Published writer, compulsive reader, Old School Whovian, Match Game enthusiast, NKOTB fan, data hoarder, and - surprisingly, given that list - married with four kids. Welcome to my take on life, fatherhood, entertainment, and whatever strikes my fancy. Enjoy!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Books Read 2010
1. Trail of Blood by Lisa Black
2. Mortal Fear by Greg Iles
3. Columbine by Dave Cullen
4. Ancestor by Scott Sigler
5. Blue Eyed Devil by Robert B Parker
5. Dimiter by William Peter Blatty (sp?)
6. Split Image by Robert B Parker
7. God's Spy by Juan Gomez-Jurado
8. The Passage by J. Cronin
9. The Moses Expedition by Juan Gomez-Jurado
10. Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
11. The Father Hunt by Rex Stout
12. Silent Speaker by Rex Stout
13. Divine Misfortune by A. Lee Martinez
14. Emails from an Asshole by John Lindsay
15. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo by
16. The Girl who Played with Fire by
17. Blockade Billy by Stephen King
18. The Infinite by Douglas Clegg
19. Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
20. Savages by Don Winslow
21. Final Target by Steve Gore
22. Silent Prey by John Sandford
23. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
24. The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell
25. The Burning Wire by Jeffrey Deaver
26. Gone for Good by Harlan Coben
27. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
28. The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
29. The 1st Rule by Robert Crais
30. Horns by Joe Hill
31. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King
32. The Third Option by Vince Flynn
33. The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson
34. The Ghosts of Cannae by Robert L. O'Connell
35. Star Island by Carl Hiassen
36. The Automatic Detective by A Lee Martinez
37. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
38. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
2. Mortal Fear by Greg Iles
3. Columbine by Dave Cullen
4. Ancestor by Scott Sigler
5. Blue Eyed Devil by Robert B Parker
5. Dimiter by William Peter Blatty (sp?)
6. Split Image by Robert B Parker
7. God's Spy by Juan Gomez-Jurado
8. The Passage by J. Cronin
9. The Moses Expedition by Juan Gomez-Jurado
10. Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes
11. The Father Hunt by Rex Stout
12. Silent Speaker by Rex Stout
13. Divine Misfortune by A. Lee Martinez
14. Emails from an Asshole by John Lindsay
15. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo by
16. The Girl who Played with Fire by
17. Blockade Billy by Stephen King
18. The Infinite by Douglas Clegg
19. Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
20. Savages by Don Winslow
21. Final Target by Steve Gore
22. Silent Prey by John Sandford
23. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
24. The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell
25. The Burning Wire by Jeffrey Deaver
26. Gone for Good by Harlan Coben
27. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
28. The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
29. The 1st Rule by Robert Crais
30. Horns by Joe Hill
31. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King
32. The Third Option by Vince Flynn
33. The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson
34. The Ghosts of Cannae by Robert L. O'Connell
35. Star Island by Carl Hiassen
36. The Automatic Detective by A Lee Martinez
37. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
38. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
39. Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay
40. Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay
41. Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay
40. Dexter in the Dark by Jeff Lindsay
41. Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay
42. Bad Blood by John Sandford
43. Marathon
44. The Epic of Gilgamesh
45. Stalingrad by Anthony Beever
46. Painted Ladies by Robert B Parker
47. White House Diary by Jimmy Carter
48. Write it When I'm Gone by Thomas DeFrank
49. Flash Forward by Robert J Sawyer
50. The Searchers by Alan LeMay
51. Body Work by Sara Paretsky
52. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
53. Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist
54. The Manhattan Hunt Club by John Saul
55. Layover in Dubai by Dan Fesperman
56. Towers of Midnight by Brian Sanderson and Robert Jordan
57. Crazy by William Peter Blatty
58. Jaws by Peter Benchley (the last book, chronologically, that I read in '10)
59.
60.
More FB from mid November. I guess I had a lot of free time on the 16th. Sorry 'bout that.
Nov 15th
We finished Season 2 of Hell's Kitchen tonight. There's no way Virginia should have made it to the finals, but in the end the right choice (Heather) won. She was shafted re: the prize, but that's a tale for another day. Trivia: Heather,who I found quite yummy, was romantically involved w/ fellow contestant Rachel. Sadly, Rachel killed herself less than a year after the show aired.
I'm 50 or 60 pages into Stephen King's new story collection and yawn yawn yawn. Hopefully it picks up. BTW, I hate when King writes about sex, even in passing. I don't care how many kids he has or how long he's been married, the text always comes off crude, like it was written by the ugly kid in high school who has to pretend he knows what boobies look like.
[that posting led to Alex, an old grade-school classmate of mine, ribbing me that I didn't know much about women either. I replied as follows: Ah, to shake the persistent reputations of our youth. Alex, I can assure you I've seen plenty of boobs. I have a subscription to National Geographic.]
Nov 16th
the rare, funny Leno one-liner: "President Obama's overseas trip has been such a disaster that people in Kenya now claim that he has an American birth certificate."
Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton have announced their engagement. 'bout time you made her an honest woman William!
Word is everyone from the execs, to Tom Brockaw, to the grunts in the field despise Keith Olbermann. He's a knob. Case in point? The man allegedly demands that staff leave notes outside his door, rather than soil his presence by having to see the underlings.
Just tried and failed to win tickets to the New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys [NKOTBSB] concert in June. Crap. Still, it's not like I won't buy tix eventually. At least the winner is a Joey fan, although I'm not keen on her bringing up Jon's sexuality on-air, and I sure as hell don't like Alley's anti-Jon bias. A woman cursed with kankles should have better manners - words to live by Alley, words to live by.
Ginger got off the school bus in a dark mood. We sat outside on the porch, enjoying this warm Nov day, but when I stopped Ms. Grump from writing on a fundraiser form she picked up a flowerpot LuLu had made over the summer & intentionally shattered it on the ground. She is now screaming at the injustice of my anger & her banishment to her room - oh, she just yelled that she hates me. I must be doing something right.
In an upset, former Milw. (current NYC) Archbishop Timothy Dolan has been elected Pres of the U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops! "It means the bishops have decided to opt for a confident Catholicism. They had a choice, & they chose the boldest, most outspoken bishop. U wouldn't choose him as ur leader unless u thought what he was doing in the capital of the world (NY) is what we want the church to represent." (quote of Princeton's Robert George)
btw, IMO this was a clear and bold rebuff of the passive, submissive wing of the American Church, the folks who try to get by with wringing their hands and saying "can't we all get along, even if it means we give up everything we believe in???"
Ground was broken today on the site of the George W Bush Presidential Center, set to open in 2013.
The body of 16th century Danish astonomer Tycho Brahe is being exhumed. I vividly recall reading about him in high school.
Reports on CNN indicate Iraqi Christians have reason to fear their Muslim neighbors and are more and more often staying out of sight. Ah, the religion of peace at work.
I took LuLu to get a haircut today, & while she was in the chair I went next door to do some shopping. When I returned a man approached me and asked if I'd be interested in having Lu model for him. I know - instant creep factor, & I brushed him off. But he left a business card behind & to my surprise he cks out, w/4 decades of legit art exhibitions (assuming he hasn't rigged a half dozen websites). Huh. Weird.
(he later rejected her as "too tall")
A 'Dancing With the Stars' upset - Bristol Palin sends Brandy packing. Wow. Good for her, but there's no way she was a better dancer than Brandy. Not that I care; IMO folks that spend more than half their workday dancing have an unfair advantage that skews the results (cough Nicole Scherzinger, cough). But again, congrats Bristol. Good luck next week in the finals.
Willow Smith is Wil Smith's 10 year old daughter and has a hit on her hands w/ "Whip my Hair". It's one of YaYa's current favorite tunes, and she adores the fact Willow is only a year older than her. The kids got a voice, that's for sure, but even to my pop-friendly ears the song has little more than a nice hook to recommend it.
A'ight, some of my Pop Culture training must be kicking in. When Elton John's 'Bennie and the Jets' came on the radio tonight YaYa correctly identified it, w/ no hesitation at all. She then asked me what the heck the song was about, and I didn't have a bleepin' clue. LOL
It predates my birth by a year. What, that means I can't come out and recommend it now? I've been listening to the album 'Band on the Run' a lot lately, and it is mighty fine. If you don't own a copy, pick one up. You won't regret it.
I finally saw the LOST epilogue, "The New Man in Charge". Eh. So-so. 12 minutes is too short a time to answer any question worth asking. I'd like to see Hurley's 'reign', and Walt and Ben's employment, explored further in other media as the years go by.
Nov 17th
I spent part of the morning surfing FB on the new NOOK color.
