The Great Gurgle

I’m now on day seven of the Throat of the 1000 Glass Shards so lately my experiences are severely limited to Internet fun and movies on TV. Right now I’m watching When Harry Met Sally… and am dismayed to discover that I am now the same age that they are for the final 3/4ths of the movie. I remember thinking how OLD they seemed, how grown up and established and professional with outfits and nice winter gloves and such. And now…I totally and horrifyingly relate.  It makes me wonder what other “grown-ups” from TV and movies I’m older than or the same age as now… I’m older than Mary in the Mary Tyler Moore Show already. Older than Tom Hanks in Big? Older than Archie Bunker?? (ok, prolly not that last one. Yet.)

Oh well. One of the doctors I saw this week thought I was 24. So there. And WHMS is still one of my favorite movies.

I’m still pretty sick, though I’ve finally kicked the fevers. I lost most of the week sleeping and sweating and cringing with pain every time I swallowed, so the holiday sort of snuck up on me. Anyway, Happy Independence Day!

And of course, a very happy birthday to Mrs. G-pants as well. Here is a Muppetacular video for you:

I’m super sick and hating life a teensy bit right now. I had to go to a new doctor this morning to get some tonsil-saving medicine (Z-PAK! to the rescue!) and the only appointment available was at her office located right off of Michigan Ave. Right by Water Tower Place. On a gorgeous summer day. The week of the Taste and two days before July 4th. I can’t tell you how close about 157 smiley, non-traffic-light-following, self-absorbed,  super-annoying tourists came to being mowed down by a feverish and frustrated Keem.

Luckily, Neatorama pointed me to this Flickr set of extra duckies that turned my frown upside down. They aren’t all winners but there’s something about the way the duck keeps looking at me and seems to be posing and grinning in each one that keeps cracking me up.

Yes yes another movie list…I do like them so. This one is Entertainment Weekly’s 100 New Classics (new = from the last 25 years). Bold titles are the ones I’ve seen. I’m sort of surprised that there are so many I haven’t seen yet, though if I’m honest with myself, I don’t really want to see many of the non-bold movies.

I’m not sure I even agree whole heartedly with the list. Why so many sequels?

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997)
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998 )
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
9. Die Hard (1988 )
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
12. The Matrix (1999)
13. GoodFellas (1990)
14. Crumb (1995)
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
16. Boogie Nights (1997)
17. Jerry Maguire (1996)
18. Do the Right Thing (1989)
19. Casino Royale (2006)
20. The Lion King (1994)
21. Schindler’s List (1993)
22. Rushmore (1998 )
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)
25. Shrek (2001)
26. Hoop Dreams (1994)
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire (1988 )
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
30. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
32. Fight Club (1999)
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)
34. Fargo (1996)
35. The Incredibles (2004)
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004) [added June 21]
37. Pretty Woman (1990)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
39. The Sixth Sense (1999)
40. Speed (1994)
41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995)
43. Gladiator (2000)
44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man (1988 )
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)
48. Scarface (1983)
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)
51. There Will Be Blood (2007)
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988 )
53. The Truman Show (1998 )
54. Fatal Attraction (1987)
55. Risky Business (1983)
56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary (1998 )
58. Ghostbusters (1984)
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)
60. Scream (1996)
61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
62. sex, lies and videotape (1989)
63. Big (1988 )
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)
65. Dirty Dancing (1987)
66. Natural Born Killers (1994)
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)
68. Witness (1985)
69. All About My Mother (1999)
70. Broadcast News (1987)
71. Unforgiven (1992)
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
73. Office Space (1999)
74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
75. Out of Africa (1985)
76. The Departed (2006)
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
80. Michael Clayton (2007)
81. Moonstruck (1987)
82. Lost in Translation (2003)
83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004)
85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
91. Back to the Future (1985)
92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)
97. Glory (1989)
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
99. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)

How embarrassing is it that I am three hundred times more excited about my new air conditioner than I am about my new job?

To be fair, the air conditioner is super fancy and digital and has a remote and a sleep timer. And the job doesn’t start until August, while the air conditioner is making my life better NOW. But the AC costs me money and the job gives my money.  On the other hand, the job will make me think and work hard and the air conditioner wants me to just sit and be comfy…

Upon consideration, I believe my priorities are completely sound.

Ah, one step closer to world domination. (pictured with helpful Zach, aka Mr. Toffamy). This street was spotted in Cairns, an Australian city close to the Great Barrier Reef. I feel like there must be some sort of Great Gurgle/Great Barrier Reef wordplay in there someplace, but I can’t quite find it.

While walking home from a baseball game last night, a group of us spontaneously, soberly and (mostly) non-ironically burst into two full verses of “This Land is My Land”.

You see, it’s the little things that let you know you are hanging out with the right crowd.

It is unfathomable to me that in 3 weeks I will be a Master of Science. Even less believable is that I’ll be completely finished with the seemingly infinite number of things I have to do before that can happen. And truly beyond comprehension is that I have NO CLUE what I will be doing with myself the day after graduation. I have no choice but to save the bulk of that freakout for later but trust me, it is on its way and it will be a doozy.

In the meantime, I’m having a great time at my second student teaching placement, enjoying the company of a Fun New Guy, and further discovering the joys of warmer weather and my rooftop deck. In addition, I’m eating Indiana Jones M&Ms with teensy fedoras and skulls and such printed on them.
Life is fun.

Apologies for the extended hiatus - I am currently in the final stretch of a 10 day beach vacation with 18 of my relatives. Depending on who you are and what your family is like (or what you know about my family) you are either rolling your eyes in disgust at my awesome fortune or cringing in sympathetic agony. Actually, my family is a pretty cool group of people -  generally speaking they are intelligent, witty, friendly game-players who like to eat chocolate and stay up too late. Therefore, despite the crammed quarters and not ever being alone ever ever for 6 days straight - horrid for a loner such as I  - I’m feeling fairly relaxed.

Sadly, I lost about half of my vacation to a throat and ear infection, for which I’m still on antibiotics. I had to go to a disturbing local doctor to get them and I’m still sort of flabbergasted by what happened there (more on that later - can you even stand the wait?!).  But right now I’m just sleepy and warm, listening to the waves of the Gulf crash outside my window, satisfied with my belly full of shrimps, and looking forward to one last morning in the sun before returning to the drudgery and snow of home.

And somehow it is suddenly mid-March. How the hell did that happen? Everything continues to be getting better and better on both the work and personal fronts. Daylight Saving Time is playing havoc with my poor confused and sleep-deprived brain, but I think that sunny warmish days will help the adjustment in no time. I’ve gotten to see a number of well-missed out-of-town friends in the last few weeks. The better weather is facilitating a growing love for my new neighborhood.  Tomorrow I get to go see the G-pantsses and next week I hit the Alabama beaches. I’m finding myself walking around humming and whistling again, all of which indicates I am getting back to Keemness after a short hiatus of intense crabbypants. Good Gurgle to you all.