12/07/06 11:02 - 16ºF - ID#21204

strange request

Anyone know of places to look for "interesting" fish bowls?

My sister's boyfriend has some kooky decorating idea for their apt in Jersey City and has asked for interesting fish bowls for Christmas.

Any ideas? Or anyone out there who is able to design & decorate ordinary fishbowls in interesting and artful ways?

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12/02/06 12:59 - ID#21203

Two Pieces of Good News

First, we hear so much bad news about the economy in Buffalo and WNY that I was pleasantly surprised to see the following article in the Buffalo News:

It reports an unanticipated surge in orders for goods manufactured in our area last month. Hey, it's something.

Second, and more important ( ;-) ), (e:chicoschica) came in 4th in her age group in Medaille College's 5k Reindeer Run today! Congratulations, chica! You rule.

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Category: iraq

11/30/06 11:18 - ID#21202

Go Big, Go Long, or...

The Daily Show's Rob Riggle just filed a "news" report on the US's options in Iraq:

Go Big (send more troops)

Go Long (plan to stay for years to come)

or Go Fuck Yourself ("pretty much what we've been doing")

Brilliant!

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Category: beisbol

10/20/06 03:44 - 44ºF - ID#21201

Go, Tigers?

(e:mrmike,186) 's comment about Endy Chavez's catch in Game 7 of the NLCS led me to download the Mets website, and they have video of the catch and other highlights. Check out

and look to the left under Video; click on "Endy's amazing catch: 350k".

Also kudos to Oliver Perez (and John Maine) for keeping the Mets in it, despite the loss of Pedro and El Duque.

What a fun season.

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Category: ugh

10/19/06 03:23 - 59ºF - ID#21200

I just don't know what's worse...

Can't for the life of me figure out which is worse:

(1) Former Rep. Mark Foley's excuse-making for his "encounters" with teenage boys (the booze made me do it! sexual abuse when I was an altar boy made me do it!)

or

(2) The attitude of the retired priest who acknowledges nudity and "light touching" with Foley when Foley was an altar boy (see paragaph from this Washington Post story

The Rev. Anthony Mercieca, in a telephone interview with The Washington Post from the Maltese island of Gozo, said he was surprised that his long-ago interaction with Foley had become linked to the scandal that erupted last month and cost the former congressman his job .

The retired priest is like, yeah we skinny-dipped and engaged in some light touching, but hey, nobody complained to me or the bishop about it, so what's the harm?

I guess nobody wants to actually TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for what they've done. No, THAT would be PREPOSTEROUS. *sigh*

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Category: pop quizzes

10/10/06 11:16 - 54ºF - ID#21199

Jenks' quiz

I put my name in (e:jenks,253) 's quiz and apparently I will be defined in the dictionary as "a master of storytelling."

OR, if I delete my middle initial, "a beat poet working the streets."

Hmmm.

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10/03/06 11:33 - 61ºF - ID#21198

thanks PMT

Paul, Matthew, Terry --

Thanks for hosting the party, (e:chicoschica) and I had a great time. I met so many (e:strip)pers -- one-stop shopping, almost as ruthlessly efficient as Wegman's, haha. We left early (I worked 14 hours on Sunday) and I still met at least 10, maybe 15 e-strippers -- (e:paul) , (e:matthew) , (e:terry) , (e:imk2) , (e:leetee) , (e:uncutsaniflush) , (e:mrmike) , (e:dragonlady7) , (e:zobar) , (e:enknot) , (e:carolinian) , (e:metalpeter) , (e:kookcity2000) (while he was still coherent haha), (e:jill) , (e:twisted) , (e:hodown) , (e:theecarey) , (e:ladycroft) , (e:libertad) ...how many is that so far? And I know I've forgotten some, sorry about that. I'm just so happy to "know" so many (e:peeps) in our new city.

Next time we'll bring some good homemade food for the veges, or (e:vegs), or whatever you meat-o-phobes like to call yourselves.

Also: that house is amazing, it has good bones and is going to be stunning when it is done. Good luck with it guys!

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09/12/06 05:46 - 61ºF - ID#21197

I guess I'll never understand...

I'll never understand how the mind of Charles Wang, owner of the New York Islander hockey club, works.

The New York Islanders signed Alexsei Yashin to a 10-year deal, and the only thing he does consistently is underperform. Of course, with a big fat 10-year contract, he's basically untradeable.

Lesson learned... right?

Wrong. I like Rick DiPietro, I do. He's an exciting netminder and not without talent. But to sign a 25-year old goalie to a FIFTEEN YEAR CONTRACT? Whaaaaaaaaaat?!

This, on top of canning general manager Neil Smith and replacing him with Garth Snow. As much as I hate the Rangers and dislike Neil Smith, the guy is a pro with experience building a team. So hey, why not fire him right after hiring him, and replace him with a backup goaltender.

These are strange times for my beloved Islanders. Anyone remember the old Paul Newman flick "Slapshot!"? I'm wondering if it's beginning to come true on Long Island.

Oh, and apologies to all you wonderful e-strippers who helped us out...I still want to meet you all, but the job's got me swamped. Once I'm out from under, I'll be lurking about Elmwood looking for you.

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Category: road trip

08/01/06 05:28 - 86ºF - ID#21196

Buffalo or Bust, part I

Hey -- if you spot the hottest 5-foot-one, 29-ish brunette you've ever seen in Buffalo strolling around on Elmwood Avenue tonight or tomorrow night, yell out "Hey (e:chicoschica)!" -- she's due in town this evening and will be around till Thursday morning. She's likely to be with her mom and her (taller) younger sister.

Chica and I will be up in B-lo permanently in one week!

See you all soon...

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07/30/06 10:40 - 73ºF - ID#21195

everything and nothing

So it's been a while ... seems like an eternity.

(e:chicoschica) and I are gearing up for the big move -- eight days and counting down!! It's starting to feel really weird, we have made a life for ourselves in NJ and now it's time to move on.

We've been too busy to reminisce though -- last two weeks have been a whirlwind. My sister's wedding in Baltimore two weeks ago, last week a really nice going-away party thrown by my buddy Bill and some other good friends, plus a family party the next day...this weekend we had our niece Camille's one-year birthday party (yesterday) and today we have chica's friends coming over for a homemade Indian feast (fortunately, cooked by our friend Sayandip, not by us! haha).

Tuesday or Wednesday I think chica will do an advance trip to B-lo to clean the apartment, which means she'll miss my dissertation defense (Wednesday)...but that's OK, our defenses are kind of boring anyway. So she cleans; I defend, get rip-roaring drunk, then finish packing all our stuff while hung over. :-) But wait! I still have to finish my syllabi and lesson plans for my courses, write my paper for an upcoming conference, revise the dissertation.... aaaaack! Oh, and did I mention that I'm completely broke? *sigh*

Aw hell, it's not as bad as losing $400 and a wallet full of credit cards and ID ( (e:jenks,200) ) but I'm feeling just a little overwhelmed right now. But soon we'll be in Buffalo, and that will make everything better, right? ;-)