The Superficial | Ricky Martin is so straight you'll turn gay

Everbabe - you know this one is for you...

Frappr! - Too Cute

...Warning Warning Warning...

These are some of the cutest baby animal pictures I think that I have seen - click at your own risk.

Now *this* is a good commerical...

The question is - why not show it?

My friend at Slate had the same question. If you find out - let them know.

SCARED OF SANTA GALLERY: Tis the season to be scared witless

If you like pictures of screaming babies on Santa's lap - (and really, who doesn't?) click here.

(In other news - i have a second date lined up. Yay! Chance to make all 8new* mistakes)

So: all in all, it's been an interesting week.

For today's blog, we'll talk about just a few of the lay-dee related incidents in my life, and then wrap up with the not one, not two, but three blunders from my first blind date. Skip ahead if you would like - I understand not everyone is interested in minutia from Sean's strange life. (Check that - If I really understood that, I probably wouldn't have a blog)

But moving on - It's been an interesting week, all things considered. Mom was in town, so she came over last weekend. It was great to have her there, and I even gave her a chore or two, which felt nice from a karmic standpoint. As we were flipping through my collection of DVD's, deciding what to watch, I discovered that she had never seen Say Anything. As that movie is sort of a seminal 80's movie, with some of the best scenes of teenage angst ever filmed, we decided to watch it. At about 15 minutes in, my cell phone rang. I checked the caller ID. Wha whaaaaa? TwoPairs was on the other line?!?

I don't think that I've related this story before. And I won't now. (thank blogger for eating my post!!!) Short form - One of (if not THE) first dates that I went on in high school was with a friend. For whatever reason, my family calls her TwoPairs now. Be that as it may, we hadn't spoken in 6 months to a year. (no bad blood - just missed connections.) A. also called, but Mom and I were watching a movie, dammit! Still - calls from first date, and ex-fiance - strange timing.

Then on Wednesday, I had my first blind date. I may have mentioned this whole thing about holidays being interesting to me for relationship based things. (I know I did - look it up, using Google's built in blog- searching capabilites.) {grin} But what I realized the day AFTER this date was that if I was willing to REALLY stretch on the definition of a holiday, it's still there. Because Wednesday was Pearl Harbor Day. Seriously. However, after my Veteran's Day of last year, I am seeing a disturbing militaristic trend; I'll aim for something less martial next time.

Back to the Three. Fatal. Errors. (TM)

1) Didn't pay for her meal.
Positive Spin: Um. Not really one.
Negative Spin: Cheap.
Reason I Didn't: Cafeteria type place. She jumped ahead of me. I'm new at this, and didn't want to appear paternalistic.
Remedy: Next time, let the goodies flow.

2) At end of date, didn't walk her to her car.
Positive Spin: Hey, we met online; he's not a stalker!
Negative Spin: Cheap *Jerk*, who doesn't care if I get mugged in the parking lot of Ikea.
Reason I didn't: Worried more about looking like a stalker.
Remedy: Next time, ask her if she minds if I walk her to her car, as my grandmother raised me that way.

3) At *end* of date - Sean-initiated handshake. Wha Whaa??
Positive Spin: Umm.. she saw my unnaturally flat fingernails?
Negative Spin: Oh. My. God. {shakes head}
Reason I didn't: I'm new at this? I am socially stunted? Against all previous evidence, I am shy? . . . I'm doomed.
Remedy: I've been advised of the existence of the 'half-hug-side-kiss,' of which I was previously unaware. That will prove helpful in the future.

No one warned me of these common pitfalls. Positive Spin: But even if I messed up with this date, I'll hopefully get the chance to make all new mistakes next time.

As evidence of synchronicity, however, a monster attacked a villager on the shore of Loch Ness. Er. No - that was Sting. What happened to ME was that I got a call from my high school prom date THE DAY AFTER the Three.Fatal.Errors.(TM) And we reminesced.
But that's another entry.

Warning to All!

(but especially SuperMark)

Sean's Big Date - Take 1

OK - I have 4.5 hours until my date tonight. (yes, with the internet girl from the beginning of November) Any suggestions on what to do, and what *not* to do? (For whatever reason, I choose IKEA as a first date (what...they have swedish meatballs and cinnamon rolls...)

Anybody's advice is appreciated - OnlyAymie already chimed in with some, saying "avoid butt pinching, unless asked. it can be a bit offputting early in a relationship"

And I *appreciated* that advice. I still might not listen to it, but definitely appreciate it.

I'll catch you up on the flip side.

Raquel's Blog -

It is probably just me - but I am pretty sure that the next time that I get middle school pictures of myself, I won't include my doll. Who is dressed the same.

Thanks to sitemeter for the link.

What's with the ladies at the back of the plane?!

Seriously - hire a driver. (well... you have to now, i guess.)

Petition Spot - Save Arrested Development (#3)

*IF* you enjoy watching the best written show on TV -
And *IF* you can't believe that Fox is going to cancel it -

You could try signing the above online petition.Hell - it *might* work.

The "Left Behind" Movies - How to end the world on a budget.

This movie review reminds me of comments made by my old roommate, who was a librarian, before the turn of the Century. (Only a few years ago, mind you, lest you think that I roomed with a nonagenarian. I did, but didn't want you to think that.)

He talked about how patrons would love the "Left Behind" series, which at that time was in it's 5th book. At least one older lady asked him if he thought that the AUTHORS believed in their own writing, which stated that the rapture was to begin around the Millenium.

My roommate paused, before replying "I don't know if they believe it or not; but I *did* just read that they signed a six year, 12 book contract." Heh

Your Health This Month - Death by kissing, dust-mite frustration, and a breast-feeding benefit for mothers. By Sydney?Spiesel

EverBabe - the third story is the one I wanted you to see, although the one about dust mites is pretty cool too.