Joe Hill is Stephen King's son, and a heck of a writer. I loved the book, BUT . . for the first time I finished one of his novels and couldn't have told you it was his or his Pop's. His voice was kind of lost in this one.
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!
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Grease Live
Great show, worthy of the original and watched by the family. Big Kudos to Vanessa Hudgens for kicking butt mere hours after her father passed away. And how nice that Rydell High was fully integrated and tolerant of interracial couples by 1958 lol!
(and lest I forget - I hung our floating headboard during the show)
Saturday, January 30, 2016
George Michael
OMG - RIP sir
From Wham! to the Faith album to the stunning performance at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert, Michaels was just fully intertwined with the cultural landscape of my youth. To lose him so soon. SMH. Wow.
Friday, January 29, 2016
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Contracted: Phase II
Rough morning with the hip. It wasn't helped by watching this pitiful, pointless excuse of a sequel.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
A Milestone of Sorts
I was cleared to go down to a cane yesterday, although the hip was bad enough that I stuck with the crutch overnight. This morning, a milestone: I dropped the van off at the shop and purposely didn't call Lisa for a ride, choosing to walk home the block and a half instead. It's the longest continuous walk since the surgery. The hip didn't feel so good, but man o man was it good for the morale.
Update: Using the cane is exhausting, and not comfortable. :(
Galactica: 1980
It has a horrific reputation, but the first episode is actually quite clever. I'm wondering if the series goes downhill fast, or if the haters just did what they do best and sabotaged it. update: I watched them all. It wasn't great, and it was inconsistent. I definitely didn't like seeing Adama subservient to Dr Zee. But it was enjoyable, and the Starbuck episode was great.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
LOL
Betty White, on Match Game 78: I never see pornographic movies.
Gene Rayburn: Why don't you ever see pornographic movies?
Betty White: Because I don't have a pornograph.
Nightmares
A nightmare filled night - picture the movie Aliens fought in a Minecraft world - probably brought on by the hip acting up. It woke me up several times. But you know, in daylight that premise actually sounds kinda cool. Someone should design that game.
Abe Vigoda
RIP the great Abe Vigoda, age 94. Man, I liked that guy. As Fish in Barney Miller, and of course as Tessio in The Godfather.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Tonight I watched a woman take notes nonstop, filling page after page with what could only be a near transcript of the class. I don't understand that process. Take down the pertinent points, jot down reminders to review troublesome areas, be thorough - but SOMETHING has to sink in, and some things are obvious. There's no need to write down that Sunday inevitably follows Saturday. Have some confidence
Sunday, January 24, 2016
The X-Files Reboot
Lisa, annoyed the NFC Championship was on Fox:
Aren't we watching X-Files tonight?
Me: Yup. It's on right after the game. For which I thank the Fox schedulers profusely.
Carson Palmer is a choker. It makes the Green Bay loss all the more pathetic.
I liked the new episode. Lisa, not so much.
A Dream of Smiley's, and a nightmare of mine
I had a nightmare. Lisa and I got remarried, because some paperwork snafu rendered the last 20 years void. This time it was at the awful basement church that is St Roman's. Tre didn't stand for the Our Father, and I thought the whole thing reeked of a shotgun wedding. Lisa was thrilled tho, BC "all the dinnerware matches", which it did at our real wedding BTW, but this time it was all paper plates.
After the ceremony I had to pee, which annoyed Lisa, but the men's room had a long line. Thankfully St Roman's had urinal's up and down the hall, so I took advantage. Some guy chose to talk to me at the urinal, and I told him he was barking up the wrong tree .. We went home
After the honeymoon night Lisa vanished, presumably knowing she couldn't handle such skill. I put up missing posters, but the cops were no help. They kept saying she ran off, I'd say with what $, and they'd point out cabinets of shoes and accuse me of lying about our finances.
