Tidbits

1) Albert Pujols hurt strained an oblique muscle and will be out 4 to 6 weeks, at the least. Cardinals have lost two of three to the Cubs and are on there way to being swept by the Reds. They have two starting pitchers with ERAs over 5 (!!). And only one under 4. The team leader in homeruns, since Albert's hurt, is, gulp, Juan Encarnacion. Blech. For you Twins fans, that's like relying on Lew Ford and Brad Radke, everyday. I only got two words about all that....rally mustache. Who's with me?

2) I saw the Break Up, you know, that rom-com. Not bad. I mean, I like watching people argue about stupid shit. That's pretty much why people like rom-com right, so we can watch other people piss each other off, then kiss in the end? That's the beauty of the Break Up, they don't kiss in the end. (Um, spoiler). So, that's good. And Jon Favreau's in it, and that's not a bad thing (neither is Jason Bateman or Vincent D'Onfrio [you know, Gomer Pyle from Full Metal Jacket] and that guy from A Mighty Wind.) . What's really awesome is that Vince Vaughn is tubby and has a horrible haircut, and he winds up with Jennifer Aniston. Which is great, just great. Seriously. I haven't felt this way since I saw George Costanza routinely bag good looking ladies. The marginal and straight unattractive have a chance at these hotties. And don't you go rubbing that that is fiction in my face. Aren't we all suceptible to the power of suggestion by TV and movies. Don't they make us more violent, more dirty-mouthed, more sexed-up, more likely to mutate or become a spy? Hmm? Don't they? Well, the more goofy looking fellas wind up with attractive ladies on the screen, the better a chance that'll start happening in real life. God bless you Hollywood. So go to this movie, it your nice and silly-looking and need to feel empowered, so you can slick back that unibrow and suavely approach those good-looking ladies at the bar.

3) Empire Falls is donesville, baby. I wasn't so much able to steal something directly from Russo in this, but I did figure out how the hell I'm going to write my book now. What I picked up certainly makes it seem more manageable. I think Diana Joseph (non-fiction book writer extraordinaire) led me what I picked up on in Empire Falls (each chapter's got a distinct emotional center/POV [sorta] and gives it more direction and voiceyness and goodness...maybe Pulitizerness...worked for Russo). Which makes me wonder what it takes to win a Pulitzer. I mean, Empire Falls was good stuff, a bit of a slog for the first 200-ish pages, then that buster gets on the heat and really grooves ya, baby....grooves ya. Now I'm onto The Things They Carried, I started it today, and I'm halfway through it already. Yeah, it got me right in the gut, like good war stories should, right? Now, Things was a finalist for the Pulitzer in 1991, but lost to Rabbit at Rest by John Updike. So, I'm thinking...that Rabbit at Rest must one one motherfucker of a book, right? I mean, this Vietnam war thing's got me right by my Hanoi Jane's, so how cock out rocking is this Rabbit book. Anybody out there read it that can back up Pulitzer's claim?

4) No job related weirdness to report, but plenty of weariness though. Oh, how I loathe it. I haven't answered one damn phone call so far, but I can't wait to get back to teaching 101. Oh, that one stuck in the throat.


VIVA EL MUSTACHE!!!!!