It’s that time again…

Over at the Radio Spirits blog this morning…there’s no mention of the fact that today is my birthday.  (But that’s okay.)  I’ve reached the half-century point, and hope to be able to duplicate that in another fifty…but my love of fried foods and cheeseburgers might exercise a veto over that, so…  My folks—collectively known as “the ‘rents”—are going to treat me to a fantabulous dinner later this evening, and they are also getting me a swell birthday present in the form of a new office chair.  (Because believe you me…I can certainly use a new one.)

As you can see, the celebration has started early.

We’ve been hoping to stuff a little extra money into the coffers here at Rancho Yesteryear, so I’m back at the ol’ eBay thing, selling off some of the inventory from the dusty TDOY archives.  They’ve imposed a sales limit on me for the time being, so I’ve only got about fifty items listed…here’s the link if there’s anything you’d like to adopt into your home.  (And if you don’t see anything you like…there’s more to come.  My mother is seeing to that.)

My nephew also celebrates with a doughnut as big as his head.  (Okay, this technically doesn't have anything to do with my birthday...the photo just makes me laugh.)

There are a few blogathons looming over the horizon that I’d like to draw to your attention.  The earliest comes from Jessica at Comet Over Hollywood and Lindsay at Lindsay’s Movie Musings—the Journalism in Classic Film Blogathon, which will run on September 21 and 22…and will salute those ink-stained wretches and gentlemen/gentlewomen of the fourth estate with a look at films that dwell on the subject.  I have RSVP’d my intent to participate in this one, and will take one of the greatest journalism films ever made, 1952’s Deadline – U.S.A., as the text for my sermon.

The Sisters Metzinger, Diana and Connie, will host The Great Imaginary Film Blogathon from October 1 to October 3 at their home base of Silver Scenes…and sadly, those dates have coincided with a previous engagement here at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear so I’ll have to take a pass.  But that shouldn’t keep you from having fun with it, so if you’d like to learn more about what it entails and the rules and regs, click here for the pertinent info.

The final blogathon on the schedule will also take place in October—on Halloween (the 31st).  Lara at Backlots is whipping up a tribute to The Master of Suspense with Hitchcock Halloween—the title of which should be fairly explanatory, but in case you want to participate click here to scope out the guidelines for joining up.  (Gonna have to skip this one, too—October is going to be a little more busy than I had planned.)

Gonna be another busy week here at Castle Yesteryear, so I probably won't get too much up on the blog.  But before I go...The Kitty Packard Pictorial is featuring yours truly over at "the Kitty Corner," a regular feature of that foine broth of a blog that allows bloggers to talk about their favorite subjects...in this case, TDOY.  (I only wish I knew beforehand that the Corner actually features real cats...otherwise I would have brought along some kibble.)  Go ahead and read it at your leisure.

Addendum: Jessica at Comet Over Hollywood has informed me via the Twitter machine that today is also Michael Troutman's natal anniversary (Michael blogs at I Shoot the Pictures).  He not only joins me on the honor roll, but also screen inebriate Jack Norton, serials scribe George H. Plympton, radio comediennes Amanda Randolph and Barbara Jo Allen (aka Vera Vague), Bowery Boy Buddy "Butch" Gorman and kidvid host Chuck McCann (among many others, including Lois Lane!)...