(no subject)

I'm back at work today, seeing as how I have gone at least 24 hours without throwing up. Victory! I have gone and bruised a rib while performing reverse peristalsis. This is only slightly less embarrassing than the time I pulled my back out doing the same thing. Not So Much Victory! It hurts when I laugh. Victory For Schmaltzy Ballad Writers!

I've been existing mostly on a liquid diet. Semi-Victory! Unfortunately, this liquid diet does not and can not include scotch. Not A Victory! However, I actually did eat mashed potatoes last night with nary a problem. Victory! For both me and the fine state of Idaho!

In the meantime, I am cutting out all meat from the ol' diet, as well as having as little dairy and wheat as possible, opting instead to enjoy legumes and vegetables and water lots and lots of water. Victory! I spent about three times as I usually do on a week's worth of food, though, due to buying the better-for-me stuff. How come junk food has to be so damned cheap? Not A Victory!

I heard that dandelion tea was a homeopathic friend to the liver and colon, so I got some and endeavor to drink some daily. Victory! It tastes exactly as you'd think dandelions steeped in water would taste like. I swear to god you can also taste the dirt. Victory?

Yesterday I was actually able to sit up in bed, and not keep turning around to lie in different contorted positions due to the gas. Victory! Abbie was happy to have a pillow for most of the day, and that said pillow wasn't constantly turning around to lie in different contorted positions due to the gas. Cat Victory!

I caught up on the last few episodes of 30 Rock, which continues to be some of the funniest stuff on American TV at the moment. Victory! I went to fetch this week's episode of Studio 60 and discovered that it has been put on "indefinite hiatus" for not being some of the most compelling stuff on American TV. Critical Failure for Aaron Sorkin! I'd be as upset as I was over Sports Night getting shafted, but honestly, Sports Night was good. Studio 60 was ... not as good. It wanted to be good, but it couldn't balance between Funny Show and Serious Show. I also watched a few of Anthony Bourdain's recent episodes. Liked the Ghana one a lot because Bourdain admitted he was having such a great time he couldn't be snarky, and then I liked the LA one because Bourdain admitted he could turn the snark on with both barrels. I also enjoyed the Pacific Northwest one (ever notice the Pacific Northwest is where folks go when they "give it all up" to pursue their dream? No one ever gives it all up to move to Boston, except for folks from Western Mass.)

Now I'm researching a member's request for "restaurants in Costa Rica." I figure, gee, there's only got to be one, two, maybe five at most in the entire country, so this oughta be easy without having to contact the member back and ask where exactly in the country she would like to visit. And then I'm going back and asking our supervisor to review the person who took this call without asking where the member wanted to stay first. Um, Victory?

Sad Myrtle Beach

Well, they've finally gone and done it. The erstwhile Myrtle Beach Pavilion has finally been demolished, the stars of the Myrtle Beach Walk of Fame have been ripped up with a jackhammer, and now they're finally getting around to demolishing the Myrtle Beach Hurricane. The coaster was fun when it opened but rough as all hell when I rode it for "one last time" last July. Nobody wanted to buy it and relocate it, so demolishment was the only option. A bigger shame is that the Pavilion Amusement Park's brilliant two-story Haunted Hotel dark ride couldn't attract a buyer, either, so down it goes.

This has all been an inevitability for such a long time, but the realization of an inevitability such as this is always sad to see.

And pretty soon, we'll be seeing the same kinds of photos of Coney Island's Astroland...


sigh.

WHOA, THAT IS ONE BIG SCARY SHARK

I sure hope Bitsy's seen this. Matt Stone and Trey Parker were tapped by the new owner of Universal to make a employee orientation video when Universal went through some changes a few years back.

Edgar Bronfman, Jr. didn't like it.

So someone put it on the Interbutt for all of us to laff at.

The number of cameos in this thing is priceless, especially the tram driver. And "MCA Recording Artist Traci Lords." And -- and -- and -- here, have a wine cooler.