Saturday Night Loser's Club, Vol. XCV: March

Are you sitting at your computer, perhaps home alone on this Saturday evening ?  Welcome to a guest edition of Saturday Night Loser's Club!  Number 95 (coming up on the 2nd anniversary).  

March is my least favorite month.  So tonight I will explore the attributes of March as a month and word.  You are welcome to promote your own favorite and/or least favorite months.  I'm not a fan of astrology, so I'll skip that part, which of course you may add in.  

Sometimes I think I hate March.  

For as long as I can remember, which is about 37 years, I didn't like March.  In Iowa in the 1970's, March was just another long month of winter.  And those winters were real winters:  snowdrifts up to the clothesline.  Influenza epidemics in rural Iowa.  No electricity for 3 to 5 days at a time, sometimes, so we took refuge with friends who still had lights.  And if the snow actually melted before mid-April, there was MUD.  

Now, at age 41, I still don't like March.  It's 31 days long.  I wish June (my favorite month) was 31 days.  The weather is dreadful.  It pretends to be warm then a cold front moves in.  The daylight hours are lengthening, but not fast enough for me.  Sometimes Easter is in March, sometimes in April.  Easter is my favorite holiday in the entire calendar, and this year it is March 23.  

Today, for example, it was a beautiful spring morning.  60F, with kids playing outside all morning with the neighboring children.  Suddenly, between 2 and 3 pm, the cold front arrived early and the temperature dropped 20 degrees and snow is now forecast for sundown.  Except that it is snowing right now, before 4 pm.  

March 1 was my parents' wedding anniversary - they split up after my sister and I were out of high school.  One set of aunt/uncle was married in March, too, and they split up after their kids grew up too.  

There is Spring Break in March, which helps.  And the NCAA basketball tournament, which I dearly love.  

The Ides of March is a rather famous day.  "Ides" refers to "middle", the 15th, the famed day of the assassination/ tyranicide of Julius Caesar.  

March is a Pulitzer-prize winning novel from Geraldine Brooks.  I've read Year of Wonders , which I picked up kind of accidentally.  And I just finished People of the Book and found it absolutely fabulous.  So March is on my wish list.  What was the father of those four girls doing during the Civil War ?  

March Madness - a seemingly endless plethora of first and second round games, with 32 games the first two days and 16 more the second two days.  Ending in the division I national championship game, of course, a few weeks later.  

March of Dimes, who was so successful at reducing birth defects they have taken on the new mission of reducing preterm birth.  And a worthy charity and good source of information.  

Academic and professional conferences are scheduled in March, too.  Here's one with the American Physical Society in New Orleans.  Not a physicist?  It's okay, the American Chemical Society is throwing their party in NOLA in April.  Which is a happier month after all.  

Tom March Blog is a random google find.  

March is National Women's History Month.  Benny gave us a lovely diary introducing this event this morning, and says it will be the first in a series.  

March History doesn't completely suck.  Yellowstone National Park is having a birthday today!  And the world's First National Park was my beautiful daughter's first national park too!  We visited the Labor Day weekend 6 weeks after we returned from China with her.

The Worst President Ever, W, started the worse war for this century, and you can help stop it here:  United for Peace & Justice.  The big date is March 19.  

My favorite YouTube EVER!!!! is this one:
I Rack

March on?  March forth?  March over?  31 days of doom and gloom?  Now, chit chat and keep me company on this dreary evening.  :-)

Loser's Night Submission:  We picked out paint colors for our kitchen.  (3)  Brought them home to paint:  hated 2 of them!  So, in the snow, I went back to pick out different ones.  It's better now.  blah.  

And please refrain from candidate comments, at least for the dems.  Thanks.

•  tips for march

  i gave up going to IHOP with my family and husband's parents for this ;-)

  a nice quiet time at home tonight :-)

  by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:14:42 PM PDT

  •  I like June too

    it's my birth month. The 16th.

    by TexDem on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:50:46 PM PDT

    •  no! it's MY birth month! 28th! :-)

      son could have that month too, but he was slow!  

      sister: 7th.  niece: 5th, nephew 4th, other nephew 6th.  cousin 18th (355 days after me)

      and lots of sun!  

      by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:54:22 PM PDT

      •  My birthday is on the 28th--1953! nt

        by St Louis Woman on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 07:13:54 PM PDT

        •  '66

          by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 07:15:46 PM PDT

          •  baby ;)

            by St Louis Woman on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 07:20:09 PM PDT

    •  June 14 for me, March for hubby

      We get the best and the worst of it in this house.  And because we like to spread out the celebrations, a September wedding.

      by lineatus on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 07:19:09 PM PDT

      •  Flag Day!

