues (sic) I could see it happening." (Emphasis mine.)

Now there's superior reporting. I never saw it, but it's probably true. Superb. Just superb.

Tummy Tuesdays

The Divine Miss Marilyn is not cooperating in the least for Tummy Tuesday, so I pulled this photo of Tiger Boots, who was always happy to oblige, from the archives.

I miss that silly girl, but know she's keeping Buckaroo Bonsai on his toes and out of trouble, so that's a good thing.
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For more feline tummy goodness (a lot more than you'll see here!), go visit Lisa Violet's place.

Tootin' the Horn

I have a dear friend Adam who's a talented cartoonist. He whipped me off my own character in a matter of minutes. Thanks, Adam!

Drive-Bys

For my BlogDaddy. More RPG Motivational posters can be found here.

(A tip of the cap to the LawDawg.)
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You Are Midnight

You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits. Whether you're a nightowl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle. Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it. You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Via Jay.
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Your Passion is Purple

Sophisticated and classy, you're a bit picky about sex. You're more likely to be turned on by a fancy hotel room than a dirty flick. Sex is fine enough, as long as it doesn't mess up your hair. For you, sex is more about power and favors than actually pleasure.

What Color Is Your Passion?

Dunno who wrote this one, but a couple of those things are definitely untrue!
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You Are Bold And Brave

But daring? Not usually? You tend to like to make calculated risks. So while you may not be base jumping any time soon... You are up for whatever's new and (a little) exciting!

How Daring Are You?

Yup.
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If you love movies or television (especially sitcoms), you should be reading Ken Levine. Why? I'll give you three good reasons why right here.
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Quote of the day:

It was the most fun I've had in weeks, I tell you. It was downright un-Christian, the way I savored the experience.

If you aren't reading the CrankyProf, you're really missing the good stuff. In fact, she cusses as creatively as this guy... and I hope she knows that that's a real compliment!
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Back to the Blogthings:

You Are 40% Bitchy

You're a pretty sweet person, and you're definitely not prone to bitchy outbursts. Sometimes, though, you can't help thinking mean thoughts about people. But at least you don't act on them!

How Bitchy Are You?

Blame it on Richmond, okay? This one, too:

You Are a Strawberry Blonde

Men see you as flirtatious, but they also see you as a challenge because you're totally fearless and carefree You've got the lightheartedness of a blonde, with the attitude of a redhead

How Blonde Are You?

Actually, I do have natural red highlights.

You Should Be a Cherry Redhead

Sexy, dramatic, but still sweetly feminine. Perfect for getting out of the hair color doldrums!

What Kind of Redhead Should You Be?

That's more like it!
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I wonder if the University of Washington will have to buy carbon offsets as a result? All that ruminant methane, you know... Even when you go for the green you can't win!

Drive-Bys

Yep. That's where I'll be until Monday.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Road Conditions

Headline of the day:

Major Storms Pound Chicagoland

And boy, howdy, they're not exaggerating!

It was 90 degrees and sunny when I left the house this morning. It's pitch black and pouring out right now.

(Grrrrrrrrrrreat day for me to leave the house with neither rain duds nor brolly.)

Drive-Bys

First it was New Zealand ruminant cattle getting the blame. Now Scandinavian moose are getting in on the act. But if you want to talk some serious methane emissions, can you imagine the damage dinosaur farts must have done to the atmosphere??? Seriously, folks...
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Chinese manufacturing standards. Gotta love them. (Yes, the boycott continues.)
_____

Who handed these idiots their Food Police badges?

(I hope they realize that some day their children are going to do stuff like this and worse to them when they get to that age.)
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Speaking of boycotts, how about boycotting anything that moron Stephon Marbury shills for, as well.
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Listen to Denise Brown. The chick talks truth.

Tootin' the Horn

I believe in magic. Do you?

(And congratulations you crazy kids!)

