Recently, Random's thoughts about his girl child's fourth birthday prompted me to muse about the passage of time.

Michele Catalano recently posted some similar thoughts of her own on the subject.

Last night, I found this video of a hilarious (but unaired) XBOX ad that really encapsulates the feeling I've been having recently. (Via New Links).

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Today is [was?] Australia Day. Cheers to Alan, Pixy, Yobbo, and other friends down under. I hope you all enjoyed your lamb.

Update: Looks like Random beat me to the punch this morning. While I'm updating, I'll pass this along to Yobbo as an Australia Day gift.

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1 Gift giving isn't traditionally part of Australia day, (unless the gifts contain alcohol) but thanks nevertheless

Posted by: yobbo at January 27, 2005 11:19 PM (YPW3p)

2 Ta for the good wishes. FWIW we had traditional Oz tucker - roast pork with apple sauce and 3 veg, and a Pavlova for afters. Lamb's too expensive, it all goes to export these days.

Posted by: Alan E Brain at February 04, 2005 10:05 AM (W/EA3)

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Pixy Misa, the benevolent dictator of Munuviana, wonders who would play the various denizens of Mu.Nu when they make the movie.

I see "Back to the Future"-era Christopher Lloyd as Pixy.

I can see John Goodman as Ted, as suggested by Jen Lars and Ted himself.

And speaking of Jen, I hope she doesn't take offense that I would see the "pre-political-ass" Janeane Garofalo portraying her.

Robert and Steve. Hmm... so many options here. Felix and Oscar? Lenny and Squiggy? Lloyd and Harry? Starsky and Hutch? You get the idea...

Random would be portrayed by the Atticus Finch version of Gregory Peck.

Kathy the Cake Eater (who would be portrayed by Helen Hunt per Robbo) thinks Dennis Quaid would play me, as Texans should play Texans. I like her idea, but there are many Texan actors in addition to Dennis to choose from. So, a quick poll. I'm really interested to see which of the following Texan actors you think would match my online persona, i.e., which of the faces goes with my online "voice":

Dennis Quaid
Owen Wilson
Bill Paxton
Tommy Lee Jones

I look forward to your answers.

Posted by: JohnL at 09:55 PM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
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1 No offense to Janeane at all. I always thought she was cute, actually. And I'm voting for...Bill Paxton. If you were Dennis Quaid, I'd have to play myself so we could write in an affair to "Hollywoodize" things.

Posted by: Jennifer at January 24, 2005 10:30 PM (eRDZk)

2 Heh. I don't think Mrs. L. would approve of that story line...

Posted by: JohnL at January 24, 2005 10:52 PM (gplif)

3 I'm still going with the Dennis Quaid option. Although, if you threw McConaughey on that list, I might be forced to throw in a changeup.

Posted by: Kathy at January 24, 2005 11:03 PM (sQLe5)

4 That's funny. I almost included McConaughey on the list, but he's just too frikkin' weird (naked bongo drum dancing with another guy??) I included fellow Dallasite Owen Wilson for that offbeat option. (I like him and Paxton best of the options I presented).

Posted by: JohnL at January 24, 2005 11:05 PM (gplif)

5 Yeah, I understand where you're coming from with McConaughey. But still...Owen? His nose is just goofed to hell and back. Honestly. What's the point of living in Beverly Hills if you don't bother to get your nose fixed? It's like ignoring all the beggars in Calcutta: he's ruining the local economy! Unfortunately, I'm not really all that fond of Bill Paxton, so I can't go for that option or Tommy Lee Jones, either. Dennis is still the fave.

Posted by: Kathy at January 24, 2005 11:36 PM (sQLe5)

6 I guess I'm not thinking about looks quite as much as personality. I think the sardonic, laid-back styles of Owen and Bill fit my mental image of this site. YMMV, of course.

Posted by: JohnL at January 24, 2005 11:51 PM (gplif)

7 I was thinking more along the lines of Sofia Vergara for me. It does mean taking a few liberties with the script, but I think the end result will be worth it.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at January 25, 2005 02:16 AM (+S1Ft)

8 Would those script liberties be along the lines of The Crying Game or There's Something About Miriam?

Posted by: JohnL at January 25, 2005 08:05 AM (YVul2)

9 So we need to identify your voice. Hmm. An intelligent man who talks a lot about space, powerful flying machines, and women from outer space. Clearly Tommie Lee Jones from MIB. Either that or the Obnoxious Older Brother of Bill Paxton in Weird Science.

Posted by: owlish at January 25, 2005 09:04 AM (sBj9U)

10 Well, not only am I in good company, you picked a very flattering stand in for me! Thanks, John!

Posted by: RP at January 25, 2005 12:21 PM (LlPKh)

11 I've always thought Bill Paxton is hot.

Posted by: LeeAnn at January 25, 2005 04:04 PM (vqSdN)

12 You've never struck me as crusty enough to be Tommy Lee Jones, so I'm gonna go with Paxton too. Helen Hunt will be over in a wet t-shirt and sports bra directly.