        I know because it is my birthday too--1961.

        by scrubjay on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 07:23:20 PM PDT

        •  We're only off by a year... youngster ( ">

          by lineatus on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 08:38:55 PM PDT

      •  may is an other big month for us.

        i cannot spell right now, still though.  

        daughter may 1, husband may 28, our anniversary may 23, brother in law may 18.  

        by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 07:32:17 PM PDT

  •  good cover, thanks :)

    I suppose the closest loser story for the week is that I waited too long enough that I missed The Diving Bell and The Butterfly in the theatre.  By the final week this past week, the only screenings were at 4 PM, and I was booked this past Sunday and Saturday.  Oh well.

    That, and taking recyclables to the recycling center today, which I guess isn't loserly, except for how much they built up in my place until then.

    by chingchongchinaman on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 08:44:14 PM PDT

    •  welcome home!

      this is only the 43rd comment though.  maybe i should stick to travel stuff.  

      by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 09:18:49 PM PDT

      •  issue of timing

        One night a few weeks back, when I was a true blue loser with the evening fully free for this, I posted SNLC at what I thought was a reasonable hour, with a sort of populist topic or at least subject.  It got about as many comments during most of the evening.  The blue coast westerners are then at dinner, and the blue coast easterners are doing whatever they're doing.

        The classical music ramblings over the next week between oculus and me generally inflates the count by a "drip, drip" method.  One can never tell.  Your travel diary was a good one, though.

        by chingchongchinaman on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 10:40:15 PM PDT

        •  E.L. Docterow wrote a novel

          entitled March.  2004.  About Sherman's march through georgia.  good read.

          by oculus on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 02:35:26 PM PDT

          •  haven't read any Doctorow novels

            But then I'm woefully behind on light reading.  Actually, just as an FYI, I'm off this weekend for SNLC too.

            by chingchongchinaman on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 07:58:03 PM PDT

            •  A well deserved mini-sabbatical.

              by oculus on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 09:21:02 PM PDT

              •  kind of wonder what....

                ....spoon/IC will be up to for this weekend's SNLC.  Whatever it is, I'm guessing a definite return of "snark-o-rama".

                BTW, this is next on the SLSO agenda.

                by chingchongchinaman on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 04:40:11 PM PDT

                •  Great program. Enjoy.

                  by oculus on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 09:32:02 PM PDT

        •  Speaking of classical music ramblings,

          yesterday my mail included a brochure for the St. Louis opera season.  A first for me.

          by oculus on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 02:45:44 PM PDT

          •  late reply; how'd that happen?

            What do you think of the repertoire?  Of course, perhaps it's some weird connection to Santa Fe Opera, given the pending change of general directors both here and there.

            by chingchongchinaman on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 07:56:32 PM PDT

            •  Haven't actually looked at the brochure yet.

              Latest opera ticket purchase was San Francisco Opera.  Maybe they sold their list?  or maybe LA Phil.  Or Glimmerglass.  Or, . . .

              by oculus on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 09:22:28 PM PDT

              •  true, could be any of the above...

                If logic were any guide, my guess would be Santa Fe Opera selling their list, but one never knows.

                Tell me: are you as scared as I am of the Dem race dragging out like this?  I know that you and I support opposing Dem candidates, but I'm really afraid that the battle royal on our side is going to drain the juice out of everything and lead to POTUS "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran".  There's nothing that I can do about it, to stop the slow motion train wreck from happening, which adds to the frustration.  (Of course, I just broke jlms' rule about no candidate comments.)

                I guess I can let you look at the OTSL repertory w/o spoiling it in advance :) .  BTW, the 2008-2009 SLSO season has been announced, grid here.

                by chingchongchinaman on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 04:43:34 PM PDT

                •  I'm so intrigued by the Dem. race I'll

                  be disappointed when its over.  I agree with those who opine all that free media attention is a good thing.  Who is paying much attention to McCain these days?  

                  by oculus on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 09:34:19 PM PDT

                  •  late reply: interesting way to look at it

                    It sounds like the Oscar Wilde quip of "there's only one thing worse than being talked about, and that's not being talked about".

