Barb’s Burblings

Every now and then, I think to myself that I should look for a church in the area. And with the American History Museum closing for renovations after Labor Day, I’ll have a lot more Sundays free. So this evening I was looking around on the website for the Takoma Park Presbyterian Church and found that they have a labyrinth, which is awesome. On our trip to Scotland for New Year’s a few years back, we went to a labyrinth on the evening of New Year’s Day. I loved it. It really does clear the mind and puts you in a meditative state.
So I’m thinking I may need to check this church out. I’ll probably have to wait until September, though; my Sundays in August are pretty much all taken up, and besides, their summer services are at 10 a.m. (the rest of the year, it’s 11). Which, eww.
In somewhat related news, I just started American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation. Should be interesting. And it’s not related to John Wilkes Booth! (Though, admittedly, I did get a book about Booth out at the same time.)
Current song in my head:
“Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord” from Godspell

Brian goes 1-4, with a solo homerun (his second of the season). Chris Ray blows his second save of the year (he now has 26 saves in 28 attempts). The O’s lose 6-4.
In happier news, Happy 30th Birthday, Robert!

I have a bunch of things I need to do before Saturday, when I’m having people over. So naturally, I’m like, “I’d really like to go to the O’s game tomorrow to see Bedard pitch.” Which means that I now feel like Cinderella’s stepmother, only I’m both Cinderella and the stepmother–”Well, if you clean the bathroom and at least vacuum, write up that report for your tutoring student, and hang up the pictures, and do that all tonight, then you can go to the game tomorrow.” Of course, knowing me, I’ll go to the game even if I haven’t done those things (unless it’s raining). And, of course, I’m on the computer, instead of getting anything done. Well, I need to write to my mom!
Current song in my head:
“Gettin’ Ready Rag” from Ragtime

Steve finally decided to do something about his blog. God only knows why I’ve kept that link active so long, but at least now there’s new content. And though he knows I’m incredibly sick of the phrase “smurf your marklar,” he also knows that I can’t resist favorable comments about Evil Dr. Will.

For a long time, my bedtime was 9 p.m. (Well, that’s when I got into bed. I usually read until 10 or so.) And I wasn’t really pleased with that, but it really rankled on Wednesday nights, because after Growing Pains was Doogie Howser, M.D. Oh, Doogie Howser. Happy was the day my bedtime was bumped to 9:30. I loved that show. My affection for Neil Patrick Harris never reached my adoration for Kirk Cameron (which now makes me sad to think about), but I looked forward to that show every week.
Then Neil Patrick Harris went away. He grew up. And my love for him has returned. First Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. Then Assassins. And How I Met Your Mother. (And no, he didn’t play Booth in Assassins–he played the Balladeer/Oswald. But still awesome!)
(Note on that Assassins clip; it’s from the 2004 Tonys. I’m not sure how I feel about Michael Cerveris as Booth in it, either vocally or physically. [Though Michael Cerveris is awesome. Maybe he should just stick to bald characters? It confuses me less. Anyway, I saw him in Passion, and he was great.] I’m just so used to Victor Garber! Here’s Garber as Booth [scroll down a bit]. By contrast, here’s Will Gartshore, who I saw at the Signature, as Booth. Another fun fact: Victor Garber played Thomas Andrews in Titanic the movie; Michael Cerveris played Andrews in the Broadway production of Titanic.)
And so I am grateful for the reemergence of the NPH. Keep doin’ what you’re doin’ Neil.

1. For his birthday yesterday, we went to the Frederick Keys game. The Keys were having Brian Roberts bobblehead night. We got there too late to get the bobblehead, but Brent bought one off someone for me. Which is, quite frankly, the Best Thing Ever, making him the Best Person Ever. (Except Brian, of course, who is Perfection Personified. Except that he really needs a haircut. And he needs to trim back his sideburns.) Anyway, Brent got me a present on his birthday! Awww.

2. When going through old pictures, Brent found the following picture, taken at the wax museum in Gettysburg:

How awesome is that? Sadly, it doesn’t appear to be the only figure of Lincoln in the museum, which would’ve kicked all kinds of ass, to the point where I might’ve had to break down and see it for myself. I also love how both Lincoln and Booth look like crap, but Mary Lincoln comes off pretty well.
3. Because of this picture:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRENT!

…A few months before he assassinated Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth went to visit a buddy at the Petersen boarding house. His friend wasn’t there, so Booth laid down on the bed to wait. This would be the room–and the bed–in which Lincoln would die.
…Actors have always been overpaid. In his peak acting years (1861-1864), Booth earned between $25,000 and $30,000 a year. Which is about the same I earned at my first job after college–in the year 2000.
…Booth planned ahead for the assassination, down to the smallest detail. He realized that when he leaped from the president’s box, he would most likely lose his hat. So he had an extra one stashed in the saddlebag of his escape horse. Thus, when stopped at a bridge to get out of DC, Booth himself appeared totally normal (as a man without a hat in those days would arouse suspicion.
All this and more in my upcoming book, John Wilkes Booth: Supersmart, Superhot! What? He Only Killed One Guy.

This weekend, it came up in conversation that boys in high school were just moving hormones. (The guy who was talking about this at least believes that most guys mature, which I find encouraging.) Gene Weingarten (a WaPo columnist) has stated numerous times that women should never have any problems getting a guy–at least one to score with.
This whole thing boggles my mind. I hear stuff like this and it just makes me wonder how I remain hopelessly single. But then…I guess the guys who’d be so easy to get aren’t the ones I’d want to be with in the first place. But still…
Current song in my head:
“One More Angel in Heaven” from Joseph…

From a fortune cookie tonight:
“Your happiness is intertwined with your outlook on life.”
Well, duh.

About six months into my 101 in 1001, I thought I’d post an update on how it’s going. Things I’ve actually done are in bold. Comments in italics.

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