Posted by: Robert the Llama Butcher at January 25, 2005 04:18 PM (UMVKj)

13 does anyone here think bill paxton and dennis quaid look alike? I mean, you can tell a difference but i still think they do. I guess the question is only relevant because they are both mentioned on here, and i have been to texas before...

Posted by: Cody at February 27, 2005 01:05 AM (Kvm4c)

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Indeed.

Posted by: JohnL at 11:37 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Oh Lord, this is too funny (because it's so true). When I first ventured onto the 'net about 10 years ago, I hung out a lot on USENET (especially alt.music.yes and sci.space.policy). These descriptions could just as easily apply to bloggers as to discussion group members. Hmmm... I think I have an idea for a meme...

Via Utterly Boring.

Posted by: JohnL at 11:31 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Here's a meme that's infected Munuviana big time (I traced it back to here). Simply list the first line from the first post of each month of 2004. I'm introducing a mutation here, since some of these make no sense unless the post title is included. Titles in italics, first sentences plaintext: January: Happy New Year - I have been enjoying time off with my family*. February: Just Say No - Strategy Page has a video demonstrating the effects of LSD on British troops in a test that appears to have been conducted in the early 1960s.* March: Sad News - Lawyer, historian, and former librarian of Congress Daniel Boorstin passed away on Sunday at the age of 89 from pneumonia. * April: Ia! Ia! Sanrio Fhtagn! - Hello Cthulu, via Ambient Irony. * May: Bob Moog Documentary - Here's a DVD I'll be looking forward to later this year. * June: Sleestak Art - I loved the old (70s) Land of the Lost show. * July: Life's Highway - I've recently gotten off the highway (from Breckenridge, Colorado to Plano, Texas) so I think it appropriate to kick off blogging again with this puzzling little diversion found at the Llama Butchers: * August: My Ten Books - Got this idea from Chan, who read about it at normblog. * September: I'm a Liberal Democrat. . . -. . . In Australia, that is, according to this quiz. * October: Debate Wrapup - Lileks is on fire this morning. * November: Endorsement and Prediction - For what it's worth, I am endorsing President Bush and the Republican Party this year. * December: Awful Cosmetic Makeover - Via Naked Villainy, a frightening picture of Paris Hilton at The Mirthful Ones. *

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I swung by the Corner tonight, not a typical surfing destination for me. I found a couple of really good posts, though:

First, I am not a John Derbyshire fan, as he [usually] perfectly embodies the stereotype of the pessimistic, luddite conservative. However, you have to give him credit for this brilliant posting on the "Intelligent Design" movement.

Then, there's a link to this story that makes me ashamed to be a lawyer.

(While we're on this topic, here's one of my favorite lawyer jokes:

Q: Do you know the problem with lawyer jokes?
A: Lawyers don't think they're funny and no-one else thinks they're jokes).

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OK. I have a couple of regular features now: the Sunday Aircraft Cheesecake postings and the Weekly SF Babe Poll.

I originally got into this blogging thing to stretch my authorial (writerly?) muscles, but I haven't done nearly as much original writing as I had planned. I've heard that any writer needs to write a million words of crap (MWOC) before getting published.

Now, I'm in a good position in my legal career, and I'm not really looking to change anything. However, I would love to write something other than contracts and get paid for it someday.

Query: should the words on this blog count toward the proverbial MWOC? I'm thinking about yet another feature: the MWOC feature, which would contain my fictional offering with a word count and a running tally of the number of words written (with a countdown from the million-word goal).

What do you think? Little Miss Attila and Pixy have talked about maybe having a Munuvian writers' group. I wonder if this would be a way to kick that idea off.

Posted by: JohnL at 11:06 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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One of my favorite libertarian bloggers, Stephen Green, is back. He took an extended vacation from blogging over the holidays.

I wouldn't have posted much, either, if I had been assembling an Imperial Star Destroyer out of more than 3000 LEGOs.

He fisks Krugman a new one, too.

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I don't always announce changes to my blogroll, but I've [re]-discovered a great and relatively new blogger, whom I first noticed as a commenter at the currently-but-hopefully-only-temporarily-dormant Vodkapundit.

His name is Frank Martin (blog name: Varifrank) and just scanning through his website I immediately found a couple of great posts:

In this one, a bully gets his comeuppance.

In this one, some Euroweenies get their comeuppance. (Note: my kids know of Gail Halvorsen thanks to Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot).

Go check him out.

Posted by: JohnL at 10:56 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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One of the first challenges facing us in this new year is to help those suffering in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami.

Head over to the Command Post to find out what you can do to help.

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I hope that the year 2005 is as blessed and prosperous for you as 2004 has been for my family.

Happy New Year.

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