Wmcmanus

Thanks, Brent. Funny thing happened tonight. When I finished teaching and was on my way home at 10:30pm, I decided to stop at the grocery store because I knew I had nothing in the fridge. So I'm walking around the place with no particular plan, just looking for munchies. Then as I'm about to head to the checkout line, I looked up and noticed this beautiful young blond, and she seemed to be checking me out... or at least looking at me in a more than casual way. Of course, at this time of night I'm both hungry and tired and not thinking too clearly. Obviously, she's not looking at me because she thinks I'm hot (but kind of look like someone, maybe), But she's hot so I don't mind, but quickly diverted my eyes, pretending that I didn't notice her noticing me. I was then happy to "score" at nice look at her spandex shorts, long sexy toned legs, and wonderfully tight and well proportioned upper body from the side view I had as I approached the checkout line. Then I had one of those "toss up" moments when I had to decide between standing behind, a) the normal, everyday fat old lady in line #1, or b ) the spandex-clad young lady who showed no visible signs of sweat, so she obviously dresses this way by choice on a routine basis, and not just when returning home from the gym. I chose the latter. I could tell by her body language that she wanted to say something to me, or that at least she had something on her mind, but she kept her attention to the task at hand of paying for her groceries, while I maintained eye contact with the aforesaid spandex shorts, and was able to detect some nice frilled fringed undies. Nope, she definitely wasn't just at the gym. But I was contented to keep those thoughts to myself, until suddenly, as she was about to leave, she couldn't contain herself any longer. Turning toward me now, with eyes aglow, she said, "You know, I've just got to thank you, sir! I know this sounds silly, but you really made my day one time, and I always hoped I would meet you so I could tell you about it. You drive an orange SUV, right?" "Yup, that's me. Ford Edge." "Well, back in December one day, I was sitting in traffic, and you pulled up along side of me, and it just totally made my day! I was having a terrible day, and there you were. I told everyone, there really is a Santa Claus! I saw him! I believe!" Then she sort of trailed off and said, "I don't want to tell you what was making me sad, but you changed all of that just by being there." She was so sweet, and being so sincere. I'll never know what I helped her with, but at that moment, I didn't care. She was young and beautiful, and I was tired and hungry and getting some pretty cool attention. Then I did it... I don't know why, but it was a case of open mouth, spill out words. So I said, quite excitedly, as though there wasn't a thing about it that was in the slightest bit "wrong" or even creepy... "You know, I've got to admit as well, that you really made my day! I can't even begin to tell you just how good you look look in spandex! So I think we're even!" She just laughed and walked away. Meanwhile the cahier girl, who sees me in there every other day (because my fridge is always empty and I never pick up more than a few items at a time) just shook her head and laughed. So I said, "What?" acting all innocent. Then she said, "You know, I shouldn't say this, because you might take it all wrong, but she really does look good in spandix!" Then she said, "I'm so jealous!" The which I replied, "See, even you think she's hot! You think I'm bad!" So now we'll see where it goes with the grocery store girl. At least I've got some ammo.

Vicki, I've got a Florida "share the road" plate on my Atom. Here's a pic at Glacier National Park. Only pic I can find from behind the car.

Have great one, Nate!

Wow! That was close, Steve. Hope the smoke damage isn't too severe, but that's what insurance is for. Sorry for your neighbors. Hope none of them lost their homes.

This was pretty much the way it worked for me, especially in the early years when you couldn't buy entire seasons of HBO shows and the like on DVD. The real poison was when I'd be visiting my parents for several days and make the mistake of watching an episode of The Sopranos or Oz, and then think, "Damn, this stuff is good. I'm really missing a lot..." But nowadays, if you're the patient type, you can wait get everything you'll ever want or need once the box sets come out. I've got The Wire, Friday Night Lights, and Six Feet Under sitting here in the queue. It doesn't bother me that I didn't see them when they were being produced, and I like the fact that I can control when I happen to get around to them. I've listened to a hell of a lot more music in the past 25 years since I gave up TV (as an addiction in its own right). If I had cable, I'd sit and veg out in front of the TV day and night, surfing channels. What a waste of time! THAT'S WHAT THE INTERNET IS FOR!!!

I haven't had cable or anything remotely like it since my first year of law school in 1988. I was a full time student and half time faculty member, teaching accounting for the business school, so knew I couldn't afford to be tempted by any distractions and really needed to study as much as possible. I still had a TV and VCR and would rent a John Wayne or Jimmy Stewart movie once every other week or so. I've never looked back and quite frankly don't miss it other than live sports, but that gives me an excuse to spend more time in pubs. I buy a lot of Blurays of current movies, as well as complete series box sets (HBO stuff, etc.) of good TV programming, and also use my 65" plasma for watching baseball (through a feed from MLB.com which I subscribe to). What I miss mostly is college basketball, but there's probably an internet-based subscription for that as well.

Kim Kardashian is pregnant. Interesting...

Doesn't seem believable, but still funny. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=510257249013272

This has been around for a while, but some of you may not have seen it before: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=MZ35SOU9HTM

Happy birthday!

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Happy birthday, ole buddy ole pal.

^ Per the comments on this YouTube video, the two on the right (including the one he seems so fascinated with) are dudes.

Looks like I'm going to have to fly...

Nice pic, Grahame. Tell mum Santa says she doesn't look anywhere near 80 years old!

Any Ben Hur fans out there? An outrageous value for $26.49 on the Amazon Deal of the Day. Big BluRay box set with more than you'll even need to know about the movie. I bought it for a lot more money and felt it was worth it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=xs_gb_A12R7W0C2ZZ89Q?ie=UTF8&docId=1001047171&pf_rd_p=441937901&pf_rd_s=right-1&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=20&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1Y1FKBYMSAY2KX8CK1EK

Happy birthday, Colin.

Happy birthday, Steve!!!

Too many words for this thread/forum, but interesting nonetheless: Thanksgiving is inexorably set as the fourth Thursday in November. That means the latest any Thanksgiving can happen is on November 28th. As for Chanukah, the earliest it can occur is November 28th. The Jewish calendar repeats on a 19 year cycle. Thanksgiving repeats on a 7 year cycle. You would therefore expect them to coincide roughly every 133 years (19x7). Looking back, this is approximately correct. Once in an eternity will Chanukah and Thanksgiving overlap. They will this year on November 28, 2013. That’s never happened before... and it will never happen again. Here comes more than you wanted to know! – the last time it could have happened was in 1861. But Thanksgiving was not established until 1893. So that’s never happened before and won’t happen again. Why? Because the Jewish calendar is very slowly getting out of sync with the solar calendar, at a rate of 4 days per 1000 years (not bad for a many centuries old calendar!) This means that while Chanukah can be as early as November 28th, over the years the calendar will drift forward, so that the earliest Chanukah can be is November 29th. The next time Chanukah will fall on November 28th is in the year 2146 (which is a Monday). Therefore, 2013 is the only time Chanukah will ever be the same day as Thanksgiving. Of course, if the Jewish calendar is never modified in any way, it will slowly move forward through the Gregorian calendar, until it loops all the way back to where it is now. So, Chanukah will again fall on Thursday, November 28th in the year 79,811. Consider that as "never again".

Have a great one, Ed!

Would be fun to come to SF for a meet sometime, but can't make this one.

Dang, Ric!!!