important question for mookieproof

are you watching sharknado or what?

lol i need to pay attention sorry

i did not watch sharknado as i do not have cable. i could torrent it, but i am v. bad about watching things. nevertheless, i approve of its existence.

atm i am v. disturbed by the recent judicial decision and nearly as much so by the fact that a close friend vehemently agrees with it

ugh, that's rough. how can it be?

now watching sharknado. so terrible and amazing!

#sharknado

mookie, how is your knee, much better i hope.

i haven't done anything about it : /

i mean, it's fine, i can walk okay, just not run

thank you for asking <3

i think about it quite often, i'm glad you can walk on it but can you get it more fixed up than that? or will it slowly heal on its own?

there are stories of ppl whose leg muscles were powerful enough to hold the knee in place, but i doubt i'm one of them at this point. and my left calf is behaving a little oddly.

i should almost certainly have surgery, which will require unprecedented insurance-navigating action on my part.

cat is mad cuddly, maybe because i was away for a couple days this week

he has bad breath and likes to knead my neck but i love him so much

<3

very important: happy birthday, mookie!!!

happy birthday mookie<3, i hope you get a special neck knead from your dear little cat.

happy birthday!

Happy birthday mp!

happy birthday, friend. i wish you would move here

thank u <3

mookieproof, today jergïns and i are going to to those hotsprings you tried to get to in the snow.

sweet! don't almost die like i did

At Sol Duc, or elsewhere? A lovely day for onsen.

i did not almost die though i felt like i might at times. shit is steep! i cannot imagine doing the trail in snow shoes!!! not even imagine it a little bit!!!!!

jaq: not sol duc, scenic hot springs, past sultan off highway 2.

i dreamt i somehow became embroiled in a suicide bombing plot devised by my department's marketing team, targeting the oprah winfrey show, the point of which i was never quite clear on. all involved, including all of marketing, plus me, plus mookieproof, were paired into teams of two per car, mookie and me in the lead.

after the pairing no one really talked to the other group members, except mookie wasn't here yet so i had nobody to talk to. i kept trying to tell people i had strong reservations but no one would listen. finally, when everyone was piling on the bus to go to the event i told my friend tammy i wasn't going to do it because i wasn't ready to die.

so they went without me, and i went to lingbert's apartment, where i continued working on the elaborate art piece i was making for my dad for christmas. lingbert asked me a million questions about it which, coming from anyone else would have been facetious, but from lingbert they were perfectly genuine.

it was a pretty bad dream but i still feel a little guilty for bailing on mookieproof.

;_;

yes.

to be be clear, mookie, you never actually appeared in the dream, so for all i know you bailed too.

no doubt i did : /

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SIR MOOKS-A-LOT!!

<3 thank u

what did lyle get you

a furbl

<3 happy birthday <3

happy birthday mookie<3

Happy birthday wisjes to you!

aw

lyle has a heart murmur

i love him so much

best wishes to lyle and to you also.

aww hugs to lyle

Sounds like hugs and cuddles are needed all around. Good health and long life to Lyle

will he be ok? i love him too.

lyle. mookie. my friends, my penpals.

<3 <3 <3

dearest mookieproof. i think today is your big day and i hope it is great-greater-greatest!

love to you and to my buddy lyle.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mookieproof, even if it isn't your birthday, I hope you have a terrific day with that purrtastic Lyle!

birthday! i raise my bourbon to thee.

thanks dudes! it kind of turned into autumn overnight, which was lovely, and then when i came home from work lyle was waiting in the window (for me to feed him, but still)

pretty unreasonably old now tbh, but at least i can share it with a celebrated personality like alfonso ribeiro

http://cdn.meme.li/instances/300x300/58774398.jpg

i really feel sad about this! i can't imagine! i love my cat :((((((((((

thanks guys

i am pretty bummed -- he was my favorite thing in the world

i am so sad for you, dear mookieproof. rest in paradise, my little friend lyle.

