Posting has been sparse the last week, as I have been working on Jimmy Kimmel Live as Halloween overhire, and we are doing OT as well. There is only so much I can get done in the mornings before I leave at 11:30am, so between housework, errands, email and Dexter, and Dexter's non-existent Halloween costume there is little time for blogging. Oh yeah, and every time I try and log into my Blogger dashboard it tells me my email address doesn't exist, but then is happy to email me some "reset your password" email to the address it insists doesn't exist, thus eating up the ten minutes I did have to dash off a quick blog.

Quick thing- on the way home from the ACME show on Friday night (in which I totally killed, thank you very much) I hit every green light all the way down Beverly/Silverlake Blvd from Highland to Marathon. This is a couple of miles and probably 25 lights. It was quite remarkable and noteworthy. The entire trip maybe took 7 minutes.

A lil' punkin for your enjoyment. There is a version of this picture where Steve photoshopped the drool out, but this is what I have right at hand...

Here it is! A link to the October 16th broadcast of Marketplace. And I fixed the link on the previous post. Neal Roscoe even sent me an email saying that he heard it, and it was great. I'm listening to the show now. I hope I don't sound like a complete dork.


Sigh.

I do sound a little dorky.

They had me read my artfully composed letter, and they interviewed me for five minutes and THIS is the one sentence they pull? I actually wouldn't mind looking like Gloria Steinem, it's the dumpy librarian who volunteered at the NOW! offices in 1978 that I don't want to emulate.

While driving home today from an outing with Paul and Angela today (more on that later)I was listening to Marketplace on KCRW. They were talking about how clothing sales are way down this fall, and analysts are blaming the unseasonably warm weather on the east coast. I think this is a crock of shit. The reason sales are down is because the Ugliness Has Continued.

I know I reported on this blog that the Ugliness had ended with last summer's groovy resort wear, but it turned out to only be a passing breath of fresh air, the eye of the storm, if you will. This fall's offerings are more of the Pregnancy Wear with added 1978 Librarian thrown in for good measure. More empire waists, more of the hideous yoke sack, now with added bulky cardigans in butt ugly colors. If you liked Bell Telephones and station wagons in the 70's, this is the color palette for you!

So as soon as I walked in the door, I dashed off an email to Marketplace. Not an hour later, the phone rang, and it was Marketplace asking me to read my letter aloud and be interviewed. She thought I was really funny, and asked if I had ever done radio. I said I was a comedian, and she then had me plug my show at ACME. How cool is that??

The interview should air on Tuesday afternoon's Marketplace.

I had my first day back to full time work yesterday. I'm picking up about ten days this month in the wardrobe department of Jimmy Kimmel Live. I'm filling in for my pal Lisa while she is on vaca in Hawaii, and then later in the month as overhire for the busy Halloween season.

It was a pleasant surprise to see some familiar faces, my friend Brooke works as a writer's assistant, and a couple of crew members from Crank Yankers are there as well. The costume department all likes each other and gets along, and the costume designer Rodney and I know many of the same folks from back in the day in NYC. In fact, we both worked at Parsons at the same time, except I was chained to a work table and not allowed to talk to design assistants. Yet.

The theater where they shoot the show is across from Hollywood and Highland and next door to Disney's El Capitan. It is absolutely magnificent inside, and there are bars everywhere. If my first day was any indication, every taping is an excuse for a party. I'm sure it helps to keep the mood light and fun.

I can't believe the Yankees lost. Thank you Cleveland! Now, for the Red Sox to kick your asses.

As it cannot be a Dexter free post, Simone is taking care of the boy this week. I think she is having a good time. I remembered to make up a list of phone numbers and tell her how to make bottles, but I forgot to show her how the TV worked, or explain how to get him down for a nap. I think she was a little worn out at the end of the day. Steve came home to him in the swing, with a washcloth on his head, chewing on his sun toy, and listening to a story.

I have figured out a way for our country to afford a nationalized health care system.

Stop fighting gigantic wars! Just kidding.

American corporations are constantly complaining that worker health benefits are completely eating up their profits, and not allowing them to compete with overseas companies who's countries provide health care. It is Big Business' interest for the government to take over the burden of providing health care.

All businesses would be taxed for every worker they employ. It should not be as much as they pay for benefits now, but perhaps half. They still have to shell out, but shell out less. (I know you are already asking how that will work. I don't know. This is still R&D) This would then give them the ability to raise the workers' pay, say giving them a quarter back, and keeping the final quarter for themselves and the stock holders. They should also be charged for outsourced and overseas workers.

The worker would then be taxed, say 80% of that quarter extra they get, so they still keep 20%. Which they could be spending on consumer goods here, which might have to cost bit more.

This money, in addition to what the government could contribute if they weren't funneling it directly to Haliburton and the oild companies via the money laundering scheme called the Iraq War, could finance a nationalized program.

Is this a crazy idea of someone who listens to too much NPR, but has no understanding of economics or world markets? I do think any health care reform will truly have to come from Big Business, as they have the most to gain. Once they start lobbying for it, then we will see shit happen.

Steve and I, along with our neighbors Ben and Helen and pal Carla, had a yard sale today. We all got rid of a lot of stuff, and did pretty well considering none of us had any big ticket items to unload. Everything was priced to move and we frequently just gave stuff away. "I see you looking at lamp. Why don't you just take it. Take it!! Please!" All of it had been originally destined for the Goodwill anyway, so we thought we'd try and make a few bucks first and not have to haul as much stuff away ourselves.

Of course, a couple of things traded back and forth, Simone ended up with my 45's, Steve got Ben's Charles Manson lunchbox, Carla got one of my dresses. I got NOTHING and I'm quite proud.

My favorite item sold was a walker, for $1. There had been two. Ben is a prop master, so there were some unusual items to be had. Besides two walkers, there was an empty flute case and the Manson lunch box.

Dexter had a great time, and refused to nap the entire day, except outside on one of our shoulders. As soon as we brought him in and laid him down, his eyes popped open with a big gummy grin. A few people offered to buy him, but we said they had to take the cat, too.

Dex got a little chair this week that helps him sit up. It is the cutest thing ever. This photo makes me realize we live in IKEA. Almost everything in the background, including the blanket are from there. Name those items!