Buckle up, we're about to turn the engines on

This is going to be a mish-mash. A jumble, if you will. A list of loosely connected things. It has been a busy November and that trend looks like it will continue until mid-January at least. My thoughts are all a bit squibbly.

Firstly: My brother got married! Weird, yes. I know. He is 22 and has a house and a wife. This is unfamiliar to me. But the wedding was great and I'm sure there are embarrassing pictures of me in a nice tux floating around somewhere. And get this: they had a photo booth. An honest-to-God portable instant photo booth. Two sets of four tiny pictures! Color or B&W! Your choice! The world does not cease to amaze me.

More travel coming up. Detroit this weekend, and then Louisville again for Christmas. I don't mind it, though it is sometimes frustrating finding someone to watch the cats. I have too many cats.

I'm starting a writing group with Clift. We are getting together people from various Neo-Futurist classes and instituting a bi-weekly writing assignment which will be followed by in-person feedback and criticism. I'm hoping it goes well. I haven't done this sort of thing before, but I feel good when I'm writing, so I want to keep doing it.

In other Neo-Futurist news, the next prime-time season was picked. I don't know if I'm allowed to divulge the choices here, so I won't. Let me just say - very exciting things are coming. In order to prepare yourself, please watch this sad video about a dog. Because excitement should always be balanced by melancholy.

I ordered glasses online. Where are they, Zenni Optical? Where? And did I measure my pupilary distance correctly? Please let me know.

Lastly, a public service announcement. As we approach the seriously cold and nasty part of winter, consider your health and the health of your friends, family, and complete strangers you sit next to on the bus. Get your seasonal flu vaccine. Get the H1N1 if you can, although it's being rationed due to demand. And if you find yourself at all swayed by the McCarthy/Carrey squad, take a look here and here.

Lastly, for reals: I think I'm going to have a birthday party next month. I usually don't, but for some reason I feel compelled. I'm shooting for January 16th, which is also the 224th anniversary of the Virginia Assembly's adoption of Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, which forms the basis of our modern concept of separation of church and state. How's that for a party theme? Yes, "pretty awesome" is the correct answer. Mark your calendars.