Familiar

Every March, I am required to attend 3 conferences for my day job at MIT. I actually enjoy them, and they always get the wheels spinning in my head for next fiscal year. And, much like having developed good friendships among comics people, I've developed some good friendships among my professional peers. It's nice to see them repeatedly each March.

This year, I was kicking off the trip with a weekend in DC to see my friends Ryan and Mark. But we start, of course, at Logan International Airport. I'm no fan of airports, the noise, the awful and expensive food...but I always enjoy the humanity passing by.

This family consisted of butch mom, frumpy dad, and complaining little girl.

I wish every day was laundry day

 

What a decent guy!

Once every few years I end up on the couch with a bad cold...and sucked into the world of "television." Law & Order marathons, spoiled people with bad taste on HGTV, terrible effects on ScyFy. 

This time around, while surfing I was instantly hooked on a reality competition show. I've never been able to watch more than 5 minutes of reality TV, but this had me from the moment I landed on Spike.

The Joe Schmo Show is a giant hoax: all the contestants are actors, except one—Chase Rogan of Pittsburgh—who thinks it's all real. So, the show is a bit sitcom (with lots of crazy scenarios and specific lines to get across), a bit improv (since it happens real time, and the actors must riff off the things Chase says and does), and a bit reality show (Chase is in it to win).

My favorite character is Karlee, the deaf contestant (who is played by a hearing actress) and her dummy Mr. Wentworth. His theme song with Karlee (Can you hear me?/No I Can't/I am Mr. Wentworth/I will make you smile/All day long) had me in stitches.

Chase is goofy, easy on the eyes (I don't claim my drawing of him looks like him...), and of high moral fiber. The show just concluded, and I urge you to watch it. It's crazy and funny and well done. I felt bad for Chase (who really did want to win the fake prize of a job contract as a bounty hunter). But the cast was really good for the most part, and Chase did win the real prize of $100K. 

Anyway, check the show out on Netflix or Spike's website. 

I love a good buffet as much as the next guy, but enough's enough!

Growing up in NH, I am no stranger to road kill. Squirrels, raccoons, deer, and the occasional cat or dog (sad). The only victim of mine was a snake I ran over on a country road headed to hike my favorite mountain.

As a city dweller, I've seen possum (Saint Louis), and a lot of squirrels, and, ugh, rats.

Usually I see the victims once they've been well-mashed or after some rain or something.

But there was a week in January that I saw fresh road kill every other day. I mean like blood you could soak up like gravy.

Not only was it kinda gross, but it felt like a bad omen. I believe in stuff like that. 

Knock on wood, nothing's really bad yet happened.