No Pumpkin Talent

can't carve. can't draw. can't play.doh?

Salem + Halloween = Chocolate Buzz

I live too close to the home of the Witch Trials.

My exit to Peabody (go West!) is the middle of three exits leading to Salem, Massachusetts (go East!).

And I had thought that the usual Friday evening traffic is bad as folks head for the coast or north to the mountains. Well, I just discovered that Halloween traffic makes the snarled hair at my nape seem like smooth chocolate.

(Yeah, strange analogy. Sue me, I'm eating tomorrow's candy already just to recover from the last half-mile of my drive home.)

A Toast to R & L!

We celebrated my best friend’s wedding over the weekend. We rather rapidly progressed from dinner to dancing, without pausing much for cake cutting or speeches. Thus, I never had the chance to say the toast that I valiantly and effortlessly struggled to write just hours before the big event. So, here it is…

I have known R since our first week of high school – many many many many years ago.

Of course, given the many many many many years that we’ve been friends, both R and I have changed. Grown up – I can’t quite say that we’ve matured. And our friendship has gone through the usual twists and turns. Which is only natural: relationships do change. They grow or stagnate. They fall apart though lack of attention or flourish with careful tending.

My friendship with R underwent a subtle shift several years ago when she first came out to me. I know she attributed the change to her being a lesbian. But that never was the root of my stepping back. Rather, it was a far more simple reason: I didn’t like her partner. And, correspondingly, I didn’t like the way her partner treated her. R wasn’t the person whom I knew she could be.

Now, I’m supposed to stand up here and say something amusing. And my dissertation thus far probably has you all wondering where I’m headed, but bear with me.

I’ve never been witty on my own. Not really. I need someone to be my foil – or for me to act as the set-up man for someone with a quick punchline. R has usually been that person. my setup man. my foil to amuse those around us, and thereby amuse ourselves. We lost that fundamental part of our relationship when we both went our separate ways several years back.

And the bummer of this marriage, of R’s fantastic relationship with L, is that she’s still not mine for setting up or for being my foil. She’s L’s now.

The good new is that L appreciates our rather offbeat sense of humor. L – that vivacious, fun-loving person at R’s side has made a huge difference in R – and therefore in my relationship with R.

R has become more affectionate. More confident. More open. And, dare I say, more amusing!

A lot of that has been L’s influence. And for that I thank L. I welcome her lovingly and officially into our little circle. But some of that has been R herself. And I’m grateful that R has become the strong woman she is today.

Soooo, a toast to R and L:

May my best friend and my new friend always be friends.

May you never be bored while in each other’s presence.

May you create together thousands of memories to smile upon in old age.

And may you grow and change, becoming more together than either of you could be apart.

Observation No. 1

As I sit in the Jet Blue terminal at JFK Airport (surfing the web, of course), I noticed that there are more Apple Powerbooks that other types of computers around me. A 4 to 2 ratio, as a matter of fact.

Not trying to make a point -- just an observation.

The Soundtrack(s) of My Life

I stole this from a friend of a friend:

If your life were a movie, what would be on the soundtrack?
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button

****************

of the 599 songs on my iPod, this is what came out:
Opening Credits: Blurry – Puddle of Mudd.
Waking Up: Perfect Situation – Weezer.
First Day at School: Bandstand Boogie – Barry Manilow.
Falling in Love: For My Wedding – Don Henley.
Fight Song: Best of My Love – Eagles.
Breaking Up: Tourniquet – Evanescence.
Prom: Look Away – Chicago.
Life is Good: Ain’t Got Nothin’ if You Ain’t Got Love – Michael Bolton.
Mental Breakdown: Wanna Be – Nine Days.
Driving: Finding Me – Vertical Horizon.
Flashback: Just the Way You Are – Billy Joel.
Getting Back Together: Just a Phase -- Incubus
Wedding: Losing You – Marble Jar.
Paying the Dues: If You Don’t Know Me By Now – Simply Red.
The Night Before the War: What Kind of Man Would I Be? – Chicago.
Final Battle: Hangnail – Nickelback.
Moment of Triumph: This Love – Maroon 5.
Death Scene: Your Mirror – Simply Red.
Funeral Song: Have You Ever Needed Someone? – Def Leppard
End Credits: Smoke – Ben Folds Five.

I have one playlist that I listen to the most, so I thought I'd try it:
Opening Credits: Misunderstood – Bon Jovi.
Waking Up: I Believe – Chicago.
First Day at School: Fight for all the Wrong Reasons – Nickelback.
Falling in Love: All Out of Love – Air Supply.
Fight Song: Modern Love – David Bowie.
Breaking Up: You’re All I Have – Snow Patrol.
Prom: Bells of Freedom – Bon Jovi.
Life is Good: Walk Away – Kelly Clarkson.
Mental Breakdown: From Yesterday – 30 Seconds to Mars.
Driving: Silent Running – Mike + The Mechanics.
Flashback: The Song That Goes Like This – Spamalot.
Getting Back Together: Pressure Point – The Zutons.
Wedding: Numb – Linkin Park.
Paying the Dues: Pressure – Billy Joel.
The Night Before the War: Dirty Little Secret – All-American Rejects.
Final Battle: Juke Box Hero – Foreigner.
Moment of Triumph: The Reason – Hoobastank.
Death Scene: Hate Me – Blue October.
Funeral Song: Lying From You – Linkin Park.
End Credits: This is How the Heart Breaks – Rob Thomas.

I See Color!

Autumn has finally arrived. The leaves are falling. A crisp breeze is blowing.

Take a look at my photos of the foliage.