* A new blog on the Oscars and Instant Runoff Voting — http://oscarvotes123.blogspot.com/. Here’s a post about the new voting system for Best Picture, written by the Chair of FairVote Board of Directors, Krist Novoselic.
* The last new Johnny Cash album, American VI: Ain’t No Grave is being released on February 23, during what would have been his birthday week. Am buying, sound unheard, if I don’t get for my birthday.
* Brian from Coverville turned me on to Deanne Iovan’s mission, inspired by Julie & Julia, as well as the 09/09/09 Beatles’ releases, of covering The Beatles’ White Album, track by track, putting out a new song every nine days. She just put out Julia, which is at the end of side two. (Side 2? Hey, I grew up with the vinyl version of this album.)
* 500 cartoons on life in biology research.
* The Business Librarians listserv helped me answer a question this week. Apparently the doohickey on the tops to plastic containers, where the grated cheese comes out, one side being a shaker while the other side you can use a teaspoon to dish it out, is called a spice lid or a dispensing closure.
* Valentine’s Day/Census tie-in campaign with a selection of electronic postcards in Spanish and English.
* New CPR on YouTube: Continuous Chest Compression CPR – Mayo Clinic Presentation, sent to me by a nurse friend of mine, who thinks it’s terrific.
* A recent study outlines the health benefits of having more sex. CNN’s Elizabeth Cohen has the details.
* My medical reimbursement company, only this week, has FINALLY decided to accept e-mailed PDFs, GIFs, etc. as well as mailing and faxes. This is particularly helpful since our fax at work does not seem to work. (When someone announced “Fax is dead!””, they weren’t kidding.)
* Found several places: The Muppets: Beaker’s Ballad – the Internet is SO mean.
* Thom Wade points to Hey! It’s That Guy!? It’s a page “dedicated to the character actors collectively known as ‘That Guy’.” Simon Oakland was one of the first ones I knerw by name as a kid.
* Betty White for host of SNL. My only problem is the notion that it’s a resurgence; she never really left.
* Arthur@AmeriNZ found a video response to the Google Super Bowl ad done from a gay man’s POV.
* An old friend accidentally pushed some button that sent an email to EVERY address in her e-address book, which allowed us to reconnect. I’ve had a child and she’s had two since we last communicated.
*Local school catches Olympic fever. “Events have included ring toss, rock climbing, hockey, boggle, hang man, reading comprehension, and math facts.” I’ll pick math facts.
* The 9th Annual Underground Railroad History Conference, Friday, February 26 at 8:30am through Sunday, February 28 at 2:00pm at Russell Sage College, Troy, NY, where I’ll be one of many presenting on that Saturday. Register now!
ROG
Category: Valentine’s Day
Valentines QUESTION
Valentine’s Day – love it or hate it?
Well, I don’t hate it anymore. But I’m still less than enamored by it than I might be. I still feel more affinity for the heartbreak songs than the “true love” tunes. Even as a kid, I related to songs of love lost.
Later it was the revenge songs such as Del Shannon’s Hats Off To Larry or the Johnny Mercer song I Wanna Be Around.
My favorite Valentine’s day song is titled Valentine’s Day, by Steve earle. Can’t find a version by the singer/songwriter, except on lala.com, though there are cover versions on YouTube and last.fm such as this one.
I come to you with empty hands
I guess I just forgot again
I only got my love to send
On Valentine’s Day
I ain’t got a card to sign
Roses have been hard to find
I only hope that you’ll be mine
On Valentine’s Day
I know that I swore that I wouldn’t forget
I wrote it all down: I lost it I guess
There’s so much I want to say
But all the words just slip away
The way you love me every day
Is Valentine’s Day
If I could I would deliver to you
Diamonds and gold; it’s the least I can do
So if you’ll take my IOU
I could make it up to you
Until then I hope my heart will do
For Valentine’s Day
How do you feel about Valentine’s Day, and what’s your favorite song for the occasion, if any?
