Weenomania

It's The Big Ween! And today, the neighborhood put on its final triumphant ghastly face for all those little trick-or-treaters.

"ASS to ASS": A Scary Photo

Photo courtesy of JMR

Happy Ween, Everyone!!

And a special treat for his last Ween in office, President George W. Bush. A big ol'...

Patriot Act

They're here! My two favorite public figures! Talking to each other! Wednesday 10/29 Daily Show's guest was Senator Barack Obama. Click here to watch Jon's interview.

Birds of Yore

Yesterday we took a walk by Alachua Sink to enjoy the afternoon sunshine. Among the many birds we saw, here are some favorites:

White Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Little Blue Heron


Please note: These are not my photographs. I didn't have my camera with me.

What If...?

What if the Obamas had paraded their five children across the stage, including a three-month-old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?

What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating class?

What if Obama left his first wife after a severely disfiguring car accident?

What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?

What if Michelle Obama not only became addicted to pain killers but also acquired drugs illegally through her charitable organization?

What if Obama had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?

What if Obama was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?

If things were reversed like this, do you think Barack would have gotten to where he is today? Of course not. The American public turns a blind eye to the screw-ups of old white men.


Some Interesting Info: Educational Background

Barack Obama:
Columbia University - B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in International Relations
Harvard University - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Joseph Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

John McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank: 894 of 899

Sarah Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. - journalism

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"So, you're cold, miserable, and filthy, huh? That sucks."
-JM, 10/29

Rockin' the Swing State

G'OOOOOOOOOOOBAMA!!!!!

Blogs I Would Be LEAST Likely to Read #5

The Magic Fountain

I just realized I posted this earlier today in a fever haze, and named this blog one I would be MOST likely to read. Nix that.

Southern Film Night (SFN): #4

Last night's choice for Southern Film Night was my favorite so far. 1987's The Big Easy, starring a lean, Cajun-accented Dennis Quaid as a mildly corrupt New Orleans cop and Ellen Barkin as a naieve Jehovah's-Witness-esque IAD lawyer, was more full of hole than plot, but steamy and cheesy enough to satisfy a fondue-hungry maniac. Four stars.

Also cheers to KT's fall menu, provided free of charge: chesnut-fennel soup and persimmon salad. Fresh and delish, it was the best meal I've had in weeks.

Today's Poem

OWLS

Under black yews that protect them
the owls perch in a row
like alien gods whose red eyes
glitter. They meditate.

Petrified, they will perch there till
the melancholy hour
when the slanting sun is ousted,
and darkness settles down.

From their posture, the wise
learn to shun, in this world at least,
motion and commotion;

impassioned by passing shadows,
man will always be scourged
for trying to change his place.

-Charles Baudelaire
Translated by Richard Howard

Products I Would Not Purchase: #1

Ethnic Heritage 101

I'm a proud American mutt. My ancestors came to this country from Southern and Eastern Europe no earlier than the 1880s, and most after the turn of the twentieth century. They found their way to New York and Detroit, where other immigrants from their home countries had already settled. I don't know much about my family history--not even my great-grandparents' names. I do know that I am:

GREEK 22%

ITALIAN 22% (Sicilian 12%, Neapolitan 10%)

POLISH 43%

MONGOLIAN 4%

ROMA (GYPSY) 9%

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Whatever joy there is in this world
All comes from desiring others to be happy,
And whatever suffering there is in this world
All comes from desiring myself to be happy.
-Shantideva

My Top 5 Favorite Things About Gainesville

1. Its location. Gainesville's centralized location affords easy access to either coast (Gulf or Atlantic) and all the attendant pleasures thereof--shell collecting, seafood, beaches, etc. It is close to the cities of St. Augustine, Tampa, and Orlando. It is situated in what may be the last vestige of old Florida--the prairies, marshes, and Spanish-mossed towns that make the state interesting. It's not too far a drive to Tallahassee, Savannah, the Georgia Sea Islands, or even Miami. And it's surrounded by weird and fascinating places to adventure: Silver Springs, Weeki Wachee (live mermaids), Cassadaga (psychic medium town), the Everglades, Cedar Key, and a multitude of state parks.
2. Its affordability. Rents, groceries, activities, and services are all very affordable. Apartments and houses tend to be spacious and pleasant. Gainesville has a diversity of neighborhoods to choose from, including ones with historic houses and woods in the middle of the city. There are lots of fun things to do for cheap, whether your bag is dance clubs, bars, hiking, or bowling.
3. Its natural scenery. Gainesville is surrounded by absolutely beautiful freshwater springs (something like 200 altogether), as well as hiking and biking trails, woods, creeks, and prairies. I like to ride my bike on the Gainesville-Hawthorne trail and go birding at Alachua Sink. I like to hike in Payne's Prairie and San Felasco State Park. I like to drive out into the country and enjoy the cattle ranging in the fields and the old barns and the moss-dripping trees. I like to drive down to Micanopy and go antiquing and eat at Pearl's Barbecue. I like to swim at the springs and tube the Ichetucknee River. I've gone canoeing on the Santa Fe River, and I'd like to go again. Even just going for a walk through some neighborhoods in town feels like being out in the wild.
4. Its small-town feel. I grew up in New York City and lived there until I was 25, with only one foray to Tucson and some time spent Upstate. I've always craved the feel of a town where you recognize people on the street--where your former student checks you out at the art supply store, the waiter from your favorite restaurant is in line ahead of you at the post office, and you can spot your bartender crossing a dark, vacant lot on his way home at the end of his shift. Gainesville has all that, without being so small as to feel cramped. At a school-year population of around 100,000, and a summertime/winter break population of about half that, Gainesville is exactly the right size for me.
5. Its medical establishment. Gainesville boasts three hospitals--Alachua General, North Florida Regional Medical Center, and Shands--the last of which is attached to UF and is nationally renowned. Excellent doctors abound in Gainesville, as do a variety of alternative therapies, including accupuncturists, massage therapists, holistic healers, and I'm sure a lot of other weird ones I'm forgetting to mention.