Lauren Conrad = Yum da YumYum. She looks like Marcia Brady, only not fifty and poor. Better yet, she's the super hot Marcia Brady as you *imagined* her to be when you were a kid.
Is anyone reading Stephen King's "Full Dark, No Stars"? I am, and right now it feels a lot like work. The first novella is so derivative of Poe it reads like student work from a creative writing course. The 2nd story is better, but naturally has a writer as the protagonist, just like, oh, Dark Half, The Shining, Bag of Bones, Misery, The Body, etc. Way to think outside the box Steve.
Former President GHW Bush will receive the Medal of Freedom. Congratualations, and well deserved sir.
WISN is reporting that Lawrencia Bembenek has been moved to a hospice & won't live to see 2011. I can remember my Grandparents looking at newspapers during her trial & saying they were sure she was framed; it'd be nice if some measure of justice took place while Bambi was around to see it. A request for a pardon is in the works, but the powers that be have kept her down for 30 yrs, so don't hold your breath.
We finished Season 2 of Hell's Kitchen tonight. There's no way Virginia should have made it to the finals, but in the end the right choice (Heather) won. She was shafted re: the prize, but that's a tale for another day. Trivia: Heather,who I found quite yummy, was romantically involved w/ fellow contestant Rachel. Sadly, Rachel killed herself less than a year after the show aired.
I'm 50 or 60 pages into Stephen King's new story collection and yawn yawn yawn. Hopefully it picks up. BTW, I hate when King writes about sex, even in passing. I don't care how many kids he has or how long he's been married, the text always comes off crude, like it was written by the ugly kid in high school who has to pretend he knows what boobies look like.
[that posting led to Alex, an old grade-school classmate of mine, ribbing me that I didn't know much about women either. I replied as follows: Ah, to shake the persistent reputations of our youth. Alex, I can assure you I've seen plenty of boobs. I have a subscription to National Geographic.]
Nov 16th
the rare, funny Leno one-liner: "President Obama's overseas trip has been such a disaster that people in Kenya now claim that he has an American birth certificate."
Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton have announced their engagement. 'bout time you made her an honest woman William!
Word is everyone from the execs, to Tom Brockaw, to the grunts in the field despise Keith Olbermann. He's a knob. Case in point? The man allegedly demands that staff leave notes outside his door, rather than soil his presence by having to see the underlings.
Just tried and failed to win tickets to the New Kids on the Block/Backstreet Boys [NKOTBSB] concert in June. Crap. Still, it's not like I won't buy tix eventually. At least the winner is a Joey fan, although I'm not keen on her bringing up Jon's sexuality on-air, and I sure as hell don't like Alley's anti-Jon bias. A woman cursed with kankles should have better manners - words to live by Alley, words to live by.
Ginger got off the school bus in a dark mood. We sat outside on the porch, enjoying this warm Nov day, but when I stopped Ms. Grump from writing on a fundraiser form she picked up a flowerpot LuLu had made over the summer & intentionally shattered it on the ground. She is now screaming at the injustice of my anger & her banishment to her room - oh, she just yelled that she hates me. I must be doing something right.
In an upset, former Milw. (current NYC) Archbishop Timothy Dolan has been elected Pres of the U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops! "It means the bishops have decided to opt for a confident Catholicism. They had a choice, & they chose the boldest, most outspoken bishop. U wouldn't choose him as ur leader unless u thought what he was doing in the capital of the world (NY) is what we want the church to represent." (quote of Princeton's Robert George)
btw, IMO this was a clear and bold rebuff of the passive, submissive wing of the American Church, the folks who try to get by with wringing their hands and saying "can't we all get along, even if it means we give up everything we believe in???"
Ground was broken today on the site of the George W Bush Presidential Center, set to open in 2013.
The body of 16th century Danish astonomer Tycho Brahe is being exhumed. I vividly recall reading about him in high school.
Reports on CNN indicate Iraqi Christians have reason to fear their Muslim neighbors and are more and more often staying out of sight. Ah, the religion of peace at work.
I took LuLu to get a haircut today, & while she was in the chair I went next door to do some shopping. When I returned a man approached me and asked if I'd be interested in having Lu model for him. I know - instant creep factor, & I brushed him off. But he left a business card behind & to my surprise he cks out, w/4 decades of legit art exhibitions (assuming he hasn't rigged a half dozen websites). Huh. Weird.
(he later rejected her as "too tall")
A 'Dancing With the Stars' upset - Bristol Palin sends Brandy packing. Wow. Good for her, but there's no way she was a better dancer than Brandy. Not that I care; IMO folks that spend more than half their workday dancing have an unfair advantage that skews the results (cough Nicole Scherzinger, cough). But again, congrats Bristol. Good luck next week in the finals.
Willow Smith is Wil Smith's 10 year old daughter and has a hit on her hands w/ "Whip my Hair". It's one of YaYa's current favorite tunes, and she adores the fact Willow is only a year older than her. The kids got a voice, that's for sure, but even to my pop-friendly ears the song has little more than a nice hook to recommend it.
A'ight, some of my Pop Culture training must be kicking in. When Elton John's 'Bennie and the Jets' came on the radio tonight YaYa correctly identified it, w/ no hesitation at all. She then asked me what the heck the song was about, and I didn't have a bleepin' clue. LOL
It predates my birth by a year. What, that means I can't come out and recommend it now? I've been listening to the album 'Band on the Run' a lot lately, and it is mighty fine. If you don't own a copy, pick one up. You won't regret it.
I finally saw the LOST epilogue, "The New Man in Charge". Eh. So-so. 12 minutes is too short a time to answer any question worth asking. I'd like to see Hurley's 'reign', and Walt and Ben's employment, explored further in other media as the years go by.
Nov 17th
I spent part of the morning surfing FB on the new NOOK color.
Lauren Conrad = Yum da YumYum. She looks like Marcia Brady, only not fifty and poor. Better yet, she's the super hot Marcia Brady as you *imagined* her to be when you were a kid.
Is anyone reading Stephen King's "Full Dark, No Stars"? I am, and right now it feels a lot like work. The first novella is so derivative of Poe it reads like student work from a creative writing course. The 2nd story is better, but naturally has a writer as the protagonist, just like, oh, Dark Half, The Shining, Bag of Bones, Misery, The Body, etc. Way to think outside the box Steve.
Former President GHW Bush will receive the Medal of Freedom. Congratualations, and well deserved sir.
WISN is reporting that Lawrencia Bembenek has been moved to a hospice & won't live to see 2011. I can remember my Grandparents looking at newspapers during her trial & saying they were sure she was framed; it'd be nice if some measure of justice took place while Bambi was around to see it. A request for a pardon is in the works, but the powers that be have kept her down for 30 yrs, so don't hold your breath.
Mid November on FB
Nov 13th
Just finished watching the new "Nightmare on Elm Street". It was pretty good, but I'm not a fan of the new Nancy, or the humorless Freddy. The worst part? The preschool picture, w/ all the kids in the ancient outfits? It was dated *1994*. I was wearing flannel and mourning Kurt when those buggers were being potty trained. Ugh.
"The Hairy Hands is a ghost story/legend that built up around a stretch of road in Dartmoor, United Kingdom, which was purported to have seen an unusually high number of motor vehicle accidents during the early 20th century." - Wikipedia (after researching a scary story I read in one of YaYa's books)
Wisconsin destroyed Indiana on the gridiron, scoring 83 points. Wow.
Nov 14th
I just finished Towers of Midnight, the 13th book in the Wheel of Time series. As expected, it's a well written, engaging storyline populated with characters you know better than you know yourself (and small wonder, unless you've written 13 autobiographies of 1000 pgs each). The sun has begun to set upon the Third Age; Tarmon Gai’don is near. May the Light preserve us all.
Today is my parent's 40th wedding anniversary. Congratulations to them, and may they enjoy 25 more together!
Today we celebrated Meadow's birthday (our friend Chris' daughter) Here's a pic of her younger sister (aka Smiley's bride) giving her beau a kiss, and of a cake we had here.
Later YaYa went to a sleepover party for Meadow, where she had her hair done.
Well, this means poop over diddly to anyone else, but I just discovered (via the magic of the wiki) that a series of books I read in my childhood were penned by a pseudonym of none other than Eisner winning writer Peter David. It's good to know I was drawn to the good schtuff even in my youth.
I can barely say this w/out cringing in embarrassment, but it was the Photon series, the 'backstory' to the Photon lazer tag game. The series ran for 5-6 young adult novels around the time I'd have been in middle school.