Tummy Tuesdays

The Divine Miss Marilyn and I once again have a failure to communicate when it comes to convincing her to pose for Tummy Tuesday. I think it means show it off. She seems to think it means hide it completely.
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For more feline tummy goodness (a lot more than you'll see here!), go visit Lisa Violet's place.

Bus Fumes

With all of the publicity about the pedophile priests in the Catholic church, you'd think folks would learn a lesson, but... nooooooooooooooo. Some nutball preacher thinks it's okay to bring not one, but two multiple sex offenders into his church and put them in positions of responsibility.

A second convicted sex offender was invited into a worship role at a southwest suburban Southern Baptist church, where Jeff Hannah, a multiple sex offender, had been preaching with the church's blessing since being paroled from prison in 2001, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

Hannah, 42, who had sexual relations with four teens while youth minister at a Lake County church, invited his neighbor, Bryan Buckley, to lead special music at a Sept. 9 celebration service at First Baptist Church in Romeoville, according to Buckley and church officials.

Yes, I believe in paying the consequences for your actions. Yes, I believe in forgiveness. No, on the other hand -- I don't believe in forgetting, especially when there are children involved.

Hannah and the Rev. Charles Hamby, the church's pastor, abruptly resigned last week after the Sun-Times began asking questions. Hamby said Sunday that he saw nothing wrong with putting two child molesters into worship roles.

"We're a church that believes in grace and redemption," he said.

Christa Brown, founder of StopBaptistPredators.org, said she believes that God can change hearts, but only God can know if a person has truly changed.

"Churches shouldn't take a blind eye; the risk to kids is too great," she said.

(Emphasis mine)

Good on you, Ms. Brown.
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Still not convinced to boycott all products from China until they tighten up their manufacturing and export requirements? Try this and this. Read the labels on everything. If it says "Made in China," just say NO.
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If it is wrong to use vouchers to simply subsidize parochial schools, then this is even more wrong. Islam is religion. Separation of church and state, anyone?

Tootin' the Horn

It's a boy! Stop on over and wish Jay, Deb, Sadie and Valerie congratulations on the newest additional to the Solo/Jedi/Blogblivion family.

Drive-Bys

I've been having those weird dreams that start almost before my eyes are close and last all night long -- epic in length and scope -- once again. Thus, this Blogthing from Livey hits close to home:

What Your Dreams Mean...

Your dreams seem to show that you're a bit disturbed... but nothing serious. You may have a problem you're trying to work out in your sleep. Overall, you are very content in your life. Your dreams tend to reflect your insecurities. Your dreams indicate that you have very conflicted feelings. You have a very vivid imagination and a rich creative mind. You secretly want to hide your dreams from your waking mind.

What Do Your Dreams Mean?

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Your Brain is Purple

Of all the brain types, yours is the most idealistic. You tend to think wild, amazing thoughts. Your dreams and fantasies are intense. Your thoughts are creative, inventive, and without boundaries. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking of fictional people and places - or a very different life for yourself.

What Color Is Your Brain?

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You Are Italian Food

Comforting yet overwhelming. People love you, but sometimes you're just too much.

What Kind of Food Are You?

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If you can read this without laughing out loud, you're a better man than I, Gunga Din. Go ahead. I double dog dare you.
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Traveling Companions

The Divine Miss Marilyn has come out of hiding now that she's heard the news that her Main Swain will be back in circulation soon!
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The 178th edition of the Carnival of the Cats will be hosted on 8/19 by Stranger Ranger. There are more weekly cats at Weekend Cat Blogging #115 hosted on 8/18-8/19 by Catsynth. Do go shout out at The Catbloggers Frappr Map.

Bus Fumes

The Brown family is the only group that has shown any decorum in the years following the O.J. Simpson trial for the murders of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson.

The Juice should be ashamed of himself for penning "If I Did It," but then again, The Juice has never displayed one ounce of common sense or good taste.

The Goldman family, on the other hand, are demonstrating that it was all about the money and not about keeping the memories alive.

Schmucks.

My sincerest condolences to the Brown family. I, for one, will not be purchasing or reading that pile of dreck.

