About Palm Sunday

I don't have much to say about Palm Sunday, which I'm told is today. Just this: When I was a little kid (okay, I was never little) and was forced into church on Palm Sunday, I rejoiced.

No, not because of anything religious. It was the smell. Finally, there was something in the church other than empty, dusty space and boring people. It seemed to freshen everything and it was fun to try to make anything-but-a-cross with the palms. It made the hour pass quickly, which was a blessing.

So let's hear it for Palm Sunday. Woo-hoo.

Life without the internet

Update: After writing the post below, I lost my internet connection for over a day! Aaaaaargh!

Yesterday there were periodic outages on the net. Daily Kos didn't come in for a while. Sci-blogs were spotty at best. And then it cleared up. I haven't read any news reports that explained the outages.

Then today my internet connection disappeared periodically -- for hours at a time. I have no idea if these things are related but I do know that I hate when anything gets between me and the internet. It's my lifeblood and I think many of you can identify with this.

It made me think about the old days. Life was deadly boring and so slow before the internet arrived and saved us. I mean, before the net you actually had to look up phone numbers in a book! Can you imagine?! And driving directions were something you got from Uncle Otto -- if he was sober enough. Life was not good.

Computers were the first step. I've always said that if computers weren't invented when they were, I would be dead. I would have succumbed to boredom and killed myself, truly. But computers did come along and they allowed me to do things fast. I like fast. Suddenly life picked up its pace. And when the internet came along, the picture really brightened.

I cannot live without my computer and the internet. Take anything else away: food, medications, TV, heat, A/C -- I don't care. But don't you dare touch my internet.

Could anything be more boring than William and Kate?

Each time I see a mention of these two lackluster creatures in the news, I'm befuddled. Who cares what these two ordinary people are doing or what happens to them? Pushing a Disney fantasy about two drab humans by calling them "Royal" doesn't fly anymore. This type of news coverage is a relic. People today don't care about such nonsense.

"What?" you say. "People are wildly interested in this pair!"

There are indeed many stupid people who are excited by anything they see on a TV screen. If you don't believe this just take a look at the current crop of untalented and un-notable American "celebrities" revered by the public. But what idiots will watch and what the population at large finds interesting and meaningful are two very different things.

The same goes for the absurd level of TV coverage focused on the popey guy's visits to unsuspecting countries. Who gives a damn what this evil old man is doing? Sure, tell us the next time he buggers a child. But other than this sort of coverage the man should be ignored. I find it hard to believe that TV stations cover the vatican's front man in this day and age -- and with respect, no less!

The world is falling apart as we speak. This is a bit more important than the washed-out adventures of Willy, Katy and the popey guy, don't you think? Less nonsense and more reality. That's what we want -- and need.

Kids wearing dumb hats

There's a story today about Annette Funicello surviving a fire. Have no fear, Annette's fine and I'm glad she's all right. But it brought back a memory.

When I was about six, the kids at school were talking one day in the schoolyard about the Mickey Mouse Show. They were insanely excited about it. At that age, I somehow misunderstood and thought they were talking about Mighty Mouse. I was thrilled! I'd heard about that stalwart mouse and wanted to see him on TV. So they told me when the show would be on, and I watched it.

Lordy, was I bored! It was the stupidest thing I had ever seen. I think even at six years old I saw it exactly the way we'd see it today -- as naive and boring. I remember being angry at the kids at school for being stupid enough to like this thing. And where was that fabulous Mighty Mouse show?!


This was the first time I remember myself looking down at people, an activity that would give me tremendous pleasure later in life.