Comic for Tuesday, July 10th, 2007

Posted: 7:00 am, Tuesday, July 10th

In drawing that first panel, it could not have become more clear to me that I cannot dance in the slightest. I was going for the opening credits of Mission Hill - which we Netflixed over the weekend, God, that show was awesome - but had to bail halfway through because those dances look ridiculous freeze-framed.

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far here in New York, so of course I was sicker than a dog and had the chills. Seriously, it was like 97 out, apparently, and I was walking along shivering. I seem to have rallied considerably overnight, which is good, because I can't really call in sick today, too much work to do. For a while there, I thought I had appendicitis, so I went to ye olde WebMD to see if the symptoms matched up. They didn't, really (those symptoms are mighty vague). This was on the front page of WebMD when I went there - honestly, it's one thing for me to talk constantly about Harry Potter, but WebMD? Really? (Me, or Penny-Arcade, you know, whichever.)

What was the other big ups last night? Oh, yes, we bought an air conditioner. 2.0 slept for about three minutes on Sunday evening, and expressed that she would prefer not to have to suffer through an entire summer like that. Now, see, the weird thing about me is that I love to sleep in utter, brutal heat. (One of the weird things.) It used to drive Tree up the wall whenever he'd crash after a night of rocking out. The more extreme the temperatures, the better I can sleep. But, since the lady requested it, we sprung into action and I woozily drove us over to Lowe's after a hearty dinner of a thing of yogurt. We've got the thing all hooked up, and while it's a little loud, 2.0 slept peacefully the whole night through. So now we have an air conditioner. It *is* an Energy Star, at the very least - which, oddly, means that it meets or exceeds the standards set by the Canadian government. I don't understand.

Just bought the Pumpkins album. I'm only on the first song, but so far, so good.

Big day tomorrow! Notre Dame releases its alumni ticket lottery results. I've only put in for one game, what with the Pig Roast on the horizon, and they're not even for me. Mr. MNP had the misfortune of attending Penn State, so I put in for two for that game - I know, how unique, I'm sure I'm the only one that wanted tickets to that game. I'll announce the results *live* in this space tomorrow, which is just the most fucking thrilling news possible, isn't it? Yes it is!

I'm evidently still a bit loopy. Somebody else take the wheel.

bullfrog

2.0 -- Tuesday, July 10 2007, 07:20 am

Hey man, it's not like I owned an air conditioner previous to our dating! I too suffered through various New York City heatwaves! I'm just too old to only sleep two hours.

Plus we're only using it at night.

(sorry Mr. Gore)

What I find amusing is that Mr. MNP, despite attending the school where the game is being played, had no way of possibly finding tickets. that's what happens when you are one of 100,000 students a year (or something like that).

Do any other Domers find that everyone thinks ND is much much bigger than it actually is?

Oh, God, yeah, everyone's always surprised to learn that it's about 8,000 undergrads. (Cue some weisenheimer to check in and say they thought it was smaller than that.)

I know, honey, I know. Just joshin' you.

Missouri's alumni lottery system involves guesses as to which current player will get shot or arrested or wrecking through the President/Chancellor's back yard while riding an ATV. And then you get saddled with games that no one wants to see.

This is why I prefer television to actually being at the game. And the sports bars have better nachos.

Huh?

I don't know what you're talking about.

I'm joshing you about the AC. Two unrelated thoughts, one post.

People are always suprised how small it is.

Last summer I did all I could to minimize my AC use (a few fans go a long way). This summer, I threw conservation to the wind and have been super comfy under my normal blankets. Considering I am cooling about 800 square feet, I don't think you can blame ALL of global warming on me.

Ticket lottery - not sure what I put in for - except PSU. MNP: I think we're going up there with or without tix in hand.

It's all your fault, E. You're making Al Gore cry.

woo hoo! people are coming to my neck of the woods! (not that i live all that close to happy valley, thank God... but i'm closer than you all.) and i don't think that i have a prayer of getting tickets to that game, but i am absolutely up for a party. the folks will be there with a bunch of their friends - psu grads, but we like them anyway.

Due to all the rain in Texas this summer, the entire state reduced its carbon footprint-- but today's high is 95, so everyone will crank the AC again. I keep the AC at 81 during the day (even if I'm home) and 79 in the evening--works pretty well and managed to keep the energy bills under $100 all last year. The other trick is to get a good fridge-- getting an energystar fridge cut my electricity bills in half.