                    Did you have a look at the OTSL repertoire yet?  Of course, given that I'm sure your agenda is full :) .....

                    by chingchongchinaman on Sat Mar 08, 2008 at 01:10:40 PM PDT

                    •  Not yet. But I did save the brochure.

                      Heard Yundi Li, 26 year old who won Warsaw Chopin competition, doesn't include his teachers in his bio, and had a sell out crowd.  His speciality is Chopin, but I found it rather calculated, if technically superb.  I actually enjoye his Mozart most.  Needs maturity, but a real rock star.  A bit more disciplined than Yang Yang or Ying Ying (I can't remember his name).  

                      by oculus on Sun Mar 09, 2008 at 12:10:44 AM PDT

      •  E.L. Docterow wrote a novel

        entitled March.  2004.  About Sherman's march through georgia.  good read.

        by oculus on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 02:34:07 PM PDT

•  April is the cruelest month,

  in my family, at least. It's the months of deaths in the family. I associate April with standing around open graves with the wind and rain whipping around me.

  And beyond that, April is pretty damned rainy here in Oregon, while other sections of the country are starting to see improving weather.

  by Vico on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:24:35 PM PDT

  •  Sorry To Hear That n/t

    by webranding on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:29:13 PM PDT

  •  the weather can still suck in april, yes

    sorry about your family's deaths.  

    by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:34:02 PM PDT

•  The Ides Of March?

  Wellllllllll.....I'm the friendly stranger in the black sedan, won't you hop inside my car?

  by jazzmaniac on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:33:11 PM PDT

  •  is your real name Brutus ?

    by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:46:58 PM PDT

•  Forsythia blooms in March in these parts

  to which I am allergic.  :(

  Link

  Hence: HATE IT.

  by polecat on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:37:55 PM PDT

•  BTW March Madness Rocks n/t

  by webranding on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:41:24 PM PDT

  •  here are the key dates and stuff:

    NCAA march madness

    March 16: Selection Sunday
    March 20 & 21: First Round
    March 22 & 23: Second Round
    March 27 & 28: Sweet Sixteen
    March 29 & 30: Elite Eight
    April 5: Final Four
    April 7: Championship Game

    by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:43:55 PM PDT

    •  They Just Keep These Dates

      so when my team loses in the first round I have to wait a long time for other fans to taunt me that they won.

      by webranding on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:51:03 PM PDT

      •  first and second round

        are on easter weekend.  hmmm.  will i or will i not have dinner for 12 ?  hmmm.  

        by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 06:00:17 PM PDT

        •  Well College Sports Is Good For Me

          my basketball team won make it but my football team has pretty much beat down all of those they faced.

          by webranding on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 06:03:31 PM PDT

  •  Go Heels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    by TexDem on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:51:35 PM PDT

    •  As A Fan Of Exelence In Sports

      I will let that comment pass without saying anything really mean.

      by webranding on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:53:21 PM PDT

      •  Heh

        Did you see that comeback today?

        by TexDem on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:54:35 PM PDT

        •  No, I Just Dislike Teams Like Duke And NC

          cause they are good year in a year out. Notice I said dislike and not hate :).

          by webranding on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:57:16 PM PDT

          •  I understand

            I feel that way during football season. Before Mac Brown left for Texas he had Carolina headed for perennial Top Ten. They still haven't recovered.
             
            But I can't be too upset. With men's and women's basketball, women's soccer, lacrosse and many more, Carolina has National Champions almost every year.

            by TexDem on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 06:09:15 PM PDT

        •  our sat. dish has SNOW on it!

          :-(

          by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:59:22 PM PDT

•  I like March

  it means spring is coming.  I was born and raised in Kentucky.  March usually meant some spring-like days (mixed with some winter-like ones) and daffodils.  I did my graduate work in Madison, WI and worked in Buffalo, NY for 7 yrs.  March was just another winter month there, although there was usually less snow!  I'm living in Delaware now so I expect some daffodils soon!