Bus Fumes

Surely you've heard about the latest recall of toys made in China that may contain lead paint? But have you heard about this???

Check the labels on everything you purchase. If it's made in China, put it back on the shelf, m'kay?

Until the Chinese government starts tightening controls on stuff like this, the boycott continues.
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Umm, Bishop Sir? I don't know what bloody Bible you're reading, but the one I've read all my life says absolutely not. Idiot.

Drive-Bys

Arghhhhhhhh!!!!! I've got a new ear worm courtesy of Overheard in New York:

Hispanic man singing loudly to tune of 'Yellow Submarine': We all live in your mother's dungarees, your mother's dungarees, your mother's dungarees...

--35th St & 7th Ave

Overheard by: CCF

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My mother's sweet, butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth, 92 year old friend Lydia was explaining to Mom that the latest and greatest golfing slang term is "FABIO."

What's it mean?

F*cking Awful, But It's On.

It made me laugh, okay?
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Kharma. It's a beautiful thing.
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A couple more Blogthings:

You Are Aphrodite!

A total shining star with a ton of admirers And no wonder: you live life to the fullest! When things get bad, you can easily take off to a happier place But occasionally, you need to deal with problems head on

What Goddess Are You?

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You Are Picky When it Counts

Like most sane women, you want a great guy who will treat you well. But you're also willing to put up with a few flaws in your Mr. Right You should congratulate yourself on having a realistic approach to dating. You probably have quite a few great guys you can date!

Are You Too Picky When It Comes To Men?

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Your Scent is Pumpkin Pie

Warm, comforting, and a bit old fashioned You've got what men want - believe it or not!

What's Your Girl Smell?

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Your Summer Love Type is Go With the Flow

A great summer love may be in the cards for you ... or not. You'll have a fantastic time this summer, taking what comes. What you want is flexible - what you'll get is up in the air. No matter what, you'll have fun - and maybe a few flings!

What's Your Summer Love Style?

PSA

I got an urgent email from LL today:

I know I haven't talked to you in forever, but I'm asking a huge favor. I sit on the board of a charity called America's Wounded Heroes. You can check the temporary website here:

americaswoundedheroes.org

The charter and our mission is in there. Also a donation page, which would be great if people donated, but all I'm really asking is for TWO MINUTES OF TIME right now!!

Anyway, we're in a contest to win some money for our charity and we DESPERATELY need votes to stay ahead! Could you please vote and maybe pass the url around to your friends to vote??

You have to register (free) and all you provide is a user name, password, and email address. After that, there is a page collecting personal information like name, address, etc, but you do NOT have to fill that out. You just scroll down to the bottom and click that you don't want any email updates and submit. Then you can vote.

You can find the contest here:

http://www.vajoe.com/charity/

And we're the 8th one down...AMERICA'S WOUNDED HEROES.

Please help!!

Thanks so much for your time,

The cool thing about America's Wounded Heroes is that it includes services for police, firemen, EMTs and others, in addition to wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. Go vote. Your voice does count here.

Traveling Companions

The Divine Miss Marilyn is embarrassed to have been away for so long. A shy flash of belly for Tummy Tuesday!
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For more kitty tummy goodness, head on over to LisaViolet's joint.

Drive-Bys

This got me to thinking about what kinds of fragrances I'd actually wear that would evoke the pleasant memories of my childhood:

• Warm cinnamon toast;
• Library paste;
• Ditto fluid (was there every anything quite so heady as a ditto fresh off the machine?);
• Autumn leaves burning;
• Fresh cut alfalfa;
• My mother's meatloaf, corn and mashed potatoes;
• Lemon meringue pie fresh from the oven;
• Mr. Bubble;
• Salt, ocean breeze and damp, sticky sand;
• Coppertone;
• My father's starched shirts;
• Magic markers; and,
  
• Cray-Pas

What fragrances would you choose?
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Blame Jay for this one:

Your Score: 2 - the Helper

Thanks for taking the test !

You chose CX - your Enneagram type is TWO (aka "The Charmer").

