Hot Dog! It's the MMP!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
181

Found it here.

The Cleveland Symphony was performing Beethoven’s Ninth. In the piece, there’s a long passage - about 20 minutes - during which the bass violinists have nothing to do. Rather than sit around that whole time looking stupid, some bassists decided to sneak offstage and go to the tavern next door for a quick one.

After slamming several beers in quick succession (as bass violinists are prone to do) one of them looked at his watch. “Hey! We need to get back!”

“No need to panic,” said a fellow bassist. “I thought we might need some extra time, so I tied the last few pages of the conductor’s score together with string. It’ll take him a few minutes to get it untangled.”

A few moments later, they staggered back to the concert hall and took their places in the orchestra. About this time, a member of the audience noticed the conductor seemed a bit edgy and said as much to her companion.

“Well, of course,” said her companion. “Don’t you see? It’s the bottom of the Ninth, the score is tied, and the bassists are loaded.”

182

Good Thursday, everone. What with Independence Day and the Dope being down, I’ve completely lost track of what’s been going on in the MMP.

Dots, I remember when I was a freshman or sophomore in high school, a friend and I made a solemn pact never to remember high school fondly. I don’t know about my (now former) friend, but I’ve kept that pact. High school sucked. It does, as others have said, get much better. Hang in there.

I’ve been avoiding talking about it online until now, but I’ve known for at least a couple months now that the company I work for was being sold. The sale was finally closed yesterday, and several people were laid off, including me. Fortunately, with unemployment benefits, the small severance package I received, and income from my freelance design work, I’ll have enough money to make it through the end of the year. So before I find another job, I’m going to do something I’ve been wanting to for years: take a cross-country bus trip. I’ll start a seperate thread about it soon, but if you live in the United States or south-eastern Canada, chances are I’m heading your way!

183

So, today is Thursday! Yay! In my efforts to clean the kitchen, I managed to Freecycle a few things, but I spent too much time reading the Freecycle board. I also managed to get a few things I just couldn’t live without, so I don’t think I have a net loss of clutter. Rats.

I would love some antlers and turkey feathers! During my aunt’s “Country Lodge” interior decorating phase, she had an entire Christmas tree decorated with antlers and turkey feathers…oh, and little round balls covered with rabbit fur. :dubious:

Spats, I love the O RLY owl. I laugh every time I see that stupid bird. Ya Rly. My eldest son, in his paintshop experimentation phase, made a picture of the Orly owl as Bill O’Reilly. The O Rly Factor. For some reason he also included in the picture a cut out of my middle son as co-host, wearing a hay toupee and smoking a rolled up Queen of Hearts playing card. I’m still trying to figure out the subtle statement he was trying to make.

184

I’ve got peas, rice and liver!
I’ve got peas, rice and liver!
I’ve got peas rice and liver
In my bowl!

Sorry, I just had to get that out. It happens everytime I think about *Peace Like A River. One must never miss a chance to let one’s juvenile come up for some air. :smiley:

Dots, you will get over adolesence. Then you can look back and say, “Wow! That was one trippy ride!” Trust me. It gets better. Until then, come on in and say what you need to feel better. Just keep taking care of yourself, ok? We like you and stuff, so we want to keep you around.

Looks like we’re gonna get ourselves up a dopefest in Etlanner in August! WOOHOO!!! We even managed to come up with a date and a place. I’m excited.

185

taxi, keep in mind that I have been doing bellydance for seven years. I recently calculated and I think with school and hiatuses (hiati?) it’s about four and a half solid three-class-a-weeks years.

You’ll start on basic movements and not to layering or combinations or shamadan for years. By the way, I hate the way that dancer keeps flicking her hands. She’s good, and her hands are good, but frame, woman! If your hips or stomach are doing something really neat, don’t move your hands in a distracting way!

There’s a black velvet beledi dress at my dance school that’s covered in rhintstones. I covet it immensely.

186

Oh, yeah, and the main reason to bellydance is because it’s really, really fun. And you get to wear sparkly things.

187

OK, that’s reassuring. So they won’t expect me to do all that on the first day, huh? :stuck_out_tongue:

188

Lissa - I already had a trip to the bookstore on my “to do” list, but you’ve added a couple more titles to consider, thanks! Based on what I know of the others you’ve mentioned (here and previously), I’m sure I’ll come away with some good reading. (Wen I’m done with * Peas, Rice and Liver*, of course.)

taxi - I see you share my pro-Thursday philosophy! I’m so glad. I think maybe the secret to a happy life is buried in there somewhere. :wink:

Dots - what’s been said about high school here already is all true. I remember going through it, and I have a daughter going through it now. And, eventually, you’ll look back on it and it won’t hurt to remember anymore. In fact, just last night I ran into the first guy who broke my heart. I see him around town pretty often these days. We chatted for awhile, and very pleasantly too. It makes me feel old and nostalgic, but not angry, or hurt. Doesn’t take away from how much it meant at the time, of course. Just remember to tell yourself, “this, too, shall pass.”

Congrats on you planned adventure, TWO! Please keep us updated on your progress. I’d love to be able to take a trip like that! (Well, maybe not by bus. I puke too easily, and I’m a freak magnet – not unlike the Statue of Liberty, I apparently carry a tablet that reads “bring me your odd, your demented, your basket cases, yearning to speak free.” I’d go by train, though!)