Then I noticed the screen door was open. I went out on the porch and Angel had gotten out and was staring down two lookalikes. Between them was a tiny, sparkling silver and black kitten. For some reason I kicked the kitten into the house (nicely) and the cats went nuts, and I woke up
Smiley had a dream too. He slipped into a pond, and it carried him back in time. He befriended a girl named Anna or
Alice, also a victim of time travel, and together they struggled to find a way back to the present. All the while they had to stay ahead of the locals, who viewed Smiley's watch and glasses as evidence of witchcraft.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
My Thoughts - On the Oscar
A ridiculous concession to those who prefer to win based on the color of their skin rather than the value of their work. It devalues the award, and forever stigmatizes any person of color who wins an Oscar.
YaYa and Politics
The insomniac otherwise known as YaYa initiated an intelligent and insightful political discussion with me last night. She's a young woman of strong, well-thought-out opinions. Once experience complements that brainpower she'll be a formidable force in any debate; I look forward to those conversations down the road. :)
Friday, January 22, 2016
TV Time with LuLu
Watching Kitchen Nightmares with Lulu. "Finn McCools" :)
And: Yesterday at work, a miracle: for almost two hours the pain was gone. Not just the awful stuff that comes and goes, but the constant ache that's kept me company for a year. Oh, it came back alright, but those two hours were a beaut. #GoodSign
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Episode: "The Sky is Falling"
This is the first time I've seen the show, and boy did the strength of the script surprise me. Well done
House of the Rising Sun
A wonderful, atmospheric novel set just after WWI. Part western, part action novel, part literary novel. James Lee Burke is a master
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
SMH
A Kent State associate history professor is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly trying to recruit students to join ISIS!
Back to the Grind
I started classes at Marquette yesterday, and went back to work. School went fine, work not so much. Spending 8 hours on an office chair older than some of my kids did the hip no favors. Yes, I was told I can get up and stretch if need be, but that doesn't quite do the trick. It's going to be an adventure - and to quote Louis L'amour, adventure is just another word for trouble.
A lunchtime nap at HoHo's?
Went to lunch at a Chinese joint that doesn't always have the best reviews but has always been good to us and YaYa had to wake up the waitress in order to pay!! #truestory - Lisa
Thank You
Just a big shout out to YaYa for helping me. I was cleaning my desk and computer. The Monitor was turned off but the computer was on. Anyway, after cleaning the key board I turned the monitor on (desk top) and it (Picture) was up side down. Miss YaYa informed me what to do. And, it worked. Love my grand kids...The clean my house, and now fix my computer. Thanks... Grandma Jeanne
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Monday, January 18, 2016
Glen Frey
Glenn Frey of the Eagle has died, age 67.
I remember him for his solo work, given my age: The Heat is On, You Belong to the City, I Found Somebody, and Smuggler's Moon.
RIP
I finished my sci-fi novel!
At 3:40 this morning I finished the first draft of a novel I've been puttering around with since 2012, although the idea first came to me way back in 1986. I'll need to fine tune and polish it, but if I drop dead right now the story is there, on paper, and finally out of my head. I am relieved, and proud.
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Da Day
Just dealt with an openly rude customer service rep from DirecTV. Lisa do not let me forget to complain about her on Monday
Anyway, after a nice, largely pain free day I had to climb out of bed and take a painkiller. Waiting for it to kick in before trying to zzzz again.
And Listen up Social Media! Green Bay Packers B.J. Raji on #Flipgate, complaints about the OT rules, etc: "That's sucker stuff, man. We lost the game. We should've won."
Tutoring
My Dad tutoring YaYa at Zablocki library for her algebra final. He must be doing something right, as a stranger just came up and asked him for advice.
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Smiley's Work is On Display!
Smiley's artwork, on display at a local restaurant. Restaurant called "All in the family" at 1000 E Rawson Ave
Sinister 2
A rare sequel that comes close to the original. Close, but not quite. And sadly, that's makes the difference between a great horror film and a pretty good one.