The bad? I didn't land (yet another) job I'd applied for, making me quite grumpy for a minute. Then, a small burst of good news. The Journal-Sentinel has asked me to do a holiday column, w/ the editor stating that "From previous columns of yours, I think you could do one with the right feel, be broad enough to appeal to all readers, and also steer clear of politics." So there's a coupla bucks in my pocket.
Here's a pic of LuLu and a 100 piece jigsaw puzzle she completed today:
And here's a picture of Ginger following her dance class (11-15)
Just finished watching the new "Nightmare on Elm Street". It was pretty good, but I'm not a fan of the new Nancy, or the humorless Freddy. The worst part? The preschool picture, w/ all the kids in the ancient outfits? It was dated *1994*. I was wearing flannel and mourning Kurt when those buggers were being potty trained. Ugh.
"The Hairy Hands is a ghost story/legend that built up around a stretch of road in Dartmoor, United Kingdom, which was purported to have seen an unusually high number of motor vehicle accidents during the early 20th century." - Wikipedia (after researching a scary story I read in one of YaYa's books)
Wisconsin destroyed Indiana on the gridiron, scoring 83 points. Wow.
Nov 14th
I just finished Towers of Midnight, the 13th book in the Wheel of Time series. As expected, it's a well written, engaging storyline populated with characters you know better than you know yourself (and small wonder, unless you've written 13 autobiographies of 1000 pgs each). The sun has begun to set upon the Third Age; Tarmon Gai’don is near. May the Light preserve us all.
Today is my parent's 40th wedding anniversary. Congratulations to them, and may they enjoy 25 more together!
Today we celebrated Meadow's birthday (our friend Chris' daughter) Here's a pic of her younger sister (aka Smiley's bride) giving her beau a kiss, and of a cake we had here.
Later YaYa went to a sleepover party for Meadow, where she had her hair done.
Well, this means poop over diddly to anyone else, but I just discovered (via the magic of the wiki) that a series of books I read in my childhood were penned by a pseudonym of none other than Eisner winning writer Peter David. It's good to know I was drawn to the good schtuff even in my youth.
I can barely say this w/out cringing in embarrassment, but it was the Photon series, the 'backstory' to the Photon lazer tag game. The series ran for 5-6 young adult novels around the time I'd have been in middle school.
The bad? I didn't land (yet another) job I'd applied for, making me quite grumpy for a minute. Then, a small burst of good news. The Journal-Sentinel has asked me to do a holiday column, w/ the editor stating that "From previous columns of yours, I think you could do one with the right feel, be broad enough to appeal to all readers, and also steer clear of politics." So there's a coupla bucks in my pocket.
Here's a pic of LuLu and a 100 piece jigsaw puzzle she completed today:
And here's a picture of Ginger following her dance class (11-15)
Thursday, December 30, 2010
An Update on my 1st Grade Teacher
Fyi Adalbert alum - I just saw Sr Kathleen. She says Sr Virginia's lung collapsed yest. She is in St Lukes but not doing well.
FB Nov 5th thru 12th
Nov 5th
I finished "The Dead Path" by Australian writer Stephen M. Irwin. It's a ghost/horror novel reminiscent of Straub's "Ghost Story", and it's quite good; intelligent, well written, and disturbing in all the right places. BTW, I first saw the book advertised here, on FB, on one of those sidebar ads. So I guess they do work sometimes :)
RIP baseball great Sparky Anderson
Nov 6th
According to politico.com, 31% of self-identifying gay voters cast ballots for Republicans in the midterm election.
YaYa is up in Wasau at a two-day dance 'intensive', a seminar that includes a solid 6hrs of dance tomorrow. Pics of her departure were posted earlier. Here's an email from her to Lisa (I didn't warrant one apparently :) " hi mom we're at the motel, havin lots of fun.... syl !!!! love u i would write more but only got 20 mins!!! your daughter gracie/gracye"
Nov 7th
The best part about being predictable was that it allows u to do the unexpected (Brandon Sanderson)
Nov 8th
Al Harris was released by the Packers today. Unless he decides to wear purple [join the Vikings], I wish him well.
Nov 9th
A Carnival cruise ship w/ 3300 passengers aboard had a fire that knocked out their power. Their passengers are now stuck off the coast of Mexico w/ no electricity and precious little in the way of non-perishable food - not to mention hygiene concerns.
Scottish explorer Donald Mackenzie, who had gone in search of Noah's Ark, has been reported missing.
A mistake Google made on one of their maps gave Nicaraua an excuse to invade part of Costa Rica. This, my friends, is why I use Bing.
[3:39 PM] It's a beautiful, warm Nov day and Smiley and LuLu are outside w/ me in the backyard. They are playing a game called - can u believe this? - "Fartchicken"
Watching Dubya on Oprah. I adore that man, I truly do.
The kids were awful tonight. Ginger picked up her dinner plate & chucked it across the table; we put her to bed w/out supper. Meanwhile Smiley's had 7 or 8 crying fits (no exaggeration), YaYa was moody, and LuLu was a demon before she fell asleep before supper. All the kids are now in bed for the night. I don't care if it is 6pm, or if homework's done - enough.
The CMA's are advertising they'll feature "the country music debut of Oscar winner Gwenyth Paltrow" Really? C'mon now, that's a joke, right?
[re: official reports dismissing the contrail over LA as an 'illusion'] Yup. An illusion. Like a weather balloon. And swamp gas. Move along people, nothing to see, nothing to see . . .
Nov 10th
[following news that the Met was sending 19 objects back to Egypt]I've said it before, Zahi Hawass is a vile ass. The kingdoms and people who created these objects have more in common with me than they do to the Islamic state that rules the ground now. W/out Western exploration and insight, these artifacts would still be buried or treated like debris. And Hawass? The Rosetta Stone was just a hunk of rock before a Brit deciphered it.
Nov 11th
Remember boys and girls - if a recording artist has even the smallest bit of commercial success, it is your job to heap scorn and ridicule upon them. After all, how dare they succeed while you toil away at the low paying job you so richly deserve? The nerve!
Nov 12th
[news that a Bay View student was stabbed en route to school] He was a Bay View High student, and yet he was coming on a school bus from 36th and Burleigh!!! It'd be nice if Bay View would eventually educate, you know, *kids from Bay View*. Geesh.
RIP Hugh Hickey, a real life (local) inspiration for M*A*S*H
We watched "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore". It was fine, if you can stomach watching a fantasy world where dogs are remotely as smart as cats.
I finished "The Dead Path" by Australian writer Stephen M. Irwin. It's a ghost/horror novel reminiscent of Straub's "Ghost Story", and it's quite good; intelligent, well written, and disturbing in all the right places. BTW, I first saw the book advertised here, on FB, on one of those sidebar ads. So I guess they do work sometimes :)
RIP baseball great Sparky Anderson
Nov 6th
According to politico.com, 31% of self-identifying gay voters cast ballots for Republicans in the midterm election.
YaYa is up in Wasau at a two-day dance 'intensive', a seminar that includes a solid 6hrs of dance tomorrow. Pics of her departure were posted earlier. Here's an email from her to Lisa (I didn't warrant one apparently :) " hi mom we're at the motel, havin lots of fun.... syl !!!! love u i would write more but only got 20 mins!!! your daughter gracie/gracye"
Nov 7th
The best part about being predictable was that it allows u to do the unexpected (Brandon Sanderson)
Nov 8th
Al Harris was released by the Packers today. Unless he decides to wear purple [join the Vikings], I wish him well.
Nov 9th
A Carnival cruise ship w/ 3300 passengers aboard had a fire that knocked out their power. Their passengers are now stuck off the coast of Mexico w/ no electricity and precious little in the way of non-perishable food - not to mention hygiene concerns.
Scottish explorer Donald Mackenzie, who had gone in search of Noah's Ark, has been reported missing.
A mistake Google made on one of their maps gave Nicaraua an excuse to invade part of Costa Rica. This, my friends, is why I use Bing.
[3:39 PM] It's a beautiful, warm Nov day and Smiley and LuLu are outside w/ me in the backyard. They are playing a game called - can u believe this? - "Fartchicken"
Watching Dubya on Oprah. I adore that man, I truly do.
The kids were awful tonight. Ginger picked up her dinner plate & chucked it across the table; we put her to bed w/out supper. Meanwhile Smiley's had 7 or 8 crying fits (no exaggeration), YaYa was moody, and LuLu was a demon before she fell asleep before supper. All the kids are now in bed for the night. I don't care if it is 6pm, or if homework's done - enough.
The CMA's are advertising they'll feature "the country music debut of Oscar winner Gwenyth Paltrow" Really? C'mon now, that's a joke, right?
[re: official reports dismissing the contrail over LA as an 'illusion'] Yup. An illusion. Like a weather balloon. And swamp gas. Move along people, nothing to see, nothing to see . . .
