Friday, June 13, 2003

For fans of Celebrity Mole, there will be a return that includes Stephen Baldwin and Corbin Berensen.

“We learned from ‘Celebrity Mole Hawaii’ that performers play this game very, very well because their acting abilities raise their level of deception,” said Scott A. Stone, executive producer of the series along with David G. Stanley and Clay Newbill.

The cast includes former v.j. and talk-show host Ananda Lewis, comedian Mark Curry ("Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper"), versatile actors Stephen Baldwin ("Usual Suspects,” “One Good Cop") and Corbin Bernsen ("L.A. Law,” “Major League"), sitcom stars Tracy Gold ("Growing Pains") and Keisha Knight Pulliam ("The Cosby Show"), supermodel Angie Everhart and legendary basketball bad boy Dennis Rodman.

“Celebrity Mole Yucatan” will be a special seven-episode version of the show, as each of the eight celebrities tries to figure out who among them is The Mole. The celebrities will use all their guile to uncover clues that could lead them to a pot of up to $250,000. They must complete a series of challenging physical and mental games to earn money for the pot, which one player will eventually win (last season comedienne Kathy Griffin took home $233,000). Working undercover against the team, however, is The Mole, a double agent planted by the producers to sabotage the players’ efforts. It is the goal of the players to decide who they think The Mole is, then learn as much about him or her as possible. In the final dramatic episode, The Mole is revealed and the one remaining player wins the jackpot.

[via Reality Blurred]

The Governor of Texas may want to look into subsidizing parenting classes in that state. Here’s another fine example of the type of parents that seem to be profligate in Texas.

SUGAR LAND, Texas — A 7-year-old girl was abandoned by her mom in a grocery store Monday after a shoplifting scheme soured, an investigators have not yet been able to locate the girl’s home, her mother, or two accomplices.

1. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do, but never have?  Get married and have a family. But it’s not just up to me on that one.

2. When someone asks your opinion about a new haircut/outfit/etc, are you always honest?  Probably not completely honest - it depends on who it is. I’ll find a way to be tactful about it.

3. Have you ever found out something about a friend and then wished you hadn’t? What happened?  Yes. It was terrible not letting them know I knew. But I managed it and it eventually didn’t matter.

4. If you could live in any fictional world (from a book/movie/game/etc.) which would it be and why?  Hobbiton because life is so much simpler. And I love the Hobbit-holes with round doors.

5. What’s one talent/skill you don’t have but always wanted?  Hmmm, I’m pretty talented. I wish I were more athletic, just generally. I’ve always liked sports, but not to play.

Just a few more things about Harry.

1. We had many nicknames for him including: Hairball, Muppet, Little Buddy, Hars (sounds like hairs), Hare-bear. I’m sure my family can add to that list.

2. Several years ago one of the pet stores was offering free pet portraits. Mom took Harry and the result is the most mocked picture in our family. He looks as miserable as he probably felt. He was probably wondering what other forms of torture might be inflicted on him.

More recently, the mop on top of his head was pure silvery white. As was his beard. So cute…

Note to Mom: If you have a better picture (one that shows him in all his perky glory), please let me know and I’ll post it here. I’m sure you must have one.

3. My favorite story (and Mom or Dad can corroborate this one as I’m telling it second hand): One night Harry was scrambling around upstairs. Mom was in her “office.” Dad was in his “office” down the hall. Mom figured Harry was searching for his rawhide chew. So she said, “Harry, I think it’s in Dad’s office.” Harry went off running down the hall to Dad’s office. Dad must have figured out what Harry was there for (he rarely left Mom’s presence) and said, “Harry, I think I saw it downstairs.” Harry took off down the hall and down the stairs. A little bit later he came back up the stairs, chew in mouth, and proudly showed it off.

He was a very smart little dog.

Thursday, June 12, 2003

I’m shocked at the team that’s getting Philiminated.

Hmmm...I thought they’d be in the top half at least. Interesting twist.

I have a friend that works at the White House. She manages the team that runs the whitehouse.gov website.

