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Am I the only man who is just a little nonplussed by the commercial that starts with several men in what appears to be a deserted bar playing various musical instruments and singing to the tune of “Viva Las Vegas” (still miss ya, King) but when they get to the chorus they sing “Viva Viagra”?

Huh?

If they’re so excited to be on Viagra, why are they spending their time with each other in an empty building in the middle of nowhere?

Oh….

John Frost of The Disney Blog is having a little contest in honor of his son’s upcoming birthday, so here’s my entry in answer to the question:

“What is your favorite or most useful tip for guests of Disney’s theme parks?”

Start early and start at the back of whatever park you’re in and work your way to the front.

The Disney Blog is full of information you can always use, no matter what part of Disney you have an interest in, so drop by and see what I’m talking about.

Here’s a site you should visit, read and leave comments on the posts. Just don’t tell the writer that The Masked Blogger sent you.

I am Atlanta bound, or at least I will be tomorrow morning when my flight departs at 9:48am. Blog Girl will drop me off at the airport on her way to the Mouse House at 7:30am so that I will be able to check-in the requisite 2 hours ahead of departure time and I am scheduled to arrive at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport at 11:20am. After that I pick up my rental car, drive the 20 miles or so to my  hotel and settle in for at least the next 30 days at the Regional Headquarters of the Big Government Agency that employs me.

The process of getting ready to leave has been, on the one hand, easy, and on the other, hectic.

The actual work to set all the parts in action is easily handled by a service that Uncle Sam uses. You simply call, tell them where and when you’re going and how long you’ll be staying and they handle all the bookings and reservations of flights, rental car and hotel, e-mail you the packet and you’re all set. Well, supposedly. I’ll see about the “all set” tomorrow when I go to the airport, rental car and hotel, but hopefully there will be no problems along the way.

The hectic part has been the personal preparation. I have been spending several days wrapping up things around the Blog Cave that needed to be done before I leave. Cindy and I went Friday and bought some new clothes (gotta make a good impression, lol) and I needed a new pair of dress shoes. Dave let me borrow 6 books about wrestling I’ve been looking for the time to read (and will have now), plus I’m taking a book I’m reading to write a review about for another site, and I bought the new extended Fantastic Four DVD (with the Jack Kirby documentary) and the Back to the Future Trilogy DVD set to watch on my laptop. My checked suitcase may well be over the 50 pound limit imposed by the airline (it has bulges where I didn’t know it could bulge!), but I have thrown in a collapsible bag so that, if it IS over the weight limit, I can move some of the heavier items (books, shoes, etc) into the collapsible bag and check that as a second piece. Plus I’m taking my laptop and a carry-on with me in the passenger cabin.

Hey, 30 days is a long time, OK?

In addition, there is every possibility that I will find myself leaving to another assignment right after this one is finished, without a chance to return home, so I need to have all my “have to haves” with me. Cameras (digital still and digital video), external hard drive, mp3 player, books, magazines, DVD’s and the Internet (webcamming with Blog Girl) will help those nights and weekends alone pass more enjoyably. We’ve been pretty much joined at the hip since we found out I’d be leaving, trying to spend as much time together as possible.

Perhaps I’ll get a chance to explore a bit of Atlanta on the weekends. I know that the High Museum of Art has several pieces on exhibit that were loaned out by The Louvre, so it would be a kick to see some of those after visiting in The Louvre itself 6 weeks ago. I’d like to see how much Underground Atlanta has changed since I last saw it 35 years ago and maybe catch a Braves game. If I do get the opportunity to play “Man About Town”, I’ll be sure and post some pictures and/or video.

Hotlanta, here I come!

…at this unless you’re familiar with superhero comic books and superhero comic book movies,

Ok, that leaves you there, with the Superboy T-shirt that’s too tight (and NOT in a good way). Enjoy this look at the Marvel and DC superheroes when they get together after hours.

Oh,  and try not to rip that shirt by laughing too hard.

It’s a good thing I’m alone in the BlogCave, ’cause I fell out of my chair laughing at this one.

