Alan came home reporting he felt “doughy” all day. He had two days of work-at-home (and boy did he — blood all over the keyboard), and found the transition to work-at-work a little rough. I know just how he felt. I’ve been discombobulated all day, distracted and half-there and…doughy.
So, with guard down, I feel like confessing something really, really embarrassing.
I’ve been watching “American Idol.”
Oh, relax. Not from the beginning, but just over the last three weeks or so. I’ve seen it now and then, but this is the first time I’ve watched it enough to be aware of the personalities, or rather, the plug-ins for various musical genres and personality types — the rocker, the sassy chick, the smoove dude, the fat guy, the country girl, etc. And, of course, one judge and two ass-kissers. It’s, oh, irresistible. In a draw-the-blinds, shut-the-door sort of way.
The country girl’s the one who should win. And not just because Simon says so. But you gotta love a guy who tells one of them, “You are the musical equivalent of Ryan Secrest.” Diogenes, call your office.
And that, pretty much, was my doughy day: Writing all morning, coming to terms with my TV id in the afternoon. Aren’t you glad you’re wasting time here? Let’s get to the bloggage:
The St. Petersburg Times is known as a writer’s paper. Here’s a good example of how they got that reputation.
The Columbus Dispatch, er, doesn’t have that reputation, but they have some good writers. Columnist Mike Harden has a knack for writing new lyrics to old tunes. I can’t link to his latest, making fun of the city’s new marketing song, but here’s a verse you can sing to “My Favorite Things” instead:
Cops, never hatless, who ticket jaywalking,
Blue Jackets fans who are forever sulking,
Victoria�s Secret with thongs made of strings,
These are a few of Columbus� things.
Blue hairs on freeways goin� 6 miles an hour,
Weather inversions that turn the air sour,
Six hundred restaurants that sell chicken wings,
These are a few of Columbus� things.
The whole town stews
When the Bucks lose.
Fans are feeling sad.
But then they remember When Woody was coach,
And then they don�t feel
So bad.
I think the Schiavo advocates have jumped the shark. So does Wolcott.
And that’s all my doughy brain has at the moment. Keep your powder dry, and your pope’s nose…whatever.
deb said on March 31, 2005 at 8:33 am
wow! just read wolcott’s rant. i’m still getting used to reading his stream-o’, unedited prose, but man. the dude’s got it. and his parting shot is spot on:
It’s conservatives who are dehydrating her, draining every last drop of dignity from her death.
word.
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Nance said on March 31, 2005 at 9:10 am
You should read the St. Pete Times piece linked above that. It’s a different sort of rant, more delicate, but spot-on just the same.
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Danny said on March 31, 2005 at 10:13 am
As, I’ve intimated before, I have no horse in this race. I find it extremely disappointing that this is turning into a huge pissing contest bewteen left versus right. And it is mildly disappointing to see you, Nance and deb, getting animated or exercised or whatever about these pundits’ food fight. That struggle is inconsequential.
In reality, it is Michael who is dehydrating her.
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KCK said on March 31, 2005 at 12:55 pm
Me too, Danny
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brian stouder said on March 31, 2005 at 7:02 pm
Word, Danny
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mary said on March 31, 2005 at 7:41 pm
I think what offends Nance, Deb, and myself is the way various gasbags have been feeding off this issue. No one’s got a dog in this fight but the family of Terri Schiavo, but we are all being played. You can think Michael Schiavo is a jerk, or you can think he’s looking out for his wife, whatever, but it comes down to it being HIS business, not Bill Frist’s or Jeb Bush’s or some TV pyschic’s.
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brian stouder said on March 31, 2005 at 10:17 pm
Well, Mary – you must be right. Michael is is the sun king, apparently –
Ma and Pa Bumpkin are apparently being actively excluded from going to their own daughter’s funeral.
oh joy!
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mary said on April 1, 2005 at 11:16 am
Right about what? Is finding the coverage of this case offensive tacit support of Michael Schiavo? In the limited coverage I watched, no one was coming off particulary well.
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Jim said on April 3, 2005 at 2:37 pm
One of the many pleasures of my recent trip to Tampa/St. Pete, was my daily opportunity to read the SPTimes. While the Tribune is a thinly-disguised ode to all things ugly and Republican, the writers at the Times had me extending my morning coffee/newspaper time longer each day. The Sunday paper was a rare treat that I rarely get to experience, as I live in an area that has no daily worth reading.
Having a journalistic presence like the Times (as well as a great community radio station, WMNF-88.5 FM) made me sit up and notice an area of Florida that I didn’t expect much more than a chance to catch some rays and shake off my Northeastern chill from our never-ending winter.
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