You’d think she’s give me or Mrs. Cootiehog (Jaynee is the one who’s closest to LP) the heads up on a cute things they have, but no...I have to find it elsewhere.

Flat Stanley paid a visit to the White House recently. Go check out the pictorial - my favorite is Flat Stanley with President Bush, where George is sitting in his I’m Meeting with Someone Official^TM chair. Heh.

I’ve had to dial in five times tonight. So far…

And that’s all I’m saying about it.

I was all set for some extra love for Annie tonight given the whole Harry thing. She’s a royal pain in the rear, but I love her to death and she cracks me up too many times.

So I walked in the door to her frantic whining - she had left me two gifts, in both liquid and solid form.

No extra love...stupid mutt.

I was listening to Sean Hannity on the way home and he did his Man on the Street^TM segment.

He was talking to this 32 year old stay-at-home mom. He started with his standard, “Who’s the Vice President of the United States?”

Her answer: I can’t think of his name, but if you pointed him out, I would know him.

Later he asked: Do you know who Colin Powell is?

HER: He’s the Something to do with Government Guy^TM.

Beautiful…

SEAN: Do you know who Richard Cheney is?

HER: He’s the Secretary of Something^TM.

Lord, help us.

There was a guy he was talking to that he asked not to vote anymore. Heh.

First, we had one of those 15 minute severe thunderstorms while I was driving home. There’s a rather long section of the Beltway (I-495 South/West) that is under construction, so there are jersey barriers on both sides of the road (which is 4 lanes wide). The rain was coming down so hard that there was standing water about an inch deep in places - there’s nowhere for it to drain. The result? Traffic was at a crawl, which is not normal for that side of the highway.

Second, I heard on the radio that there was a 15-18 car pile-up on I-270 in Maryland. Now I’m about to bring upon me the wrath of Marylanders, but they have more accidents than Virginia. (I don’t know if there are numbers to back that up, but I know that I hear about more in MD than VA, so I’m sticking with my general statement.) I’m very, very thankful that I never have to deal with that traffic.

Consumed so far:

Chicken Quesadillas from Baja Fresh
Vanilla Diet Coke (2) (I’m totally in love with this product.)

Dinner will be cereal, I’m guessing.

Oh, and we noticed a Chipotle that’s soon to open near the ‘rents. Yay!

Today we mourn.

I won’t go on about it too much, but Mom and I took Harry to the vet, who confirmed that it was time. So that was a comfort for me (and I think for Mom too). There were quite a few tears shed and I know there will be many more.

I had a good cathartic cry on the way to the office (it is a long drive), so when my caring coworkers inquired about him I was able to hold it together.

But it’s a sad, sad day for our family.

If you pray, please do so for my Mom. Although we all claimed him as the family pooch, he was hers (she was his, really).

OK, enough of the sad stuff…

I was at Books-A-Million.com looking for the link to the book I’m currently reading and discovered that The Two Towers DVD is coming out in AUGUST!

Now, this is not the extended version, I don’t know when that’s coming out, but this is still good news. Especially for folks like Lemonlye-the-brilliant-parodyer!

Woo Hoo!

Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Day Three was going well until the Generous George’s lunch. I split a pasta with KR, but still, the carbs.

Then LW taunted me by pointing at the Good Humor Reese’s ice cream bar that has been calling my name for the past week up at the Big Toe^TM. I thought it needed to be put out of it’s misery and loneliness, so I ate it. Those things are GOOD.

I have no idea what dinner is going to be. I hate diets. What was I thinking?

We have a huge parking garage under the courthouse. All Court employees and contractors are able to park in the garage. Some of the offices have to pay for their parking, so those folks have designated spots. The rest of us just park in a first come, first served basis. Until tomorrow.

Over the past few months there have been disputes and battles over the parking turf. So last week there was a big meeting between the various parties and the spots were divvied out. Almost immediately signs started popping up over spots. We put up our signs today.

The cool thing is that I now get to park in a better place than I had been before. But we’re talking about government people, so there will be those that complain that they are no longer able to park in the spot that they’ve parked in for the past seven years.

The next week is going to be very interesting…