catching up

Why do people still look at this page every day? There has been nothing new in several weeks. I am a bad person. But now many of you are rewarded!

So, mostly I'm just going along and trying to watch way too much TV every night. Because -- Olympics! And "American Idol"! And also getting my weekly hour of "Bleak House" (although next week is the two week finale and those of you not watching can rent or purchase the DVD)! Then there is the sad, sad, state of my TiVo, jam-packed with stuff that there just isn't enough time to watch.

I'm turning into a bad Olympics watcher. I'm only really watching the figure skating. I tried -- I fell in love with Shaun White, aka The Flying Tomato and I paid attention to some of the early speed skating. But then I just couldn't bear to watch any skiing or the crazy luge/bobsled/skeleton stuff. The figure skating makes me happy. There was the crazy French guy skating to James Bond-movie music in his tuxedo with 007 on the back in rhinestones and making a gun finger. Oh, that was very funny and I just gave over to the insanity and laughed through the entire thing. Pluschenko (or however it's spelled) and his crazy arms that flew off into the audience. (OK, not really. But wouldn't it have been fantasic if they had?) Johnny Weir and his crazy individuality and insistence in a spotlight piece that old fogeys should be frightened of him because he will do what he wants, when he wants, damn everyone else. Um, Johnny? You're a figure skater. No one cares what you say -- we just want you to do a quad, lots of triples, and look pretty. If you want anyone to take your ideas seriously, you might want to look into college or something. Otherwise, please try to make your bus and not be so pouty. Because Evan Lysacek had a horrible short and then skated a beautiful long while suffering from stomach flu. You just look like a whiny boy compared to that.

Then there was the carnage (I love Canadian announcers!) of the ice dancing competition. Everyone falling down! An Italian couple refusing to talk to each other because of a fall! Drama! Ugly, ugly costumes. The women's short program was fantastic and I'm looking forward to the free skate. Plus -- the exhibition!

Because of all the crazy TV watching, I am tired. But, this past Monday, we took the girls to this amusement-type place and had lots of fun. This place is mostly a lot of little playgrounds and then there are a handful of rides and it is completely stuck in the 50s or 60s. Lots of worn paint and the rides are incredibly lame. But the girls lovelovelove it. There is a dragon ride -- like a train, but it's a dragon -- that goes through a shady circuit around the park. There are all these little things along the route -- but they are totally cheesy. As I said to Archie, "I think this is where damaged lawn ornaments come to retire!" Little garden gnomes, rusty metal deer, two big plastic pandas among some bamboo. It would be completely sad except that all the girls just love it because they are so easy to please.

I was telling Archie that Universal studios is running a commercial where these 6 and 7 year olds are complaining about going to Disneyland (but without naming Disneyland) because they are too, too jaded and teacup rides and princesses and Winnie the Pooh characters are too babyish for sophisticated children, now. Our little trips to this kind of crappy place ensure that our kids will think Disneyland is the best place ever. Heh.