You're not kidding about "itch itch itch hot hot OW OW OW...huh."

Seriously -- I first tried it IN the allergist's office, because when I had the skin-prick test for allergens I reacted severely. I mean the nurse came in the room, saw my arm, and said "OH MY GOD!"

Obviously, it itched horribly, and I couldn't stand it. The allergist jumped at the chance to show me the hairdryer trick (he claims to have "invented" it -- hello, ego), and my reaction was pretty much "This is annoying....nothing is happening....getting hot....still itchy....WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?!?!?!?....wait -- where'd the itch go?" It's like it just suddenly recedes. It's weird.

This is a fairly dark Calvin and Hobbs comic: [link]

(This is the allegedly rejected final C&H comic. But that's probably not ture - apparently someone took a real comic but changed the words.)

I thought they looked happier in hell than Calvin did at the end of his sketch. Possible that I don't have strong enough Christian undertones.

This is a fairly dark Calvin and Hobbs comic:

Wow. That made me inexplicably sad.

That made me inexplicably sad.

Me too.

MM, have you seen this? I mean, for sadness's sake.

I am so cranky that I don't even think bacon can improve my mood, but I'm giving it a shot anyway.

Oh, here's what I want for my birthday: [link]

A 15 foot long stuffed squid.

Archibald is a unique creature. This flagship squid is made of bright red super soft ultra suede and stuffed with even softer polyester fill. His tentacles are lined with a soft black velour and his eyes are hand sewn in black and white satin. He includes a secret hidden pocket that closes with a zipper. He enjoys cricket and dabbles in philantrophy and loves nothing more than a good Alfred Hitchcock marathon.

Archibald stands 15 feet tall from head to toe. He is completely hand made and one of a kind.

Only $1,800.

MM, have you seen this? I mean, for sadness's sake.

That...that...

Part of me wants to really laugh. And part of me is...that...huh.

Remember that vampire that was running for MN governor?

So, in the last election, we Minnesotans briefly enjoyed the company of a vampire running for governor. Unfortunately, Jonathon "The Impaler" Sharkey was arrested before the election and we missed out on the potentially amusing spectacle.

Somehow, though, he is now free (damn those cunning vampires!), and is planning to run for president. As a most interesting and admittedly tempting part of his campaign platform, he is promising to impale GW Bush if elected.

He's crazy, I wouldn't have given him a chance, but dang if he didn't come up with a vote-getting idea. They're cunning, those vampires, they've had centuries to think up these plans. If he tossed Cheney in as a bonus, he might just sweep the election.

[link]