This morning while wiping the last of sandman’s dust out of my eyes, I turned on the local news.  One of the segments was a live broadcast from the area Children’s Wonderland attraction.  This followed a description of last minute book ideas for the last-minute shopper.   Well, the remote interviewer decided to get into the act complete with rim shots from a snare drum.  Try these titles:

• Danger by Luke Out
• Robots by Anne Droid
• You’ve Got to be Kidding by Shirley U. Jest

Thank goodness the large display of decorations and exhibits was much more entertaining than the puns and took me back to the number of times the family ventured to the city to walk through the wonderland.

Perhaps the most enduring fixture in the world of Star Trek was Majel Barrett-Roddenberry.  She was in every incarnation of the universe.  She played the role of Number One in the original pilot entitled “The Cage.”  However, the role was scrapped when television censors first viewed the show as the role was too progressive for a woman (this was the mid 1960s after all).  When the series was relaunched, the wife of series creator Gene Roddenberry was given the part of Nurse Christene Chapel who had an unrequited attraction to a certain Vulcan first officer.  After the series ended, Mrs. Roddenberry would be heard in the animated series as Lt. M’ress as well as the voice of the computer in all future Star Trek series and later films including the new movie coming this summer.

However, my favorite role portrayed by the actress was as Lwaxana Troi who was the mother of Enterprise councellor Deanna Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation.  Mrs. Troi would make periodic appearances not only to the Enterprise but also on space station Deep Space Nine.  Part of the fun of this character was her hilarious flirtatious advances toward Captain Jean-Luc Picard.  Unfortunately for the captain, Lwaxana is a full telepath able to read the thoughts of others.

On December 18, 2008 Mrs. Roddenberry lost her short battle with leukemia a disease I know all too well this year.  May the great bird of the galaxy watch over her and those she left behind.  Total coincidence that two postings in a row have a common theme.

I am a self-professed game show freak… AND PROUD of it.  Maybe that is why I enjoy the semi-weekly game nights.  If I had a bucket list, I would put being on a game show high on that list (not number one but high).  I very nearly made it on Who Wants to be a MIllionaire when it had the phone in game.  I made it to the second round at which point I got a phone call and had to get through another set of questions in order to progress to New York City; unfortunately, I did not pass that test.

Tonight saw the return of Password, hosted by Mr. Regis Philbin.  Two celebrities are paired with two contestants.  Actress/comedienne Aisha Tyler and actor/director (maybe not so much… has he directed anything aside from the forgetable Star Trek V?)/author/and now, celebrity interviewer William Shatner were the stars.  To say that Shatner was his normal, over-active self would be an understatement.  At half-time, the celebrities switch sides, Bill nearly fell over something and almost ended flat on his face.  You would have thought he was back on the starship Enterprise being tossed around, holding onto the railing for dear life.  His game play was nothing short of memorable… if you take my meaning.  But he was in there punching, having a good time, and able to have a good laugh even at his own expense which has been a trademark for his 50 years in entertainment.  Unfortunately, I did not find a clip of  tonight’s episode, but surely the memorable performance will be preserved in cyberspace very soon for all to enjoy over and over.  However, here is a clip of a younger Bill playing a solo round of Pyramid.

For only the second time in the history of The Price is Right, a contestant guessed the price of his showcase EXACTLY right.  Unfortunately, the other contestant at the end of the show missed her showcase by $517.00.  According to the shocked Drew Carey, the only other time this phenomenal feat occurred was in 1973 just months after the show began.  I’m not one to make judgements, but to me it looked like the bidder came up with the bid awfully quick.  Check it out! Something else I have been curious about.  Hypothetically, if both showcase winners were to be the same amount away from the suggested retail price of the showcases, would they each win their showcase?  Even more unlikely, if they were to both be within the $250.00 range, would they indeed win both showcases?  Thank goodness for wikipedia, as this nearly happened.  However, on a 1974 episode the differences were $29 and $30.  And yes both contestants would win both showcases.  Law suits surely would result if this were not the case.  Thanks to my brother who was watching while he is laid off for the holidays.

While the Benihana Christmas episode is about to begin, I saw on my email that a surprise guest is coming to The Office for the hour-long post Super Bowl episode.  Jack Black will be dropping by the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin and what the plot will concern is anyone’s guess.  Will he be bringing surprises of his own?  Will we see a wedding, perhaps?  Maybe an appearance Jan and her baby and a resolution to that plot line?  What do my fellow watchers think?  Sorry, D.

Many post big game episodes have done really well.  Most also feature celebrity guests like “The One after the Super Bowl” episode of Friends featuring Julia Roberts.  The brilliant series Alias (that was cancelled way too soon) had a memorable post game episode.  Unfortunately, J.J. Abrams seemed to put the spy series starring Jennifer Garner on the back burner while making way for his new series Lost.  There were also Simpsons post Super Bowl shots.  Hopefully, the Dunder Mifflin crew can bring another great addition to the post Super Bowl hour.

Last summer, I posted on the story of a young little leaguer who was snubbed because he was TOO GOOD.  Well, maybe he can take a lesson from Ken Mink who at 73 years young is the oldest living college basketball player.  Mr. Mink is a 6′ shooting guard for Roane State Community College.  At first when he initially tried out for the team the other players, coaches, everyone involved though it was some kind of hoax and the man just escaped an insane asylum. However, there is more to the tale.

In his earlier days after a successful Freshman season (1955-56), Mink was excused from Lees Junior College in Jackson, KY.  He was called to the President’s Office and was expelled from the institution for soaping the basketball coach’s office and putting shaving cream in his shoes… although Mr. Mink denies it more than 50 years later.  No due process in those days so the youngster had no recourse but to go home, but was never far from the courts (basketball).

Along with Ken is his wife of 11 years, Emilia (68), who can be seen at every game wearing a retro- cheerleading outfit of poodle skirt, sweater, saddle shoes, and pom-poms.

You can watch Ken Mink in action here… number 54.  Although he is eligible for three more seasons, the athlete feels that one will be enough.  Way to go!!!

This weekend was really weird.  It started off Friday morning when I was asked to work on my day off (now I am working like 12 days in a row).  Later, I went to the game night that I previously described (in my newly repaired automobile..l brake problems) where I learned that some friends were looking for a sitter for Saturday night.  The next morning, I contacted them and said that I would be happy to watch the four kids.  I get off at 4.  The plan ALMOST worked out.  Instead of a 12-4 shift, it was a 12-9 shift.  I felt horrible.  I immediately called and explained the situation.  Hopefully, there will be other opportunities when I ACTUALLY know my schedule.

Today was a fun day.  I only worked until 2 so another great friend and I went to see Four Christmases which was kind of cute.  You can read taylhis’ indepth review.  Some laughs, not the best movie ever made but it was worth seeing with a friend.  We then went to Wal-Mart and spent an hour there wandering around.  I ended up completing my  Batman movie collection (yes, I even am the proud owner of the horrendous Batman and Robin travesty; however, I still lack the original big screen adventure from 1966).  Along with my The Dark Knight DVD is a reproduction of the original comics in which the Joker and Two-Face are introduced.  One strange thing about the comic originally published in Detective Comics Issue number 66 (1942) the District Attorney who became the scarred supervillain was named Harvey KENT.  I’m not sure how long it took to change the name to Harvey Dent but this took away any confusion that might have been caused with Superman‘s alterego of Clark Kent.  That would have made for an interesting story.

Last night was my first foray into the world of role-playing games.  It was really fun not knowing what you are doing at first but diving right in and going with it.  Our leader (who instructed us and narrated the adventure as well as assumed a role… although he was limited to what he actually did) has been doing this for years although life has limited the amount he has been able to participate in groups.  He even said that one game lasted from the time he was 18 until he was 25.  NOW THAT IS A LONG GAME (not all at once, but still…).

