Barb’s Burblings

I was feeling cranky, and you know what makes me happy? These videos:

P.S. Discovery, your building is ALSO awesome. Please invite me to the taping of the Puppy Bowl next year.

I was stuck at the Louisville airport yesterday–very unhappily, mind you, because I was supposed to be on a 10:21 flight that would get me east in time to make it to the Orioles last game of the season, for which I had very good seats, but nooo, stupid mechanical difficulties meant the only part of the game I got to experience was the last half-inning, which I heard on the radio; I’m glad they won, but I was supposed to be there, dammit!–when I noticed that the little girl next to me was reading a biography of Eleanor Roosevelt. I was in a pissy mood, and that just cheered me right up, because she looked to be about the same age I was when I first read a biography of Eleanor. Turns out I was right; she was in third grade, and I had been in fourth grade. She said she was enjoying it, and I was just so glad. Eleanor rules! Yay!

And then, today, I saw someone link to Eleanor’s appearance on What’s My Line?. It seems so bizarre to see the former first lady on a game show, but it is really neat.

Of course, she also did commercials.

I guess the maintenance of Hyde Park must’ve eaten up the money she got from her newspaper column, etc. But can you imagine Laura Bush shilling for some random company?

Anyway, happy early 125th birthday (Oct. 11), Eleanor!

I’ll be happy if I’m not greeted with a scene like this when I arrive at conference this year:

I’m a bit clumsy. I can’t imagine myself in heels or anything of the sort; I tend to trip when wearing flats. And by “flats,” I mean “Birkenstock sandals.” I do OK when I’m wearing my Chucks, but that’s about it. But more than tripping over nonexistent things on sidewalks, I’m very bad with spatial relations. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into the corner of my coffee table. I guess I’m convinced it’s not as long as it is? I also have a tendency to walk into doorways. Maybe 90% of my body is fine, but that left or right 10% (usually left side–hmm, I wonder if that means something?) will *wham* right into the door.

You know, now that I’m thinking about it, my problem generally is the left side. The latest example is yesterday, when I went to lunch with some colleagues. I noticed a fire hydrant in my way, and dodged right. However, I managed to forget about the nozzle (or whatever that thing on the side is), and I slammed my leg into it. Absolutely clobbered. Don’t believe me? You can come see the huge bruise just above my left knee. It kind of hurts to walk.

Maybe I should just wearing full-body padding from now on. Do they make bubble wrap for people?

There’s a video on YouTube that’s stirred up quite a bit of interest around here: Arlington Rap. I love it–it makes me laugh and it’s pretty darn catchy. Plus, the guy has some great facial expressions, particularly when reacting to the Green Line suggestion and the Starbucks bit at the end of the video. I don’t live in Arlington, but I’ve been there enough–and know the region as a whole–to think this is awesome. Oh, Ballston Mall. You really do suck.

(The song actually reminds me a bit of “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” Which also is awesome.)

A fitting tribute

So I’m crazy busy right now. There’s work. I have seven books in production and since it’s just me…it’s a lot. Then there’s the big freelance project that’s taking all my time at home. I actually had to turn down another freelance project, which upsets me. But still, I have no time until, say, July. And I still haven’t put anything up on the walls at the new apartment. But I do have a microwave cart! Only took me three hours to put together.

And happily, the cats are settling in, as well. Pem likes sitting on books and bookcases.

Colin likes my new futon, though I don’t let him on it (or in the room at all, in fact) if I’m not around.

I saw my family and his cousin one day. They were visiting from Oregon, and we went to the Natural History Museum. The kids are too young for American History, I think, but they liked Natural History.

And I’ve managed to get in some ballgames as well.

Go O’s!

I popped out after lunch to hit the ATM that’s near my apartment. Since it was nice out, I thought I’d walk around a bit, maybe stop at the fitness place. So I checked out some shops, found a cute little children’s consignment shop, and then discovered a sandwich shop/convenience store. Which sold both Icees and cupcakes. I figured that walking into a fitness center with a cherry Icee in one hand and a red velvet cupcake in the other might not be the best plan, so I kept walking.

And the cupcake? Excellent.

With the upcoming move, I’ve been going through my crap and seeing what I can get rid of. I was digging through my desk drawers when I found my old Rio PMP300. When I was in college, my dad went to some sort of technology conference and got one for free. Since I was the only one in the family with any familiarity with mp3s, I got it. It held something like 10 songs (though you could buy an additional memory card). And I did use it! But man, it’s weird looking at it compared to my iPod:

Oh, technology. How you’ve progressed in 11 years. And now I feel oddly guilty about getting rid of it. I mean, it’s historical! Sort of.

I’m representing Gettysburg at a college fair tomorrow, so I was fooling around on the Gettysburg website, which naturally led to me Googling Gettysburgian, to see whether anything new about the newspaper was online. And that’s how I found…this:

Oh my gosh. I must have this. I don’t care that it’s something that the library has in its collection. It must be mine. It is made of awesome.

Just remember, if you hear of a break-in at Musselman Library…you don’t know anything.