RIP, Robert Goulet

Marc's Midweek Halloween Veal Haiku

Not much for costumes...
Halloween's just an excuse
to take my shirt off.

Got Milk?

I for one am quite thankful that breastfeeding is legal in Arizona - (ARS §3 Title 41, Ch. 9, Art. 3, Sec. 41-1443).

Thanks to The Daily Slab for the pic!

And for those who are interested, I am feeling MUCH better (though I'll still ban morons [not Adam] who want to blather about bottled water).

Puttanesca!

At dinner with Alexander yesterday, I picked up my new favorite word from the menu -- "Puttanesca!" The beauty of the word is that it sounds like EXACTLY what it means. Pasta Puttanesca is "Pasta in the style a whore would give you." Today was one of those PUTTANESCA moments -- Not only did I have to give back the cat that I hadn't asked for (but lovingly accepted), but I got an asshole calling me out for drinking bottled water, to boot. PUTTANESCA! But you know what? I defy you, you dirty whore of a Universe. If you think you're going to manage to bring me down, if you think that somehow this is finally the time when I just give up, you're wrong. I defy you. I will be happy despite your dirty whore tricks.

Fuck You, I Like Bottled Water

Buy some if you don't already have some.

Asshole.
Deleted comment from banned asshole:

While this is a quite a touching blog entry, what jumped out at me was the blogger's reference to his bottled water. I would direct readers to the link I have enclosed.

Update:

Apparently someone else has decided to comment on the evils of bottled water and has earned themselves a ban. Let me make this perfectly clear: PIMP YOUR CAUSE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

Aftermath

I can't say I'm too terribly surprised. I went for another run today, taking a route by the park and on a big orange sign there was a picture of cat's cute mug staring back at me. Dutifully, I called the phone number and found out the back story -- Tuesday he had followed his kids to school -- another school a bit away -- and wouldn't leave. So school officials took him and drove him to the school by my house and left him in the park. And so far from home he stayed all day and into the night until he found the one person he knew would take good care of him and who would also love him enough to make sure he found his way back to his other family. He knew what he was doing.

There might be some who say that all my talk about a friend reincarnated finding his way home was a little foolish. It was just a lost kitten that looked like my old cat and needed someone to take care of him. Once I took him home I spoke to the woman's fiancee -- "I'm so glad to have Trouble back." "Trouble? His name is Trouble?" That was Stinky's given name when I adopted him... I ended up changing it to his middle name. So while my heart is broken once again, I know my old friend knew he could always trust me to do what is right.

Just In Time For Halloween

In case you're looking for costume ideas...

Reincatnation

After a week without a blog entry, Alexander asked me if I had decided to let the blog die. Not so, I assured him. Just had some other stuff going on. For those of you who have been following along, it was just last Halloween when I had to say goodbye to my good friend, Stinky. I won't lie to you -- It hurt bad and it really took a while for me to finally recover. I don't care if its a cat or a person -- I don't give my heart away easily and I never really stop loving someone.

Jump forward about a year -- I still have three pictures of Stinky at my desk, I still find myself talking to him. Its not a sad thing, really. I just enjoy talking to him, letting him know that he's still on my mind. A neighbor's cat had adopted me, dropping by for a little attention now and then. Its all the kitty love without the responsibility. I really liked that. Definitely my speed at the moment... or so I thought.

I went out for a late night run through the neighborhood a few nights ago. On my way back, I went by the park that's near our house. (And for my readers with dirty minds: No, its not that kind of park.) I stopped to toss away my empty water bottle when this striped cat appeared next to me. Not quite out of his kittenhood, he seemed awfully friendly. I gave him a quick pat on the head before telling him to head back home to his family. I turned and made my way back but he followed right along side me... all the way home.

Yes, its cliche -- "Look what followed me home!" I keep expecting him to disappear again to wherever he came from, though he shows no inclination to leave. I haven't adopted him, as I don't really consider him mine to adopt -- it seems more like he's adopted me. At this point, I think I'm just going to call him Cat. "Poor old Cat. Poor slob. Poor slob without a name. The way I see it I don't have the right to give him one. We don't belong to each other. We just took up by the river one day."

Honestly, I wasn't looking for another cat. I was happy having a surrogate cat, I didn't really feel like it was time to put my heart out there again... I can't shake the sense that some way, some how my friend had made his way home again, even if it took a year and a different body. I guess that's how life works sometimes -- we may not think our hearts are ready to love again just quite yet, but when its time, its time.

USC Weekend

The Spirit of du lac

Its the day before we play USC, we've been having a rough season and the chances of winning the game are few... there are times it feels like a metaphor for most of this year for me. Nonetheless, this video reminds me that no matter how the game or the season turns out, I am proud to be a part of such a special place and in my heart I know that in the end, "old Notre Dame (and I) will win over all."

GO IRISH!

Breaking News: Democrat Shows Spine!

While I venture into the political realm occasionally on this blog, figuring there are many other places for people to read about politics, every once in a while something happens that makes me speak up. Recently, news outlets had reported that the Senate had reached a deal in revising FISA that would immunize telecom providers for turning over customer information to the government without a court order. Another disappointing instance of Congress abdicating its responsibilities to uphold the Constitution...

...and then something magical happened. Sen. Chris Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat announced that he would place a "hold" on the bill, effectively killing it. Holy crap! On his website, Dodd explains, "I have decided to place a 'hold' on the latest FISA bill that would have included amnesty for telecommunications companies that enabled the President's assault on the Constitution by illegally providing personal information on their customers without judicial authorization."

This is huge. We've heard a lot of talk from Democrats about being willing to stand up to Bush but we've seen little progress. Leading Presidential candidates have talked about their "experience" or "better judgment" that makes them suited for election, but none of them has done much besides talk. Yes, Dodd is running for the Presidency, perhaps its nothing more than politics and yet, at the end of the day, someone has finally done what has needed to be done for the good of this country. We need more leadership like this, whether it comes from Dodd or any of the other candidates, along with Congress in general. Well done.

Marc's Midweek Tailgating Veal Haiku

He asked his best bros,
"You really wanna know why
they call me 'beer can?'"

Kids Today Get All The Good Toys!

From Towleroad.

I Miss Hunky Helo, Too!

While I'm enjoying the return of Ugly Betty, I wants me some Galactica. Preferably with lots of shirtless Apollo and Helo. Especially if they're going at it... together.

(Thanks, Alex!)

Marc's Midweek Baseball Playoffs Beef Haiku

"Keep eyes on the ball,"
they always say. I'd rather
watch you swing your bat.