i'm sorry mookie :( this is awful shit news. i hope he wasnt in pain <3

oh my, I just saw this. I am so very sorry, mookie. I know how much he meant to you.

i hope you had a good september 21!

the second weekend in september i rented a car and drove down to stone harbor, nj to see my parents. they live in pittsburgh but we'd been going there for vacation, in one fashion or another, since the late 70s.

got there saturday afternoon; we half-watched the phillies beat the nationals, had pasta with shrimp for dinner, noted that perry mason was not in fact on, and went to bed.

sunday morning my mom woke me up -- my dad, after biking to the wawa to get coffee and the paper, had had a stroke. the ambulance came super-fast; he was taken to an ER in cape may courthouse where they gave him the essentially magical tPA. he'd been struggling with his right side, but when the tPA hit he was essentially back to normal.

it didn't last.

he was medevaced to philly, where he spent a week in the ICU. he was then medevaced back to pittsburgh, where he spent two weeks in a rehab center, then released into my mom's custody; a week later after giving him breakfast, she found him unresponsive in bed.

i flew to pittsburgh; we thought this might be it but weren't sure why. it was pneumonia brought on by aspirating food. he survived, but lost whatever gains he'd made using his right half.

he spent another week (with a tube down his throat) in the ICU, a week in the regular hospital, and two weeks at a rehab facility.

yesterday my mom brought him home to her place. last night he emailed me saying my new cat was cute.

this afternoon he shot himself in the head with a shotgun. he was watching football; my mom was upstairs. it wasn't immediate -- she literally had to give permission to let him die.

six years ago when he turned 75 i sent him this. so at least he knew. i understand why he did it, but leaving my mom to find him is fucked up.

So this is a bit awkward because I'm only going to send this to you and not Her, lest She become jealous. But while I am feeling eloquent (which is largely when I've had a few beers) I would like to consider, for your birthday, your effect on my life. I'm sure I'll miss more than a few things, but there's quite a bit on which to remark.

I don't remember a time prior to your involvement, which I guess is unusual amongst step-children. I understand that you visited the hospital upon my birth, which is both cool and makes me wonder about its propriety, if you know what I mean. I don't recall pulling the standard "you're not my real father" line on you, although I don't remember a situation in which it might have been even feasible.

Really, your greatest failure (sorry) was not having me hit left-handed. Which wasn't much, since I hit pretty well right-handed and was largely sick of Heimbuecher/baseball by the time it became decisive. I briefly used to wonder if I could have walked on at Duke or even played pro ball, but it is sad to realize that I think not. There *are* players in the minors that, in my starry-eyed memory, I think I was better than, but not many. But certainly no big leaguers.

Playing wood-bat baseball in DC several years ago was both eye-opening and disturbing. I was on a horrible team -- we won no games -- and I was in my early 30s. I broke a lot of bats, and not impressively -- I splintered them rather than sending half a bat into the crowd. Anyway I had this image of myself as being athletically superior which didn't really bear out. Christine watched several games and didn't seem disturbed, but I was -- even now when I watch big league games I think that I could do many of those things (the ones that don't involve hitting off-speed pitches the other way, at least). Such is aging, I guess.

Things I have told people about you, whom I refer to as my dad (Bob, when such things arise, is listed in the program as "Real Father" including quotes):

- Poured out liquid nitrogen on the floor at the Mellon Institute lab. Was there even any real reason for you to have liquid nitrogen there? I'm not sure, but whatever. If only you could have logically explained the Mellon Institute floor-numbering system

- Playing shortstop left-handed at Penn State

- Smoking for six months in grad school, then never again apart from very infrequent parties

- Pam Bunting? I mean, Phil seemed decent, but c'mon

- The Russian novel period of the 1970s

- The fact that you like AC/DC and purchased Guns 'N' Roses' 'Appetite for Destruction' independently (I'll back you up on the AC/DC; GnR was overrated)

