September 20: Singin' In the Rain Finally

I was finally able to lay my hands on a copy of the movie Singin' in the Rain for my film class next week.  I thought about buying it, but I couldn't find a DVD for sale that was less than $80.  I was unwilling to spend that much money, so I decided to rent it.  The only place that had a copy of the DVD was the local library, and it has been checked out until today.  I now have Singin' in the Rain in my possession.  I will watch it this weekend to prepare for class next week.  I'm looking forward to seeing it.  The last time I recall watching it was when I was a kid.  A long time ago.

I haven't done a whole lot of anything but work and teach today.  I haven't even had a chance to think of more gifts for my birthday list.  I will therefore just present the next five items:

6.  Movie passes to GKC

7.  One-week trip to London

8.  Help, Thanks, Wow:  The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott

9.  Axe body wash

10.  The Best American Poetry 2012 by David Lehman

So, there you go.  Five more items to purchase in honor of Saint Marty's Day.  I hope everyone is well on their way to preparing for the big day.  Only fifteen more shopping days left.

Don't be caught empty-handed on October 5.  You don't want to disappoint Saint Marty.

Time to do a little splasing

October 3: Daughter's Friend, Two More Days, Thursday

So much to blog about this morning.

First, my daughter.  It seems that one of her friends from the neighborhood (a boy) has been giving her a hard time on the bus.  My daughter was sitting on the bus with another friend, and she laughed.  This boy, "Andre," who was several seats behind her, yelled, "Your laugh is so annoying."  My daughter ignored him.  A little while later, she laughed again, and Andre yelled, "Your laugh is so annoying."  To the amusement of the whole bus. 

Well, when my daughter told me this story, my first reaction was to drive down to the boy's house and pound the little fucker into oblivion.  However, I gave myself some time to cool down.  Last night, I told my daughter to have Andre come talk to me if she saw him.  At about 6 p.m. last night, I finally had a little talk with him.

When he saw me come out of the house, Andre said, "What did I do?"

I smiled and said, "Come here for a second."  He approached.  I fought the urge to reach out and wrap my hands around his throat.  "You know when you yelled at my daughter on the bus the other day?"  I said.  "You yelled that her laugh was annoying."  He nodded, knew he was in trouble.  "Well, you really hurt her feelings, Andre.  You made her feel bad about herself."  I paused, looked him in the eye.  "That's what a bully does.  And I know you don't want to be a bully, do you, Andre?"  My hand was on his shoulder, and I was looking him in the eye.

"No," he said.  "I don't"

"Okay, then before you open your mouth to say anything to my daughter next time, think about what you're going to say."  I squeezed his shoulder a little bit.  "If it's not nice, keep your mouth shut.  You got me?"  He nodded.  "Good.  I'm not going to mention this to your parents.  This time."  I took my hand off Andre's shoulder.  "Thanks for talking with me."  And I released him.  Andre turned and walked slowly away.

I think I handled the situation well, considering I initially wanted to run him over with my car.  I also told my daughter that if Andre kept teasing her, calling her names on the bus, to let me know.  My next step will be talking to Andre's parents.  If that doesn't do any good, I will be talking to the school principal.  I'm going to test that zero tolerance policy the school has in place.

That's subject number one.

Second, there's only two more shopping days until Saint Marty's Day.  If you're still floundering around for gift ideas, refer to the birthday list I posted on September 19.  There are plenty of ideas.  Plan your Saint Marty's Day dinner.  Get together with friends, and go Saint Marty's Day caroling around your neighborhood.  Don't be a Saint Marty's Day Scrooge.

Third, the Swedish Academy just released a statement saying it will announce the winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature this Thursday, October 6.  That's only one day after my birthday!  I have a good feeling about my chances this year.  It can't be just a coincidence that the winner is going to be revealed one day after Saint Marty's Day.  The Swedes are smiling down on me this year.  I know it.  I can smell the fish on their breath already.  It's going to be a really good week.

I'm feeling a lot better now that all that's off my chest.  Time to throw myself into preparation for the day.  Maybe I'll have a pre-Saint Marty's Day gin and tonic tonight.  Just to get into the spirit.

Saint Marty is going to have a good week.

Sing with me:  "Have yourself a merry little Saint Marty's Day..."

October 2: Quick Post, Three More Days, New Cartoon

It has been an absolutely gorgeous fall day.  In the 60s with sunshine.  It almost makes you forget that winter is breathing down our necks.  Yes, I had to throw that in.

We had a great time at worship this morning in church.  We sang "Dancing in the Streets," and got down with the Holy Spirit.  At communion, people actually danced back to their seats.  It was silly.  It was fun.  And I think we made God smile.  You can't ask for anything better than that in worship.

A reminder:  Only three more days until Saint Marty's Day.  There is still time to buy Saint Marty some presents and bake Saint Marty's Day cookies.  You may not be aware of this fact, but eggnog is also a traditional beverage for Saint Marty's Day.  So is gin and tonic, but that's a whole other story.

I just finished having dinner at my parents' house.  Bratwurst and Klondike Bars.  Yup, an almost perfect dinner.  Just throw in some eggnog or gin and tonic.

I do have a new installment of Confessions of Saint Marty.  It's October, so I can start talking about Halloween, doing cartoons about it.  This is the first of many Halloween cartoons.

Saint Marty's Day is coming.  October 5.  Don't be left out in the cold.

 

October 1: Son's Birthday Party, Four More Days, New Cartoon

Tonight, we celebrated my son's third birthday with my family.  His real brithday was September 26, but everyone was just a little too busy during the week for ice cream and cake.  Besides, a three-year-old doesn't know any better.  My son is happy any time you put cake in front of him.  The candles were just a bonus.  And, of course, more toys to trip over at home.