Blogs I Would Be Least Likely to Read #3 & 4

Dottie's Advice
Swiss Walks

Ol' Times at the Silver Q (Fall 2006)

From left to right: Dixie Starr, Curtis, Hayden, Brek.

Photo by L.F.

Bill Maher - Reveals comments made by Sarah Palin's daughter's boyfriend about his opinion on life

"If you just change 'chill' to 'drill,' that is the Republican party platform."
-Bill Maher

Sarah, Plain & Tall

You've probably heard about the McCain campaign's spending $150k on Sarah Palin's wardrobe in the 6 weeks since she's been VP nominee. Well, now a new disgrace rears its coiffed head: According to the New York Times, McCain's highest-paid professional attached to his retinue is Palin's makeup stylist.

If you were ever uncertain that McCain picked this babe for her looks and not her brains, these tasty tidbits should turn your stomach in that direction.

Dr. Gonzo's Card

My dear friend, Dr. Gonzo, knows me very well. She sent me this card over the weekend. It was pure coincidence, but it speaks to the many mixed feelings I have about Facebook, especially lately. Facebook is a great place to reconnect with old friends, keep up with real friends, and obnoxiously Superpoke people, but it's also a wicked creator of unnecessary social drama and has ruined more friendships and acquaintanceships in the last year than I can count. So let's start off Monday morning with this sentiment in mind . . . and remember to use Facebook like a prescription drug . . . only in recommended doses and at the recommended times.

Baked Potato Costume

Ghastly Ghouls: A Neighborhood Extravaganza, Part II

Okay, now I've got my breath back, let's continue the walking tour...


For those of you with poor eyesight, the graves below read "Uncle Marcus Now He's a Carcus" and "Below the Stone Lie Rattlin' Bones." There appear to be some organs in the earth here.

Another spooky seasonal cat.

A face hanging from a palm tree.

Ghost and skeleton, swinging in the breeze...

And overseeing the neighborhood spooks and specters, our resident barred owl, Lincoln.

Ghastly Ghouls: A Neighborhood Extravaganza, Part I

My neighborhood goes all out for The Big Ween. Today I took a walk with my camera to prove it. Let's start with the obvious.

Ah -- yes!! The people next door are at it again.

Let's move in for a closer look, shall we?


Okay, so, moving right along...


These obviously take a lot of work to construct in one's yard. Finding, photographing, and uploading them isn't easy either, though. I'm tired now, so to be continued.

Tonight's the Night: Haunted Hayride

Tonight's my favorite night of the year: the haunted corn maze and hayride in Newberry!

Sexy Adventures: October 24th

Todd and I went downtown today to vote early. We voted at the Board of Elections, a very simple process that took less than 10 minutes. Afterwards I drove a sackful of books over to Books, Inc., one of Gainesville's used bookstores, and got $45 in trade and a shower of compliments from the owners and their friends for what "good books" I read. They wanted to know all about my MFA, where I've been published, what I'm working on, what I do for a day job, and how I fit writing into my daily schedule. They told me stories about part-time Gainesville writer/residents, and I used some of my credit to buy Robinson Crusoe, Clarissa, and The Rise of Silas Lapham. Now I'm going to curl up in bed with my heating pad (it's chilly and damp here today) and read more of Tom Jones, and then Todd and I are going out for sushi. I will probably round out the day with a little tea, writing, and X-Files. Yay Homecoming! Yay civic duty! Yay literature!

The Noisy Drinking Cat

Woman Found Dead Outside Old-Timey Barn; Playing "Dixie the Farmer" Took Its Toll, Say Friends

In an effort to subscribe to the McCain campaign's insistence that "real Americans" can be detected by their use of a first name followed by an occupation, Dixie Starr attempted a day at being "Dixie the Farmer," but only made it to eleven o'clock before she expired from phoniness.

To All My Friends...