My Friend Jacob

"I need your regular address. Don't argue, just send it."

This was the directive e-mailed to me about a week ago from my across-the-country partner in crime (opposed to my in-town partners in crime), Jacob. Jacob and I are both captains in the Pop Culture army--we have different takes but I think what is a mutual love of pop culture, having bonded over such wonderful pop culture items as Homicide: Life on the Street, Indiana Jones Movies and a baseball game (Jacob, what's it called?) that we played on playstation (?) for hours every night. He introduced me to Bruce Campbell of Army of Darkness fame (for which I'm eternally grateful and who, coincidentally is on Burn Notice on USA) and, while I can't be sure what effect I've had on him (he's usually light years ahead of me in terms of finding new things), if he's watching Damages I'm taking credit for that. Anyway, back to the story.

"I've sent you something," he tells me via e-mail.
Not usually one for completely unbridled surprises, especially when I've been commanded to fork over my street address which I try to keep private so the stampeding tens of people I know can be kept at bay.
"Okay, if it's a wedding announcement, I'm gonna need a heads up b/c I need time to adjust to that, " I write back, hoping to gain some modicum of control back in this *crazy* surprise scenario.
"No, it's better than that. Look for it in the mail in a couple days."
"Oh God."

So Wednesday I reappear in town after a week away and open my tiny cubby of a mailbox to find an Amazon box wedged in so tightly that extracting it became possibly as complicated as open heart surgery. (I stood there and tugged with the weight of my whole body needed to pry it out of there...at one point I thought I would rip the front off of all the mailboxes which would have been a good story...unlike this one). Anyway, I think, "Oooh...Amazon. Did he send me a book? Is there something I've been hinting that I want? What can possibly be so important and urgent that he buy it for me rather than just telling me to get up off my lazy ass and go and get it?" Trying to keep my cool after nearly destroying 50 mailboxes, I ran upstairs and dove in with an enthusiasm enough to shred the packing. "What can this BE!"

And here's what I found:And my heart exploded with joy. For several reasons:

1. This is an awesome television show (I've heard)...
2. That I've never seen...
3. That I've been meaning to watch for years...
4. That I can now watch tomorrow...
5. And the day after...and the day after...and the day after...with no late fees...
6. or commercials....
7. That I can write about here...in this forum.

Oh man. Good ol' Jake was right. This is totally better than any wedding announcement. To thank him, Jacob has officially been added to my will (all my Indians paraphernalia and 50 cents, which invested wisely is a potential fortune). Thanks Jake.

And look for BG posts in the future. I'm so excited I can barely contain myself!