Today marks the start of the 2007 Hurricane Season, even though we’ve already had a sub-tropical storm in the Atlantic back in mid-May. Predictions from NOAA call for there to be “…13 to 17 named storms, with seven to 10 becoming hurricanes, of which three to five could become major hurricanes of Category 3 (111 - 130 mph) strength or higher,” and Colorado State University hurricane guru William Gray has predicted a 74 percent chance of a major hurricane making landfall in the U.S., with a 50 percent chance of one making landfall on the east coast.

Yet in spite of those predictions, and this country’s experience with hurricanes in the past 3 years, a recent Mason-Dixon poll showed that most coastal residents, from Texas to the Florida Keys in the Gulf of Mexico and from the Florida Keys up to Maine on the Atlantic coast side, still haven’t made hurricane survival plans. 53 percent of the surveyed in 18 Atlantic and Gulf Coast states said they don’t think they’re at risk from hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding, and 52 percent said they had no disaster plan in place.

Darwin was right.

Anyway, hopefully you’re not one of those with your head in the Florida sand. Here at the Blog Cave we’ve been preparing by stocking water, food, batteries and such, as well as testing flashlights, the battery-powered TV/Radio and the new weather alert radio we purchased this year. Important documents will be sealed over the next few days and we’ll add some things like rope and extra ice. We’ll keep cash on hand in case the ATM’s go out and gas in the Blogmobile for the same reason, although this year any gas station within a half-mile of an interstate, turnpike or designated evacuation route must have generators installed to run their pumps if power is lost. I just don’t like the lines and the waiting and the way some people turn into assholes during these things. I’d much rather be prepared and ready to ride something like Charley out on my own with loved ones.

Plus, I’m trying to be sure Blog Girl has everything she needs in case I’m somewhere else in the country when another 100 mph Charley comes roaring through here. I’m going to feel helpless enough by not being here, but at least I can be sure she is prepared, should that happen.

Also remember that, starting today and through June 12th, certain hurricane supplies in designated price and type categories will be Florida Sales Tax Free. That’s especially helpful if you’re purchasing a big ticket item like a generator.

Here are some helpful links to city, county, state, federal government and voluntary agency hurricane and disaster resource sites online:

City of Orlando Office of Emergency Management

City of Orlando Citizens Corps

Orange County Government Emergency Management

Osceola County Emergency Management

Seminole County Emergency Management

Volusia County Emergency Management

Brevard County Office of Emergency Management

Lake County Emergency Management

Florida Division of Emergency Management

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

American Red Cross

Volunteer Florida Disaster Response and Recovery

Personally, I’m looking forward to the day when Blog Girl and I move the Blog Cave to North Carolina.

If you take the old Super-Friends cartoon show and recast prominent Republicans as The Legion of Doom and prominent Democrats as The Super Friends, you get the Challenge Of The Super-Duper Friends (along with a good laugh).

April is Autism Awareness Month. Autism is four times more common in males than females.

Originally I wasn’t going to post anything about the tragic shooting deaths and injuries at Virginia Tech. Our friend Hanni is a graduate of VT and after checking with her to see if she had any friends still on campus (she didn’t, thank goodness) I thought I would leave it to others to write about the sad events there earlier this week. And I still will leave that to others.

But then I found out a woman who works in a department I supervise has a son who is a professor at VT. Thankfully he was not on campus the day of the shootings. Then I was told that a man in another department in our office has a son who was shot in the leg during the rampage. Again, thankfully, he will heal. Physically, I’m sure, faster than he will emotionally.

Anyway, the son who is a professor sent the photo below to his mom and she shared  it with me today. In turn, I thought I would share it with you.

April is Autism Awareness Month. The optimal treatment of autism involves an educational program that is suited to the child’s developmental level. 

For citizens of the United States, midnight tonight is the deadline for filing Federal Tax Returns.

Click the image above to see how Superman dealt with the Taxman.

April is Autism Awareness Month.  Autism is more common than multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis or childhood cancer.