The SarahBus is coming

This made me laugh. I enjoyed them all, but my favorites have to be from Jimmy Fallon: “Going Rogue is going rogue!” (RIP Rachel) and “ucking funqualified.” That’s some good writin’, doncha know!

In other news, Palin pissed off some Hoosiers in Noblesville today (that’s near Indianapolis) when she left a book-signing before everyone got their books signed:

(Thanks for the link, Darren.) I enjoyed hearing the guy shouting about how she was “quitting on the job.” And this is a surprise…? We haven’t seen this before…? Apparently some supporters decided that they were no longer going to back her because of this. I have to wonder if people who have become fans of hers on Facebook really believe that they’re friends, and that she really cares about them? And do the guys who leave salivating comments about how her beauty is exceeded only by her brains really think that they have a shot with her? Perhaps Todd will meet with an unfortunate hunting accident, or be skewered by a fishing spear, and that will be their chance to move. Any guy who thinks that her beauty is exceeded only by her brians brains isn’t thinking with his large one.

I look forward to seeing the next stop in the Clusterfuck Parade that is her book tour. This video is for Raquel. :)

The SarahBus is coming
And everybody's humping
New York to San Francisco
Don’t want no nasty homos
The wheels of God are turning
And prayer lights are burning
So if you like to party
Get on and eat the body

Spill the wine

Some of you know that yesterday was our anniversary. Thanks for all the good wishes!

We went to a place downtown called LaSalle Grill, one of the nicest places in town. It was nice to get a little duded up--nothing real fancy, just slacks and a sweater--and sit there like a proper lady, or as much a one as I can be. Haha. It was a Spanish wine dinner, sort of a tapas dinner with various wines to go with the courses.

We started with an appetizer of prosciutto wrapped around green and black olives. It was delicious, and served with a brut champagne. Considering how I react to champagne, I should have known that this foreshadowed trouble.

Next was a course of seared sea scallops with a roasted red pepper sauce. These were tender and tasty, and the sauce was wonderful. The wine was a dry white, also tasty.

The next course was quail stuffed with chorizo, peppers, and tomatoes. I believe at some point a joke was made about naming it Dan. I also don't recall ever having quail before, and thought the tiny little squab was even tastier than a Cornish game hen, with a delicious smoky flavor. The wine with this course was a fairly dry red, and I think this was my favorite course.

Next up was a goat cheese salad with a somewhat fruity white. This was a nice break between the quail and the main course....

Lamb chops with a tempranillo. I'm not a fan of lamb, although these were tender, juicy, and quite tasty. I only had a few bites and passed the rest over to Ken. We tried a tempranillo a while back, and it might be one of my favorite new wines. It's a sort of robust red, almost a...?smoky? flavor...dry reds are my favorite, and this was very good.

Dessert was a crème brûlée sort of thing, and no wine was served.

Probably a good thing. You may have noticed that there was a glass of wine with almost every course. I'm not a real large person, so this was taking its toll on me, and Ken started switching our glasses so I didn't have as much to drink. When it came time to leave, he borrowed the restaurant's wheelbarrow and carted me off to the car. No, not really, but I can tell you that when I got home, I changed into my fuzzy robe, set the egg timer for an hour, and passed out fell asleep on the couch. Good grief! Everything was delicious, but it was also very rich food, and I felt kind of oogy for quite a while. There is a reason people shouldn't eat like that often! I drank water the rest of the evening (had a few bites of chocolate, too) and went to bed early. (And then couldn't sleep, of course! Tossed and turned, finally dozed off at some point.)

It's fun to go to a place like that a couple of times of year, though. The food is...I think I can safely use the word sublime. The different sauces and combinations they use are just so interesting, with such subtle and nicely-paired flavors. Really unusual, and a nice change of pace. I also had to wonder if Hell's Kitchen-type antics were going on in the kitchen. "These lamb chops are RAW!" [Chef throws the plate in the trash] "YES, Chef!"

A very nice dinner, and I believe I have fully recovered. [grin] I live to eat another day.

The new Star Trek’s here! The new Star Trek’s here!

I love pre-orders! On the day that the latest Star Trek movie went on sale, it arrived in the mail from the DVD club. Yippee! I think I held it in my hands and did a little chair dance as I waved it around. I've only seen it twice, so I think I'm due for another viewing. In fact, I'm overdue! Probably this weekend.

I still think they did a wonderful job with this one. J. J. Abrams did a fantastic job in walking the fine line between appeasing long-term fans (like yours truly) and taking the franchise in a bold new direction. I also loved the way they threw me off-kilter, as in "Well, I know that character can't die, because they survived to old age in the original." Ahhhh, but when one is dealing with time travel and the space-time continuum, all bets are off, a lesson I should have learned by now.

