I'm still here jags. I work a half day.

I'm so nervous!

T - did y'all pick a hotel? I left my book at home, but somewhere on La Rambla, I think. And since there are so many of us, it can probably be a little more expensive. Like in the 9-12000 psta range. Plus, it's Barcelona!!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Answers

I'm here. Writing the picks column. Staying awake. Thank Heavens for Starbucks.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I forgot my book, too, but I think it may be a bad idea to stay ON La Rambla - that would be like staying on Bourbon Street. I think somewhere in that part of town will be okay, though. I'll call Hadley and her Let's Go. You're talking abotu Wednesday night, right?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Morning! To plagiarize M's sentiment, thank God for Community coffee.

Heh.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

AB, if you're going to plagiarize my statement, I want a link from the actual MATH forum post to my web site. Plus a muffin or something.

BTW, I liked your entry. That is indeed how you win NCAA pools. Except for the Wooster thing, since they're Division III.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

And to plagairize Community Coffee, Now, that's what I call coffee!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I know! But I needed Wooster. Wooster helped me make fun of that Soundgarden song or whoever it is.

What's another weird one? Maybe I could edit, so I'd be completely right.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

T, I'm calling Community right now. You're SO in trouble.

Mike, your muffin's on the way.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

As a top-seeded team, you always hate to play "State" schools that aren't actually states, like Murray State, Ball State or Cleveland State.

Other weird names ... hmm. I'll brainstorm and think of some.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Joh, if you're interested, I just gat a phone card - 30 cents/minute from Portugal and Spain. It's through RapidLink - Rick Steves is all about them. They debit your card $25, when you get to $5, the debit it again, and when you cancel, they refund your money. 1-800-732- 5465.

Do y'all think it would be a bad idea if I brought my Palm? It has all me addresses, flight info, etc. I'm bringing my Game Boy and my camera, so...

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I just read Pamie's entry. Bless her heart, seriously.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I know! She sounds so pitiful.

Mike, how about that one with all the qs in its name? I can't remember it.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

All right. That's it. Ratsy's about to kick Melissa's ass.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I saw it. I actually printed it out, in case she takes it down later, because it was really good.

But yeah, Bless her Heart. I hope everything works out for both of them.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

AB -- what did Meloonsa do now?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

She's acting crazy, like, seriously. Starting weird topics, then starting the same ones on 3WA. I think she might be an insomniac. Her posts are way erratic.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Joh and I actually discussed Meloonsa last night. I think she is an insomniac, and I also think she's manic-depressive. I wonder if she'll finish law school? I seriously wonder is her crazyness is recent, because how would she ever have been accepted to law school in teh frist place?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I think for sure she needs her head checked. She's getting worse than queenbri. And she does sound manic.

Ratsy didn't post--I kept typing mean things, and couldn't get it to sound nice enough.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

If she's manic-depressive, maybe she hides it well enough in real life to get by. That's the only thing I can think of. But I'd think the law would be an awful choice for her, career-wise. What's she going to do the first time she loses a case?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

And really, Melissa is playing with fire, what with calling people out and linking to their sites on her journal (http://mesawyou.topcities.com) and talking all kinds of shit about them, and even posting pictures and their emails word for word.

Mike, I feel bad for poor Erin in y'all's DC group, because Melissa has it in for her.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

She has it in for Erin? Where?

That would be idiotic. I guarantee you the Fairfax-Fells folk would unite to vote Meloonsa off the island.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

From what I know of her, I think that law, and especially public defending, is a god-awful choice for her.

If you're a PD, you are going to be working with the dregs of society. It's not a romantic profession, at all. You won't be helping the indigent and the wrongly accused. For the most part, you'll be trying to plead a decent sentence for someone who killed a guy over a sweet potato pie, or a pimp who murdered his ho, or a wife- beating bastard. Meloonsa watches too much tv.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Hey kids.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Speaking of which, T, Jill Hennessy was on Jay Leno last night. Her hair is super long. She looked kind of strung out, though.