- Calling Herschel at DVE about 'Sympathy for the Devil' and then getting into the Stones before me

- Muting the television (because of Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy) and listening to Fleming and Cope on the radio for Steelers games

- Punching the floor at certain points during Steeler games in the 70s

- Me being allowed to stay up until halftime for Monday night football when my normal bed time was 10pm

- Allowing me to have half (just below that little ring) of the 16oz Mountain Dew, then watching the first half with my head on your thigh (still don't like popcorn)

- Punting (I distinctly remember hearing about Art Rooney Sr.'s death in the late '80s, then going to catch your punts.)

- Your (and Her, and John the neighbor's) tolerance of the pregame playlist culminating in 'Freebird'

- Hockey (although I'm curious about why you and Dick and his kids and I all shoot righty)

- Hockey again, because I more or less ended up at McGill because I was a hockey fan, and wrote a university paper that quoted the Hockey News, and when we didn't get SportsChannel in the 80s I listened to French radio coverage of the 1986 Canadiens-Flyers Prince of Wales Finals and only knew when someone scored when the dudes yelled the same name over and over again, and calling me during my freshman year of college (1989-90) when Randy Gilhen scored a game-winner and I'd been listening to it on the radio in North Carolina

- The fact that in 1996, when I lived in Minneapolis, I spent several hours in my car in the middle of the night listening to the KDKA broadcast that culminated in Petr Nedved's goal in the fourth overtime

- Being hit by a puck and going to the Penguins locker room, then having Jean Pronovost sign the puck

- Sending me clippings for however many years, even when certain Post-Gazette columnists are full of shit

- The fact that it was discovered that I was nearsighted because I couldn't read the Civic Arena scoreboard

- The fact that you *read books*. I know She did too, but that was built around the fact that She was inherently overwhelmingly busy. (Thanks for your help in escaping that eternal predicament.) There's a certain sense I have that the ideal evening involves everyone sitting on separate couches reading books while Shostakovich is playing. The Seventh is only for Yahtzee games, though

- You are and remain the smartest and most well-read person I know. I remember Her trying to teach me algebra before I had it (I think I was in fourth grade?) -- e.g. these things on each side of the equation are the same, therefore we can do the same things to both sides and they will remain equal -- yet it did not make sense to me (don't tell Her). But when I had calculus, you remembered shit about it that is absurd. I mean, it's been 23 years since I had Calc I and I was *good* at it. I dimly remember how limits go infinite or whatever -- you remembered it the way it was. And yeah, you were a chem teacher, but I don't think you were teaching how reactions become infinite

- The thing about having 'chosen' me -- i.e. that in marrying Her you bought in to me as well -- is true. And like I said, if I tried to diss you about it -- or your lack of a mustache -- I don't remember it, nor a reason to do so. On the other hand, I was such a good stepchild that I recall (and I think my recollection is overstated, but still) your brother being a Dick, so to speak, because I was a better athlete than Greg. (I guess he showed me by producing more grandchildren, among other things, though!)

- On yet another hand I am curious, particularly given my current situation -- you entered a scenario in which had I been a total fuckup (an Edsel?), it wouldn't have been your fault. And there's much less pressure to sort something out if one is not to blame, but merely helping. Fortunately I was awesome, more or less, until now. Right?

- She taught me to read, which I consider the most influential fact of my life. I could be wrong -- I'm not entirely sure how most people learned to read, but I hope it wasn't in school. She had the 'Why Johnny Can't Read' xeroxes, and I remember that I pronounced 'truck' as 'chruck.' You guys said no, that's wrong, and I said (I paraphrase), "Dudes -- you know what I meant, so what the fuck?" Probably just as well you remained steadfast.

