My Obsession Du Jour: Enchanted ("That's How You Know")

Yeah, "That's How You Know" didn't get an Oscar. But it's still a ridiculously catchy song that's bringing me a lots of joy these days. Newsflash, I connect with the song as a romantic, subconsciously overwriting all the "how do you know he loves you" lyrics with something more ... Princess Charming. The amazing Kristen Chenoweth (a superstar to you if you're a Broadway fan) performed the song in the live telecast for billions, and you can see why they went with an experienced stage person for that performance. Man, she does a lot of getting from point A to point B in a big, frilly dress (while sounding like an angel). Her performance is richer than Amy Adams' movie version, but it's also designed to be more of a "show" than a character moment for a former cartoon princess and the bemused guy who's just starting to experience the full extent of this woman's magic as she moves from two dimensions to three. Amy Adams' sweet version is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRYU4cqUAUs&feature=related

Finally Feeling Normal Again

So this cold, or whatever the hell it is, is finally easing up. Don't get me wrong: I'm still producing occasionally bright red snot. But I'm feeling more normal. No more pain around the area of the eyes. No more pain with every step. And I can sleep again! Of course, the boys now have pink eye. We'll see if I end up with that. Right now, every time I think of their eyes, mine itch. But even with that, I'm still getting better. I can see 100% from here!

My son wants you to call him . . .

I have a cold.

And I am too tired to whine. What does that tell you? I am treating it with lots of carrots, Kool-aid, plain water, Airborne, the occasional cold pill and inertia. I feel better than I did earlier today, when my teeth were chattering. I forget: When you're all cold like that for no reason, does it mean you have a fever?

Now, in front of the fire, in a sweatshirt, with a very warm computer on my lap, I'm just shivering a little.

There's my candidate (Hillary in Seattle)

We were closer than this picture looks. And very tired after standing and waiting for two hours. But she is a rock star.

Enjoying Time With My super "Friends"

So, at Dear Wife's insistence, we've started watching the classic comedy "Friends" from the beginning. And I'm enjoying it waaaay more than I thought I would. I mean, I really enjoyed the show, and I knew it had moments of brilliance, but in retrospect, I believe it holds up really well, and is one of the bet sitcoms ever. And while the writing is terrific, I think credit goes to the cast. They really take things into three dimensions, whether it's physical comedy involving no lines at all, or distinctive line readings that make jokes greater than the sum of their punchlines.

Anyway, the reason I'm writing about this is because I came across this online, and it so fabulously combines two of my passions that I had to share it:

Our big day in the snow

This is what we did instead of watching the Super Bowl. Best decision I've made in a while.

Slide down, ride up!

Magic Jack: Too Good To Be True?

So, I got one of these Magic Jack things from a friend. And though it seems like hoodoo, I think we may try it. Here's an excerpt from the PC Magazine review:

Those commercials advertising cheap voice-over-IP (VoIP) phone rates look appealing, but there's always some fine print: You have to switch cable-TV providers, install a VoIP-smart Internet router, or something. And you end up ticked once a month when the bill from MCI, Verizon, or some other telecom robber baron dips into your wallet. If this sounds like your bio, the YMax magicJack is for you: 2 minutes of setup, voice quality that's almost indistinguishable from a straight analog POTS line, and a cost of just under $20 a year for unlimited nationwide service. ... MagicJack's call quality is amazing—almost too good to be true.

Having Trouble Telling Web Sites Apart?

OK, here's a pretty funny video, basically a house party where the attendees are the personificatoins of well-known (and slightly lesser-known) Web sites. Google knows everyone, of course. Wikipedia just wants info, but doesn't care if it's right, snipes Snopes. (And after the whole 1985 thing, I'm just glad I've heard of all the Web 2.0 sites mentioned.) I wish Amazon had more of a personality in the video, though. I'm not sure the suit is right.

Click here to see it.

1985: What? It's a Song Too?

OK, so I'm in the Red Robin bathroom (you know, where all the kids today go to hear the popular tunes), and a boppy little song that catches my ear ...

When did Motley Crue become classic rock?/And when did Ozzy become an actor? Please make this stop/Stop!And bring back Springsteen, Madonna/Way before Nirvana/There was U2 and Blondie/And music still on MTV/Her two kids in high school/They tell her that she’s uncool/Cause she's still preoccupied/With 1985.

1985. (!!!) Well, that's the year I graduated high school. And since this song sounds like "Summer of '69" (aka written about a time by someone who didn't live it), I quickly realize that ... Oh. My. God. Teens of today think of my teen years as something as distant and strange and maybe cool but mostly silly as I thought of the '60s. I felt a little ill, though that may have been the overwhelming air freshener.

So the song is called "1985," as you might expect. It's by a band called Bowling For Soup. (Thanks, Wikipedia.) It came out in 2004, so I'm late in learning about my place in other people's faux nostalgia. I was also late in this particular play of the song, so I didn't hear the first couple of verses, about how the 1985-oriented mom pretty much hates her life, 'cause things didn't turn out like she imagined back in her big-hair days. Sad. My song would be a lot different.