Friday, January 15, 2016
Swim Letter
While the rest of #TeamSlap was at the party, YaYa attended her swim team
banquet. Plus, she got her letter in swim!
My Evening
Spent the last three hours listening to Big Band and writing 2400 words. Now watching an episode of Match Game before bed.
Phone Trouble
My phone broke over lunch, just fritzed out and became a brick. This happened only because it is a payday, and God enjoys cutting apart my budget. I bought a replacement. When I got home I told LuLu and asked if she wanted to see it.
"Really? REALLY? My phone has had a cracked screen for six months, I can't use half the apps, and you still won't replace it! Ugh!" she said.
Silence for a moment.
"So . . .you don't want to see it?" I asked, deadpan.
"Argggggggghhh!!!!" LuLu said and stormed off.
Lisa started laughing. "I would have HATED having you as my Dad." she said.
My Grades
Finally got my grades from last semester. I got a B in Alternative Dispute Resolution, which is hooey, and a B+ in Constitutional Law 2. That puts my cumulative GPA at 3.0 for the first time in law school.
Dan Haggerty
RIP the great Wisconsin native Dan Haggerty, aka Grizzly Adams. Man I loved that show as a little kid.
Please Lawd May Her Taste Improve
When I was stopped at an intersection downtown, I rolled down the window & gave a young beggar a dollar.
"He. Is. CUTE!" YaYa said.
"The homeless guy?
"He's either homeless, an addict, or a conman" I said. "Nice to see you have good taste in men."
Thursday, January 14, 2016
My Day
YaYa & I went to Marquette to buy two books for the upcoming semester. Cost? Around $300, plus the cost of a parking ticket. Then we picked up Smiley and went to visit Louise, followed by a stop at Toys R Us, where I ran into Mike C. The kids were shocked I knew someone, because I am, of course, a social leper. Finally a stop at Walmart, where the last scooter was taken by a huge woman with no cane/crutch/brace, which certainly gives her priority over the guy hobbling around on a crutch and a surgically repaired hip.
But - Joe McIntyre is on Angel from Hell on Fox!
:(
Bad accident on 8th and Oklahoma, a crumpled minivan. Multiple ambulances on the scene. You could hear a woman inside scream in pain as you drove by. Say a prayer for her.
did my theatre demonstration with Beatrice six minutes ago and i'm still shaking. i think i did well though
- YaYa
My Thoughts - Presidential Aging
Every eight years we get media stories about how the pressure of the Oval Office has aged the President - how he turned gray & wrinkled as a consequence of the job. While I agree it's a horribly stressful life, that's ridiculous. The fact is most Presidents enter office at the latter stage of middle age, and 8 years on the beach in Bocca would still see their hair gray & their face age considerably. Good grief people, do YOU look the same as you did in 2008?
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Junie and the American Girl Dance
LK needed an American Doll for her dance class. Yeah, I know, right? But knock-offs are allowed and so we picked up a doll from Walmart and delivered it to her in class. If you were in New Berlin last night, you might have seen my wife cuddling with a doll as she drove down National Avenue.
My Hip
After two real good days with the hip, it's nothing but a world of pain this morning. Lisa keeps saying my expectations were too high, and that I'm doing great, but right now I'm in a woe is me/all is lost kind of mood. I'm sure I'm pleasant company.
The Martian
I watched this on Smiely's recommendation (he saw it in the theater with his friend Evan). Great movie. Rent it!
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Good News
After physical therapy I stopped and weighed myself at a Dr's office down the road from my house, as I have every week for over a year. I was worried that after 3 weeks of inactivity my weight would soar; in the 2 wks before surgery I'd gained 8 pounds after eating my pain and anxiety. Instead, I've LOST nearly 3 pounds, and am down 66 pounds overall. I'm still a "before picture" and I need to get active again to lose the weight and preserve the hip. But that scale took a lot off my mind today.
