Local Lawyer Commercials

One thing I have noticed as I have traveled this great land is the ubiquitous cheesy lawyer commercial. In Lewiston it was Joe Bornstien, "Let's settle this one." In Baltimore you have Stephen L. Miles, "If you have a phone you have a lawyer." Now there is a new comer in town that really takes the cake: Larry Glazer (SP?) "Don't urinate on my leg and tell me it's raining." Do you have any favorite, low budget, lawyer commercials?

Hopper

Saw the large Hopper exhibit at the National Gallery last Monday, after trying on Friday and failing. (They need more parking on the Mall). The exhibit, although crowded, was really good. It is always interesting in large exhibits that include a wide time period of an artist's work to see how it changed over time. Hopper went from doing intense etchings and watercolors of mostly architectural and city themes, to larger oil paintings that seem to always catch people in pregnant pauses, letting you wonder what is going on, like reading just a paragraph in the middle of a short story. I don't want to sound like all the annoying people at the gallery giving their mostly uninformed and occasionally really stupid comments on the work, so I will just say it was really cool and made me appreciate being so close to some really big museums. (Is it me or do the stupidest people always talk the loudest?) After seeing all of his work, much of which includes just one or two people seen through a window, or in a private moment, the last painting in the show, just light coming through the window of an empty room, painted right near the end of his life, was very powerful. I don't know if the exhibit is traveling but if you get a chance I suggest you see it. (It's already closed in DC)

Boston

Off to Boston for a birthday weekend and some chowda. I wish I had some Ravens gear to wear, I can't stand all the Patriots hype.

Rats...

Living in Baltimore rats are just a part of life. I once read a story in the paper about a seedy bar that hosted rat-fishing contests as a promotion. They would bait-up a hook and go out into the alley behind the bar and see who could catch the biggest rat. Unfortunately, the health department or animal control did not see the humor in the whole thing and put a stop to it. We have rats in our back yard and possibly (I like to keep the possibility alive that it is happy bunnies eating our dog treats and not disgusting rats) in our house. When I lived downtown I once had a rat in my apartment for a few days that pulled itself off of the glue trap before I could get to it with my tennis racket. (A feat my turtle could not replicate, getting off the glue trap that is, I didn't beat him with the racket....sad Mr. T.) We just ordered the best rat trap ever....The "Rat Zapper Deluxe." It electrocutes the rats humanely and is fast. (Animal rights activists please complain in the posts section of this blog.) I will keep you up to date. My question is does anyone have any bright ideas about how to get the rats out of my backyard, since my dog eats their waste. (Which may explain the cranberry like thing that grew on the inside of her ear.)

Photo

Here's a picture from the NYtimes, brought to you by my brother. Can anyone come up with a good caption?

snow

Be careful what you wish for....snow....accident and missed flight (both for Sarah). Quinn loves it though.

Awkward Juxtiposition

So yes I am on break and currently watching Oprah. It started with a segment on Marion Jones and than a segment on Natalie Holliway, with her mom and brother. After a short commercial she brought out the cast of "Juno." Is it me or is it in poor taiste to go from, "so what was it like when your sister/daughter was murdered?" to "Oh my God what a cute movie!!!!" while the mother/brother are sitting in the front row. Seems a little insensitive to me. Also one day Oprah is all about her weight-loss challenge and the next day she starts with a segment on Cold Stone Creamery. I am getting mixed messages. Tomorrow on Oprah: "Starving children in Africa" and "Gale King's favorite all-you-can-eat-buffet."

I want snow

I am sick of rain and mud...I want snow.

Readership and The Wire

Want to know how many people read your blog? Post that you got engaged and see how many people comment....my total? TWO. So here's to my two readers! Thanks for your support. By the way, I am currently watching the 4th season of The Wire, it's awesome. If you want a show that explains so much about what is wrong in American cities, you should get the DVDs. By far the best show on television, one of the rare shows that does not conform to traditional tv rules and story structures, amazing acting, closest thing to literature on television....check it out people.

kucinich (SP?)

I am back on the Kucinich bandwagon. Saw him on PBS last night. So he believes in aliens, who cares, we need someone who actually wants to challenge the media and large corporations (sorry Trip), I really think most of the other dems (Edwards excluded) aren't interested at all in getting corporations out of politics. Unless you remove their influence nothing else will happen, environmental reform of real meaning, increased minimum wage, etc. etc.