2005-03-24 - 5:41 p.m.
Ides of March?
Feh.
Beware freakin’ Groundhog Day! That thrice-bedratted rodent has condemned us to more than our allotted six weeks! It’s 46 degrees outside, with a high wind; this is February weather, not end of March weather. Looks like the Easter Bunny better pack his long johns.
Now, I’ve heard that groundhog makes for decent barbecue. I’d eat one if it meant spring came a little sooner…
Anyway, too busy by half, especially since my Internet usage has been curtailed. I have access at work, but I’m not allowed to use it during work hours, yadda yadda. The home computer has been fixed, except now the modem doesn’t work. I have to send it back. Urgh. At least I didn’t completely lose the research I had on the hard drive.
Nothing too momentous going on. I seem to have perfected a turkey soup recipe; good strong broth, the right noodles, enough meat, and just the right amount of crunch in the veggies. Since turkey drumsticks are dirt cheap, I can make a huge batch of soup and get at least three decent meals out of them. Yummers. If I get really hard up for material, I’ll post the recipe.
I just got done reading an extensive biography of Groucho Marx. Now, I loves me some Marx Brothers, so this was fascinating stuff. Most of it was riotously funny, especially some of the stunts they used to pull during their vaudeville days. (There’s one involving Groucho, a chorus girl, and a wooden… no, I can’t tell it, it’s just way too dirty. Suffice it to say that I never thought I’d associate Groucho with King Missile. E-mail me privately and I’ll tell you.) But there’s a lot of tragedy there as well. Julius Marx was not kind to his wives and alienated his children, especially his son Arthur. He never felt really comfortable with himself or with his persona. He hated his nickname; said it made him sound like someone who beats his kids. The legal battles over his money and his treatment at the hands of his final companion were downright depressing. In spite of his wit and humor, he was ultimately a rather sad and anxious person. He wanted a close, happy family, but never felt worthy of it. All in all, it’s a good read: “Groucho”, by Hector Arce. Check it out sometime.
(Just as an aside: I put “The Cocoanuts” on the DVD one afternoon while the Professor and I were playing. She would look at it occasionally, then go back to what she was doing, then look back, especially when I cracked up at something. When it was over, she said, “Again, again!” This is a good sign.).
