Canada, she beckons.

And, sadly, not in a Harry Potter context. The latest round of Supreme Court decisions had me once again on the Canada Immigration site, tallying up my entrance score. This is not something new. I've done this before.

I'm running out of unshattered bits of American idealism to cling to, and the fight or flight thing keeps coming down to flight because I've no clue whatsoever how to fight whats been going on the past few years. Head down, slogging away, is just feeling more and more dystopic - like I'm going to turn around in an unspecified number of months and find that the past few years have been the bits that happen right before the opening pages of (pick or combine any or all aspects of the following) (a) A Brave New World (b) Fahrenheit 451 (c) The Handmaid's Tale (d) V for Vendetta or (e) 1984. The fall of Rome and the rise of the Nazis are also not far from my mind.

And then I think I'm exaggerating.

And then I think I'm not.

Incongruous

I don't know quite what sort of light romantic comedy "Rory's First Kiss" is going to turn out to be, what with the apparent evacuation of citizens from Gothem and the military presence and all.

That's all I've got for you on the filming today. Extras all dragging suitcases and/or duffel bags
(kneejerk quote coming up "Please do not describe your duffel as 'all duffels look alike'"), extras dressed in military garb in military vehicles, and reports of a helicopter (I missed that part). I did not see anyone who was not an extra.

(Must get digital camera now that have blog.)

Woo Woo - A Wedding!

HUZZAH

- there is a wedding on my 2007 calendar (where I am a guest, not an employee)! Mr. Grant-Dichotomy himself is to be wed in November in Atlanta to the most excellent Ms. K--! Yay! I've never been to Atlanta, have no idea where the ceremony will be held, in short, have no logistical information or knowledge whatsoever - but can report that I have, nevertheless, just spent 30 minutes researching Atlanta hotels, bed & breakfasts, inns and vacation rentals. Also, flights. Also car rentals. I have barely restrained myself from ringing people up to see about their travel plans and the possibility of room sharing.

In addition, I posited over the phone to Mr. Grant-Dichotomy that anyone not in a serious relationship (married, engaged, living together) who decides to get offended because the invitation does not provide for an "and Guest" is an ass. So then I had to research that as well, and was pleased to see that while I am correct - I am also, perhaps, overly blunt and prolly shouldn't jump right into the ad hominum attack language, but should rather say, along with Emily Post, something more along the lines of "Guests, Respect Your Invitation." (That link is for you, oh Groom).

Sigh, I just love weddings - and even better - weddings of people I love!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm - Christian...........

And, to a lesser, but not that much lesser, extent - Maggie.

The excitement here is that Batman II will be shooting in front of my office tomorrow - on the Wabash Street bridge. It is a testament, I believe, to my geek cred that when I read in the elevators about the street closure tomorrow for the shooting of scenes for 'Rory's First Kiss' that I knew that such was the shooting name for The Dark Knight.

Or, um, not.

Pretty much everything about this May sales report makes me happy - in the same weird way that box office figures (both on the success and failure end) can make me happy. The highlights for me?

Target? (love) - same store sales up 5.8%

Nordstroms (again with the love) - same store sales up 6.3%

But the real joy lies in the schadenfreude:

Wal-mart? yes, up 1.1%, but at the low-end of their predictions and with a note that: "...while Wal-Mart has stumbled with fashions that its customers find either too dowdy or too racy, Target's "cheap chic" apparel and housewares continue to win new customers."

And now, for the real joy. (And, while it is hard to say that Macy's is the Ultimate Evil in a Wal-mart/Macy's showdown, because on a global scale, Wal-mart is more with the Evil and I cannot deny that, I will say that I want Macy's to be punished for taking over and changing Marshall Fields. I want them to hurt over that decision. I want it to keep executives up at night thinking - 'why did we walk through the Rembrandt?') So, without further ado - Macy's? DOWN 3.3% and, to quote from the article:

"The Cincinnati-based owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's admits results have been hampered by sluggishness at 400 stores that were formerly operated by rival May Co., which the company acquired in 2005 for $11.5 billion.
Now-defunct regional chains like Marshall Field, Filene's, Foley's and Burdines were converted to Macy's last fall, and shoppers balked as Macy's brought in new merchandise and reined in discounts. Macy's said increased marketing and promotions are expected to boost same-store sales in June and July. But the company still says a decline in June is likely."

Can I just say that, if TPTB at Macy's tried to do something that would strengthen my resolve to not darken the door of Macy's*, it would basically be to send me more direct mail and direct more ads at me than the ones that are, at present, pissing me off by intruding on my attention every other day? The ones I pull out of my mailbox, glance down at, see the big bright annoying red fucking star, think (and sometimes, I admit, mumble aloud) 'fucking Macy's' in knee-jerk response thereto, and then toss. Well done, Macy's, well done.

And while I got rid of my TV, so the upped ad-buys there won't impact me, I will say that I've never seen a Macy's ad that did not actively cause me, or those I'm with, to start throwing angry comments at the screen. As Ding pointed out during their 'dancing in the streets campaign' - 'Yes, that is what I want - to wear the same [expletive deleted] thing everyone else in America is wearing.'