Nov 10th
[following news that the Met was sending 19 objects back to Egypt]I've said it before, Zahi Hawass is a vile ass. The kingdoms and people who created these objects have more in common with me than they do to the Islamic state that rules the ground now. W/out Western exploration and insight, these artifacts would still be buried or treated like debris. And Hawass? The Rosetta Stone was just a hunk of rock before a Brit deciphered it.
Nov 11th
Remember boys and girls - if a recording artist has even the smallest bit of commercial success, it is your job to heap scorn and ridicule upon them. After all, how dare they succeed while you toil away at the low paying job you so richly deserve? The nerve!
Nov 12th
[news that a Bay View student was stabbed en route to school] He was a Bay View High student, and yet he was coming on a school bus from 36th and Burleigh!!! It'd be nice if Bay View would eventually educate, you know, *kids from Bay View*. Geesh.
RIP Hugh Hickey, a real life (local) inspiration for M*A*S*H
We watched "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore". It was fine, if you can stomach watching a fantasy world where dogs are remotely as smart as cats.
A trip to Discovery World (mid Nov 2010)
In mid-November my two oldest girls went on a Scouting field trip to Discovery World, a local hands-on science museum. While there they silk screened a canvas bag and created their own signature perfumes. They came away with a good deal of knowledge and a lot of fun. I remain impressed with their experiences in Scouting.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
ARRRRRRRGGHH!
Bleepin' kids are all over me while Lisa's at the mall. No, you can't go on the computer. No, you can't watch a movie down here. You have the entire 2nd floor, TV and all. Use it. And don't complain. You are a guest here. That's right, a guest. A guest for 18 long years, but a guest all the same. It's my house & my toys, so pbbbt!
Barry Munday
We watched 'Barry Munday' last night, an indie comedy about a man who loses his testicles and then learns he impregnated one of his last lovers. It's a very sweet but dry film, w/ a few scattered LOL's, and Lisa liked it a lot. I wasn't as thrilled, but it was OK.
Election news, some random pics, and other malarkey
Nov 1st
Yest was a long day. I took Lu to church to sell candy w/ her Brownie troop (my rare contribution to her Scouting; Lisa's one of the leaders), then went off to work before returning at halftime of the Sunday Night Football game. Meanwhile Lis took the kids trick or treating again (Milwaukee has different times than Bay View) and ran the show at home. Another long one ahead of us today . .
I've finished "Worth Dying For" the latest Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child. 'twas a time, a few yrs ago, when I thought the series was going to hell, and quickly, but he's turned it around BIG time with the last 3 bks. Very enjoyable. Book geeks - who'd win a three way fight: Reacher, Joe Pike, or Spenser?
Some random phone pics:
Except in cases where the obvious exceptions apply (illness, travel, deployment, handicap) absentee voting is absolute BUNK. Getting off your butt & showing up at the polls is a sign to the world of how much you value YOUR voice being heard. It's also a great way to teach kids the same lesson. If you reduce the act to something akin to filling out a sweepstakes form or voting for A. Idol, all the more shame on you.
Nov 2nd - General Election Day
[re Disney star Demi Lovato dropping out of a tour to receive treatment for mental illness] Save the snark. I wish her well.
The Brewers have hired virtual unknown Ron Roenicke as their new manager. Roenicke was the bench coach of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. There are rumors that he got the job only after $ caused talks with Bobby Valentine to break off, but the club denies that they wanted anyone else. True or not, best of luck to him.
Drudge is calling the WI Senate race for Johnson, but I'm loathe to rely on exit polling with voting still open. We'll have to wait and see.
Family night in progress: pizza and garlic bread, followed by homework and a rental of Toy Story 3. YaYa and LuLu are even getting along, chit chatting, helping each other with chores and homework and standing up for one another. That last bit just isn't right. The world seems somehow . . . off.
Obama: Agenda 'all at risk' if GOP wins today. Let's hope so.
{Fair Warning: Gonna be a lot of political posts tonight. If it isn't your thing, feel free to scroll on by.} "Tea Party Scores Multiple Victories, ABC News Projects Rand Paul Win in Ky. Senate Race"
*Fair Warning: Gonna be a lot of political posts tonight. If it isn't your thing, feel free to scroll on by.* Dan Coats won Evan Bayh's seat in Indiana, marking the first Senate gain for the GOP today; also, as reported below controversial Rand Paul (R) will win in Kentucky.
CNN.com is now reporting that the House is in GOP hands . . .
Nov 3rd
Ah, happy day, happy day! Here in WI we put Scott Walker in the Governor's chair & knocked Feingold on his keister. Nationally the GOP picks up at least *60* seats and control of the House, the largest gain since 1948. The only downer was the local defeat of two folks I know. November 2nd 2010 = a great bleepin' day.
In non election news, Toy Story 3 was great, if a wee dark for the younger kids. Kudos to Pixar for crafting a fine trilogy. Later Lis and I watched the Swedish film "The Girl Who Played With Fire". Bleh. It was so slow we didn't even watch it clean through. Weird - the bk was better than the over-hyped Dragon Tatoo, but the movie version of that blew this sequel away.
Your likely Speaker of the House, John Boehner of Ohio.
One last political blurb (for the time being). I notice, coming off a trouncing, Dems, including Harry Reid, are big on saying "we must work together". I'm not against the notion, but uh, where was that crap when your Prez was telling Republicans to "sit in the back of the bus" and to "shut up"? How hypocritical to ask for courtesy when you were willing to offer none when YOU had the power.
[failed Gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett states he'll run for re-election as Mayor of Milwaukee] This one doesn't count. It's local. :) Yeah, he's an allright Joe, but I think Barrett has done little more than tread water and raise my property taxes as mayor. I just don't know anyone (better) who is interested in running right now, so he may get a bunch of votes by default.
Nov 4th
I just finished 'Splice' , a horror film about a genetically engineered humanoid. It wasn't terrifying, but it was intelligent & raised some valid concerns about that line of research. It also featured the oddest sex scene I've ever seen in a mainstream film. BTW, I found the female researcher morally repugnant, start to finish. In another life she would have been sewing kids together in a concentration camp.
[a follow up to Lovato] Again, save the snark. She seems like a very nice, talented young woman and my kids like her. According to her parents, she suffers from both eating disorders and a history of cutting. My prayers are with her.
Yest was a long day. I took Lu to church to sell candy w/ her Brownie troop (my rare contribution to her Scouting; Lisa's one of the leaders), then went off to work before returning at halftime of the Sunday Night Football game. Meanwhile Lis took the kids trick or treating again (Milwaukee has different times than Bay View) and ran the show at home. Another long one ahead of us today . .
I've finished "Worth Dying For" the latest Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child. 'twas a time, a few yrs ago, when I thought the series was going to hell, and quickly, but he's turned it around BIG time with the last 3 bks. Very enjoyable. Book geeks - who'd win a three way fight: Reacher, Joe Pike, or Spenser?
Some random phone pics:
Except in cases where the obvious exceptions apply (illness, travel, deployment, handicap) absentee voting is absolute BUNK. Getting off your butt & showing up at the polls is a sign to the world of how much you value YOUR voice being heard. It's also a great way to teach kids the same lesson. If you reduce the act to something akin to filling out a sweepstakes form or voting for A. Idol, all the more shame on you.
Nov 2nd - General Election Day
[re Disney star Demi Lovato dropping out of a tour to receive treatment for mental illness] Save the snark. I wish her well.
The Brewers have hired virtual unknown Ron Roenicke as their new manager. Roenicke was the bench coach of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. There are rumors that he got the job only after $ caused talks with Bobby Valentine to break off, but the club denies that they wanted anyone else. True or not, best of luck to him.
Drudge is calling the WI Senate race for Johnson, but I'm loathe to rely on exit polling with voting still open. We'll have to wait and see.
Family night in progress: pizza and garlic bread, followed by homework and a rental of Toy Story 3. YaYa and LuLu are even getting along, chit chatting, helping each other with chores and homework and standing up for one another. That last bit just isn't right. The world seems somehow . . . off.
Obama: Agenda 'all at risk' if GOP wins today. Let's hope so.
{Fair Warning: Gonna be a lot of political posts tonight. If it isn't your thing, feel free to scroll on by.} "Tea Party Scores Multiple Victories, ABC News Projects Rand Paul Win in Ky. Senate Race"
*Fair Warning: Gonna be a lot of political posts tonight. If it isn't your thing, feel free to scroll on by.* Dan Coats won Evan Bayh's seat in Indiana, marking the first Senate gain for the GOP today; also, as reported below controversial Rand Paul (R) will win in Kentucky.
