I had two contributions to make today to the gang at Rex’s blog. The first related to 32D where the clue was “Kind of gas station that’s illegal in New Jersey,” and the answer was SELF SERVE. There was an assumption that both Jersey and Oregon proscribe pumping your own, but Oregon fell by the roadside recently, so it’s just Jersey. Also, at 25A, “Rocket launcher that makes a whimsical buzzing sound?” was KAZOO BAZOOKA, and I had to share this video I found of a kazoo version of “My Heart Will Go On.”

So this was my post:

Oregon has fallen. You can pump your own gas there now. Jersey, like the cheese, stands alone.

I live in Jersey so it’s a real treat for me to be able to pump my own when I’m driving out of state. I love asking my wife “Check the oil, ma’am?”

In case your life has been lacking a kazoo version of “My Heart Will Go On,” I refer you to the following, for your listening displeasure. I burst out laughing at one point, but that’s me (ymmv). (Ymmv stands for “your mileage may vary.”)

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It’s always nice when a common old XW answer gets a fresh new clue. That’s what happened at 6D today where the answer was I DO. The clue was “Possible response to ‘Who wants ice cream?’” egsforbreakfast said: Next time I get married, I’m going to have the officiant ask, “Egs, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife and do you want ice cream?”

At 50A, “Activist Abrams” was, of course, STACEY. But did you know that along with her political activity and writing, she also wrote a slew of romance novels under the pen name Selena Montgomery? Neat, eh? Here’s one of hers called The Art of Desire. I’d guess it’s very different from The Art of the Deal. It’s available from Amazon as a mass market paperback for $14.06.

KAZOO BAZOOKA, see above, was one example of “syllabic palindromes” that were in the puzzle today. There may not be such a thing, but it means the syllables reverse themselves. In kazoo bazooka, “ka-zoo becomes “zoo-ka.” The others were GO FAR IN FARGO, TIC TAC TOE TACTIC, and TORMENTED MENTOR. (In a traditional palindrome, the letters in a word or phrase read the same backwards and forwards. A famous one is Madam, I’m Adam. There’s also: A man, a plan, a canal: Panama.)

Tina Fey was in the grid today. Hi Tina! Nice to see you again. Here’s part of her prayer for her daughter:

“First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

Guide her, protect her–

When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance.

She has two now, and she’s 53 (ouch!).

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Thanks for dropping in – see you tomorrow!