It’s cold in my apartment for the first time in a week, and I’ve tried warming my hands over a bowl of some oatmeal and diverting my attention with weblogs, but I think, at 10 am, it’s now time I put on some jeans, something heavier than a t-shirt, and put a pair of socks between my feet and the hardwood floor. It’s a beautiful day outside, and maybe that’s where I should be, but other than buying a New York Times and then doing some laundry, I don’t have much to do today. Yesterday, while the rest of town was consumed with Penn State’s losing football streak, I went and saw Training Day in our one remaining downtown theater. A powerful, often difficult film, and I think if nothing else it proves than Denzel Washington is one the best actors working today. I like what Mary Ann Johanson of The Flick Filosopher says: “Happily, from a movie-lover’s perspective, the film offers no easy answers for its tough questions — it suffers from a few Hollywood cliches of the genre: a huge and unlikely coincidence, an ending that almost loses itself in fist fights and guns and car chases. But, like great film should, it leaves us with plenty of food for thought and fodder for debate.”

My secret hobbit name, apparently, is Drogo Frumblefoot of Bywater. I think that’s pretty keen. But does this mean I now have to finish reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Found via memepool.

I have decided, after not-so-careful deliberation, to add the 1965 film Incubus to my Netflix rental queue. It has William Shatner speaking nothing but Esperanto. What better moviegoing experience could there possibly be?

It’s been many, many years since I first read Frank Herbert’s Dune, but reading Jonathan’s thoughts and then stumbling upon this via Metafilter, I am tempted to try again what I failed to do a few months ago: re-read the book. Like I need more books on my plate right now. But still, I thought this quote from Herbert was interesting, as it sort of ties in with what I’m reading right now: It began with a concept: to do a long novel about the messianic convulsions which periodically inflict themselves on human societies. I had this idea that superheros were disastrous for humans.

And you know, I sometimes feel hopelessly outwitted by technology. Am I the only one left alive who has occasional trouble with fax machines?

Too tired for coherence. I may be coming down with a cold. In the meantime, while you wait, some links. Talk amongst yourselves.

Merriam-Webster rocks on with its bad self. Dictionaraoke. God bless these people. Found via Mighty Girl, which found it via xBlog.

Gone & Forgotten offers “the worst, the lowest, the most ludicrous, the least memorable and the downright un-funkified of the whole world of comics.” Where else are you going to read about Hansi, the Girl Who Loved the Swastika? Found via xBlog, which found it via Boing Boing.

“When the audio play pattern changes on your Tickle Me Elmo Surprise…if a new message spoken by your Tickle Me Elmo Surprise is a special message in which Tickle Me Elmo Surprise uses the word ‘Congratulations’…” So, how many times can you work the words “Tickle Me Elmo Surprise” into everyday conversation? Try it, it’s fun! Found via Boing Boing, which found it via Exciting Monkey Bum Stories For Boys and Girls.

And really, when the words “monkey” and “bum” pop up like that on your screen, that’s as good enough a reason as any to call it a night. Maybe I’ll just go watch The Daily Show and fall asleep. But, before I do, one final link: Lazarus, which Margaret describes as “a trivial comedy for serious people” and which she seems to be writing once again.

Some thoughts for today:

I think my favorite military operation name from Paul Ford’s random generator has to be Operation Wraithlike Sweet Baby Jesus.

I think if I had the money, the patience for an eight hour car ride, and a walking knowledge of downtown Boston, this is where I’d like to be this weekend.

I think, all things considered, last night’s episode of The West Wing was pretty keen.

I think the poem I wrote last week makes it sound like it’s still cold here, when everyone’s getting by with short sleeves again. The leaves have changed color, but our jackets have found their way back on to their hooks. The sky no longer looks like it’s threatening snow.

I think fiddling with Blogger’s template is harder than it looks, even if all you’re trying to do is add permanent links to your posts.

And I thought I knew nothing about web design. Turns out, this could be so much worse.