CNN.com is now reporting that the House is in GOP hands . . .
Nov 3rd
Ah, happy day, happy day! Here in WI we put Scott Walker in the Governor's chair & knocked Feingold on his keister. Nationally the GOP picks up at least *60* seats and control of the House, the largest gain since 1948. The only downer was the local defeat of two folks I know. November 2nd 2010 = a great bleepin' day.
In non election news, Toy Story 3 was great, if a wee dark for the younger kids. Kudos to Pixar for crafting a fine trilogy. Later Lis and I watched the Swedish film "The Girl Who Played With Fire". Bleh. It was so slow we didn't even watch it clean through. Weird - the bk was better than the over-hyped Dragon Tatoo, but the movie version of that blew this sequel away.
Your likely Speaker of the House, John Boehner of Ohio.
One last political blurb (for the time being). I notice, coming off a trouncing, Dems, including Harry Reid, are big on saying "we must work together". I'm not against the notion, but uh, where was that crap when your Prez was telling Republicans to "sit in the back of the bus" and to "shut up"? How hypocritical to ask for courtesy when you were willing to offer none when YOU had the power.
[failed Gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett states he'll run for re-election as Mayor of Milwaukee] This one doesn't count. It's local. :) Yeah, he's an allright Joe, but I think Barrett has done little more than tread water and raise my property taxes as mayor. I just don't know anyone (better) who is interested in running right now, so he may get a bunch of votes by default.
Nov 4th
I just finished 'Splice' , a horror film about a genetically engineered humanoid. It wasn't terrifying, but it was intelligent & raised some valid concerns about that line of research. It also featured the oddest sex scene I've ever seen in a mainstream film. BTW, I found the female researcher morally repugnant, start to finish. In another life she would have been sewing kids together in a concentration camp.
[a follow up to Lovato] Again, save the snark. She seems like a very nice, talented young woman and my kids like her. According to her parents, she suffers from both eating disorders and a history of cutting. My prayers are with her.
Monday, December 27, 2010
FB - the end of October
Oct 22nd
Nothing happens until it happens to you.
I received notice today that I *didn't* get that job. A 90 min interview that went like buttah, passed the reasoning/honesty test, good references, the right experience & education . . . & nada. At this point I usually doubt my own worth, but in this instance, the last step (credit ck) had to be the nail in the coffin. Two yrs ago, w/ every bill pd promptly on time each month, this job would have been mine. Damn.
Oct 23rd
After work Lisa & I watched "Frozen", a movie about 3 skiers who are mistakenly stranded on a ski lift when the resort closes for the week. From the start you *know* it's going to get ugly - and it does - but it was a solid effort and enjoyable (for us, not them).
Lulu is a big fan of 'Bony Legs' by Joanna Cole
Nine years ago today, at 4:20 in the afternoon, our YaYa came into our lives. Happy Birthday kiddo!
Oct 24th
I'm not a fan of football coverage on CBS. How Phil Simms ever got a job speaking for a living boggles the mind.
We took YaYa to CC's Pizza yest. for her bday, and to preview it for her bday party there today. Great price, good salad/soup, no decor whatsoever, mediocre pizza, artificially pleasant staff. The cinnamon buns rocked, I'll give 'em that. I wouldn't choose to return on my own, but YaYa and Lisa walked away as fans.
New drinking game: take a shot whenever LuLu trips, bumps into a counter, pokes herself in the eye, or otherwise finds legitimate reason to yell "Owieee!". I guarantee even a lush would be drunk by noon. And here's the rub: she's a natural athlete and dancer. Seriously. It just . . . doesn't seem to carry over to everyday life. ;)
[note: this update spawned a witty reply from my friend Carlos. " So that's how you hide the abuse? Get all drunk and blame the kid?
"Oh officer, she fell, seriously" Sad Dan... Really really sad."]
Eat shit and die, you purple wearing hillbilly Judas. [Brett Favre]
Oct 25th (my anniversary)
Dork alert: as of this morning I've met my annual [minimum] reading goal, finishing my 52nd book of the year. My bucket list goal has always been to crack the century mark, but as an adult I've never read more than 84 in a year.
I finished the horror novel "Let the Right One In" by Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist. It's the 2nd bk of his I've read, & looking over my list for the yr I think this might very well be THE best bk I've read in '10. He is a writer that can terrify you while never losing a deeply emotional connection to the characters & their world. I am in awe of his talent.
Obviously I dislike Favre. But independent of that, I've noticed for years that the minute he screws up - aka his classic INT's - he begins to limp, hold his elbow, grab his lower back, etc. Sure, he's banged up, but??? I'm not the only one to notice. Quote the article: "Of course, when he briefly believed he had hit . . . a game-winning touchdown . . . Favre was running around like he could do a 4.4-second 40-yard dash."
[from Lisa]: Happy 14th Anniversary!
Milwaukee is facing the worst windstorm since 1998 (a storm that killed four here).
Oct 26th
[a Muslim truck driver is suing his employer after they terminated him for not delivering Miller Lite ]He failed to do his job, wrongly using Islam as an 'out', & now threatens to use it as a club over the head of his former employers. By all rights he should be LOL'd out of town - it is his JOB after all, one he sought out, and one that by definition requires him to also deliver swimsuit magazines, pork products & many other "objectionable" items. Did he refuse those too, and if didn't - why not? Does he pick & choose when to obey his God?
The 30ft tree in front of my house is swaying w/ the wind. Not just the branches, *the whole* tree. Gulp.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel endorses Scott Walker for Governor.
Taylor Swift's album "Speak Now" got a B+ from CNN.com
Watching He-Man on Qubo.
Oct 27th
I stayed up late last night to finish 'The Twelfth Imam' by Joel C Rosenburg, only to have it conclude w/ a cliffhanger. Apparently it's the start of a series. Phooey. I doubt I'll pick up the 2nd bk. The story was good, even if the characters were shallow, but it wandered off into End Times schtuff near the end. C'mon now, this is a CIA thriller, not 'Left Behind'. C.
Oct 28th
Book 'em Danno. Hawail Five-O's James MacArthur passes away. RIP.
YaYa with some of her Taylor Swift posters:
Oct 29th
"Get Him to the Greek" was a fun movie, but awfully repetitive. Cut out 2 or 3 scenes - any scenes - and it would be a much better flick.
Oct 30th
Last night we watched the film version of "Let the Right One in", a Swedish film w/ English dubbing. Everyone in the room enjoyed it but I don't think it measured up to the book. Of course, that might just me being a book snob. Of note: the climactic scene was WICKED, and brought a 'Holy Bleep!" from everyone in the room. One of the best 30 seconds of horror *ever*.
[6:20 PM] I'm on the front porch w/ the kids, passing out Halloween candy.
[9:19 PM] Just left a Halloween party @ the invite of our friend Darlene. It featured a haunted house for the kids.
Oct 31st
We just finished watching season one of Hell's Kitchen. Great show. We used to watch the F Word and Kitchen Nightmares on BBC America, so we came into it w/ respect for Gordon, but of the three I think this one is our fave. Time to put season 2 on our Netflix queue.
I've finished "Layover in Dubai", a non-political thriller set in the Middle East. The plot was . . . well, there wasn't much of one, but the setting was rich and detailed and the two main characters were well developed. It held my interest. B.
RIP Theodore Sorensen, one of JFK's aides and speech writer.
Nothing happens until it happens to you.
I received notice today that I *didn't* get that job. A 90 min interview that went like buttah, passed the reasoning/honesty test, good references, the right experience & education . . . & nada. At this point I usually doubt my own worth, but in this instance, the last step (credit ck) had to be the nail in the coffin. Two yrs ago, w/ every bill pd promptly on time each month, this job would have been mine. Damn.
Oct 23rd
After work Lisa & I watched "Frozen", a movie about 3 skiers who are mistakenly stranded on a ski lift when the resort closes for the week. From the start you *know* it's going to get ugly - and it does - but it was a solid effort and enjoyable (for us, not them).
Lulu is a big fan of 'Bony Legs' by Joanna Cole
Nine years ago today, at 4:20 in the afternoon, our YaYa came into our lives. Happy Birthday kiddo!
Oct 24th
I'm not a fan of football coverage on CBS. How Phil Simms ever got a job speaking for a living boggles the mind.
We took YaYa to CC's Pizza yest. for her bday, and to preview it for her bday party there today. Great price, good salad/soup, no decor whatsoever, mediocre pizza, artificially pleasant staff. The cinnamon buns rocked, I'll give 'em that. I wouldn't choose to return on my own, but YaYa and Lisa walked away as fans.
