It's My Birthday, Bitches!

All praise me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoBakd7QlQE

So I'll be out all next week, I'm going to Belgium, yay! That's for my art show, and I am totally excited.

I also owe you a review, which I can't do now because blogging from work is BAD.

DON'T DO IT. DON'T BE LIKE ME.

A New Job, and the Sad Finale of the NYTimes Incident

Judge: Mr. Hutz, are you aware you're not wearing any pants?
Lionel Hutz: Uh, your Honor, can I call for one of those bad trial thingys?
Judge: You mean a mistrial?
Lionel Hutz: Yeah ... that's why you're the judge, and I am the law ... talkin' ... guy.

Yay! I got a new job, which of course I am NOT GOING TO REALLY TALK ABOUT as I don't want to get canned. Even if I say nice things. Suffice it to say, it is sort of my dream job without the dream pay. The picture and accompanying quote may or may not allude to the nature of the job.

Wait? Is that an ambulance passing by????? *cranes neck* Nevermind, I think I'll take the night off, and just blog.

So, needless to say, I'm pretty jazzed! Wow, and it only took a year of living in Hartford! (heh)

So I have a sad conclusion to my newspaper scandal...I had to cancel my NYT subscription (I almost typed "prescription"), not for the normal reasons like the final straw with Maureen Dowd, or even a cost issue (the Weekender is pretty affordable, and I had a deal where I got the week thrown in for only slightly more) but because, about a month ago, the delivery abruptly stopped. I really thought my thief was working overtime, at first, them I sort of thought, "Well, I guess I didn't pay my bill or something and they cancelled it," but sure enough, I was being billed for a paper I wasn't receiving!

So I called and called the NYT Service, which I honestly can't say enough about, they are usually very polite and helpful, but no one could figure out why I wasn't getting the damned thing! Finally, on Saturday morning, I went downstairs and sat on my stoop for an hour and a half, and it never came. Same on Sunday, then when I went to physically purchase the paper I had already paid for, all the papers in the Ravi Mart (who needs the Ravi Mart, now here's the tricky part...), all of their papers were missing half the sections - and not the crummy sections like Business or Sports, but the awesome ones like Style and Week in Review.

Lame.

That's when I finally realized that whomever was the distributor here was likely smoking crack.

Oh well.

I could say that with all this I have going on now (bar exam, new job, exhibit in Belgium) I haven't got time to read the paper, but who am I kidding that I do anything even remotely productive on Sunday. I'll take a shower, if Hartford is so lucky, but that is about it.

As for Hartford Happenings, the local farmer's market has reopened for the season, so I need to scoot over to the Church to post some video of it. Because nothing says "excitement" like taking videos of vegetables. Woo Hoo!!!!

Speaking of local veg, here in a couple of weeks I'll be heading over to what is reportedly the best new restaurant in Hartford, The Firebox

It is getting rave reviews, and is one of the only local "slow food" places. I am sooo excited and of course I'll review it here.

I'll leave you with this news item on UConn's Sustainability Project, which is pretty awesome



Later, bitches!*


*as per request, though not in title, sadly

I'm Back, Bitches!

Sooooooooo so sorry. I've been, what do they say, otherwise preoccupied. And I had to remind myself, dammit, blogs are important. VERY important.

So I am sure you want to know what good old Hartford is up to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YPDXmEsQtQ
(apologies for the C&P nature, blogspot is weird tonight)

I was lucky enough to see Ted Neeley, Original Flavor Jesus, in Jesus Christ Superstar, at the Bushnell Theater. Let me say, his voice is obviously older, but he can still hit those rockstar notes, and it gave me CHILLS. Note to self: more Neeley, less BS.

So I apologize for my long absence, and assure you it will not happen again, and ask forgive for it. I've got some big changes coming soon, and I want you to come with me.

No More BINGO, Bitches!

Oh, my knickers!


http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-bingobust.artjan09,0,4106251.story

Thanks my astute and mysterious "anonymous" for this. Damn, I am a lawyer and am deeply ashamed that I had NO CLUE as to this. Ashamed.

The law says, "No bingo game or series of bingo games shall be promoted, operated or played unless the same is sponsored and conducted exclusively by a charitable, civic, educational, fraternal, veterans' or religious organization, volunteer fire department or grange."

The Cool Moose had hosted bingo for years with no problems, Skehan said, so the Half Door staff decided to reintroduce the game.

Damn.


What kind of craziness is this? I mean, Jesus, it's BINGO and we're not playing for money.

But the Courant, which I make fun of far more than they deserve, had this editorial:

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-bingo.artjan10,0,3102484.story

Isn't it absurd, though, to bar an activity that has caused no trouble and serves to unite strangers in laughter? Surely this isn't the sort of prohibition legislators had in mind when they enacted this silly law.

I completely agree. This is an absurd over-reaction and a use of an antiquated law. OMG! THEY'RE PLAYING BINGO! WON'T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!!!


Jesus.

So I'm adding a new label as of tonight, "Injustice."

List of contacts for those who want this law to change:


Department of Special Revenue:
http://www.ct.gov/dosr/site/default.asp


Governor Jodi Rell:

http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/site/default.asp

It's Bingo, Bitches!

My winning card!

LOL, I'm famous, sort of.

http://www.courant.com/entertainment/nightlife/hc-bingo.artjan07,0,622478.story

Instead, it's the carefree atmosphere that keeps the clientele coming back for more. Regulars know the bartenders by first name and laugh at the bingo-caller's bad jokes. Groups of friends huddle over the numbered slips of paper in booths with worn, wooden tabletops. And when somebody yells "Bingo!" the ones who haven't won toss their cards in the air in a flurry of good-hearted catcalls and "boos."

"It's just our twist on it," said bingo caller and DJ Tony Carreras. "It's not as high-stakes, and it's a lot more fun."

I am actually in this article, but I am unnamed! Dammit!

And yes, this is how I spend my Thursday nights......

(sorry about the weirdness of not being able to link directly to the Courant. Blog is doing some weirdness...)

A Proper Connecticut Winter

I think snow days are more fun for grown-ups than for kids. I mean, what, as a kid you only get out of schools (which going to school can be, admittedly, pretty bad), but as a grown-up, you get out of work!

I have to give a very belated shout-out to the guy on the pub who recognized me from my blog, that was very nice of you. As Homer Simpson said, being famous means that people know who you are, but you don't know them!

So, I apologize for not writing in so long, but I have many, many things to cover. Until then, enjoy this lovely video of a fine Connecticut snowfall:

Farmington Flood Footage

From the Courant:

A water main break could keep Farmington Avenue closed between Sigourney Street and Sisson Avenue through the evening, a Metropolitan District spokesman said this afternoon.

Crews on the scene are working to temporarily shut down water service to fix a 20-inch water main reported broken about 2 p.m. today at the intersection of Farmington Avenue and Gillett Street.

Matt Nozzolio, an MDC spokesman, said crews are prepared to work through the night to repair the break, snarling traffic on the busy street during the evening rush hour. An undetermined number of residents may see some water service interruptions due to the main break, Nozzolio said.

we're one and two of that undetermined number, unfortunately. I hate not having water, especially that flushing thing.

On the upside, I got some footage (sorry if the video is a little spotty):