  It's funny you mention the American Chemical Society meeting in New Orleans.  I was actually at the ACS meeting in New Orleans when we started the war with Iraq.  I remember quite well watching monitors in the exhibition hall for news of what was going on.

  by Unstable Isotope on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:42:32 PM PDT

  •  husband goes to ACS

    and sometimes APS.  this year, ACS only.  

    by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:45:07 PM PDT

    •  ACS in New Orleans soon

      Just found the ACS website; ironic that the next meeting is in New Orleans, after what UI said about when "Mess-o-potamia" started.

      by chingchongchinaman on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 08:51:07 PM PDT

      •  are you going to ACS too ?

        i'm not sure if i'm going with husband.  hmmm.  

        by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 09:07:28 PM PDT

        •  no, just searched for it

          I've actually never been to New Orleans, for anything.

          by chingchongchinaman on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 10:41:11 PM PDT

          •  I haven't been to New Orleans since Katrina

            New Orleans is a wonderful city to visit.  It has great food and a sense of place that is so different than the rest of the country.  It's a great town for tourists!

            by Unstable Isotope on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 05:03:51 AM PDT

  •  March has good days--hints of spring

    And, St. Patrick's Day is in March.  Frankly, I did some of my best partying (I mean, work) at St. Patrick's Day parades (we have 2 very good parades in St. Louis).  

    Spring training gets moving in March; daffodils bloom in the grassy areas around our interstate highways and, some days, it's warm!

    by St Louis Woman on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 07:17:37 PM PDT

•  February has always been...

  ...my 'mensis horribilis.' Especially this year. March I can deal with.

  by slksfca on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:52:56 PM PDT

  •  i dislike winter

    it helps me to go a vacations in Deb.  

    oh, i cannot spell!  must drink more something!  

    by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 05:58:07 PM PDT

•  boo whoooooo!

  :-(

  sat dish is on again.

  nobody here.  

  i wound the clock.  

  by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 06:37:54 PM PDT

•  March not so bad

  I'm in western Washington and both the chorus frogs and resident birds begin to sing in late February and plants around here are finally beginning to show signs of life.  But then the nasty weather drags on and on and on into June, which is when I get really bummed about the too-short summers here.  The rain ends on July 5th.

  by scrubjay on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 07:28:03 PM PDT

  •  southern utah is good in march

    also grand canyon.

    by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 08:26:27 PM PDT

•  March comes in like a lion,

  stomps around, pees a lot, acts cold and indifferent, then leaves quietly like a kid shoplifting Twinkies from a convenience store.

  I read that in a poem somewhere.

  by Rob Cole on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 08:22:25 PM PDT

  •  we had today

    lamb weather this morning, lion this afternoon and tonight.  didn't see any twinkies yet.  

    by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 08:27:09 PM PDT

    •  Really?

      Cuz it's raining Twinkies in Florida. The highways are damn near clogged with 'em. Kinda horrific, actually.

      by Rob Cole on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 08:28:48 PM PDT

      •  i baked rice pudding today

        and added some darkish chocolate on top :-)  

        maybe the twinkies are afraid of real food ;-)

        by jlms qkw on Sat Mar 01, 2008 at 08:40:14 PM PDT

•  Grew up in Carroll, Iowa in the 60's and

  graduated from Iowa State.  Following graduation I moved to Colorado where I have lived ever since.  Where in Iowa do you live?  

  Stay in touch with family back in Des Moines who tell me that this has been a brutal winter with over 54 inches of snow and bitter cold.  (I remember having snow on the ground in Iowa from November to April and a lot of dark cloudy days. Ughhh!) Hope you get some relief soon!

  by Fallon on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 12:44:41 PM PDT

  •  i grew up in

    ellsworth (<500) and conrad (~1100), and my parents now live in randall (~200).  ellsworth and randall are off of I-35 north of ames.  </p>

    i left for UNI then moved out of state and almost never looked back!  i took my son to randall last fall - he hung out with grandparents and i walked in the desmoines marathon.  

    yes, i hear the same thing about the long hard winter from my parents.  here in salt lake it's been sunnier, but snow since before halloween, snow on the ground 3.5 months solid, and more snow yesterday.  

    alta ski resort had 500+ inches for the 4th time ever.  

    by jlms qkw on Sun Mar 02, 2008 at 01:13:05 PM PDT