New drinking game: take a shot whenever LuLu trips, bumps into a counter, pokes herself in the eye, or otherwise finds legitimate reason to yell "Owieee!". I guarantee even a lush would be drunk by noon. And here's the rub: she's a natural athlete and dancer. Seriously. It just . . . doesn't seem to carry over to everyday life. ;)
[note: this update spawned a witty reply from my friend Carlos. " So that's how you hide the abuse? Get all drunk and blame the kid?
"Oh officer, she fell, seriously" Sad Dan... Really really sad."]
Eat shit and die, you purple wearing hillbilly Judas. [Brett Favre]
Oct 25th (my anniversary)
Dork alert: as of this morning I've met my annual [minimum] reading goal, finishing my 52nd book of the year. My bucket list goal has always been to crack the century mark, but as an adult I've never read more than 84 in a year.
I finished the horror novel "Let the Right One In" by Swedish author John Ajvide Lindqvist. It's the 2nd bk of his I've read, & looking over my list for the yr I think this might very well be THE best bk I've read in '10. He is a writer that can terrify you while never losing a deeply emotional connection to the characters & their world. I am in awe of his talent.
Obviously I dislike Favre. But independent of that, I've noticed for years that the minute he screws up - aka his classic INT's - he begins to limp, hold his elbow, grab his lower back, etc. Sure, he's banged up, but??? I'm not the only one to notice. Quote the article: "Of course, when he briefly believed he had hit . . . a game-winning touchdown . . . Favre was running around like he could do a 4.4-second 40-yard dash."
[from Lisa]: Happy 14th Anniversary!
Milwaukee is facing the worst windstorm since 1998 (a storm that killed four here).
Oct 26th
[a Muslim truck driver is suing his employer after they terminated him for not delivering Miller Lite ]He failed to do his job, wrongly using Islam as an 'out', & now threatens to use it as a club over the head of his former employers. By all rights he should be LOL'd out of town - it is his JOB after all, one he sought out, and one that by definition requires him to also deliver swimsuit magazines, pork products & many other "objectionable" items. Did he refuse those too, and if didn't - why not? Does he pick & choose when to obey his God?
The 30ft tree in front of my house is swaying w/ the wind. Not just the branches, *the whole* tree. Gulp.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel endorses Scott Walker for Governor.
Taylor Swift's album "Speak Now" got a B+ from CNN.com
Watching He-Man on Qubo.
Oct 27th
I stayed up late last night to finish 'The Twelfth Imam' by Joel C Rosenburg, only to have it conclude w/ a cliffhanger. Apparently it's the start of a series. Phooey. I doubt I'll pick up the 2nd bk. The story was good, even if the characters were shallow, but it wandered off into End Times schtuff near the end. C'mon now, this is a CIA thriller, not 'Left Behind'. C.
Oct 28th
Book 'em Danno. Hawail Five-O's James MacArthur passes away. RIP.
YaYa with some of her Taylor Swift posters:
Oct 29th
"Get Him to the Greek" was a fun movie, but awfully repetitive. Cut out 2 or 3 scenes - any scenes - and it would be a much better flick.
Oct 30th
Last night we watched the film version of "Let the Right One in", a Swedish film w/ English dubbing. Everyone in the room enjoyed it but I don't think it measured up to the book. Of course, that might just me being a book snob. Of note: the climactic scene was WICKED, and brought a 'Holy Bleep!" from everyone in the room. One of the best 30 seconds of horror *ever*.
[6:20 PM] I'm on the front porch w/ the kids, passing out Halloween candy.
[9:19 PM] Just left a Halloween party @ the invite of our friend Darlene. It featured a haunted house for the kids.
Oct 31st
We just finished watching season one of Hell's Kitchen. Great show. We used to watch the F Word and Kitchen Nightmares on BBC America, so we came into it w/ respect for Gordon, but of the three I think this one is our fave. Time to put season 2 on our Netflix queue.
I've finished "Layover in Dubai", a non-political thriller set in the Middle East. The plot was . . . well, there wasn't much of one, but the setting was rich and detailed and the two main characters were well developed. It held my interest. B.
RIP Theodore Sorensen, one of JFK's aides and speech writer.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
A Peaceful Christmas
Happy Boxing Day. I spent Xmas PM making a dinner of ham, potatoes, green beans, and (1st x ever) homemade bread pudding. The latter was greeted with gag reflexes by the kids, but Lu & Smiley wound up liking it. Then, w/ our friend Chris over it was a night of 'Survivor: Vanuatu', 'Kitchen Nightmares', & Anne Francis in an episode of 'Honey West'. Hope u all had a great & peaceful Christmas.
Quote from Christmas
"Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, but to weigh and consider" - Francis Bacon Sr (quote on a leather book weight Lisa got me for Christmas)
Fantasy football, some more RIP's, books, and Indian food
October 16th
RIP Mrs. Cleaver (Barbara Billingsley)
Oct 17th
The Badgers knocked off #1 Ohio State! Whoo-hoo! On Wisconsin baby!
German Chancellor Angela Merkel states that German multiculturalism has "absolutely failed." Huh. Between France and Germany, it looks like Europe is finally wising up. Wonder when it'll be our turn?
Neck to neck in my fantasy matchup this week. My gut says it'll come down to the numbers Peyton puts up tonight.
Despite a 3 digit score my fantasy team lost by under 5 pts. Take away Manning's fumble & Cooley's exit, and the game was mine. That makes *3* losses decided by 10 pts or less. An optimist would say that means I've done my homework & just had some bad luck. A pessimist would say that the scores mean I could've won, if only I'd put forth one extra bit of effort. A Dan would say, who cares? I'm 1-5 & dead in the water.
Oct 18th
I just returned from a 90 minute interview with two regional managers who came in from Chicago for the Q&A. Wish me luck - if I don't get it, it certainly isn't for lack of effort.
Oct 19th
Lisa's van had a flat tire this morning, a gash in the sidewall that meant a good chunk of change was spent before 9 a.m. OTOH, our local Pick 'n Save now carries sushi! About time. Whoo-hoo!
RIP Mr. Cunningham (Tom Bosley)
Howsabout that? My fantasy commish intervened in the outcome of last weekend's game, noting that Yahoo failed to properly post a lineup change that should have *cost* my opponent four points. The other owner concurred. The result? I won, changing my W/L to 2-4, which sounds a heck of a lot nicer than 1-5.
I finished Carter's "White House Diary" & will prob do a write-up on my blog. Meanwhile, I polished off Robert B Parker's "Painted Ladies" on the Nook today. It's (presumably) the late author's last Spenser novel, & while it was enjoyable I thought I caught a few instances were characters spoke or acted 'off' - perhaps the hand of a 2nd author polishing the text? Either way, RIP RBP, RIP.
I've been listening to Yankee radio out of an Albany station. So far Texeria pulled a hammy, the Yanks can't bring a run to the plate if you gave them an armed escort, and Josh Hamilton has homered twice tonight (4 for the series). We're going to lose this game, but hopefully we'll regroup and come back to win 3 in a row.
Oct 20th (Lisa's Bday!)
We received our first Christmas card of the year (!), from a blog reader in Great Britain. She wrote that she was sending it on what her post office claimed was the "last possible" date for overseas mail to arrive by Christmas, but acknowledged they were probably full of it. I guess mail service employees are the same the world over, eh?
Whatever your political leanings, the JSOnline "Choose your Candidate in the 2010 Governor's Race" quiz is woefully biased. Every ? is phrased to make one side the devil and the other sound like Christ himself. I would have been turned off by something that blatant on a partisan site, much less in an 'objective' major newspaper.
'finished "Write it When I'm Gone" by Thomas DeFrank. It's a collection of Gerald Ford interviews done over a 30yr period, all w/ the understanding they were off the record until his death. No surprises, other than that he was quite an astute predictor of future political events. The text is often circuitous & repeats the same anecdotes chapters apart, but it's an interesting read. B-
Oct 21st
We watched LESLIE, MY NAME IS EVIL (alt title Manson, My Name is Evil). It's either a poorly written attempt to rationalize the Manson murders as a by product of Vietnam, -or- a platonic love story btwn a fictional juror and Leslie Van Houton. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't good either. Ample sex scenes with beautiful women; unfortunately they were covered in blood much of the time. Yuck. C.
A taxpayer funded entity [NPR] fires a man [Juan Williams] for expressing the right to free speech. If his comments were about Christianity and not Islam, NPR would no doubt give him a raise.
The paper today has an article on 'dirt rain' that blanketed Milwaukee recently. As a victim of it myself, it was quite a pain to wash off the car.
