Bad Apologies

While in NYC this past few days, I went to pick up JJ at her office in midtown so that we could get a post-work drink. I told the receptionist I was there for her and gave her my name. She called JJ. Then, after a pause, she asked if I wasn't the author of a blog she was reading. Now, the story sounds utterly ridiculous already, so I'm not going to waste time with the punchline, which you've already surmised (cause you're so smart, dear reader, aren't you!). My first reaction was one of discomfort, wondering "why are these people reading my blog?" or "didn't she just get this forwarded from JJ?" But with a dropping of the name of my school and a few other choice details, I was snagged. When JJ emerged, I had to share this strange phenomenon. JJ's ability to hold a straight face is just this side of non-existent, and she cracked. But that receptionist was good.

So, as requested long ago, I'm now mentioning you in my blog, JJ, cause you've done something impressive. ;)

Game on.

Today's distraction is Strata!

I have no idea where it came from, but a friend sent it to me. The game is simple, and states that "If you make it to 18 seconds, you are doing brilliantly!" An 18 second game--what can be so hard about that?

The e-mail forward states: "It's been said that the US Air Force uses this for fighter pilots. They are expected to go for at least 2 minutes. " Without Snopes to comment, who am I to believe?

Like a video game, your skills build. I currently haven't been beat by the other people to distracted to work. Note my personal best at the left. Bring it.

I'm just beaming right now. This morning was going as well as any other morning, if not better. I had a good night out, and still dragged myself out of bed and out of the house on time. I even got a seat on the subway!

And as I emerged from that underground thruway, coming into the light of the plaza up top, there were two gentlemen, my age, tall, attractive, and professional, who were just finishing up a conversation. Then one leaned in and the other followed, and they kissed goodbye before splitting. I did my best to not stare and yet take it in. I was instantly warmed, chocked up, elated.

I won't try and identify my obsession with a scene like this--of course there are the obvious reasons. But ever since I first came out I have been especially touched by the idea of two adult men, fresh in their careers and comfortable in their identity and their love, not hiding that comfort in public. Perhaps because I imagined it for myself. I even had this picture sitting around ever since college, in my virtual pile of stuff--my ePile--that I recently stumbled upon and even have available this morning.

This might have been the only time that I've actually witnessed an exchange like this in person, in the most unlikely of places. Nothing will go wrong today. Today is beautiful.

Thank god for TiVo, because I didn't have to watch the Superbowl, and in the last hour I was able to catch up on all of the commercials. :) Nothing great, but several make my "Best of" list:

Budweiser's "Streaker" ad, in which horses face off in a game of football and then a freshly shorn sheep streaks the field, brought a chuckle from my lips.

CareerBuilder.com's continuation of the "I work with a bunch of Monkeys" ads brought me smilies, as they always do.

Dove's "Self-Esteem Fund" ad embarrassingly got me chocked up about girl's self-images.

But the BEST? -- Sprint's "Crime Deterrent" ad, in which one guy finally out does his buddy in the locker room in phone features when he proclaims that his includes crime deterrence and then chucks it at the guy's head. "I'm filling a grievance!" gets a second wallop. Nice.

Still, nothing was as good as my favorite from a couple of years ago - Shards 'O Glass Freeze Pops, which had the added benefit of being ridiculously witty.

Here's to marketing!

As the Swede pointed out this week, we're a nation full of acronyms. That's "State of the Union" for the blog un-initiated.

Last night, I had the pleasure of viewing the President's speech at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, which included Air America's The Majority Report live, as well as live blogging throughout the night. The State of the Union was boring, but in fact I have almost nothing to say about it (other than to ask who these isolationists are that Bush was so fervently speaking against?).

What was pitiful was the showing by the liberals. The host, Sam Seder, didn't have much more to offer other than lines like "He's really rolling with the lies now, folks!" The "panel" of bloggers were even more dismal, including a great let down from semi-famous Atrios. This was no "West Wing," folks, this wasn't even the West Wing's developmentally challenged younger brother.

And what's worse, is that The Majority Report actually BROKE for commercials. I can't imagine what tool sat at home and listened to a commercial instead of switching to ANY other news media outlet. Everyone from network to cable to NPR airs the SOTU uninterrupted--except that is for Air America. Apparently, we're so broke that we can't afford an hour of uninterrupted broadcasting. I sure hope the listeners dropped from 500 to 7. Seven tools I can handle. If that weren't enough, they went off the air at 9 p.m. so another program could run. WHAT?! What else could there possibly be? And did they not realize that they never wrap up in an hour flat? Even this President isn't so dumb; or better yet he needs more time to get out the big words.

I was hoping for some intellectual powerhouses, and I got whinners dressed up in nice (albeit geeky) clothes. Any other party suggestions for me?