Shin-ippets

Just a few quick things on my mind:

* Have you sent in your submission to the “Shiny Stakeout” contest? You still have time! The deadline has been extended to Friday, May 16 at 11:59pm EDT. Winner gets a mini-kite and a poem recited by yours truly on video! And all you need to do is identify some pictures. Can’t be too difficult, right? So what are you waiting for? Go here…

* Apparently I’m Kind of a Big Deal… Or so says a wonderful blogger and new friend Hilly of Snackie’s World. Look what honor was bestowed upon me!

Yes! I’m the Blogger of the Month! My first award for my latest incarnation on the web! Thank you to Ms. Snackie herself and for all those who have sung my praises over there — as well as you new folks who are visiting and haven’t made fun of me for crying on camera.

* My hair has advanced to the next stage: I have not officially measured it, but I’m estimating that I’m somewhere between 7 to 8 inches. (Yes, yes. Jokes at my expense are encouraged, you sick assholes!) Locks of Love requires a minimum of ten inches, and I think I’ll be on track to get it all taken off in November. I’m actually quite excited about this! And yes — when the big day happens, I’ll take lots of before and after photos.

Anyway — until this week I was in the weird stage of being able to have my hair tied back in a ponytail, but it wasn’t long enough to really look like a ponytail. It looked more like the MC Hammer rat-tail (Stop! Hammertail…) that he had in the early 90s. But today was the day I felt comfortable enough that, yes, the hair was long enough for me to wear it to work in a ponytail.

Many Steven Seagal jokes were made at my expense. Thanks, work people!

* ABC has released its promo trailer for the American version of “Life on Mars.” This was one of my favorite BBC shows of the past two years. It starred John Simm as Sam Tyler, a police detective in Manchester, England who gets hit by a car and wakes up as a police detective in 1973. The American version is set in L.A., and the only redeeming quality I can determine so far is that Colm Meaney (Miles O’Brien on Star Treks TNG and DS9 and the Elvis-loving dad in The Commitments) co-stars as the rowdy head of the precinct.

EW Popwatch has a great post on this. Worth a read if you like that sort of stuff.

* I’ve never really been a gamer, but I’ve played a bit of Grand Theft Auto: III here and there several years back. And now? One of the rituals my son and I share in playing Cars: Mater-National on the computer. And I’m we’re getting pretty good at it. I mean, keep in mind that he does all of the accelerating and boostingm and I’m in charge of steering, powersliding and going in reverse. But still — fun game. I can see how people can do this for hours at a time…

* Happy birthday, Papa Shiny! My Dad turned 64 on Tuesday. We made him a video and everything. And I even called him up so we could all wish him a happy birthday on the phone!

His birthday present for himself: when called, I caught him and his girlfriend in the middle of doing the paperwork with their realtor (the mom of a high school friend of mine) as they made an offer on a condo. Before they’ve sold their own respective houses. Wow. A lot to process…

* I don’t get nearly as many email forwards anymore. Is it because people are getting smarter? More skeptical? Checking Snopes before forwarding? Is it because I have fewer friends? Or is it because I’m the pompous ass of the group who replies to all with the link to Snopes? I wonder…

I’ve been playing with Utterz. And providing free Hebrew lessons! Have a listen:

1. “Present!”

2. Crowded Place

That’s all for now — Av wants to sneak in one more Cars game before bedtime, and — well, today were his pre-school graduation pictures. I’m feeling generous…