Who was the sweet potato pie guy? Buttermilk? I love that.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Hey, pretty Arrison.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Mike - go read her latest entry. I won't link to it on the off chance that it would bounce her back here: http://mesawyou.topcities.com

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

AB, Buttermilk was the key witness in the sweet potato pie case. It was a real good pie. From the Picadilly.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Girl, you know it was if it was from the Piccadilly. I think your next entry should be about that. So I can print it out and read it daily.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

How do you read that? That goes beyond train-wreck.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Oh, but did you read the one where she admits that she pooped in her pants?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

M, I fixed my entry. And check it out! Now you have two links!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

My next entry will be about my boyfriend on the VW and Buttermilk and the Sweet Potato Pie. That sounds like a children's book title.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

"I remembered the reason why I never run outside. I woke up this morning around 6 o'clock. Now my gym is open that time but the gym in my building isn't open until 8 o'clock and I was to have pick up today so I'm doing some leg squats to music and some karate kicks and all this jazz. Finally,I decide to go outside an RUN. I'm going to be a tough girl dammit. SO I get outside and I'm running. Okay make that jogging. Or walking really funny. I can't decide what you'd call it but I was keeping a steady pace whatever the hell it was. So I'm huffing and puffing and then all of a sudden my stomach starts to hurt. Then i realize . . . .uh . . . I gotta GO . . . yeah GO . . . no I'm not near any where. I'm in residential hell . . there's no 7- 11 bathroom on my path. So I start to walk. That makes the URGE TO GO STRONGER!!! SHTI SHIT SHIT SHIT THIS ISN"T HAPPENING TO ME! Now my stomach is starting to hurt real bad and I'm a good 4 square blocks from my apartment. Okay that doesn't sound like a lot but they are big blocks and I was ahving to go BAD PEOPLE! uh I didn't make it That's it. I'm never running outside again. I'm 27 years old. There's no excuse for that. If I've said it once, I'll say it again. BEING A BABY MUST SUCK BIGTIME~!"

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Now, y'all, there are some things that you just don't put on the internet. Pooping in your pants is one of them.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I think I'm in shock. Shock, I say! Y'all. Fuckin' A.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

All right, I still can't get over the whole entry on Erin.

"Your girls are supposed to get in the car and toiletpaper his house or give you money to order gay porn to be sent to his office or help you find a good male stripper to send him for his birthday. AND even if they are friends (like mutual friends sometimes are) your girls are the ones who tell you how ugly the new girl he's dating is or the fact that he's not getting any at all or that he looks like hell because he's been working so hard. That's what your girls do. "

Girl, you've never met Erin. How can she be one of your girls? I mean, seriously now.

And Erin said "I will *so* quit talking to him if you want me to. It's not like we had been talking too regularly anyway - but there is the occasional email. I can definitely say that there are no 'feelings' on either of our parts."

What more does Meloonsa want?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I don't know what I'd do if I were Erin. But yeah, I definitely wouldn't answer my cell phone. It's worrisome. I'd be fucking livid if someone posted an email that I wrote on their site, without my authorization. If I was that Crush Boy (who, in all honesty, does not look like he is all that), I would get a restraining order. And really, the one night stands can't be the best thing for her. And he only dropped her off at the Metro station? That is just sad, y'all.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I'm half-tempted to forward the entry to Erin. But I figure that she's probably seen it already.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Good Goddamn. She really is crazy. I would turn my phone off if I were Erin, too. Poor thing.

And, pray tell, could you please tell me why she has, not one, not two, but THREE hit counters? That's just fucked up.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

It seems like she's seen the entry, but it can't hurt to forward it to her. I guess you've met Erin a few times? And didn't she post that she wouldn't be attending any more of the FP to FF gatherings?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

She did, but she made it sound as if it were job-related.

It's funny ... she pads a lot on the forum, and posts even more, but she's really quiet at the Squishy gatherings. Apparently she's a little bit goth? Or was? I don't know. But you wouldn't necessarily get that impression from meeting her.

I think I'll post on the Fairfax thread asking why she won't be at any more gatherings.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Mayn, that Erin girl, from what I've read, seems really nice. I don't like it that Meloonsa is on some sort of tirade against her.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

It sort of worries me that Meloonsa has a tirade against her.

Al, how you doing? What time do you leave?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Duuuuuuuuude, I just read all that Meloonsa shit. MAYN. If I was Erin - and I don't even know that girl, but I may e-mail her and suggest this - I would change my fucking cell number.