Most people are mostly good, most of the time - Gerald Ford
We had white chili and cheese quesadillas for dinner, & the kids gobbled it up without complaint. As a matter of fact there were no leftovers. Bully for them - when I was a kid I wouldn't have tried so much as a bite of it. We've more or less agreed that since the kids are so willing to try new food, we'll cook up Indian soon. Quote Lu: "Indian? Like, Indian corn and stuff?"
RIP Mrs. Cleaver (Barbara Billingsley)
Oct 17th
The Badgers knocked off #1 Ohio State! Whoo-hoo! On Wisconsin baby!
German Chancellor Angela Merkel states that German multiculturalism has "absolutely failed." Huh. Between France and Germany, it looks like Europe is finally wising up. Wonder when it'll be our turn?
Neck to neck in my fantasy matchup this week. My gut says it'll come down to the numbers Peyton puts up tonight.
Despite a 3 digit score my fantasy team lost by under 5 pts. Take away Manning's fumble & Cooley's exit, and the game was mine. That makes *3* losses decided by 10 pts or less. An optimist would say that means I've done my homework & just had some bad luck. A pessimist would say that the scores mean I could've won, if only I'd put forth one extra bit of effort. A Dan would say, who cares? I'm 1-5 & dead in the water.
Oct 18th
I just returned from a 90 minute interview with two regional managers who came in from Chicago for the Q&A. Wish me luck - if I don't get it, it certainly isn't for lack of effort.
Oct 19th
Lisa's van had a flat tire this morning, a gash in the sidewall that meant a good chunk of change was spent before 9 a.m. OTOH, our local Pick 'n Save now carries sushi! About time. Whoo-hoo!
RIP Mr. Cunningham (Tom Bosley)
Howsabout that? My fantasy commish intervened in the outcome of last weekend's game, noting that Yahoo failed to properly post a lineup change that should have *cost* my opponent four points. The other owner concurred. The result? I won, changing my W/L to 2-4, which sounds a heck of a lot nicer than 1-5.
I finished Carter's "White House Diary" & will prob do a write-up on my blog. Meanwhile, I polished off Robert B Parker's "Painted Ladies" on the Nook today. It's (presumably) the late author's last Spenser novel, & while it was enjoyable I thought I caught a few instances were characters spoke or acted 'off' - perhaps the hand of a 2nd author polishing the text? Either way, RIP RBP, RIP.
I've been listening to Yankee radio out of an Albany station. So far Texeria pulled a hammy, the Yanks can't bring a run to the plate if you gave them an armed escort, and Josh Hamilton has homered twice tonight (4 for the series). We're going to lose this game, but hopefully we'll regroup and come back to win 3 in a row.
Oct 20th (Lisa's Bday!)
We received our first Christmas card of the year (!), from a blog reader in Great Britain. She wrote that she was sending it on what her post office claimed was the "last possible" date for overseas mail to arrive by Christmas, but acknowledged they were probably full of it. I guess mail service employees are the same the world over, eh?
Whatever your political leanings, the JSOnline "Choose your Candidate in the 2010 Governor's Race" quiz is woefully biased. Every ? is phrased to make one side the devil and the other sound like Christ himself. I would have been turned off by something that blatant on a partisan site, much less in an 'objective' major newspaper.
'finished "Write it When I'm Gone" by Thomas DeFrank. It's a collection of Gerald Ford interviews done over a 30yr period, all w/ the understanding they were off the record until his death. No surprises, other than that he was quite an astute predictor of future political events. The text is often circuitous & repeats the same anecdotes chapters apart, but it's an interesting read. B-
Oct 21st
We watched LESLIE, MY NAME IS EVIL (alt title Manson, My Name is Evil). It's either a poorly written attempt to rationalize the Manson murders as a by product of Vietnam, -or- a platonic love story btwn a fictional juror and Leslie Van Houton. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't good either. Ample sex scenes with beautiful women; unfortunately they were covered in blood much of the time. Yuck. C.
A taxpayer funded entity [NPR] fires a man [Juan Williams] for expressing the right to free speech. If his comments were about Christianity and not Islam, NPR would no doubt give him a raise.
The paper today has an article on 'dirt rain' that blanketed Milwaukee recently. As a victim of it myself, it was quite a pain to wash off the car.
Most people are mostly good, most of the time - Gerald Ford
We had white chili and cheese quesadillas for dinner, & the kids gobbled it up without complaint. As a matter of fact there were no leftovers. Bully for them - when I was a kid I wouldn't have tried so much as a bite of it. We've more or less agreed that since the kids are so willing to try new food, we'll cook up Indian soon. Quote Lu: "Indian? Like, Indian corn and stuff?"
Saturday, December 25, 2010
An Odd Occurence
Today, after starting out the day (Chrisrtmas!) with a childish, pouty hissy fit, I went for a walk to buy some much needed booze, I found a brand new copy of the 600 pg Polish poem "Pan Tadeusz" by Adam Mickiewicz just laying in the snow. Huh. What are the chances that a) a book nut b) a Polack c) someone both familar with the poem and a fan of it would rescue it from the elements on Christmas Day?
Merry Christmas!
It isn't the best picture in the world, but as usual Lisa's done a grand job of decorating our tree. This is our first year with this a 7ft artificial tree that we got for free (yes, free) courtesy of a Craigslist poster who upgraded his own model.
I wish you all a safe and happy holiday with the ones you love as you celebrate our Saviour's birth.
"Every mother, when she picks up the young life that has been born to her, looks up to the heavens to thank God for the gift which made the world young again. But here was a mother, a madonna, who did not look up. She looked down to Heaven, for this was Heaven in her arms." Archbishop Fulton Sheen
Friday, December 24, 2010
The Weight by Andrew Vachh
I finished Andrew Vacch's 'The Weight', which I quite liked six weeks ago when I was 50 pgs in. Then, through no fault of the book itself, I had to finish it in blocks of 20 or 30 pgs over a month long period. By the end I resented the hell out of the novel. Couldn't stand to even look at it. Anyhow, it's the last bk I'm reading in '10. I'm done read out for the year.
Is It Time Yet?
Is it time yet? Is it time I can't wait! The song that plays in my head every time I see the kids, lol.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Quote
If a train is coming @ you, closing your eyes won't save you. But if u look right @ it, you at least have a chance to jump.
The Loss of Franklin the Turtle and other news
Oct 9th
Not the greatest day in the world. A headache, a dinner out w/ grouchy kids, and some other schtuff that wasn't the greatest. But I did get a a call back from Chicago re: a potential job, thank God. In other news, I've decided to ditch the TV version of 'Dexter'. It is a good show, well acted/written, but I prefer the books. So why waste X amount of hours watching it when I could watch something I'll love?
Oct 10th
Tonight, near midnight, I pocket texted my supervisor endlessly for nearly 15 minutes, prompting her to write me a pleading yet snarking message to stop. Bet that'll go over well on my next review.
Congrats to my Yankees for advancing to the ALCS!!!! WOO HOO!!!! Only 8 more wins 'til #28! (they lost the ALCS)
I came home from work to find that the kids had taken Franklin, our pet turtle, out in the yard to play. They *also* went to bed w/out taking him back inside. With the possum prowling around, I'm not sure he was even around to be found by the time I was done w/ work, but I scoured the yard w/ a work light and an extension cord. No luck. He's still MIA. He's been part of the family since Feb '05, predating Smiley. Damn.
It is wise to remember that you are one of those who can be fooled some of the time - Lawrence Peter
Good - the Vatican aims to strengthen Christian communities in the Middle East
Oct 11th
I cleaned the toys off the lawn & raked it all. I moved their playhouse & everything in it. I went through the compost pile. I trimmed the weeds by the trampoline. i moved the trampoline itself and searched underneath. No Franklin. Maybe he skedaddled 'neath the shed, but if he did he's SOL. Lisa wants to think he's quote "truckin'" endquote on down to the pond at the park, & I guess we'll let that myth stand.
In other, happier news: Saturday Lis & watched "Kinky Boots", a Brit film about a man who inherits his father's failing shoe factory & tries to save it by making custom made boots for drag queens. Surprisingly non-camp, the film is predictable but sweet and entertaining. We also picked up LaRoux's album; other than the techno 'Bulletproof', the CD is very mellow, not at all what we expected.
"If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." - Carl Sagan
Oct 12th
We just cleaned Gingers's room. She really is 1/2 of the 'bookends' - like YaYa, she's a hoarder. Unlike YaYa, however, she also destroys. One drawer had 1/4" of rice crispies; another was coated with orange kool-aid powder she rubbed into the wood. Spilled nail polish & paint. Broken toys. Rotten apples. Broken CHINA. It took two 13 gal. garbage bags + 2 laundry baskets and 2 LAWN & GARDEN bags to clean up the mess. Ok, to be fair 1/2 of the garden bags were devoted to toys I jettisoned, so I guess *that* doesn't count.
