I am trying to watch the Emmys (and the game) as I do this, so there will be random brusts of  "Suck it, Emmys!" and "Yess! Emmys!". Probably more of the first than the second. First off, the Emmys suck. But thank goodness they lump everything together, so when they get to the big reality/miniseries/movie/variety segment I can flip back over to the Cowboys/Giants to pass the time before I tune in, hopefully, in time to see Michael Emerson get what he deserves.) Are you kidding me... Aikman, Emmit and Irving are on the sideline. I don't even know you Tony Romo and other assorted Cowboys, but you guys are no Aikman, Smith and Irving. Oh, The Daily Show just won something... is it sad that since the election I have watched probably five episodes of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report... combined. That is just sad.

A favorite site? This is probably the hardest one yet. I'm not a social networker. I don't myspace, facebook or twitter. I don't check any big news sites. I don't read any of the big blogs. Yet, I spend a lot of time online. Clearly I need to better manage my time. I check about 10 sites regularly... most of them you already know... LJ, TWoP (well, not so much over the past few months, but that's about to change.), a local blog aggregator, my friend's message board, a couple of random boards I lurk on... that's really about it. I can see this is gonna suck... just like the Cowboys are managing to do.

( Here are some random sites I have bookmarked for various reasons. )

Outstanding Comedy. 30 Rock? That is just a guess. ::is over 30 Rock:: Shocking! 30 Rock!

The Drama category is up next and there are two shows I love (Lost and Big Love), one I should, but don't quite yet (Mad Men), one I watch (House), one I used to watch (Dexter), Breaking Bad and Damages. I really, really want Lost to win, I know Big Love has no shot and am pretty sure Mad Men is going to take it. But the Cowboys are winning, so at least I've got that. Shock of shocks, Mad Men wins! I am slightly angry, but can't get to ranting about it because it's 11:03... and time for Mad Men.

Preface: Oh man, I got excited that Grease was on only to find out what I am experiencing is not so much, "Cool! Grease is on!" as "Well, at least I got to watch the last 20 minutes of Grease." Seriously, it was "There Are Worse Things I Could Do", racing, carnival, "You're The One That I Want", "We Go Together", credits. Lame! Even lamer? Grease 2 is coming on next. I like to remember it as "good". I am sure watching it will render that memory false.

Oh goodness, it's "Score Tonight" , which I thought was called 'Bowl Tonight" I have not seen this in ages, so I don't recall much. I am pretty sure that I'm gonna mark out for "Cool Rider" though. Don't judge me.

So, it's been a while. "Hello!" and all that. Congratulations on everything... the birthdays, graduations, near-graduations, completions of freshman years, acceptances to college, trips abroad, safe returns, almost-done-with-grad-schools, breakups that got you away from people who suck, (There it is! "Cool Rider!" Umm.. it's kind of lame, but better than the rest so far.), marriages, LJ deletions (boo!) and everything else. I am sure I forgot something.

Thank mole for sparing you from scrolling past my post-NBA playoffs and Draft thoughts. Basically it's this: The Magic had a good run, those puppets sucked, I am all Kobe'd out, the draft was full of guys I had never heard of, it seems focusing on football was in Paulus' best interest, I hope Shaq + LeBron brings as much ego-clashing ridiculousness as Shaq + Kobe and I think that's about it.
( Who'se gonna be my go-to 'I wonder what it will be like when ____ dies' guy now? )

"Do It For Our Country" has got to be one of the most terrible songs I have ever heard.

And, for Bean: Listen To The Band: Volume 1

So, here are some random things that have come to light over the past week or so. Some good, some not so good. Some of them funny (in a sad way. Okay, only two of them, but still. That's technically "some", am I right?) Oh how things have gone downhill when I have gone from real-life in-person gossiping to random semi-anonymous online gossiping. ::shakes fist at work::

So, this past week it has come to light that I have a friend* who:
... just had major surgery... again.
... is about to have not-so-major surgery in a week. (Something about a deviated septum)
... needs the same not-so-major surgery , but is not going to do it. (It's the whole "I am poor and have no insurance thing")
... is considering going to law school. (This is a mistake.)
... had to drop out of school.. you know, for surgery.
.... has a pregnant wife.
... found out that they have a mildly autistic child.
... wants to sit outside a new local cult building church (the "creepy" "famous" one) and take pictures.
... is kind of dating a homeless dude. (Really. He lives in a shelter!)
... got a gift from their ex. The bad kind. The kind that keeps on giving.
... has a kid who said "yeah, things are not so good at the new house."
... has two three-and-a-half year old kids... who are not potty trained.

*umm, these are not all the same friend. It's ::counts:: seven different ones. None of these people are me.


