Yesterday is going to be one of those days I remember when I am old as one of those perfect family days where everyone was happy and silly and playful and we made my stoic dad get choked up a few times as we celebrated his 75th birthday and Mom wasn't hurting and we all ate perfect steaks that Matt brought and Dell was feeling good and not a single jab was thrown (but not because we were trying to be on good behavior, but because it never occurred to anyone to say something cruddy) and the weather was perfect and we played catch outside (or watched people play catch outside) until we all came inside and the kids were all at that age where they were up for anything and nothing was too dorky to do. We flung Snapple caps, we talked about important things and not-important things and hugged a lot. I wish I was back up there right now.  

I never want to forget yesterday.

(x-posted to xtingu.livejournal.com)

My favorite, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is running NOW at The Wilma Theater. I must go. Anyone else?

It's like Hamlet++

It's like Waitng for Godot to  poison Gerturde.

It's like Our Town (is Elsinore).

Don't let me miss it!

Here are some questions for you good people:

Do athiests have a "belief?" Or is atheism a lack of belief? Is it a leap of faith to believe there are no gods, or are athiests standing firmly on the ground by disbelieving in all gods?

In a few other words: is athiesm science, religion, philosophy, or a combination thereof? And - this one's for those who consider themselves atheists - does it matter? Is the difference between "I believe there are no gods" and "I disbelieve in all gods" important?

I have an opinion, but I'm much more interested in yours. Besides, who the hell am I to say? I think Ewoks are awesome and Tyler, the Creator is the best thing to happen to music since Smear joined the Foos for good. So maybe I'm not the best one to judge.
​

                                                             Yep. This guy.

So there you have it! Fire away. You're welcome to bring your own belief system into the discussion, but it isn't necessary. Politeness and respect is, though, but y'all knew that already.

Thanks! And if I accidentally earwormed you with George Michael, well...you're welcome. 

Yesterday I brought a group of people to the Musem of Modern Art in New York City. Due to minor mishaps I had two extra tickets.

This is not a huge deal and I immediately considered just writing them both off as donations, it's a worthy cause after all. But we did decide to try offering them to folks in the ticket line, for something less than original price. Waste not, want not. Habits of a lifetime.

Nobody was interested. As someone in our group pointed out, this could be because they didn't know if I was honest, and that's a good point, although it's also easily solved: come with me when I go through the entrance; see if you get in or not; pay me then.

But what stopped me from even suggesting that was the looks people gave me. They weren't doubting looks. They were incredulous, snooty, dismissive looks.

You speak of MONEY, sir? You disturb the AESTHETIC of this LOBBY? How GAUCHE! This is an ART MUSEUM!

These are the same people who probably wrote poignant tweets when they encountered the Minimum Wage Machine, a performance piece in which anyone can turn a crank to produce a trickle of coins, which is exciting until you realize they are being disbursed at the rate of $8 per hour and gradually become depressed by the knowledge of how little that is.

Screw those people and their faux concern for the truly poor and their open disdain for the middle class. I'm glad I made them see me and my Target clothes and my perfectly good extra tickets.

(Yes, I'm sure I'm misjudging somebody in that line, but they'll live. Very well.)

Going to our cousins' for dinner. I got stuff to make kale-cabbage salad with pomegranate-blueberry dressing, and August: Osage County. 

I find it amusing that Julia Roberts has gone from "drink y'juice Shelby," to "EAT THE FISH, MA." 

What would happen if I just went to bed early right now? 

What would happen to the 9 zillion ideas zooming around in my head? 

What if I listened to my body and recharged my batteries? 

Will I still have the ideas in the morning? ​

Jarnsaxa Rising

I'm so excited that my hands are shaking. 

EDITED TO ADD: 

YOO GISE WE AR 2 PURSENT FUNDIP OH MAH GAAAAD 

It feels like Halley's Comet! This script better be good. 

(Dives back into research) 

OK Philly, it's Primary Election Day! I'm voting for:

MAYOR: Jim Kenney. Not much of a surprise. Broad support for him. He's an honest guy, rooted in the community and highly intelligent. He's taught local government at Fels for years. I prefer his labor connections to Anthony Williams' charter school dollars. I think Kenney is our next consensus Mayor.

CITY COUNCIL AT LARGE:

Helen Gym: forced the Parking Authority to cough up their profits to the schools like they are required to. Saved the last public school in Nicetown.

Paul Steinke: successfully led the Reading Terminal Market in complex times.

Jenne Ayers: wonky in the right ways. Interested in data-driven do-gooding like the STRIVE partnerships in Cincinnati. A milliennial, for a change.

Tom Wyatt: the local community gardeners like him. (Hey, that's important in our household.)

Sherrie Cohen: key issues for her include libraries and public pools. Widely endorsed.

DISTRICT 1 CITY COUNCIL: Squilla's decent. Nobody's running against him. Zzzz.

HELL NO: Wilson Goode, Jr: a little bird tells me he "can't read a spreadsheet." Frank Rizzo, Jr.: accepted a DROP retirement plan the first time around; these were never meant for City Council. Blondell Reynolds-Brown: in hot water for ethics reasons in 2013.

NAH: Allan Domb is running a straight "I am good at the business things" campaign with no interesting ideas on what he'd do on council. We could do worse, but we could do better.

CITY COMMISSIONER: not excited about any of the Democrats, and I'm one. But in the general election I plan to vote for Al Schmidt, a Republican. He's got a deep resume and has been doing the job well for a while.

JUDGE OF THE ANYTHING: THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN ELECTED POSITION. WHAT. THE. FRICK. So, let the Philly Bar Association's website tell you who is at least a competent lawyer, and vote accordingly. See the comments.

BALLOT QUESTIONS

"Abolish the SRC and return control of schools to the City:" no. The state's not great, but we had corruption problems on our own, remember?

"Commission for women:" yes.

"City agencies to prepare plans for participation of those with limited English skills:" yes. Anything to anger Joey Vento's ghost.

"Commission on universal pre-kindergarten:" DEFINITELY.

See below for useful links for making up your own mind. (What, you're just going to vote my slate? Um, I mean, sure. Do that, thousands of you.)

Download a sample ballot:

In all earnest, this tee is not at all an inappropriate gift from my ex. Yes, it is a funny funny life I lead. 

Our air conditioner isn't working. 

I called the AC guys to schedule an appointment. They made one. I texted Vince to tell him. 

Vince wrote back, "Maybe I should get an HVAC certification. I could be the next Harry Tuttle."

I think it'd be the perfect job for him.