I went to the grocery store after work yesterday, which wasn’t the way I wanted to cap off a pretty sucky Monday. I’m not that crazy about going out in public these days, mostly because I think people should be taken in moderation, and definitely in groups of three or less. The store, of course, was packed with brain-dead idiots, their grubby, shrieking spawn running amok, daring me to crush them under the wheels of my cart. Fortunately, I only needed some Schinkenbrot and beer (which reminded me of a guy I used to know who for some reason would often say, “oh dear, bread and beer. If I were dead, I wouldn’t be here.” In fact, he isn’t here, ‘cuz he’s been dead for quite a while now), but it was still a challenge to get what I needed and get out again without giving in to my desire to ram somebody with my shopping cart, or run their bratty little kids over. No offense, but can’t you leave them home or lock them in the trunk or something? I mean, do I bring my dogs and let them run loose?

Rather exciting news (for us yokels, anyway) this morning. It seems that John Malkovich and his production company will shooting a movie here this summer. The film – to be titled, “Hotel Syracuse” – is a psychological thriller about a math professor who attends an international math conference in Syracuse (who wouldn’t pay to see that). While staying at the – you guessed it – Hotel Syracuse he encounters people from his past and realizes he is not hallucinating.

I hate it when I realize I’m not hallucinating.

This Mac laptop of mine (or that I’ve been using, anyway) crashed last night. Just locked up and told me I needed to restart, which isn’t all that unusual (contrary to urban legend and the Apple marketing machine). I was on my way to bed anyway, but when I started the thing up this morning, it turned out that the touchpad “click” no longer works. I don’t typically use it, except when the OS crashes, and I have to select the user to log in (once my profile loads, I don’t have to use that). Fortunately, I figure out how to get around it, but it’s still kind of a bummer. Here I thought Macs were indestructible perfect little machines that never crashed or locked up or any of that other stuff. Doesn’t seem to be that way, though. I can see why the TCO of these things is a lot higher. I like the touchpad, though. Even if it no longer clicks.

It’s still basketball season but, beleive it or not, baseball’s spring training has begun, kicking off the start of the 8-month baseball season. Baseball is one of those sports you don’t actually have to watch (hence the appeal to our soon to be ex-Governor). You can get just as much excitement out of reading the box scores in the paper as you can from watching the games. Baseball is so exciting that, when somebody swings really, really hard, but misses the ball, the crowd goes, “oooooh!” And then fifteen minutes of scratching, spitting, head shaking, and checking the runner at first ensues. If the batter actually hits the ball and gets on base, he typically calls an immediate timeout, having exhausted himself by running 90 feet. If the team starts getting a few hits (in other words, something is actually happening), the other team’s manager comes out and talks to the pitcher for a while, presumably to calm down the crowd, who has gotten all riled up from seeing action at a baseball game.

Not that I don’t respect the players’ abilities, mind you. I’m lucky if I can hit a slow pitch softball, and really wouldn’t want to get beaned with a 90 mph fastball. And I don’t think I’d be beating out many singles these days (I wasn’t exactly Speedy Gonzales when I was young; now, I think I’d need to take a break about halfway to first). Plus, I just wouldn’t want to poke myself in the ass with steroids.

Although, I could use a shot of something to get myself going this morning.