I've speculated before about the continuing appeal of the Star Trek phenomenon. (I know not everyone feels that way, of course.) I see it as a continued yearning for a future in which many nations (and planets) are united as a force for the common good. A peaceful force, one concerned with contacting and learning from other cultures, not beating them into submission in order to convert them to our way of life OR to any particular religion. The Prime Directive must always apply. (We seem to have gotten away from that a bit here. W obviously isn't a Trek fan.) The world of Star Trek is one in which various and diverse groups of people collaborate for the greater good. It's idyllic, obviously, but...isn't that the whole point? Isn't our goal a peaceful existence with all people working together to achieve a better world? Shouldn't it be?

For me, Star Trek shows us the possibilities of what can be if we all get off this muy macho shit and start working together.

It's also kinda cool to encounter freaky aliens like the Horta, and to try to connect. That's where a Vulcan Mind Meld comes in handy.

I love this clip from SNL. Note the "I'm looking at you" gesture using the Vulcan hand gesture. Still makes me laugh.

I couldn’t do it

Were you all thinking I was going to be writing tonight about Palin's appearance on Okra's show?

I kind of thought I would be, too, and my initial plan was to watch it. This morning, I watched a few clips on Oprah's (okay, I'll stop calling her Okra) website, and as I wrote to a friend, I realized that I just couldn't stomach the thought of having her face up on the big screen TV. I'll eventually watch it online, and the smaller screen should mitigate the sense of visceral loathing that I'm bound to experience. I hope I didn't disappoint you all, but never fear, there will be more to come!

Watching those clips was bad enough, and reading a couple of things about it fired me up enough. Seeing the entire interview will probably give me a thrombo, but as Cousin Shane said the other day, "Know your enemy!"

A couple of things that really stuck out for me...I think I saw this on Politics Daily.

On her resignation as governor: "Even after finishing the book, I still don't understand why you stepped down," Winfrey asked late in the hour-long interview. Palin reiterated her previous line about the political dynamic having changed so much when she returned that her presence was a hindrance to state business. "And I couldn't be out there talking about issues that matter to people," she added.

What the fuck does that even mean? This is utter bullshit. She wasn't thinking about political dynamics or what was best for Alaska. She couldn't stand the heat of media scrutiny and she wanted to cash in with a ghost-written book. (Again, I don't really blame anyone for cashing in, but at least be honest about it rather than spouting nonsense about how you did something for the greater good.) Out there talking about issues that matter to people? Oh, like that idiocy you recently spoke about concerning "In God we trust" on our coins? Important issues like that, Sarah?

On Katie Couric: Palin said she refused to answer Couric's question about what newspapers she read because she was "annoyed," and felt that Couric was speaking as if Alaska was a "foreign country" where people were detached from the rest of the world. "It was unprofessional of me to wear my annoyance on my sleeve like that," Palin said, and admitted that she later wished she had just named a newspaper. She added that some of the segments with Couric, whom she referred to as "the perky one," were filmed right after invigorating rallies, before she had had even a moment to collect her thoughts.

I find this hilarious. Couric asked a simple question:

COURIC: And when it comes to establishing your world view, I was curious, what newspapers and magazines did you regularly read before you were tapped for this — to stay informed and to understand the world?

PALIN: I’ve read most of them again with a great appreciation for the press, for the media —

COURIC: But what ones specifically? I’m curious.

PALIN: Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me over all these years.

COURIC: Can you name any of them?

PALIN: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news.

How is that annoying? How is that suggesting that people in Alaska are uninformed? Seems to me that it was a specific question directed towards Palin herself, asking what she reads to stay informed. If any of you asked me that, I wouldn't be annoyed, and I wouldn't look like a deer caught in the headlights. I'd say that I read our local weekend paper and the daily online edition, Time magazine, news aggregates like Politics Daily, Huffington Post, Wired Science, and the NPR blog, various other news stories posted by friends...it's not a difficult question, and I find it interesting that Palin feels the need to lash out at Couric for doing her job and for asking such an uncomplicated question.

And calling her "the perky one?" That strikes me as more than a little catty.

I can be perky, too. That doesn't mean that I don't bite. Watch out for us perky ones. We can be sneaky like Ninja.

Just like that, Ponies!

The talking heads (not the band) were talking the Colts-Patriots up as the “rivalry of the decade.” I’m sure there are a lot of teams and fans that would disagree with that (Bears and Packers, perhaps?), but the Colts and Patriots have definitely had their share of showdowns in the past few years.

Tonight’s game was epic, and has to be one of the best games I’ve ever seen. I was in despair, thinking that it was not looking good for my Colts. Their defense was giving up way too much, and Peyton seemed a little off.

Silly Beth. Silly, silly Beth. The Colts came galloping back (sorry about the crummy pun) in the fourth quarter to overcome a 17 point deficit, and won this fucker in the last few seconds! 35-34, baby! Oh my goodness, I thought I was going to have a thrombo. Brady and his “movie-star good looks?” Whatever. Give me Peyton’s laser rocket arm any day!

WOW. What a game. Thank you, Colts! 9-0, and let’s go all the way, guys! I want to see you win the Super Bowl again this year!