I'm thinking you may have been suffering from hyperthermia--but if you're still not feeling well it could be appendicitis or about 10,000 other things.

When 2.0 was little, all she had in her room was a window fan and to supplement the meager relief from that, I would lay a damp towel over her torso. I can attest to the fact that she doesn't do well in the heat.

This guy's got some awesome ideas to replace the home run derby.

http://www.cobrabrigade.com/2007/07/home_run_derby_is_past_its_tim.php

I'm all better today. "Hyperthermia?" Like heat stroke? I guess that could've been it, but I dunno. I do OK in the heat, and I didn't exactly strain myself on Sunday.

back to harry potter: my sister has just told me that if I were a character in Harry Potter, my name would probably be Juju Janbuttle. She’s also named some other members of my family (Maremare McBrimmet, Bet Baskin-Boofley) and now I’ve decided this is the most fun game I’ve ever heard of.

So if you don't have an HP name, get one!

There was no such window fan! I know this because I remember gazing longingly out my window at my friends who had later bedtimes than I did.

Meanwhile my parents were sleeping in the cooler downstairs WITH an air conditioner.

Abuse! Abuse!

All the Micks in the book seem to get pretty Irish names, so I'm guessing something vaguely along the lines of Dermot McManus. (Old Irish derivative of Jeremiah/my paternal grandmother's maiden name.)

I know I'm super late on this, but they changed the seven wonders of the world? How can you do that? And who are they? Is it the heat or am I even more confused than normal?

I don't know who "they" are, but whoever "they" are, "they" let the unwashed masses vote on it. The unwashed masses, being too stupid to wash, pooched it, to no surprise. How the hell can the Easter Island heads not be a wonder? I hate the unwashed masses.

Oh my God, I'm looking at the list just now - they really fucking murdered this assignment. The pyramids didn't make it? Morans.

Seriously, terrible job.

http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=633

I believe they weren't allowed to vote on things that already were in the original ancient seven wonders of the world. So pyramids weren't allowed entry. But yeah, Easter Island should have been in.

I have the AC set between 75 and 78, mostly to save money. About 90% of the things one can do to reduce the carbon footprint come from ways to save moolah on your energy bills. It's just another sign we're a rather wasteful lot.

I LOLd at Pete's comment. Good one.

Also, the people who got window fans as kids were lucky. Until I was 14 and we got AC, we used to just roll fanless style and sweat all night. My method in NYC was to take a shower right before bed, then put the box fan about two feet from my heat-loathing torso. It worked pretty well.

So are we retiring the old seven wonders, or will these just be known as the new seven wonders -- and if that's the case, we now have 14 wonders....?

I have seen 3 of the seven new wonders in person! I think the Taj Mahal was the most visually awe-inspiring. Plus I'd like to see the Great Wall, Machu Pichu and that place in Jordan sometime in my lifetime.

I used to own at cribbage.

In retrospect, I cannot think of a lamer thing for a 15-year old to be doing. (And if I could, I was probably doing that, too.)

I like cribbage. Have we never played? I know I've discussed my theory that most people learn from their grandfather, but I don't know that we've ever played.

I believe the issue with the 7 Wonders is that they no longer exist (save the Pyramids) so they aren't really "of the world" any longer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_wonders_of_the_world

From an art historical standpoint I would say Easter Island wins in a head to head with Christ the Redeemer. The rest of the choices are pretty sound though.

That's my expert opinion.

but the original ones were all destroyed by 1494 (some even destroyed in the BC years) .. it took people this long to decide we needed new ones? I have no idea why this is "new wonders" is bugging me... I'll stop now

Is it bad that I recognized Petra straight off as the Temple of the Holy Grail from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

I would be classified as the opposite of "worldly".

It's a tourism thing, dude. Nothing more.

We've never played cribbage, E. But remember how I used to beat the living crap out of you at Egyptian Ratscrew? Those were good times.

Oh, man, the ticket results are up and I'm stuck here without my ID number! There's no justice! NO JUSTICE.

I don't think it's strictly a tourism thing. Petra isn't all that accessable, so I'm not sure it's a good candidate for the tourism industry.

I think it's simply worthwhile to celebrate some of the more significant architectural achievements of the known world. Having a bunch of man-made wonders of the world that may or may not exist is difficult to relate to.

BONG-BONG. Sorry, MNP, but DART rejected my ticket app.

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