189

Yoo~hoo …? Oh, there you all are! You were hiding from me!

Lissla, Father Elijah? Is that about the Antichrist? I think I’ve read it.

We had an uneventful Fourth as well. Boring looking through boxes and repacking stuff, which I think we’ll be doing until the Year 2525 … (everybody sing along).

190

Oh, that. :rolleyes:

I had seen it but promptly forgot about it. And no, it’s not very funny. Sorry.

191

Its only thursday afternoon, and I am already wearing antlers and turky feathers (wiggles his antlers). Maaan. And I happen to walk right into bellydancing, overly happy birds and lot of cleaning up. Well, I am not going near a bucket nor sponge any more today, since, because it was too hot to do something inside, I cleaned my car today. Lot of fun with water and soap. Anyway, I decided to polish the car afterwards, and the most bizarre thing happened. First I polished the roof, then the right side of the car, and when I started on the left side of the car I noticed the car had a yellow tinge to it. Hm, step back to see what is going on. It turns out that every part of the car I had polished, had attracted pollen, and that the car now looked like one of the yellow furry thingies in Muppet show or Sesame Street or something. I was almost expecting my car to start buzzing and laughing if I polished the rest of it. But it did not, and I finished the work on the car. Phew. I better go shake these antlers some more, they kind of cheer me up!

Kotick

192

I got this from a friend - Helpful Household Hints:

**1. To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The solvent dissolves adhesive.

  1. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill a trigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking, let set five minutes and wash clean. The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew.

  2. To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, clean cloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass and kills germs.

  3. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting.

  4. Spray vodka on vomit stains, scrub with a brush, and then blot dry.

  5. Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores.

  6. Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo. The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy hair.

  7. Fill a sixteen-ounce trigger-spray bottle and spray bees or wasps to kill them.

  8. Pour one-half cup vodka and one-half cup water in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for a slushy, refreshable ice pack for aches, pain or black eyes.

  9. Fill a clean, used mayonnaise jar with freshly packed lavender flowers, fill the jar with vodka, seal the lid tightly and set in the sun for three days. Strain liquid through a coffee filter, then apply the tincture to aches and pains.

  10. To relieve a fever, use a washcloth to rub vodka on your chest and back as a liniment.

  11. To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka.

  12. Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting.

  13. Pour vodka over an area affected with poison ivy to remove the urushiol oil from your skin.

  14. Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth Allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain.

And silly me . I’ve only been drinking the stuff!!!**

193

Thanks, anyrose! I think I’ll make my hair a vodka/shampoo cocktail tonight!

194

Good morning all. I slept in way too long. I didn’t go to bed until after one a.m. and it just felt too good to sleep.

Today’s plans call for the big Costco run for our camping trip. Then I need to pack everything but the perishables, do some more laundry, pack some more, go to MIL to drop of the dog to be babysat, eat dinner there, come back and make sure everything but the perishables are packed, then go to bed.

Tomorrow, I need to get up at o’dark thirty and make pasta salad for the camping trip. Then we finish the packing and head on off to the campground. We’re really looking forward to it.

Today’s shopping list includes burgers, dogs, buns, soda, water, beer, Mikes Hard Lemonade, eggs. bacon/or sausages, chips, crackers, fruit, and some other side dishes. We also need to get a new air mattress and little propane canisters for our campstove.

Dots, I know everyone has said it, but things do get better. Being a teenager is hard. Trust me, we’ve all been there and it feels like torture and like it’ll never end. It does, though, and life gets better. Occasionally, I run into people I went to high school with. We’ve all grown up and can manage to be polite, civil, and friendly with each other. These are the folks I didn’t like. Those old hurts and slights don’t even bother me anymore. I was shy and very self-conscious in high school. I didn’t have much self-worth either. You know what? I like myself now and like (for the most part) who I’ve become. I have self-worth and I’m not so self-conscious now. You’ll get there too!

I best get going. Lots to do before tomorrow morning.

195

I wonder how you’d look bellydancing while wearing antlers and turkey feathers. :smiley:

It’s gettin’ all cloudy outside. It’s supposed to rain, so I guess it’s a good thing it is gettin’ cloudy. Cause, it couldn’t rain if it weren’t cloudy, right? We need rain. I want rain. Rain dammit!

196

We saw that. Ordered it on Pay-Per-View, because of the preview for it. And I ended up being strangely underwhelmed by it (although I really liked Cusak’s performance.) I think it was Connie Nielsen that made it worse for me. The preview made its seem a lot funnier (although I really laughed when the whole business on the collapsing boat dock played out. Billy Bob was great in that scene.)

Morgyn take a look at this online comic for where your friend might have gotten the name.

Hey, stick with that excuse if it helps you sleep at night. :wink:

197

What if the stain is caused by vodka? :eek:

198

I forgot to mention - I rented Rumor Has It over the weekend. Funny movie. Jennifer Aniston and Shirley MacLaine are marvelous. I highly recommend it

199

Since you are wondering Swampbear, and since this is my hundredandfirst post (jay! Do I get a present?), I will do a belly dance wearing turkey feathers and antlers. I will just have to tie these feathers around my waist first. There, not too improper. Here goes!

200

use gin :wink: