#Throwback Thursday: Toy Soldiers (2003)

November 19, 2003

So Joe's been playing Army Men on the Playstation. If you haven't seen this thing, it's this old school video game where you play as green plastic army men, and you wage war against the tan plastic army men on battlefields—the back yard, the kitchen table, and other parts of a house. While I was in Davis Square the other day, I went to Family Dollar for toothpaste and toilet paper (thank God for dollar stores) and I saw a bag of green army men. Had to get 'em.

So last night when Joe took a game break, I quietly put every single one of the army men all around his desk. On the speaker, on the remote, the CD stack, the mail. All pointing their guns at him. Then I went back to my book (okay, it's not a BOOK, I'm "reading" a collection of Calvin and Hobbes cartoons, okay?!) and waited for Joe to come out of the bathroom and laugh.Joe came out of the bathroom and picked up the Playstation control. Resumed play..

Nothin'. Okay, from my vantage point, you guys? It looked like a small army had swarmed the desk.Tiny little green machine-gun guys and rifle-guys cast tiny little silhouettes on the TV screen, across which swarmed all those Playstation army men, controlled by The Big Kowalski. Like an hour went by. What is happening, why hasn't he called out yet about all these army men."I can't believe he doesn't see them!" Jeez, talk about singular focus. 

Long after I'd taken Calvin and Hobbes to bed and forgot about my little prank myself, FINALLY from the next room there came a sudden, "HEY! Where'd these army men come from!?" 

I love this guy.

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45 Things I Know

1. Don't pry open anything with your teeth.

2. Support NPR, independent musicians and public television.

3. Don't skimp on three things in life: your mattress, your shoes, and your food. In these areas, buy quality, however else you might economize.

4. Never work for an asshole. If you work for an asshole now, quit.

5. Every now and then, quiz yourself on the state and country capitals from 7th grade geography. There are apps for that now.

6. "No one's really gonna be free until nerd persecution ends!" -- Revenge of the Nerds

7. Never tell a lie, but read the room. Know when the situation calls for pursuing the delicate balance between honesty and kindness.

8. Do your homework. In fact, do the extra credit.

9. Travel.

10. Go to the library, pick out a book, read it, bring it back to the library, pick out another book, and so on.

11. Be concise.

12. Only apologize when you have actually said or done something rude or offensive. Especially women. Lady, if you don't think you apologize too much, search for "I'm sorry" in your outgoing emails. See what I mean? Cut the shit, you didn't do anything wrong.

13. Though it may sound counter-intuitive, life is too short to be rushed. Take your time.

14. Take your time, but not at the expense of someone else's time -- be punctual. Lateness is rudeness.

15. Learn where the apostrophe goes. Put it there. Every time.

16. Familiarize yourself with the text of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Bible and the Ten Commandments. You will never lose an argument with an idiot.

17. Make your own fresh guacamole, hummus, mayonnaise, whipped cream and barbecue sauce. Not all at the same time. Unless you're throwing one hell of a party.

• 17a. Every now and then, throw one hell of a party.
• 17b. Don't drink too much.

18. Being snowed in is one of those things that sounds great until you need tampons or red wine. Always be stocked up on the basics.

19. There's rarely a reason to raise your voice.

20. Sleep is deathly important.

21. Send holiday cards to your friends and family every December. Write personal notes inside.

22. Don't read any of the comments.

23. Wait your turn.

24. Sing in the shower.

25. Don't be a dick.

26. Stir two packets of Swiss Miss into one mug for a delightfully chocolaty hot beverage.

27. Say "I was wrong, you were right" when the situation calls for it. Your ego isn't important enough to keep your bullshit ruse going.

28. Be kind to animals.

29. We should be working as a society to eliminate the stigma of mental illness.

30. Don't spend more money than you earn.

31. "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli." -- The Godfather

32. Don't smoke.

33. Read the labels. If you can't pronounce it or don't know what it is, it was probably made in a factory or a lab. Don't eat that.

34. Pick out your Zombie Apocalypse survival team. Among them make sure you include a musician, a scientist, a writer, a farmer and a cook.

35. Vote.

36. Respect is to be earned, not demanded.

37. Take the stairs.

38. It's always okay to say no.

39. Don't bitch about jury duty. You're part of the process.

40. If you're blind with rage while typing an email, don't send that. Wait a day or two.

41. "...the Matrix cannot tell you who you are." -- The Matrix

42. Life without art is stupid.

43. Don't bother with the pistachios that don't have an opening. (see Thing #1.)

44. Doc Martens can last like twenty years (and counting) so think twice before you get the shiny hot pink ones.

45.  Read every creation myth and consider what we should all be doing with our accumulated knowledge. Talk about it with someone. 🆇

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Now I Need A Punch Bowl

Mel Torme
Born: Sept 13, 1925
Died: June 5, 1999

Joe has something of an infatuation with the late great Mel Torme, who would have been 90 this September. We've been talking about having a birthday party for the Velvet Fog, with music, drinks and dishes from the crooner's heyday. "We'll definitely make up a few pitchers of a Velvet Fog drink...oooh, maybe a punch bowl to fit the era!" You guys, I've been looking for an excuse to get a punch bowl for a long time. My justification at last!

"And fondue. Fondue-bee-doo-bee-doo. What else..."

"Encase something in Jello." Well, no...no Jello mold or in fact mold of any kind. We'll put out a Facebook poll for ideas that aren't revolting.

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It's our birthday/anniversary

Photo: Mick Murray

Great party.

My face hurts from smiling.
💕

Thanks for coming over, everyone. 

Those of you we didn't see, you were missed. 

Next time. 

We will have more.

God willing and the creek don't rise.

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Before and After Science

Before + After Science = Cake

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It's National Siblings Day? That Sounds Like a Made-up Facebook Thing

1998-ish?

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