"I must help others"

Helpers are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs.

How to Get Along with Me

• Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific.
  
• Share fun times with me.
  
• Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours.
  
• Let me know that I am important and special to you.
  
• Be gentle if you decide to criticize me.
  

In Intimate Relationships

• Reassure me that I am interesting to you.
  
• Reassure me often that you love me.
  
• Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.

What I Like About Being a TWO

• being able to relate easily to people and to make friends
  
• knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better
  
• being generous, caring, and warm
  
• being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings
  
• being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor

What's Hard About Being a TWO

• not being able to say no
  
• having low self-esteem
  
• feeling drained from overdoing for others
  
• not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish
  
• criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should
  
• being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tune in to them
  
• working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings

TWOs as Children Often

• are very sensitive to disapproval and criticism
  
• try hard to please their parents by being helpful and understanding
  
• are outwardly compliant
  
• are popular or try to be popular with other children
  
• act coy, precocious, or dramatic in order to get attention
  
• are clowns and jokers (the more extroverted TWOs), or quiet and shy (the more introverted TWOs)

TWOs as Parents

• are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't)
  
• are often playful with their children
  
• wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?"
  
• can become fiercely protective

Renee Baron & Elizabeth Wagele

The Enneagram Made Easy -- Discover the 9 Types of People
Harper SanFrancisco, 1994, 161 pages

You liked the test?

So S P R E A D I T ! tell everyone!!! (use Quick-Paste below)

You wanna know MORE?

So check out, what Wikipedia says about your type...

...even more you'll find in Google

... or do you prefer to

---

You are not completely happy with the result?!

You chose CX

Would you rather have chosen:

AX (SEVEN)

BX (NINE)

CY (SIX)

CZ (ONE)

Link: The Quick & Painless ENNEAGRAM Test written by felk on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Sometimes these things are eerily accurate.
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When I grow up, I want to be just like her. What a doll she was!

Traveling Companions

The Carnival of the Cats is up at Momma Grace & Company.

If you didn't visit the Friday Ark, why not?

How about Weekend Cat Blogging at What Did You Eat?
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BTW -- I discovered the quintessential traveling companion here. If the Divine Miss Marilyn weren't already smitten... well... it wouldn't be pretty.

Drive-Bys

82%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Mingle² - Dating Site

But then, you already knew that, right?
_____

Remember my latest ear worm? I finally found the cure. Go here to get it.

(I laughed so hard that the flipping ear worm shook itself right out of my head and skedaddled back to wherever it came from in the first place!)
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Yikes! Another good reason to skip the E-ZPass altogether.

Rubber-Necking

I have always been a very sound sleeper, and joked that I could sleep through just about anything. This weekend, that proved true.

Late on Saturday night, I guess there was a whale of a big thunderstorm and accompanying high winds.

How high?

High enough to blow down a tree big enough to do this:


This took place one half block away from Chez Omnibus.

I didn't hear the wind or the driving rain.

I didn't hear the thunder (which I understand was pretty spectacular).

I didn't hear the crack when the tree fell.

I didn't hear the whump when it hit the car.

I didn't hear the car alarm, which surely had to have kicked into high gear.

Sheesh.

(And no -- that's not my vehicle. Thank Jeebus.)

Drive-Bys

Drive-Bys

Ooooooooooooooooh!

"We've already talked about having corned beef and Cabernet tastings," said Binstein.

Can I just give up my apartment and move right in there? Because let me tell you, it's tempting.
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You Are Strawberries with Cream

Fresh and uncomplicated, you are always enjoyed but often overlooked. You're confident in who you are. You don't need a facade to feel better about yourself.

What Dessert Are You Most Like?

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You Are Strawberry Cake

Fresh, sassy, and romantic. You're a total flirt, who never would turn down a sugary treat. Occasionally you're a bit moody - but you usually stay sweet!

What Kind of Cake Are You?

(Can you say trend?)
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You Are Apple Pie

You're the perfect combo of comforting and traditional Those who like you crave security

What Kind of Pie Are You?

(Never mind.)
_____

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free. In love, you feel the most alive when your lover is creative and never lets you feel bored. You'd like your lover to think you are stylish and alluring. You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please. Your ideal relationship is open. Both of you can talk about everything... no secrets. Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment. You think of marriage as something you've always wanted... though you haven't really thought about it. In this moment, you think of love as something you can get or discard anytime. You're feeling self centered.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

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When everybody else sees this, they think cleavage and lots of it. But somehow I've got this phonetic pronunciation that shows my Freudian Slip, in all its lacy glory, stuck in my head: FUH-Cup Cookie. Swell.

Drive-Bys

TMPAE* is always my little ray of sunshine:

Yes -- she, too has inherited the curly hair gene. It's those big brown eyes, though, that have us all a bit freaked out, as there are no brown eyes on either the Princess Mom's or Dearly Departed Dad's sides of the family. If you met Sainted SIL's dad, though, you'd see exactly where they came from. Still, it's disconcerting. (Click the photo to embiggen to get the full effect of those beautiful peepers!)
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LL started me off on these Blogthings again. I'd post the first two here, but to be quite honest, she and I scored exactly the same.

Then, of course, I was off and running:

You Are Merlot

Smooth, confident, and popular - you're the type most likely to order wine for the whole group. You seem to breeze through life on your intuition and wit. And no one seems to mind! You're comfortable in any social situation you find yourself in, and you never feel outclassed. And while you live a charmed life, you never let it go to your head. You are truly down to earth and a great friend. Deep down you are: Balanced and mature Your partying style: Surprisingly wild... when you let loose, you really let loose Your company is enjoyed best with: Some greasy pizza

What Kind of Wine Are You?

You can never go wrong with a good red wine!
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I'm supposed to go here tonight with my boss and his wife. Since I haven't been to the pavillion before, I'd really, really like to go.

However...

CURRENTLY

3:22 PM, Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Chicago

82°F

Skies: Mostly cloudy
Humidity: 72% Winds: E 8 mph
Visibility: 10.0 Dew Point: 72°F
Feels Like: 82°F

Tonight: FLASH FLOOD WATCH...Showers and t'storms likely, more heavy rain expected. Lows from 68 to 75.

Sigh.

It's not looking so good...
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*The Most Precious Angel Ever

Tootin' the Horn

TMBCITW* turned 5 years old yesterday. Proud Auntie? You betcha!
_____

*The Most Beautiful Child In The World

Drive-Bys

Click here to create your own painting.

Cool.

(A tip of the cap to Chickie!)
_____

Bwaaaaaaaaahahahahaha!!!!!!!!! (The bigger the city you live in, the funnier (or sadder) you'll find this.)
_____

This sounds like a complete waste of time and money to me. But then again, I'm probably not their target demographic anyway. While I'll agree that unions have made a world of difference in the past, I also believe they've far outlived their usefulness in most cases.
_____

I am smarter than 91.40% of the rest of the world.
Find out how smart you are.

It's the metric thing that threw me off, or I'd have scored 100%. Poop.

(A tip of the cap to Harvey.)

Rubber-Necking

Did you know that the ultimate in tacky lawn decor turns 50 today?
_____

Headline of the day:

First, Pants Man Loses Case. Next, His Job.

That's what he gets for showing his ass so spectacularly. Karma -- it's a beautiful thing. In fact, sometimes it gives me the warm fuzzies all over.
_____

The Manolo, this will make him so happy!
_____

That's it. No more Sean Penn movies for me. Ever.
_____

Speaking of karma... this give me a huge fit of the giggles.

Drive-Bys

Okay, this is just seriously yucky. And another one of those job titles you never wished for as a kid....
_____

There's an online memorial for victims of the Minnesota bridge collapse here.

God, what a tragedy.
_____

This, on the other hand, is the good news of the day.
_____

Much as I believe that O.J. Simpson is scum, I have to say I agree with him here.

Why don't these people all just back away from the spotlight... permanently?