ROG
Valentine’s Day QUESTIONS
About a month ago, I stopped at the florist shop and got my wife some flowers, for no reason at all except that she likes flowers, I hadn’t gotten her any recently, and I happened to be walking by the shop (Saturday buses take a while in Albany). I the same way I was inspired to celebrate her last month, I’m rather disinclined to do much about “Valentine’s Day” this month.
I think it’s what Frank Zappa said in a different context, “enforced recreation.” And while I’m cooll with Thanksgiving being set aside for thanks, I’m less inclined to want to set aside a day to romance. Maybe it’s because there’s been enough years where February 14 was merely a reminder of relationships past.
In any case, all my wife wants for Valentine’s Day are some Lindt’s chocolates and for me to organize my armoire so that all of the doors actually close. She actually finds orderliness to be romantic.
This is not to say that we won’t have our monthly date. The child’s daycare is open on Washington’s Birthday, and we both have the day off, so we’re going out to lunch and a movie – together!
1. What, if anything, are you doing for Valentine’s Day?
2. What do you consider romantic? What does your partner (or previous partner) think?
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How You Can Be Romantic Every Day from About.com
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For the cynical only: Unverified factoids, stolen from who knows where
Valentine’s Day is the busiest day of the year for private investigators, it seems that 80% of external ‘affairs’ spend at least a portion of the day with the other person, making this a great day to get caught.
The unofficial ‘record’ for multiple secret “long-term relationships” at the same time is believed to be 6 by a traveling salesman and 3 by a woman. Just thinking about that probably scares most of us and proves that men are the larger idiots! (Although women seem to be catching up!)
Contrary to popular belief, Valentines Day and selecting February as the romantic month was a man’s selection, something about if we must have a romantic month, it should be after the Super Bowl, before March Madness and definitely the shortest month of the year.
So, if you haven’t been wished a Happy Valentines Day, allow me. If you have been, consider yourself lucky, and if you received several cards, gifts or candies, enjoy the month and don’t get caught!
ROG
Does Valentine’s Day Make The Month Feel LONGER?
I’ve discovered that most people fall into two groups: those who love Valentine’s Day and those who hate it. Interestingly, it does not seem to be determined by whether is in a relationship or not, sexual orientation, or race.
I’m mildly indifferent to it. This not to say that I didn’t get my wife something, only that I couldn’t tell you, if you gave me bills in large denominations, what I gave her LAST year. Or what she got me.
My favorite Valentine’s Day song is this one. I recommend the album.
Valentine’s Day/ Artist: Steve Earle
Album: I Feel Alright
I come to you with empty hands
I guess I just forgot again
I only got my love to send
On Valentine’s Day
I ain’t got a card to sign
Roses have been hard to find
I only hope that you’ll be mine
On Valentine’s Day
I know that I swore that I wouldn’t forget
I wrote it all down: I lost it I guess
There’s so much I want to say
But all the words just slip away
The way you love me every day
Is Valentine’s Day
If I could I would deliver to you
Diamonds and gold; it’s the least I can do
So if you’ll take my IOU
I could make it up to you
Until then I hope my heart will do
For Valentine’s Day
***
Then again, there is a specific recollection of Valentine’s Day five years ago. Five years ago, on Lincoln’s Birthday, my eldest brother-in-law, John Powell, died of colon cancer at the age of 41. He was a technogeek, in the best sense of the word, generous in spirit and in fact, and the biggest cheerleader of Carol and me getting back together when we were apart in 1996-1998. Yes, the funeral was February 14, 2002. Good thoughts to his family, especially his widow Cindy.
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I just heard that John Scott, a member of my church’s congregation, died recently. He was a very dear man, I was quite fond of him, and I will miss him.
***
180 miles WNW of here, in Oswego, NY, they had 100 inches of snow in less than a week. For the whole winter, Albany has had less than 7 (Nov-trace, Dec-0.3, Jan-3.9, Feb-2.3). That will change today, when the forecast says we’ll get 12 to 24 inches, or more, between 11 pm last night through 6 am tomorrow.