HELLO MISTER PEPPY FLAKE, NOW YOU'RE GONNA DIE!

[spatch]

You know, I understand thirty days hath September, April, June and November, all the rest have thirty-one except for February with twenty-eight unless the year's a multiple of four and in that case add one day more and don't forget we're on some kind of crazy axis wobble and will probably have to add a leap second or minute at some point and which clock here is right and why don't you take over thinking this for a while, I'm tired

but I just realized god damn, it's already October. How in the world did that happen?!

It's a beautiful day, though. I'm very happy to spend a day off doing, again, nothing. I've been just too busy to actually do anything else on a day off, except maybe laundry. The door's open and Abbie is enjoying the sunshine by the screen door and I'm busy watching the second season of Soap on DVD. Both Katherine Helmond and Richard Mulligan are just brilliant. I can't believe the last time I laughed so heartily at such silly punchlines, and I know it's mostly due entirely to the delivery. I can't recreate it perfectly but I'll just try. Billy Crystal's character (the first openly gay character on American television) is talking with his aunt, played by Helmond:

JESSICA
Back in my day we didn't have homosexuals.

JODIE
Oh, Aunt Jessica, we've been around all throughout history. Alexander the Great was gay, and Plato.

JESSICA
Plato?!

JODIE
Yes, even Plato.

(BEAT.)

JESSICA
Mickey Mouse's dog was gay?!

Katherine Helmond played Jessica with the proper combination of sweetness, innocence and abject cluelessness. Every time she opens her mouth in a group setting it's hilarious. There are so many scenes, comedic set pieces, that work so well. Business on girders. Business with four women and a baked pastry. Business with a giant cornflake and raisin in a cereal bowl. I'm very glad I'm able to experience this series at an Advanced Age and without commercial interruption. I love DVDs.