collectables? I'll show you collectables

I don't want to distract entirely from my last entry announcing my possible new career move and/or pipe dream job of Dialect Coach to the Stars, but I thought I'd post another cheers 'n jeers list since I'm way sleep depped and am reduced to short utterances.

Cheers to my guitar/stringed instrument collection (instruments not shown actual size...) photo inspired by Ginaoplis' entry on collect-o-phobia. No My Little Ponies or Beanie Babies here, but I'm hoping that this lot will appreicate like a vintage set of 1979 McDonald's "Peanuts" drinking glasses or original Scratch 'n Sniff stickers from fourth grade. I was doing some guitar maintenance (an essential of instrument ownership, unless of course you treat them like crap and they DE-preciate...) and thought what the heck, I'll do a family photo and unleash them from their hardshell cases in the closet. Gosh, I must say, I have a lot of instruments. Some people collect paper clips, I don't hold back from acquiring guitars that I know I really want. I need a banjo next, even though I have no idea how to play it and it may be a tad too loud for apartment living. Oh well. I can fantasize. My prize piece is my 1920 Gibson F4 mandolin; I guess I should learn to play that, too.

Cheers to Ginaopolis seeing Wynona perform with the Seattle Symphony last night and for scoring me a real, live autographed DVD today when she's meeting her today! G and "Wy" are like THIS. I think it's something about a top secret society of readheads or something. One step closer to the Hundles Christmas Special featuring the Judds...

Jeers to the sunshine disappearing.

Cheers to crossing a major thing of my 'to do' list today. It's the small steps that make me feel good. Only 999 more to go...

Jeers to having to catch a flight to Boston tomorrow for a weekend-long seminar sponsored by the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst and being nowhere near remotely ready or packed to go. But cheers to having to go to Boston!

Cheers to Lady Grey tea, more gentle than the "Earl" counterpart, and quite loverly on chilly days like today.

Jeers to stupid people.

Cheers to Dolly Parton's new album (I still call them albums...) "Those Were The Days", a collection of her versions of folkie 60s' songs, played by the usual suspects and masters of bluegrass including Nickel Creek and the whole gaggle. Also, original artists on backup. You listen along and then are like "Wait, isnt' that Judy Collins" just now on "Both Sides Now"? And "Turn Turn Turn" with Yusef Islam (aka formerly known as Cat Stevens) taking care of backing vocals is just to die for. OK, so he's not the original artist of that song and he doesn't sing on the track "Where do the children play" but it's all still faboo, nonetheless.

Jeers to sore throats and not getting enough sleep. Double jeers to alarm clocks.

Cheers to Malfeasance for kindly administering quizzes tomorrow to my students. He has been instructed to 'give 'em hell'.

Jeers to needing to cook a meal but not wanting to cook, dammit.

Cheers to getting to read your comments below: