But Call Me Betsy

How is it that everyone in the world except for Jillian knows that Wes the Cowboy Junction has a girlfriend? And why is everyone crying on this show? He is a liar and a cheat and will never have a number one CD. Could someone please bust him somehow in a real way? Like, can’t Jillian make a phone call? Can’t the producers do some sleuthing? It’s their job, isn’t it, to pick single guys as opposed to men who are otherwise engaged? Also, why are there more commercials in this show than the actual show? Fifteen so far in this ten minute break. I’ve been offered insurance, Nativa (?), previews for Who Wants to Be a Tax Break ? Among many others. Just as an aside, watched Agatha Christie’s Poirot on PBS last night and now crave a waxed moustache. I was glad to learn that it wasn’t easy to determine the murderer. There were many twists and turns (and not just of the French detective’s stache). I have missed the first hour or so because of my writing class, so I’m not sure what tra...

Padhraig and Carrie have been away on an Icelandic adventure and P. sent me the following photos to illustrate that the people in Reykjavik put weird things in their windows just like S. Philly peeps. The really strange thing about the following pictures containing animals is that I'm not sure if any of them are real or if they are stuffed. Like, one appears to be a two-headed goat. Real or fake? You be the judge.

Has something happened to Michael Jackson? Got back from the Ivy + conference last night, sponsored by MIT and held in either Cambridge or Boston; am still not clear where we were. We stayed in the Hyatt; v. expensive and the only real perk was being able to watch The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Bravo after the days events. I presented on a panel of three on Thursday and had the distinct sensation that I was stuck in the middle of that nightmare where you realize you're late for a calculus exam after not attending class for the entire term. Lesson: study your PowerPoint slides before presenting to a room of Ivy league colleagues. Realized from this trip that I haven't been on an airplane in a few years. I was appalled that passengers are still required to take off their shoes, standing vulnerable and (in my case) barefoot. Is this necessary? I rebelled by not taking my make up bag out of my carry on. On Monday, we were delayed for six hours due to some unknown reason. Su...

Who knows what's going on. I missed the last two episodes and the first hour and fifteen minutes of The Bachelorette . Jillian is grilling some blond guy on his ex-girlfriend, if she is his ex. He's sweating because he's lying on national television and the non-ex girlfriend will likely be calling the program very soon (meanwhile, i just watched Emma Carol kill and eat a fly. Good girl). Jillian is confessing that she grew up alone and always wanted fifteen kids and now she only wants 14 kids or so. What state are they in? Alaska? Why are they dressed in parkas in front of a fake outdoor fire? Oh, okay, it's British Columbia. Is that near Alaska? Jillian is telling the guy that she would totally run away and live wherever the guy she likes lives and open up whatever bar he might want to open and give him babies and also be on a radio program, if that's what the man wants. Meanwhile, she's being described as independent. Unfortunately, I don't know who any o...

My apologies for being a horrible blogger. I have been taking pictures all week long and can prove it here. I'm sorry that I haven't written about The Bachelorette , but I can't because I no longer have cable and that means for some reason that I only get one of the prime time channels. Okay, so I may have posted this photo before, but it blows me away every time. A row of stuffed dogs and bears and a kid; all in baseball uniforms. Here is some art for you. It's part of long billboard in South Philly. I think it was done by local kids, but that's just a guess. This Holstein kitty usually is hanging out in the yard here, next to the ceramic Labrador . I can see another cat in the window as well, but this outside cat is hissy , so she's probably a feral cat with a sort of home. Persian cats always look crabby. A calico after my own heart. I like how the buildings reflect in the window. Cat looks a little like Henri, only not nearly as fat and scaredy . My darling....

How did it get to be Wednesday already? For that matter, how did it get to be 2009? Below, please notice a quite sparkly window full on tinsel and a little tiny baby pope in royal gowns. I find it amazing that someone would take the time to put this whole display up. And it's not seasonal. It's like that all the time. It must make their house darker, right? Maybe they're developing photographs? Green door. Blue door. On the same tiny side street. I wonder which one of the homeowners decided to paint her door first? And then the other neighbor was like, Well, if she's going to do bright green, then I'll just do bright blue! I have always liked this mailbox. I am not sure what the design is. Maybe the Pony Express or Paul Revere. I don't particularly like the window underneath, but I think it offers an interesting mix of things. To your far left, Jesus on the day of his crucifixion with the cross strapped to his bare back and blood dripping down his forehead. In t...