She EXPLAINED how she knew the guy - even said she didn't actually know him, just e-mailed him sometimes - and then Melissa publishes the whole thing and says it doesn't make sense? It makes perfect sense! That is so scary. It's actually scary. All those details about how "I know she looked at the site three times and was home and blah blah blah..." Mayn. She is a total freak. I used to think she was just sort of dumb and young, but I think she's an actual loon.

I'm fine. I have a zit on my chin. I call that Fidelity Insurance. I leave in the morning. I am nervous as a rat.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

As nervous as a toothless rat chewing on a chum suit?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Jackie Collins of Journalese is taking a break. I'm very sad.

So let's take a poll here ... should I e-mail Erin with the URL, or figure she's seen it already? Honestly, Meloonsa frightens me enough that I may stay out of it entirely, but then again she's totally flipped out.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

As nervous as a rat in a panama hat wearing a chum suit in a shark factory.

But, I'm good. It's all good. Stupid J-Co. He makes me crazy, y'all. I so wish I could just blow him off and go to NYC with Shaun instead.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

She's flipped out, and she knows Erin's last name. Not a good combination.

MATH, savin' the world! Again!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

T - did you find anything? I have to leave in an hour.

Who knew Meloonsa was really a certifiable stalking Loon?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I vote for e-mailing her, Mike. I would want y'all to tell me if some crazy girl had it in for me.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

How much would y'all pay me if I brought back the song parody thread with "Stalking Meloonsa" to "Waltzing Mathilda"?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I'd pay you TWO DOLLAH!

I e-mailed Erin. Told her to change her cell number. I had to do it. That shit is too crazy.

Meloonsa is a nut, yo.

Y'all, I'm worried about you going to Spain. I do not trust the swarthy men. What will become of you? You have to be so careful. Seriously. T, I am counting on you to be the responsible one.

What happened on Survivor last night, y'all? I have heard nothing, and I didn't watch it.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

"T, I am counting on you to be the responsible one. "

Heeeey!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Yes, y'all be careful. Lin Chao got her purse stolen in Spain last year. Not before she tried to wrest it away from the culprit, though. She's a tough little wench.

And Mike, I'd pay five dollah, and a box of doughnuts.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I took notes again, but haven't had the chance to e-mail. Michael of Kucha fell in the fire, burned himself very badly and had to be evavuated. He's out, so there was no immunity challenge, which was a godsend for the morons in Ogakor.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Joh, I can't get in touch with Hadley! Should we just stick to meeting at noon at Columbus on La Rambla? I'll have a pink day bag.

Shit, I'm kicking myself for forgetting my Barcelona book.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

H, I'm just sayin'. With all that sangria in the air...

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Seriously, T. You're responsible for the rest of the girls. Make sure they stay out of trouble.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

"T, I am counting on you to be the responsible one."

Al, you are a very wise woman.

Y'all, should I bring my Palm??

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Hee! And Mike's never even met me!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Ladies - do you shop at bluefly.com? I have to say, it is often the bomb.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I'm not so sure about taking the Palm, yo. However, it would probably be easier than carrying around a big ass address book, if that's your other option.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Al, have you seen this? http://www.threewayaction.com/ubb/Forum45/HTML/000027-4.html

Scroll down to where the pictures start.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

That is some crazy shite! I am laughing, but I don't get how I ended up being featured... at least I'm sort of hot.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

...and stacked.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Clearly, she was just trying to make the pictures as accurate as possible.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Um, Al? Some freak posted Meg's journal in the Imitation thread.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Lord. I fixed it.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Okay, I'm oot.

T - I'll try and call you once I get home and get my book. Otherwise, noon by the Columbus statue on La Rambla.

Oh, and can y'all take me out of any email loops I may be in? I think Yahoo mail would sputter and die after 10 days.

Love y'all!! Will miss! Al - see you in TWO weeks!

Viva Espana! H

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Han, y'all have some big fun!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Have a great time, y'all. Bring me back an Antonio.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Have a great time!

Y'all? I think I'm actually going to the Final Four.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Oh and Allison, great job on the Imitation thread. Even PF thanked you.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Mike! Kick ass. Are you thrilled? Where is it this year?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Minneapolis. That's not the part I'm thrilled about.

I'm very thrilled. It'll be my first one. Of course, I'll believe it when I'm actually on the plane, but right now that's the plan.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Mike, that is the greatest thing, ever. See, all your work is paying off.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Yeah, and it only took five years! And that's if it actually goes through -- but if it doesn't I'll be all kinds of pissed.