Which reminds me, don't forget that Saint Marty's Day is only four days away.  Hopefully, by this time, you've all baked your Saint Marty's Day cookies and trimmed your Saint Marty's Day trees.  I myself have just put out my Saint Marty's Day manger scene.  It's beautiful.  My dad and mom looking down at me lovingly, knowing I'm the best thing to ever happen to them.  My sisters are huddled with the sheep, jealous because our parents love me best.  My brothers are the three kings, riding in on ATVs to bring me their gifts--pizza, cake, and an iPad2.  Me, I'm cuddly and cute and holy.  It's really inspiring.

I do have a new cartoon for you.  This cartoon was obviously inspired by my son's birthday party.  Hope you enjoy it.

Saint Marty's going to go bake some Saint Marty's Day fudge now.

Confessions of Saint Marty

September 29: Morning Work, Afternoon Meetings, Tonight Book Club

The title of this post pretty much sums up my day.  I have a few things to accomplish this morning.  I am going to put the finishing touches on my poetry collection and mail it off to the contest.  I changed the title of it yet again.  It started out as Lenten Psalms.  Boring.  Then I changed it to Exaltation of Larks.  Better.  I was happy with that for a few days.  However, after my revisions, I have chosen another line from one of the poems in the collection as my final title.  Thus, the title of my new collection of poems is...

Knuckles of Angels

Kind of catchy, I think.  That title would make me stop and browse.  I just have to key in one or two more small revisions, and then that puppy is going off into the world to discover fame.  I will be greatly relieved when that project is done.

This afternoon, I have a couple meetings to attend.  The first is the weekly meeting for the poetry geeks at Passages North magazine.  We will be going over the final proofs for the next issue.  Close editing.  Something I've been doing on my own work for the past week.  The second meeting involves the adjuncts at the university where I teach.  We have been trying to unionize for the past three or four years, and it finally looks like it's going to come to pass.  We are having an informational meeting tonight about the final step.  (The one big thing I would want as part of the union in the new contract would be free tuition for the kids of long-term adjuncts.  We'll see if it happens.)



Good book, people



And then tonight my book club descends on my house for our monthly get-together.  Good food.  Really good book.  The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman.  Not quite finished with it, yet.

  But I will by tonight.

That's Saint Marty's life today.  Anybody want to trade?

P.S.  Don't forget, there's only seven more shopping days until Saint Marty's Day.  October 5.  Mark it on your calendars.  Sing your Saint Marty's Day carols.  Buy your Saint Marty's Day presents.  Deck them halls.  All that jazz.

September 19: Not a Humbacked Bastard, Birthday List, Lots of Work

I am not a humpbacked bastard today.  I went to the assisted living facility and sang "Amazing Grace."  I found the setting and the message really moving.  It's always inspiring to be around people who are worshipping God because of love instead of a sense of obligation.  I went there with a feeling of obligation and came away feeling more than a little transformed by the people who were present and the message that was delivered.

At the bottom of this post, I am including my annual birthday list.  I have been creating birthday lists for myself since I was in the fifth or sixth grade.  Of course, my lists have expanded and become more refined as I have matured (and become more refined).  My birthday is October 5, so if any of my disciples wants to send me a token of adoration/admiration/love/guilt/bribery (I'll take gifts for any reason), just pick something off the list.  There are only 17 more shopping days until the anniversary of my birth.  Not much time to plan your festivities for the big day--baking the Saint Marty's Day cookies, decorating the Saint Marty's Day tree, planning the office Saint Marty's Day party, organizing the Saint Marty's Day programs at school, scheduling the Saint Marty's Day worship services at church.  So much to do.

I have tons of work to accomplish today.  I've got to create a writing assignment for my Good Books class.  I have to type up minutes and create an agenda for a church meeting tonight.  Grade quizzes.  Read books.  I have no reason to be bored.

Saint Marty needs to strap on the old feed bag and then get to work.

SAINT MARTY'S BIRTHDAY LIST 2011

1.         iPad2 ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

2.         Blank journals--Moleskine—lined ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼  (I’m out.  I really need these.)

3.         The Pulitzer Prize in Poetry ☼☼☼☼☼

4.         The Nobel Prize in Literature ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

5.         New pens

6.         Movie passes to Country Village Cinemas☼☼☼☼☼

7.         Movie passes to GKC Theaters☼☼☼☼☼

8.         One-week trip to London

9.         Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs ($8.97 on Amazon)

10.       Axe Body Wash

11.       The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure ($14.91 on Amazon)

12.       Saint Monica by Mary Biddinger ($9.00 on Amazon)

13.       A new house (with sale of old house) ☼☼☼☼☼

14.       The Story of Charlotte’s Web by Michael Sims ($14.36 on Amazon)

15.       The Paris Review Interview, Vols. 1-4 by The Paris Review ($40.95 on Amazon) ☼

16.       Shopgirl DVD with Steve Martin ($9.99 on Amazon)

17.        A Writing Kind of Day:  Poems for Young Poets by Ralph Fletcher ($9.95 on Amazon)

18.       New Running Shoes

19.       Nice cologne

20.       New jeans

21.        Refill black ink cartridges for Waterman fountain pen (Office Max)

22.       Plowing for the winter ☼☼☼☼

23.       The Christmas Companion with Garrison Keillor, Audio CD ($16.47 on Amazon) ☼☼☼

☼   Indicates preferred gift

Ok, it's not me in the picture, but this is really funny!