*In the interest of full disclosure, I have gone in the Macy's on Michigan on very rare occassions (I count 3) (I will not go into the State Street Store) for the purpose of buying Lush products. And Fetchin' and I went from the Macy's front door to Lush to the Levenger shop this weekend. We felt guilty about it. It isn't right. But it is the only place for Levenger, which Fetchin' loves, and it is the most convenient Lush - although when I am not suffering from a resolute and unyielding need for Lush and/or caught up in the excitement of store-prowling with friends, I do make the effort to go to the proper store north of downtown - harder now with no car and as I wait for my i-Go stuff to arrive. See - I feel so guilty about it that I had to write that much excuse for myself. No more Macy's for me. It just can't be good for my psyche.

Fancy Schmancy New Gym.

So on Monday I joined a new gym, conveniently located relatively near the work/home complex. Of course I went through the work benefits in selecting a gym, and, although there is one that is closer, I joined the one that Ms. Gooch and KW already belong to. Its a motivation thing.

I had forgotten, though, that the way to get me to exercise is classes - how I could forget this is beyond me - I simply don't have the will to exercise on my own - but I do have the will to walk through the door of a classroom and then the peer pressure/shaming effect kicks in and does the rest of the work for me. (Oddly, the peer pressure/shaming effect also works if I manage to summon up the will to put in an exercise tape - but there there is the procrastination effect to overcome - classes are even better because they start at a particular time.)

Tonight, I am excited to try two new classes (unless the first one totally kicks my ass, and then it will be one new class and an hour of pilates). But the classes are 'Sexy Bodies' and 'Tango Salsa Caliente' - I'm walking around today and finding that the phrase 'Tango Salsa Caliente' is floating through my mind - and, furthermore, that I am quoting something in the way I am saying 'Caliente' - but, sadly, I cannot figure out what I am quoting.

Google Me and Harry Potter!

Hopefully, in a bit more than a week, when you google my name and 'Harry Potter' there will be a hit! How exciting is that? A friend who works at a newspaper mentioned the planned HP Canadian Quest and Read-a-thon to an editor, the result of which is that, this very day, I gave a phone interview (hopefully, knock wood, without saying anything that will look profoundly stupid in print). I managed not to mention that we are buying t-shirts for the event - whenever I say that, people get that sortof glazed look where you know they are thinking 'aren't we verging a bit on Trekie territory here' - when they don't actually give voice to that concern. In any event, with any luck our little trip might warrant a blurb in next Friday's paper!

Exciting!

Meanwhile, I'm trying to determine whether attending the Fred & George appearance (by actors James and Oliver Phelps) in a nearby 'burb also crosses the line into Trekie territory. However, I have a sneaking suspicion I could convince Ms. Gooch to go - and I note that my t-shirt advertises Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and I could maybe get it signed.... Thoughts?

The Civilized Lunch Hour

Now that I've moved within 300 paces of my work, my lunch hours have become both crazy productive and relaxing - over the last week, I've been experimenting with things that one can do with one's lunch hour, as follows:

Monday: Cook and eat lunch at home, in addition to walking Teddy.
Tuesday: Purchase curtain rods and hang curtains, in addition to eating lunch at home and walking Teddy.
Wednesday: Take a refreshing nap, in addition to eating lunch at home and walking Teddy.
Thursday: Shower, in addition to eating lunch at home and walking Teddy.

It is the bomb, man!

Fabulous!

A new "favorite" "blog."

Ode to the Radish

This morning I was feeling very European - or at least not American - I went to the farmer's market after walking the Tedster (now that I live downtown I have oodles of free time in the morning) which led to an unorthodox breakfast of coffee, toasted sour dough bread with goat cheese and honey, snap peas and radishes with salt. This was all inspired by the name of the radishes I bought - a mild variety which the dealer told me are called 'French breakfast.' I love radishes.

A dip back into Match.

Ding is having some luck (some rather shocking luck - of the quoting hot Donne poetry* sort), so I thought, why not just look at the stupid contact announcements that Chemistry keeps sending me even though I'm no longer a Match.com member? But the first line from the first candidate was:

"Looking for a classy lady."

Oy. I'm just not ready to face it again.

*I had no idea that Donne wrote hot poetry before he went all Christian - but - hoo mama! Ding has schooled me on that point.

Take my money - please.

Obama just got more of my money - basically for running a fun campaign. They are raffling off dinner with Obama for 4 people who donate any amount of money in the next week. (Although raffle isn't really right, since they say they will select the participants - well whatever).

I mean, why not shoot him another $25 bucks for the chance (and in appreciation for the sheer amusement value I gained out of the stunt) was my way of thinking? So, reader, I did.

Faster FTC! Block! Block!

You prolly won't recall my February rant against the proposed purchase of Wild Oats by Whole Foods (Blue Sun was invoked - not, I feel, incorrectly). Well, it looks like the FTC shares my concerns, to which I say - go FTC! Save me - the poor, hapless, helpless, budget-minded consumer! Save me!!!!!!!!!

A Good Cackle

As I was driving in to work today, NPR was reporting on a 2d Circuit panel ruling concerning utterances of expletives on TV. The rationale of the ruling caused me to laugh like a witch for a good while - the whole story is here, but the NYT briefly summarizes the Court's reasoning as follows:

"If President Bush and Vice President Cheney can blurt out vulgar language, then the government cannot punish broadcast television stations for broadcasting the same words in similarly fleeting contexts."

Pleasing. Most pleasing.

Frack!

Frack, frack, frack. The final show falls.

However, my own sadness is diluted by respect for the producers' decision to end Battlestar Galactica at an artistically appropriate time and not drag the story out for no good reason.