And now I am off to fix that name tag issue and perhaps get started on that shirt for that thing my sister's doing. You know the one that she told me about weeks ago, but that the people in charge of did not finalize the details for until yesterday. And then they were like "we need it tomorrow.. but oh yeah, we have more stuff to add to it. We will try to get that to you tomorrow." But that is a story for another time.

So, here is something you may know about me. I like to complain (see the tags). Something else you may know is that I believe that work is for suckers (also in the tags). What you may not know is that I like to complain about work. I am not sure why this is, but I think it has something to do with my love for complaining and my disdain for work. It's like the nexus of two of my life philosophies (you know "I like complaining" and "work is for suckers".) Can you see where this post is going?

But first! Because I was at work, I missed the Duke/State game. This fails for three seasons. First off, we beat State. This means that I owe a certain State fan a phone call and/or email heckle. I mean, yeah, State does not really "count", but a win's a win, right? Second, we won by one. This means it came down to the wire. I will take that over a blowout (which is what State is usually involved in) any day of the week. Third, this win was Coach K(rzyzewski)'s 800th win. He is only the 8th coach to ever do that. ( I looked at the list and was shocked to not see John Wooden on it. UCLA dominated in the 70s, and he did not get to 800? Wow. It's just Bobby Knight, Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp, Jim Phelan and Eddie Sutton. One of these guys I have never heard of before.)

( Hey work, see my icon? That's for you! )

So I went out with Ma today so that she could look for a new job. This entailed getting up early, combing my hair and going out in the cold. (Three things I am not a fan of) I just tag along for the appearance of being interested in new jobs. I like what I do just fine. I work, I get paid, and I don't have to leave the house. There is almost no downside! (Yeah, sometimes I have to read about physics and chemistry, or America's Next Top Model, but whatever.. I push through it.) I went though the motions of filling out the application and all that.. because really, I was just there for the ~*illusion*~. And now I have to start getting up early, at my normal bedtime to join the rest of the working suckers. I am not amused. Not amused, I say!

This one is for Cookie, who loves the Mylar... Mole, who feared for the balloons... and 'Squilis, who not only warned me that turning my back on the Mylar would lead to utter ruin, but provided the title to this entry. (Oh yes.. and for Tuesday.. who laughed the laugh of the Truly Evil! I knew that if anyone would understand, you would!) Don't worry guys.. I've got it all under control! Yes, it's a slippery slope.. but I think I will make it out alive!*This? Totally a joke. Be advised that I do not, in any way, shape or form endorse Matthinder. I mean, it's got Matt right there in the name. That is an automatic DQ.

What lies ahead may be the most pointless rant ever, LJ or otherwise! Consider yourself warned!

So today, after almost seven months of going "Man I really need [insert needed object here]! Where is it? Oh, that's right in storage!" We have finally begun to pull out all of the stuff we packed up in May. You know, when were were like "We need to get rid of some stuff for a bit, let's just pack this up for a month. We will get it back before we have to pay the second month's payment." Reason for impromptu packing-up of house and home? They had just begun reconstruction on the burnt-out shell of a house behind us, so we we were suddenly sharing our home with a few new roommates... of the four-legged, long tailed "who chewed through the Ramen noodles pack?" variety. So, in order to provide for better location scouting and expedite their removal we got rid of everything nonessential (and a few essential things as well. Goodbye dishes, pots and pans!) Sounds like a good plan, right? Right?
( My boxes hold neither lost identities or mystery items that may or may not be someone's head.  )

Tina (the oft-mentioned Heroes-hating sister) is here again. Now, she does not technically live here, yet every time I turn around, here she is. And, for some reason (perhaps because, when I moved up from my beloved underground lair, I took over her old room) she is always lurking around in my space. This is not cool, as she is a talker, and I prefer not-talking. And, unbeknownst to me, in her spare time, she's an art critic! And not the good kind, the "oh Tina, I think I will respond you your criticisms with gut-punch!" kind.

Because I have no room in the closet, and I actually like some of them, my walls are covered in paintings. Because I paint things to hang up in a restaurant attached to a children's museum, most of my paintings are for kids. As such, they look like the kinds of things kids like - simple scenes, bright colors and stuff like that. It's the kind of cartoony art I have previously said I was trying to get out of making.

A few months back I came across a picture I liked and decided to paint it... like an actual adult painting. I figured I'd settle down and paint something that looked at least semi-realistic. I can do it in pencil and crayon, so why not in paint? But, what would appear to be about halfway through, I decided I liked it as it was. It was pretty simple.. still bright, but not something you'd put in a kid's room (though that may have been more as a result of the subject matter than anything else.) It kind of reminded me of an Edward Hopper - just a simple snapshot done in  big blocks of strongly contrasting colors. I hung it on the back of the door. Occasionally I would take it down to show it to someone. It was good enough for me.. though  I knew it was not what it set out to be. I'd always go, "One day I will finish that," but I am slack, so I didn't. Enter Tina.