It could still be de-approved, but our plan is to have me go for the whole weekend. Four or five nights in scenic Minnesota just can't be beat.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Mike! I am filled with jealousy, but also filled with pride on your behalf. I really hope it works out and you can go.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

It had better, or like I said I'll be all kinds of pissed.

I did wind up e-mailing Erin about Meloonsa. I said she appeared to be slightly insane (Meloonsa, not Erin).

The imitation thread just gets better and better. I think I might have to revive my prediction from earlier in the week. Meg really might not come back. Now she may have swiped her naming convention from AB's friend at Om Mani Padme Hum. Although I'm figuring I'm not the first to come up with my naming convention either.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I saw that post! But I'm unclear - what's a naming convention?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I don't quite know what she means. For us, a "naming convention" is the page's web path == for example, our naming convention for my column is /sports/basketba/skm/[column name]. I think she may be refering to entry titles, but I'm not sure.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Note: I am not plagiarizing Om Mani Padme Hum in my page titles. Montaigne (or however you spell his name) was doing that naming convention in the 1500s.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Y'all? Please don't let me have pulled an L_L here.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I'll be back in a minute, non-LL-Mikey-poo. Have to go pick up Mad Madeleine.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I'm here. Iw as talking to Joh. She's at the airport. La aeropuerta.

Oh, DUH! Mike you speak Spanish. A few days ago, we needed a Spanish speaker to make reservations!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Yeah, I'm not sure I speak it well enough to make reservations. I'd have started my little speech, and the guy would have said "Yes, we have vacancies" in perfect English.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Gah! How long does it take to get your oil changed? Too effing long.

Y'all, I love a Friday. It make An Bei smire.

T, when do you leave?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Erin just e-mailed me back. She said she might have to avoid the DC Squishy gatherings because of Meloonsa. I'm like, "The hell you will."

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Good for you, Mike. Besides, it's not like Melissa will show up at any of them.

I leave tomorrow at 2.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

My thoughts exactly.

Are you going to Portugal first?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Yep. We arrive in Lisbon at 7 Sunday morning. I plan to take a load of Benadryl at midnight Lisbon time - that should prevent most of the jet lag.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I could not be more envious.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Hey - you're the one who's going to the Final Four.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Oh! Mike, that's so cool. Especially since you'll be watching the teams I picked to win. Woo!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Hmmm ... Lisbon and Barcelona vs. Minneapolis. I'll trade you.

Friends and I are talking about going to Spain this summer, but I'm not sure anything will come of it.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Where's Al?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

AB, are you traveling anywhere this weekend? Or am I not alone in my staying-at-homeness?

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

It's just you and me, babe. Bust open the beer and the onlineness.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Did anyone just realize that "onlineness" is almost an anagram of "loneliness"?

I smart! I make funny anagram!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I'm back. Stupid meetings! Now I am going to leave, though. I have to go to rehearsal tonight - once again, I am dreading it but know I will enjoy it when I get there. We're from 7 - 12. That's too long, really. I'll be dead by 11.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

No lie. I work Saturday night, and Sunday we might get, like, 18 inches of snow.

There will be beer and chips purchased. Oh yes. There will be.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Yum. Beer and doe-REE-toes.

Arrison, you have good time! Rove you!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Poor Tina. No do-ree-tos for her on last night's episode.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

I know! But at least we got to hear her say it. The pronunciation of that word will nevah be the same.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Y'all pray for me as I travel by American Air Trans Airlines or whatever... who even knows if that's a real plane.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

**Hugs** and **Prayers** for Allison on AirTran.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

American is good - my uncle is a captain for them. They're safe. but if you're on Air Tran?

Godspeed, Allison.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

All right, y'all. I'm heading downstairs to work out. In case y'all are gone when I get back:

Teri and Allison ... have great trips! Have fun! Be safe! Bon Voyage! And any other travel sentiments I'm forgetting.

An Bei, you just keep on bein' An Bei.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Ok, it's American Trans Air. Hmmm... Anything for J-Co, I guess.

People, the web radio I am listening to is playing the new Destiny's Child song, Survivor. If any one of you thinks this is not going to be your new favorite song, you clazy. I can't leave 'til it's over.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001

Bye!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001