The Centaur is Restless

Sagittarians love to travel, and it’s been far too long since this one’s been any further than Grand Rapids. So before the second job starts up again and I’m locked in a two-month death spiral of work-class-work, work-class-work, I’m taking a train trip to Chicago this weekend.

I was told to bring clothes suitable for a nice restaurant. This evening I held a mini-fashion show in front of the full-length mirror. Too bad most of my dress-up clothes have somehow shrunk and now smash my boobs into unnatural forms or push up little Appalachian ridges of Panera-induced pudge (I admit I’ve seen mio caro once or twice on the sly). The black tank dress will have to do until I somehow dredge up the will power to stop drinking beer and eating cheese on everything.

I thought I’d try to entice D. into guest-blogging from a landscaping roadshow in Columbus, oHIo, this weekend, but to no avail. You’ll have to wait until Monday evening when I return. Maybe.

Why Do Fools Fall in Love?

Savage Chickens has the answer.

Please Don't Eat

the condoms.

From Dr. Johnson's Cat.

Rock Shaped Like Lower Peninsula Made Into Display

Yep.

There's an accompanying AP photo of the display in the Ann Arbor News, but I am unable to find it online. Too bad - the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas are quite impressive for having come out of a farmer's field.

Michigan Renaissance Festival

It's all fun and games until someone throws out their back lobbing tomatoes at Pester the Jester.

Friday Cat Blogging

I needs me a digital camera so I can blog the Meowy One more often.

I Know This is a C++ Programming Class, but Can I Do My Assignment In Pascal?

The back-row students in my Photoshop class were shocked - shocked! - that we have an assignment due on Tuesday. Adult students in a four-credit college course were whining amd whinging, trying to weasel out of doing homework with excuses so lame they needed to be shot.

The real ripsnorter came when one woman asked, "Can I do it in Paint Shop Pro?"

They Like Me, They Really Like Me

Inspired by a friend's farking, I entered my first-ever Photoshop contest on Worth1000's beginner's board.

The source picture was a sunset over a landscape. I spent about two and half hours on Saturday trying to turn the mountain in the background into an erupting volcano, and failed miserably. So I extracted the hill in the foreground, played with the levels and color balance so it greened up, desaturated the sky, then applied a layer gradient of blue to white. I added a stock image of the Irish coast and voila. My submission was complete.

I was pretty happy with it. But I was surprised - and delighted - to get the e-mail notification this morning that I WON!

The Envelope Please...

As usual, I was half a month behind in picking up the Ann Arbor Current magazine. Somehow I never remember to find one until the month is nearly over.

Wish I had picked up the September issue sooner. The 2005 results of the "Reader's Picks: Best of Washtenaw County" were awaiting my perusal and subsequent amusement. With 80 bajillion categories, some of these “bests” are the only business in town in their category. Best Blues Venue? Since the Bird of Paradise has flown, there’s really only the Firefly Club left. Best Central European Restaurant? As is repeatedly pointed out, Ann Arbor is not Chicago, and if there’s another central European restaurant here besides Amadeus, please let me know.

Most Amusing Result? Best Blog: annarborisoverrated.com.

All Apologies

I have been thoroughly taken to task for my mischaracterization of conditions on “Survivor” as “cushy.”

“It’s no beach blanket bingo,” an e-mail from Chicago informs me, and provides a list of tropical horrors endured by the contestants: miserable humidity, open sores that don’t heal, malnutrition, dehydration, vomiting, snakes, jellyfish stings, torn muscles, etc, etc.

I...I...I am so sorry. I thought I exaggerated my humble opinion for humorous effect...since that’s pretty much what I do on this blog. I admit I carelessly tossed that post off without much thought. In fact, reading it again, I see it's not even particularly coherent.

My deepest apologies to anyone who was offended by my failure to acknowledge adequately the trials of reality tv participants. A complete review will be conducted. I take full responsibility.