Whither hj2?
Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated! All the other rumors are true, though.
So it's been, what, six weeks? Hm. Allow me to sum up:
July 4th was fun for all ages! Went home for 5 days. Went to the Taste of Chicago along with an estimated one million (seriously) Chicagoans. Gorged self on food, helped my companions fight off panic induced by the crushing crowds, and was nearly caught up in a riot before the fireworks started. Made it home alive. On the 4th, canis_m came out to spend a couple of days, and was sexually harassed by a puppet (a chameleon dubbed "The Baron") at our family BBQ. At our Annual Family Fireworks Extravaganza, stuff 'sploded and no one was permanently injured, though my uncle did take a piece of cardboard shrapnel to the face. But he just laughed. He's such a little trooper! Highlights: Mobile Missile Command Unit tanks vs. Alligators--Man vs. Nature: The Ultimate Final Battle!; Liz's boyfriend and his homemade MortarMaster 5000 launching near-commercial-grade fireworks; the firework named Silver Mine unexpectedly exploding and showering us all with silver sparks. Good times, everyone. Good times. Can't wait til next year!
As for the rest of the last month, here are the highlights:
--Went to Bretta & Nellie's belly dancing show and saw something that I did not know existed: a male belly dancer. With a full beard and mustache and long flowing hair. He looked like Jesus in a little vest and shiny flowing pants. His name? Zorba.
--Was unaffected by HBP craze, as am still bitter about OotP. I lasted a week without reading it, before I caved and borrowed a copy. Dammit, Rowling! I guess I don't know what I expected. I did love the backstory, though. But I am definitely siding with canis_m on the whole Remus situation. In my mind, the less I dwell on it, the better.
--For two Saturdays in a row, the lab welcomed a group of reformed juvenile delinquents as part of a state-sponsored community service type program. They were there to learn about birds and perform manual labor for us. And all in all, it worked out great. Even the most hardened and cynical teenage boy has a positive reaction to seeing a little warbler in the hand. They got really into the learning, and in exchange, cleared weeds, pruned, and painted for us. A positive experience, but a lot of work for everyone involved, including us.
Final thought: Go see March of the Penguins! You'll laugh, you'll cry, it's better than Cats! It's one of the most amazing movies I've ever seen. It's just beautiful. And I'm not just saying that because I love our feathered friends. (Sadly, it lacks the original French soundtrack, but the music is still fitting). How could you not like a movie about penguins? Come on, you'll be glad you went.
So it's been, what, six weeks? Hm. Allow me to sum up:
July 4th was fun for all ages! Went home for 5 days. Went to the Taste of Chicago along with an estimated one million (seriously) Chicagoans. Gorged self on food, helped my companions fight off panic induced by the crushing crowds, and was nearly caught up in a riot before the fireworks started. Made it home alive. On the 4th, canis_m came out to spend a couple of days, and was sexually harassed by a puppet (a chameleon dubbed "The Baron") at our family BBQ. At our Annual Family Fireworks Extravaganza, stuff 'sploded and no one was permanently injured, though my uncle did take a piece of cardboard shrapnel to the face. But he just laughed. He's such a little trooper! Highlights: Mobile Missile Command Unit tanks vs. Alligators--Man vs. Nature: The Ultimate Final Battle!; Liz's boyfriend and his homemade MortarMaster 5000 launching near-commercial-grade fireworks; the firework named Silver Mine unexpectedly exploding and showering us all with silver sparks. Good times, everyone. Good times. Can't wait til next year!
As for the rest of the last month, here are the highlights:
--Went to Bretta & Nellie's belly dancing show and saw something that I did not know existed: a male belly dancer. With a full beard and mustache and long flowing hair. He looked like Jesus in a little vest and shiny flowing pants. His name? Zorba.
--Was unaffected by HBP craze, as am still bitter about OotP. I lasted a week without reading it, before I caved and borrowed a copy. Dammit, Rowling! I guess I don't know what I expected. I did love the backstory, though. But I am definitely siding with canis_m on the whole Remus situation. In my mind, the less I dwell on it, the better.
--For two Saturdays in a row, the lab welcomed a group of reformed juvenile delinquents as part of a state-sponsored community service type program. They were there to learn about birds and perform manual labor for us. And all in all, it worked out great. Even the most hardened and cynical teenage boy has a positive reaction to seeing a little warbler in the hand. They got really into the learning, and in exchange, cleared weeds, pruned, and painted for us. A positive experience, but a lot of work for everyone involved, including us.
Final thought: Go see March of the Penguins! You'll laugh, you'll cry, it's better than Cats! It's one of the most amazing movies I've ever seen. It's just beautiful. And I'm not just saying that because I love our feathered friends. (Sadly, it lacks the original French soundtrack, but the music is still fitting). How could you not like a movie about penguins? Come on, you'll be glad you went.