The role I decided to tackle was a thief in the medieval time of the Dungeons and Dragons setting.  I chose the name Zarf.  The quest led the players on the search for an old man’s daughter.  We eventually came to a large, battle-scarred castle and soon became separated.  After climbing down a seemingly endless flight of stairs, my three companions (the strong Ivanhoe, the cleric Lothario (I think he was a cleric), and Faramir – the damsel’s intended) and I came to a pit.  We discovered that the route we had taken was totally useless and we ended right back with the other players.

There were battles aplenty with goblins, hobgoblins, and wererats.  Magic (of which I had none).  Secret passages and lots of other exciting elements involved.  Now if I could just learn to throw something more than a 1 on an icosahedron (my new 25-cent word for the day)… although I do recall throwing at least a 10 on a few occasions.  But happily, we all survived the quest and rescued the fair maiden.  Even if Lothario denied my gift (and they say there is no honor among thieves) of rocks for his sling (which eventually broke.. HA!)  A great intro into what appears to be a fun world.  I’m curious to actually see a centagon…

Ah… The Simpsons.  Bart’s periodic calls to Moe’s Tavern never get old. In one of the episodes from this its 20th season, the never aging 10 year old finds Denis Leary‘s cell phone and hilarity insues. Today while at work, I received a telephone call that is very similar to the prankster’s antics.  I answered the phone and the jokester asked: “Do you have Orville Reddenbacher in a jar?”  Knowing who was on the other end, I decided to play along and went to look.  After replying that we did not I said: “If we had him in a jar, he would be rather well preserved; freeze dried and all.”  The popcorn baron passed away in 1995.  Oddly enough, I thought he had been popping corn in the great beyond longer than that.  At least the customer did not ask if we had Prince Albert in the can.  HAHA.    Who amongst us has never endulged in performing this harmless little prank?  HAHA

I’m not entirely sure if I have posted on this event that happened about 25 years ago, but it stands out as one of those unforgettable experiences that will stay with my family forever.  It will definitely be passed on to at least the next generation.  It just happened to come up at work today as we were unloading a truck, but it made the manager shake her head in disgust and hide.  Ironically, right after relaying the tale, I pulled a case of cat litter off the track.

Anyway, for those not in the know, when I was younger I had a snow white cat named Snowball.  It was my cat and I was in charge of feeding, cleaning the litter box, etc.  I came across the kitten while outside playing and she came upon me and I had to go pet it.  Then, she followed me home much to my mother’s chagrin… she wanted NO MORE CATS in the house.  We had already had two that used all of their nine lives.  One used to enjoy leaping into the washer and going for a spin; however, this one later tried to cross the street at the wrong time.

Snowball’s demise was far more gruesome.  One summer evening, my siblings and I were home while the parents were away.  My oldest brother was doing a load of laundry.  Unbeknownst (says he) to him, the cat hopped into the dryer.  The clothes must have smothered the pleas for help or else she was ko’d shortly after start up.

My parents arrived home early the next morning and immediately called the 4 of us downstairs.  They had discovered the most awful smell anyone should ever have to experience of which we were about to be introduced.  My mother, armed with a trash bag, rubber gloves, clothes pin over her nose, handkerchief over her mouth, and shovel, opened the dryer door and started scooping it out.  This was after the idea of calling the fire department was abandoned.  The entire bag of clothes, and remains was buried in the back yard.  The next day, we went shopping for a new dryer.  Years later, we still like to bring that skeleton out of the closet 😉

I just remembered what prompted the story.  The truck driver used a power pallet jack to move the pallets around.  Everytime he used it, it sounded like a dying cat and I mentioned that I know a thing or two about dying cats.  My helper said that she knew the tale; however, the boss (who is the owner of two cats) did not.  So surprised by that, I told her the macabre tragedy.