entertaining infinity

marry me, louis black

Last night, I watched a DVD of one of comedian Lewis Black's HBO specials.  I hear he has a new program on Comedy Central (which i haven't seen), but I love his regular appearances on The Daily Show w/my 'old pal' Jon Stewart.  He's got the most warped and wonderful perspectives, and a wild, manic delivery that cracks me up so much my stomach muscles ache ... and I LOVE laughing like that.  I actually had to stop the DVD a couple of times to let my laughing fit run its course so I wouldn't miss anything. 

His stage persona's very pissed off/indignant, which is something I'm not normally attracted to, but most of the time I'm in agreement about the stuff that pisses him off, so I just revel in delight as he pokes holes in all the delicious topics he chooses to skewer.  And when he gets incensed and starts wagging his fingers and his eyes start to cross, or when you can see him about to crack up at his own delivery (or the audience response), I'm gone.

Oh yes, I have a star-crush on this man.

And of course, today I did what many a crushing girl will do ... I googled him.  He's got a website (naturally), and I learned that he's a former theater guy (playwright, administrator and producer).  He also volunteers for the 52nd Street Project - a wonderful program in NYC where kids write and perform in their own plays.  (and he's not married.)  (we do not know if there is a girlfriend, but since this is all in the realm of fixated cyber stalking and crush-ness, whether he does or doesn't have a significant other is not really the point ...) 

But still ... a thoughtful, intelligent, liberal-leaning, Jewish guy who used to work in theater and volunteers his time to help kids through the arts and makes me laugh so much that my stomach aches?  Be still my heart.

I know that many of my friends will read this and tell me that I should consider more realistic men to have crushes on; they'll tell me to sign up for some on-line meeting thing and get back in the saddle instead of standing around on the side of the pool watching everyone else frolicking in the relationship waters. (but it's so cozy here poolside, i'll say, deftly avoiding their intended point ...)

Then again, a really good friend of a really good friend founded the 52nd Street Project and I've been to a couple of their events in the past ... maybe I'll meet the fabulous Mr. Black one day.  Or not.  For now, I'll think I'll have me a DVD renting marathon and enjoy my star-crush (poolside).

let it snow (redux)

The snow storm I wished for last month swept in overnight leaving over 3 inches on the ground this morning (the ABC news affiliate in NY dubbed it 'the winter wake up.')  (amazingly, the weather channel peeps didn't name this one ...).  It kept falling steadily throughout the day, and the last report I saw said we got almost 7 inches.  Oh yes, an unequivocal snowfall ... that's the way (uh huh uh huh) I like it (uh huh uh huh).

The office was closed, and while I patched in on the remote network (there were a few things that had to get dealt with), a good chunk of my day was spent outside.  I shoveled the walk and driveway (although there was a lot of it, it was a pretty light snow - no need to call in the professionals) ... and I talked to Daf on the phone while sitting bundled up on the front porch.  After a quick duck inside to check in on the computer, I went out for a walk. 

I absolutely adore walking during such a snowstorm  ... so peaceful, so few people out ... feels like magic. 

Shots from my wanderings (they'll expand if you click on them) ... above: the holly by the front porch ... the birdies happily chomping in the side yard.

Then ... walking through a park in town. 

The sky was so gray; I was struck by how it sapped the color out of things ... this view almost seemed like it was black and white.  ('cept that flag just above the gazebo.)

A daddy out with his boy.  (thoughts of the kid as a little one fill the heart ...)

Like something out of a movie set all covered in snow.

Perfect packing-snow for snowmen.

Feet in the snow.

(a yummy day)

YES

Tomorrow is Super (duper) Tuesday and NJ is among 22 states going to voting booths. I've made no bones about who is getting my vote.  If you have doubt ... consider this:

(for scoops on the creator of the video and a link to a list of the participants, go here.)

And then tomorrow, go vote.

the end of an era

Today LMD moves out of COTU.  A few months ago, she left her job at the NJ Symphony, and took a gig in south Jersey.  She's been commuting back and forth, but this weekend the movers come ... sending the Center of the Universe off its axis. 

COTU was a college dorm for adults w/LMD as the housemother for us all.  I stayed the longest - the "while you figure out what you want to do now" move-in after the break up with TGFKAS became a delightful 13 months - but we had the semi-regular drop-ins from two good buds who did a pretty regular commute from south Jersey and Connecticut too.  With the addition of LMD's sweetie we were the middle aged Three's Company.  There were always friends invited for dinner, and weekend hang-fests when the weather was good ... long afternoons stretched into evenings on the back deck, and when it got cool, we'd hang for hours in the kitchen and spend nights by the fire.  When I moved out, visits back to COTU always felt like going back home. 

But now, LMDs off on a new adventure, and all of us who used COTU as a touchstone in our far flung lives are left with a little empty spot.  We'll have to center in a new way.  We're all satellites now.