The Misspent Life

Germany is Looking for a Superstar

In my never ending effort to introduce you to the best that the German-speaking world has to offer, I combine two of my favorite things:  YouTube and American Idol.  Actually, in this case it is Deutschland sucht den SuperStar.

America, I am Disappointed in You

I'm not talking about the sad state of affairs on Congress or any of the other things that can get one so downhearted and frustrated these days.  No, I am talking about something much more serious.

Oh! Happy Day!

So not only ARE THE BEARS GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL, but it is also SNOWING and I finished my paper from last semester.  THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR AMERICA.

Busy busy bee

I have been so busy this week.  Lot of things going on next week, too.  Still need to finish all my work from last semester.  Bears game.  Argh!  No rest for the wicked, I guess.  All of this business has done something to my mind.  I shouldn't tell you this, but today I listened to the soundtrack from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  I don't know why I did.  I don't know why I have it.  Actually, I do know, because I went to go see it when it came to Chicago about 15 years ago when it was big.  That is still no excuse, I know.

Welcome Back

So I arrived back in my hovel late last night after a nice long delay at the airport.  There was no problem on my end, but we had to wait for the cabin crew to come in.  I arrived back to find things mostly in order, except for a few dead bugs in my sink, which was weird, a toilet that only flushes every two times, again, and a shower head clogged up so no water came out.  Other than that, things were fine.  Oh, did I also mention that it was almost 70 degrees outside?  No???  Did I also mention that it was not cold the whole time I was in Chicago?  Did I also mention that it snowed today, the day after I left so the only snow I saw the whole time I was in Chicago--nearly a month, remember--was a little flurry yesterday morning just as a little kick in the nuts from Mother Nature?  Argh!

When I went to the grocery store this afternoon to stock up on victuals, it was pleasant enough, considering that I didn't wear a coat, but the check out line was an interesting experience.  An old man with a thick southern accent started talking to me.  No, not talking, grilling me.  I had on my U Chicago sweatshirt so he asked me if I was studying there.  I told him I had studied there.  What did I study?  His niece got a PhD there.  Was I studying here in DC?  Where?  What?  Full-time?  What was my specialty?  Did I speak German?  Did I learn it in college?  When was the last time I was there?  Did I read the latest Robert Fisk article?  Did I know about the Mufti of Jerusalem?  So on and so forth.  Strangely the guy seemed to have a little story to put into the interview before he moved on to the next question.  And each stage I tried to one up him with my knowledge and each time he ignored it and went to the next question.  It was also conducted partially in German.   Don't get me wrong, this could have been an interesting conversation had I not been trying to pay attention to the register to make sure I wasn't being charged for something twice and then to pay and do the whole little debit card thing at the same time.

At least it will get "cold" tomorrow, although 48 isn't going to cut it.  Of course I also found out that I am going to get hit with an $80 fee by the university and probably have to yell and scream to get my full tuition coverage.  Ah, life.

Sooo cute!

Check out the pictures of the new baby panda at the Atlanta zoo.  They are just too much.

MOTHER got a new panda Beanie Baby while I was staying at the suburban compound which made me think that I really should make a trip up to the National Zoo to check out Ping-Pong or whatever.

How Could I Fail You?

I just realized that here I was last night, posting about Mark Steyn's "Sandy Pants" song and I didn't even look for a video to give you from YouTube, which has saved this site from being a completely no-post land.  Well, there isn't a video for "Sandy Pants" but there is an animated version of "The Candy Man" from The Sonny & Cher Show--a worthy substitute in my view.  You may disagree and I don't care to hear about it.

PS:  One of the really creepy things about YouTube is all the videos that young people make of themselves singing songs or just saying 45 seconds worth of something.  They look like they are in high school.  Sometimes they are young men with no shirts on or young women in small tops.  I find this disturbing and wrong.

Is There Nothing He Can't Do?

Did you catch this over at Power Line?  You have to check it out.  Mark Steyn submitted some songs for Bill Bennett's radio show contest to come up with lyrics for a Sandy Burgler song.  While most of us would labor over it, he came up with three.  The first one is the best.  Check it out:  The Sandy Pants (to the tune of The Candy Man)

Who can take the memo
Stuff it in his sock
Take it out the building
And then walk it up the block
The Sandy Pants (The Sandy Pants)
Oh, the Sandy Pants can (The Sandy Pants can)
The Sandy Pants can ‘cause he fixes it for Bill
And makes his boss look good (Makes his boss look good)

I mean.  The Sandy Pants.  Just saying that makes me crack up!  I sang it for POPS.

 

I've been gone

Sorry for having to look at an ABBA video that is a week out of date for so long.  I have had pressing family things that have demanded my time and not put me in the mood to post even my usual high value content.  Please except this video as my apology to you.