Monday, January 11, 2016
A Brutal Night
Brutal night with the hip, the start of which coincided with a trip to Office Max for supplies for YaYa's portfolio. If you think the veneer of civilization was thin in Lord of the Flies, you should have heard my response to a sales clerk who merrily suggested I hobble to three different aisles and thus save her the trouble of knowing her own store's layout.
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Get Your Priorities Straight
In America you can rape and kill a woman, then burn her body, and have millions cheer for you based on a half-assed documentary. But hold a football with the laces in on a cold winter's day in Minnesota and the net fills with calls for your death. #ScrewedUpPopulace #Vikings
The Equalizer
More bad parenting on my part,as I let YaYa and LuLu watch, but this was a great (and bloody) movie. Some great camerawork too. I think Denzel might just be the baddest movie hero I've seen yet.
Sucess!
YaYa and I just managed the impossible: we trimmed the nails on all but one of Custard's paws. I think she drew some blood in retribution, but it's telling she trusted us enough to be held in the first place.
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
I won $4 playing Powerball. That's $949 million less than I expected, and a net loss, but I'll take it.
Kneel Then Meal
Post-Mass dinner of homemade french fries, ground round hamburgers infused with Worcestershire sauce, topped by lettuce, mushrooms, pepper jack cheese, pickles and 1000 island dressing on a butter grilled sesame seed bun.
The Green Inferno
A gruesome movie, but not a bad one. And it led to a lot of discussion about female genital mutilation.
An Update on Lisa's Knee
We just left the hospital after Lisa's MRI on her injured knee from when she fell shoveling snow. They said it would take 35 minutes. It wound up being an hour and a half.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
A Good Idea of Mine
There should be - if there aren't already - temporary handicap parking permits. The walk from the busy parking structure to the doctor's office just about destroyed me.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
I had the honor of repaying my Dad for taking me to Empire Strikes Back many moons ago by treating him to SW: The Force Awakens tonight. It was his first time at the Avalon in forty years, and from his reactions he liked both the theater and the film. Love you Pop!
A Flat Tire and Ineffective Service
My luck: blew a tire on the van and unable to change it with the hip. Waiting for roadside assistance.
So I'm stuck with a blown tire off its rim, a spare tire on the ground, and four of five lugnuts off. Just stuck. I look across the street, see an open sign in a crowded auto shop, and call them. They don't send people out as a rule, and are very busy, but I leverage my surgery and by golly they send a guy of normal, red-blooded American size, and he gets the last nut off eezy peezy. "Stripped" my ass. He then put the spare on for me. They charged me for the service, but not much, and I was glad to pay.
As soon as I got home I called my insurance company and filed a complaint, slipping a little in my language at times, and telling them maybe they shouldn't contract with a company that employs runts to do a physical job. Small people SUCK. They agreed to reimburse me in full for what I paid to the garage, and allegedly will follow up with the service company. It's bigotry really, subconscious or not - someone sees a big strong guy and the level of help provided to them drops precipitously, even if he's (temporarily) crippled. Bulls*it it would have gone down like that if I was an old lady or even a runt of similar size.
Cookie Sheet Frisbee
Lisa and I just played Frisbee in the living room with a full cookie sheet. I lost a cookie on the third toss across the room and forfeited the game. #2016Olympics
The Visit
It's a horror film by M. Night Shyamalan. and while I called the ending twenty minutes in, it was actually a darn good movie. It held Lisa's interest all the way through, and she loathes his recent films.
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Good News
Good news: after a follow-up, the doc says Junie's hearing is back to normal and the replacement ear tube is working fine.
A Follow Up
Good news: after a follow-up, the doc says Junie's hearing is back to normal and the replacement ear tube is working fine.
Monday, January 4, 2016
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Ed Vezey
RIP Ed Vezey, the last surviving crewman of the USS Oklahoma who was present when the ship was attacked at Pearl Harbor.
Overrated and Underrated
Most overrated film of 2015: Mad Max: Fury Road. Most underrated big budget film: The Man From UNCLE.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Friday, January 1, 2016
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)