- At any rate, at the risk of being all mushy, happy birthday and (step)father's day. I am pretty sure that you personally are the best thing to happen to me ever, and I hope that you continue to be for some time to come.

affect, lol

i think i'm crying. i'm sorry, mookie. that is so sad.

i am so, so sorry.

dearest mookieproof. i am heartbroken for you.

the letter you sent to your dad is so warm and loving. he sounds like a very good father to you, and i am sure he appreciated your words. such a cruel and sad finale for him. and for you and for "Her." i am sorry his release from suffering brings such pain to those he loved.

please reach out (i believe you have both my phone number and email address) if there is anything i can do to support you.

your friend, lxy

<3 <3 <3

question: ravens at steelers?

answer: yes

1 point?

mookie, jergins and i are going to be in your town next week. it may be too much to hope for a meet-up because our time is short and the things are many. but maybe you are proximate to where we will be in bed-stuy and we could arrange a drink on wednesday or friday or saturday?

that is crazy because i already have plans with another sandboxer on wednesday! could be a fap

I wonder who it could be????

whaaaaa???!! LET'S FAP!

Mookie <3

where and when should we report on wednesday?

maybe . . . 6:45? where will you be around then?

if everything runs on time we should be in bed-stuy by then.

what in the hell is an emergency backup goalie?

pure awesomeness

happy dearest mookieday

thank u <3

important question: happy birthday?

it was made ideal by several lovely messages

happy days, dear mokie prof

^ this is how i hastily typed your entry into my contact list way back when. it remains. i wish you’d come back.

mokie professor

happy birthday. it's great to scroll up and see how many birthdays you've celebrated on the sandbox, through thick and thin.

thank you, students! xoxo

brought lyle home 10 years ago today

still miss him so much tbh

i still don't understand the emergency backup goalie

The NHL requires each home team to maintain a list of local non-professional goaltenders, available to either team, who can be used in the exceptional case that one or both of a team's normal goaltenders are injured or unavailable; such a goaltender who fulfills that role is treated as an emergency back–up goaltender.

Those on a team's emergency list are given free attendance to home games they are assigned and may also help out as a practice goalie. Emergency goalies are often called from nearby college teams, adult semi-pro/amateur leagues, or the home team's own coaching/facilities staff. If activated for a game, most emergency goaltenders only dress to sit on the bench, as a team's normal back-up takes over; only three emergency goalies have ever seen recorded playing time in an NHL game. Emergency goalies who are activated sign either an amateur or professional tryout contract.

https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-backup-goalie-tales/c-284389510

this seems cumbersome. i prefer the baseball method of when you run out of pitchers in the 15th inning put in an outfielder who pitched when he was in high school.

Do they get paid or does nhl pitch this as an opportunity for "exposure" and a free ticket?

i think they just get free tickets, and like once every five or ten years lightning strikes and someone gets a chance to play in the nhl

i *kind* of agree with harbl, but every baseball player can throw and you don't need special equipment to pitch. also, it's just fun -- i mean some random 42yo dude just got to play in the best league in the world and helped win a game. that's pretty cool

it does give it more of a community feeling, it's true. i recall in the last article i read it said they give the guy $500.

https://i.redd.it/qagvnlnae3j41.jpg

i love this story

That's nice. They should definitely get paid!

haha they've sent the guy's stick to the hall of fame

<3

i love this story too

Everything in @phlaimeaux's life has been cancelled so he decided to make a podcast. Join him in his car on Achill Island for your new favourite pod during the Dystopian Spring Break.☀️

Ep 1 is open for EVERYONE to listen to now on all our pod channels & https://t.co/uxcODKouWE pic.twitter.com/cAG4gx8ogb

— Second Captains (@SecondCaptains) March 18, 2020

also

a gang of fellas livestreamed the uileann pipes paddys mornin from up croghaun and they are callin themselves 'the achill lads' but tisnt us

this is incredible but i do not believe in podcasts

if you, beloved deems, are in it, i'm willing to make an exception

alas

next youll tell me you cant take a virtual spin of the island cos yr not on fb

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2719049858193336&id=379609372137408&d=null&vh=e