“All hail Caesar, Emperor of Rome! Monarch of the Roman Empire! Ruler of the worrrrld…” HAAA. I have to tell you I own History of the World, Part I. I’m ashamed to admit it. It’s so ridiculously, um, Mel Brooks. Anyway, DeLuise’s portrayal of Julius Caesar in that film is one of my all-time faves.
I also remember how he used to crack Dean Martin up. And I always crack up myself when I see him doing his Marlon Brando impression in Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
His laugh killed me…he was someone who, when he laughed, you couldn’t resist laughing yourself. Check it out. He just seemed to enjoy life, enjoy his career. He looked like he loved everything.
Although I don’t really know where the spring went. It’s like we bypassed it altogether. This was the coldest April I can remember; my daffodils bloomed one Sunday, and they were frozen dead the next morning. Nice.
But there are signs of summer in my yard…
I guess I’m ready for summer to get here. Much to do over the next four months. Much to do.
Yeah, I needed to avoid ending a sentence in a preposition. You know, the kind of word I dangle at the end of my every post?
Speaking of prepositions, I took an easy quiz this morning. But this one was interesting, because it uses British English. It was surprising to me (even though I scored 100%, shameless POM wannabe that I am) how different it is from American English. Take it and you’ll see what I mean.
I ran across Schott’s Vocab blog on the Times site. Love his stuff (and thisis on my birthday git list). Last night I read about different words and phrases that families use – you know, interesting combinations of words — or made-up ones altogether — that constitute their own special language. For instance, my kids and I always called the television remote a” widget.” Gatorade was always known as just “Gator.”
Trying to remember more of them, but coming up empty at the moment. Maybe Lars will recall something.
What were/are some of your families’ weird sayings? I covet them.
Hey, let’s add some guitars playing power chords to Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. Man it up a little. Heck, add on a couple strippers too, cuz, you know, we want guys to buy symphony tickets.
Today’s BTTH goes to Skate Canada.
Seems SC wants to toughen up men’s figure skating. Because, you know, we can’t have all them girly-men doing pirouettes and wearing sequins. They must all be gay.
See, this infuriates me on several levels. What’s this all about anyway? I mean really? It’s about television ratings, fiends. Canadian dollars. The Skate Canada people say that fewer men are entering the field of competitive figure skating because of the stereotype attached to it (this is especially touchy for Canada, I’d imagine, given their national, manly sport of ice hockey). Well that’s too bad. Maybe Skate Canada should embark on a massive education initiative, instead of proposing what amounts to simple caving under pressure, or worse: chasing the dollar at any cost.
It seems like a real Pandora’s Box grand opening. So what happens now? If you’re a male skater and you don’t choose the “Tough” program, but rather, you choose the pairs skating or more “artistic” side of the sport — what, you’re a nancy boy now? What happens then? I mean, really. If you want to add another dimension to your sport, then add it. But do it for the right reasons; not because you’re being called “sissy.”
*sigh*
<digression>
But listen. I ain’t no Mother Teresa. Everybody got a stereotype or two in their closet. I do, I admit it. My worst one: men and earrings. Ihate earrings on men, in any form, single or double, small or large, hoop or cross or stud. Period. Why? Not because of sexual orientation connections, but because I equate the earring-clad male with a late-1970s lounge lizard.
Yes, I confess. I believe that every man who wears an earring is Nick Winters.
</digression>
Bottom line, I mean, who cares anyway? I think it is positively laughable that people to whom this matters would flock to the symphony hall to listen to Tchaikovsky, Bernstein or Copland (and many others) and not know or think a thing about it. It makes me laugh at all the tough guys who watched — and identified with — Rock Hudson’s and Van Johnson’s movies back in the day and didn’t know.
Regardless of your personal/religious/moral views, fiends: it just doesn’t matter. I know gay people who are amazing musicians. I also know gay bankers, teachers, coaches (*GASP*), attorneys, cost accountants, corporate training execs and project managers, whose work is indistinguishable from that of their hetero counterparts. Why does everything have to be about orientation?
Hey, I have an idea. Let’s make everything about how nice you are. If you’re a schmuck — *bANg*. You’re out. If you have fun at other people’s expense because it makes you feel superior — *bANg*. Boot to the head. If you constantly drag down the people around you with your horrible attitude — *bANg*. We shun you. If you don’t treat others as you want to be treated — *bANg*. We stereotype you, look down on you, and invalidate you.
Heh. I’m fulla good ideas. Happy Saturday! I hate weekends.
From the Say What!?!blog — transcript from an actual deposition:
DEFENSE ATTORNEY: May it please the Court. Your Honor. This Mr. Fred Head is trying to make me look like a bad guy. But there’s two sides to every question, and every coin you’ve got has got a back and front to it … Now, what the lawyer said, what I’m telling you right now and what he told you right now, you don’t believe. You don’t have to believe. It’s lawyer’s talk, so to speak.
And every special issue is going to, that the Court submits to you, is going to be prefaced ordinarily by, “Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence.” The Court, I think, will give you a definition of a preponderance of the evidence. I think it’s called the greater weight of incredible testimony. Incredible evidence. Now, just that Mr. Head says it’s true doesn’t mean it is.
This represents the quality of my thinking skills right now. I’m fer rill.
Fink out (to the kitchen for aspirin and coffee, in that order)
“All hail Caesar, Emperor of Rome! Monarch of the Roman Empire! Ruler of the worrrrld…” HAAA. I have to tell you I own History of the World, Part I. I’m ashamed to admit it. It’s so ridiculously, um, Mel Brooks. Anyway, DeLuise’s portrayal of Julius Caesar in that film is one of my all-time faves.
Seems SC wants to