For Family Night this week I rented the live action "Marmaduke" and made cajun style salmon cakes with rice and broccoli. Cue the standard kid reactions to unknown food, but they all tried it. Heck, LuLu even liked it. But the best, most honest reaction to my meal? Smiley took a big bite, swallowed, and said "It taste yuck. Me feel like I 'ave to 'uke"
The first of the 33 men trapped in a Chilean mine since August 5 has arrived at the surface in a rescue capsule, greeted by hugs and cheers. - CNN
Oct 13th
I caught Ginger having a tea party in her room. Her drink of choice (which she was chugging liberally)? The pail of water we'd used to mop her floor.
The last of the Chilean miners has reached the surface, and I'm so genuinely happy for all of them it's nuts. What a great, honest, moving story of heroism and determination. Kudos to the government of Chile for fixing the problem, not the blame, and doing everything they could to rescue their people. I wish nothing but the best for the miners and their families. God Bless them all!
Oct 14th
A few days ago I finished "Star Island" by Carl Hiassen, an entertaining but forgettable novel about a spoiled pop star. I'm now ~ 150 pg's into Jimmy Carter's "White House Diary", which would mark the 4th bk on his Presidency I've read in the last 12 months. It's fascinating stuff, and at some point I'll devote a blog post or FB 'note' to some talking points about the text.
Took Smiley to visit his old school & sign him up for speech. The outporing of love for him there was great - everyone from office staff to teachers came to hug him, comment on his growth spurt, & tell him they miss him. His old teach even let him spend 1/2 hr in her class w/ his old friends. Best line? She sd his summer school teach emailed her to say Park liked being Heidi's student 'cuz she "blond and pretty" :)
Ironic license plate of the day: SUBTL T
Oct 15th
I've finished "Bad Blood", a Virgil Flowers mystery by John Sandford I read entirely on a Nook. It was great start to finish, and those last fifty pages - whoa.
"30 Days of Night: Dark Days"? I didn't even pay for the rental, and I *still* want a refund.
Not the greatest day in the world. A headache, a dinner out w/ grouchy kids, and some other schtuff that wasn't the greatest. But I did get a a call back from Chicago re: a potential job, thank God. In other news, I've decided to ditch the TV version of 'Dexter'. It is a good show, well acted/written, but I prefer the books. So why waste X amount of hours watching it when I could watch something I'll love?
Oct 10th
Tonight, near midnight, I pocket texted my supervisor endlessly for nearly 15 minutes, prompting her to write me a pleading yet snarking message to stop. Bet that'll go over well on my next review.
Congrats to my Yankees for advancing to the ALCS!!!! WOO HOO!!!! Only 8 more wins 'til #28! (they lost the ALCS)
I came home from work to find that the kids had taken Franklin, our pet turtle, out in the yard to play. They *also* went to bed w/out taking him back inside. With the possum prowling around, I'm not sure he was even around to be found by the time I was done w/ work, but I scoured the yard w/ a work light and an extension cord. No luck. He's still MIA. He's been part of the family since Feb '05, predating Smiley. Damn.
It is wise to remember that you are one of those who can be fooled some of the time - Lawrence Peter
Good - the Vatican aims to strengthen Christian communities in the Middle East
Oct 11th
I cleaned the toys off the lawn & raked it all. I moved their playhouse & everything in it. I went through the compost pile. I trimmed the weeds by the trampoline. i moved the trampoline itself and searched underneath. No Franklin. Maybe he skedaddled 'neath the shed, but if he did he's SOL. Lisa wants to think he's quote "truckin'" endquote on down to the pond at the park, & I guess we'll let that myth stand.
In other, happier news: Saturday Lis & watched "Kinky Boots", a Brit film about a man who inherits his father's failing shoe factory & tries to save it by making custom made boots for drag queens. Surprisingly non-camp, the film is predictable but sweet and entertaining. We also picked up LaRoux's album; other than the techno 'Bulletproof', the CD is very mellow, not at all what we expected.
"If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." - Carl Sagan
Oct 12th
We just cleaned Gingers's room. She really is 1/2 of the 'bookends' - like YaYa, she's a hoarder. Unlike YaYa, however, she also destroys. One drawer had 1/4" of rice crispies; another was coated with orange kool-aid powder she rubbed into the wood. Spilled nail polish & paint. Broken toys. Rotten apples. Broken CHINA. It took two 13 gal. garbage bags + 2 laundry baskets and 2 LAWN & GARDEN bags to clean up the mess. Ok, to be fair 1/2 of the garden bags were devoted to toys I jettisoned, so I guess *that* doesn't count.
For Family Night this week I rented the live action "Marmaduke" and made cajun style salmon cakes with rice and broccoli. Cue the standard kid reactions to unknown food, but they all tried it. Heck, LuLu even liked it. But the best, most honest reaction to my meal? Smiley took a big bite, swallowed, and said "It taste yuck. Me feel like I 'ave to 'uke"
The first of the 33 men trapped in a Chilean mine since August 5 has arrived at the surface in a rescue capsule, greeted by hugs and cheers. - CNN
Oct 13th
I caught Ginger having a tea party in her room. Her drink of choice (which she was chugging liberally)? The pail of water we'd used to mop her floor.
The last of the Chilean miners has reached the surface, and I'm so genuinely happy for all of them it's nuts. What a great, honest, moving story of heroism and determination. Kudos to the government of Chile for fixing the problem, not the blame, and doing everything they could to rescue their people. I wish nothing but the best for the miners and their families. God Bless them all!
Oct 14th
A few days ago I finished "Star Island" by Carl Hiassen, an entertaining but forgettable novel about a spoiled pop star. I'm now ~ 150 pg's into Jimmy Carter's "White House Diary", which would mark the 4th bk on his Presidency I've read in the last 12 months. It's fascinating stuff, and at some point I'll devote a blog post or FB 'note' to some talking points about the text.
Took Smiley to visit his old school & sign him up for speech. The outporing of love for him there was great - everyone from office staff to teachers came to hug him, comment on his growth spurt, & tell him they miss him. His old teach even let him spend 1/2 hr in her class w/ his old friends. Best line? She sd his summer school teach emailed her to say Park liked being Heidi's student 'cuz she "blond and pretty" :)
Ironic license plate of the day: SUBTL T
Oct 15th
I've finished "Bad Blood", a Virgil Flowers mystery by John Sandford I read entirely on a Nook. It was great start to finish, and those last fifty pages - whoa.
"30 Days of Night: Dark Days"? I didn't even pay for the rental, and I *still* want a refund.
Bear
'Bear', a 2010 movie directed by John Rebel, was just . . . yeah.
I'm not sure who should be more embarrassed, the folks responsible for creating this drivel, or yours truly for thinking "well, crap, at least *they* managed to get something produced. What does that say about my own talent?"
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The 15 Directors Quiz
15 Directors in 15 Minutes
The Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen Directors who've influenced you and that will ALWAYS STICK WITH YOU. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes..
Steven Spielberg
Francis Ford Coppola
James Cameron
Roman Polanski
Alfred Hitchcock
John Ford
Victor Fleming
Ashley Altodonna
Kurasawa
Oliver Stone
Frank Capra
Clint Eastwood
Billy Wilder
John Landis
Martin Scorsese
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Easy A
We just finished another horrendous day (two in a row baby!) by watching 'Easy A' w/ Emma Stone. It's a comedy about a high school girl who capitalizes on her (unfounded) reputation as a slut to gain popularity, then has to face the consequences of her actions when the line btwn reality and fiction starts to blur. It started off slow, but picked up steam. Very impressed by Stone. B.
Dance Class 2010-11
After a one year hiatus caused by financial hardship, the kids are now back in dance class, thanks to a generous payment option.
Actually, this is the first year *all* of the kids are dancing, which is a heck of a blow to our schedule. Monday's YaYa, Smiley and Ginger dance, which means we have to keep the two little one's busy for nearly two hours while YaYa dances. (it's too far to drive home and back). Saturday morning's are devoted to Lu's class.
These are some camera phone pics Lisa took on the sly, as parents aren't even supposed to be in the studio during a class.
Actually, this is the first year *all* of the kids are dancing, which is a heck of a blow to our schedule. Monday's YaYa, Smiley and Ginger dance, which means we have to keep the two little one's busy for nearly two hours while YaYa dances. (it's too far to drive home and back). Saturday morning's are devoted to Lu's class.
These are some camera phone pics Lisa took on the sly, as parents aren't even supposed to be in the studio during a class.
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