Reflecting

It's been a lazy Sunday afternoon at Nutwood, watching football games involving teams I don't care that much about. My Colts play tonight, and it's probably their biggest rivals, the New England Patriots. The Colts have a chance to go 9-0, and they're playing at home, but the Patriots are always tough. I know we can beat them, but will we? I look forward to finding out! Oh, and I did try to set up my workout regimen, but it seems that I need to call to enroll, so I shall to that tomorrow. I got a reprieve!

Since it's been such a quiet day, I found myself doing some thinking. I know...brace yourselves!

I wasn't pondering life's great questions. You know, like What happens when we die? Is there a God? Was anyone besides Thurston and Lovey having sex on Gilligan's Island? Greater thinkers than I have philosophized and tried to find the answers to these burning questions. (Although if you have burning questions, I recommend that you see your doctor.)

No, I was thinking about this blog. First of all, it never ceases to amaze me that anyone actually wants to read what I write. I thank you all, even the Anonymous stalkers, because you, Anonymi, must find something appealing about me to continue reading...and there is always the possibility that you will break your silence and leave a highly entertaining comment which I can pick up and run with. You know I usually do. [evil grin]

Mostly I was thinking about an attitude shift as of late. Some of you may have noticed it, and I have, too. This might come as a surprise to you, but I've always been the tiniest bit opinionated. I've also traditionally been non-confrontational, and believe that people are entitled to their own opinions. I generally won't excoriate someone for their opinion (unless it's the above-mentioned Anonymous commenters, who are just begging to be skewered...oh yes, you know you want it), but I've always felt that if you don't like what you read here, I'm certainly not twisting your arm and shoving your head down onto the page. Free will, baby, it's a beautiful thing.

However, I find myself lately wanting to be more me. I don't want to play to anyone, I just want to be who I am. I'm sure I've offended people in the past, and lost some readers because of it. To be honest, I have a recent feeling of "I don't fucking care." Oh, and I also have a foul mouth and a dirty mind, and I think that is starting to become obvious, as well. As INXS said, foul mouth dirty hearts. Or something like that. I have strong political opinions, and I can warn you that if you are a Sarah Palin fan, you probably won't like what I will continue to write. As always, it is your choice.

I have to say that I feel liberated. I know when to be a good girl, and I'm that way around much of my family (some know how I am, though...not sure how many of my relatives read this). I am a nice person, but I'm not as sweet as I appear. Believe me. I don't want to pander and placate any longer. I just want to be who I am, and I am willing to let the chips fall where they may. Some of you might be offended by my opinions and feelings about politics, religion, and other things I may write about in the future. I can promise you that I wouldn't be offended if you stopped reading. There's that free will thing again.

So meet the new Beth...same as the old Beth. But with a little extra zing. And yes...I'm flashing another evil grin.

Hoooops!

Notre Dame's home opener for basketball was today, and Randy had extra tickets. Seventh row, baby!

The arena at Notre Dame was renovated this past year, and they did a fantastic job. This is where the basketball and hockey games are played. All new seating...gone are the color-coded seats. I went to many a concert in this venue, and I have lots of great memories. I saw my first concert there. I believe it was AC/DC opening for Aerosmith. Or was it Boston? I can't remember...not because I was wasted (I was a good girl in high school...feel free to laugh), but because it was...well, that was some time ago. Ha! No, I'm pretty sure it was AC/DC opening for Aerosmith. That was when Bon Scott was still alive and Aerosmith was still wasted. AC/DC blew them off the stage. Oi! Oi! Oi!

Anyhoo, the new digs are really nice. We played University of North Florida. A smaller school, and I think they were definitely outmatched. At one point, we were up by over 30 points, but it ended up being I think a 20-point win. What was that? Did I just hear someone say that basketball is...boring?!

Hey! You want a piece of me?

It's only our state sport. Well...I don't think that's official, but it might as well be. Even 5-foot me likes to go out and shoot hoops once in a while.

Being at a game, hearing the horn and the squeak of shoes on the court...the sound of the ball on the hardwood floor...the swoosh of a three-pointer drained with nothing but net. The thud as a player hits the hardwood, the cleanup guys coming by with their mops to clean the sweat off of the floor.

::sigh::

It's all so beautiful. I'm a Hoosier. What can I say? Oh, and I got a couple of awesomesauce green T-shirts.

My favorite player is Luke Harangody, #44. He's a senior, so he'll be gone next year. I really hate to see him go, but I think he has a future in the NBA. He's a pretty good-sized guy, a power forward. What I like about him is that he's big, but he's also fast, and has great ball-handling skills. (Shut up with your dirty minds!)

I'm mainly focused on football at the moment, but it was a lot of fun to get back into basketball. I look forward to seeing a couple more games in person, and seeing what the Irish can do this year. A video and then a slideshow. Action...action...action!

And one more.

I'm so happy.