1) Just a quick note on the passing of the great animator Ollie Johnston at the age of 95. He was the last living member of Disney's "Nine Old Men," the Murderer's Row of animators who created some of the most beloved films ever made. There is much to say about Johnston, more than I ever could, and you'll find some valuable links here, but I would like to suggest everyone seek out a copy of the absolutely essential book Johnston co-wrote with fellow animator Frank Thomas, The Illusion Of Life, one of the greatest volumes ever written about any art form. Oh, and watch Bambi or Lady And The Tramp.
And cry.
2) John McCain has joined Hillary Clinton in jumping all over Barack Obama's supposedly shocking comments about blue-collar workers being "bitter." Supposedly, this is proof of how out of touch Obama is, how elitist, how non-appreciative of the average working stiff.
Uh, John, Hil? A suggestion--you might want to get out in the real world, in which jobs are lost, wages are reduced and benefits non-existent. Bitter? That doesn't even begin to describe it.
3) After two humiliating losses to the much-despised Red Sox (and I can't say this enough: Boston sports fans are a force of evil in the world, and must be opposed at every opportunity), the Yankees managed a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Barely.
The score was 8-7, which is...not much of a win. Crap. It's going to be a long season.
4) Because I'm contractually obligated to mention them--my cats. It seems wrong that poor Monika, sweet, loving, as beautiful as a cat can be, just doesn't get the adulation I drape all over the cranky malcontent Delmar. I mean, Monika's great, and I adore her, but she's just...not Del.
Then I figured it out. If my cats were The Beatles--yeah, I know, but just go with it, okay?--Monika would be Paul and Delmar would be John. So smiling, upbeat, well-intentioned Monika can strut around all she wants, saying, "Hey, what about me? Respect, please? You Won't See Me, All My Loving, Rocky Racoon! Eleanor Rigby, for God's sake! I'm just as good as that cranky guy!"
And all Delmar has to do is say, "Yeah, but I'm John Lennon," and the argument is pretty much over.
5) That last bit nearly led into a bit of Beatles geekiness (basically to the effect of, if McCartney had been killed instead of Lennon, people would have cared, but they wouldn't have cared), but I'll refrain. Hey, at least it wasn't James Bond geekiness. Or Star Wars.
6) Oh, who am I kidding?
You know, it should be self-evident to any sentient being that, if you're getting into a fight with your spouse, you shouldn't toss out Yoda quotes to bolster your argument. The "That is why you fail" bit really doesn't go over too well, especially when delivered in a Yoda voice.
Just one more reason why I'm divorced.
