That's odd. The blood usually gets off at the second floor.

As of today, bethje and I have been going out for five years. I love Beth, and I'm glad our relationship has lasted. I'm pretty sure today is also the birthday of aliste, and of Marty Beller (the current drummer for They Might Be Giants).

Last night, Beth and I watched The Shining. I thought it was a pretty good movie, even though I already knew just about everything that was going to happen. I was actually a little surprised at how closely that Simpsons Halloween short follows the movie, but I know that so many of the writers are big Kubrick fans, so I guess I shouldn't have been. Incidentally, does anyone know whether the horror movie cliché of a haunted house being built on an ancient Indian burial ground originated anywhere in particular? I know they used it in Poltergeist, and now I know The Shining used it first.

Today, we celebrated our anniversary by exchanging gifts and going out to eat at the Olive Garden. We actually spaced the gift-exchanging out throughout the day, but we've opened all of them by now. Beth gave me Zim Greenleaf of Oz, The Merry Mountaineer of Oz, and The Hollyhock Dolls of Oz, all of which I'd been wanting. I don't think I've had so many new Oz books to read in such a short period of time since 2000 or so, and it's pretty cool. Expect some reviews that will probably bore and confuse most of you in the near future, since Oz books tend to be quick reads. Beth also gave me the 1994 edition of Introduction to Taxation, which I'm sure will come in handy. {g}

Before dinner, we stopped by Borders, where I bought the new Posies album, and Beth bought the new Erin McKeown album. Then we went to the Olive Garden, where Beth had the Chicken Castellina, and I had the Tour of Italy. It was good, but I didn't actually eat that much of it, being mostly full from soup, breadsticks, and appetizers. I actually remembered to take the leftovers home this time, though, so they should make a nice lunch or something tomorrow.