- The fabulous bookstore "Women and Children First" is in trouble. Please stop by and buy a book from them! I hate to admit it, but I live across the street from their store and I haven't even stopped in since I moved here. But I'll be there this week, and you should be, too!
- I think I just found my next vacation: Dickens World opens in England next month. Who wouldn't enjoy a "Great Expectations" log ride? And oddly, it ties in to the themes of the book I'm reading currently, "The Diamond Age" by Neal Stephenson. He has a lot to say about the Victorians and their values. It's an amazing book, and I highly recommend it. Read it now, before the TV mini-series version comes out!
- And speaking of theme parks, last year when Mikey B. and I took our road-trip to Graceland, I posted here that the guy who owns "American Idol" had bought a huge share of Elvis Presley Enterprises and wanted to pump up the whole Graceland and Elvis brand identity. His first salvo begins here!
- And STILL speaking of theme parks, what's up with Disney? They are such a mass of contradictions. For example, you can't work for them if you have long hair, or visible tattoos or piercings, but at the same time they were one of the first companies to extend spousal benefits to same-sex partners. Now recently, they announced that they're finally going to have an African-American princess in one of their movies; that same-sex couples could now participate in their "Fairy-Tale Weddings"; and just today I find that they are switching their train rides over to run on bio-diesel! Reminds me of the "Underwear Gnomes" episode of South Park, when the boys learn that big corporations aren't all bad.....
- This is sad: the world's oldest continuously operating business, Japanese temple builders Kongo Gumi, are going out of business. No one wants new temples built anymore, I guess. Sigh.
- And speaking of going out of business, Frank Kruesi resigned today! That won't mean much to those of you who don't live in Chicago, but this guy has been the head of the CTA for the last ten years and has spent most of that time running our transit system into the ground. But he got the job because he's a personal friend (and former roommate!) of Mayor Daley. Luckily (?), Daley has pulled him to go off and head Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics (at least, that's the speculation). The new head of the CTA, Ron Huberman, has also been personally appointed by Da Mare. I don't envy him as he tries to clean up the disastrous mess that Kruesi has left behind.
- I don't work in an office anymore, but everyone who does should have one of these!
- Now, I know that many of you who stop by here are nerds. And I love you for it. And I know that nerds love to save stuff. So, if you are a nerd (like me) who has tons of old role-playing gear gathering dust on his shelves (like me) but who never has time to play anymore because you're older now and it just doesn't fit into your schedule (like me), consider donating some of that old gear to the US Army! Yes, you heard me right. The Army's Morale, Welfare & Recreation Department (MRW) is holding the first ever military role-playing convention, Ziggurat Con, this June in Iraq and they are seeking donations. They especially need dice, but any books or collectible card games donated will be either used at the con or given away as prizes to the soldiers. If you're interested, click on the link above for info on where to send donations. Let's support our fellow nerds in the troops, y'all!
There now, don't you feel better? I know I do. I've really missed these little chats. And now, here it is - your Moment of Zen:
