Unfair

Is frustrated that the school I want my littlest to attend is random computer picking. Who are these commies? I can see the sibling exception but otherwise first come first picked is always fair....irritating! - Lisa

Switching Rooms

Tonight, in the course of half an hour we moved YaYa and the Ginger into new rooms; very half-ass results but whataya gonna do in 30 minutes? YaYa and Lu are now roomies, while Ginger's on her own in YaYa's old room. I objected to it because it feels like rewarding Ginger for making nights hell, but she's actually taking the new digs as a punishment - screaming her head off as we speak.

LOL What Nerve!

And a royal %&* to the White House. The ABC Special Report on the photo op, er, 'security meeting' today wiped out the last third of a great Dr. Phil epidsode. What nerve! Any chance I'd ever vote for that guy is now sooooooo gone. ;)

Junie Trashes the Phone

BTW, for anyone unsuccesfuly calling our house: no, the home phone isn't disconnected. The fourth-born dumped a whole jar of pickle juice on the telephone base/answering machine, ruining it. It's replacement will have to wait until payday, if then.

Family Night #3

Not the greatest afternoon. The girls were pissy that a kibosh was put on their chance to see the newborn and it went straight downhill from there, plus Smiley was in a mood. Still, we sat down to french toast for dinner and Family Game night continued (3rd week in a row now) but it was stressful, very stressful.

Winter Break Ends

 Kids return to school tomorrow 

 back to a somewhat routine schedule...  - Lisa

Good News

The Journal editor just called my cell while I was grocery shopping and asked me to stay on for another year, through the first part of 2011! Hot dog!

Putting Together TJ's Nursery

After school I took my two oldest girls to help organize my Godson's nursery, as he's due to arrive home in less than a day. My girls were poite, helpful, eager to work, and kept their cool. I was very proud of them both!

From the "Why does he keep such stupid lists? Department" - Some (not all) the movies I've seen in a theater

La Bamba
Robocop
Terminator II
Terminator III
The Whole Nine Yards
Karate Kid
Karate Kid II
Source Code
Honeysuckle Rose
Quarantine
The Village
Breakin'
Breakin 2 Electric Boogaloo
District 9
Unbreakable
Three Kings
Sixth Sense
The Happening
Coraline
The Untouchables
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars (reissue)
Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan
Star Trek III The Search for Spock
Star Trek VI The Voyage Home
Star Trek: First Contact
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Pocahantas
Bullets over Broadway
Die Hard
Die Hard III
Mississippi Burning
Grease II
The Wall
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Project X
Major League
Jerry Maguire
Son of the Pink Panther
Back to the Future
Titanic
Road to Perdition
Gladiator
The Dead Pool
The Gift?? the one with M. Douglas and S. Penn
Castaway
Forrest Gump
Serendipity
Pirates of the Carribean
Pirates of the Carribean II
Saving Private Ryan
We Were Soldiers Once
Signs
Resident Evil
The Apple Dumpling Game
The Pooh Movie
Cars
The Professional
Pulp Fiction
Top Gun
Satisfaction
Wonderland
Lost in Translation
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
a Sesame Street movie
Monsters vs Aliens
Mrs. Doubtfire
Good Morning Vietnam
Godfather III
The Quick and the Dead
Unforgiven
In the Line of Fire
The Dead Pool
Snow White
Where the Heart Is
Higher Learning
Pearl Harbor
Godzilla
Look Who's Talking
not Big, but the wonder years kid version of the story
Schindler's List
Terminator Salvation
Pay it Forward
Passenger 57
The Truth about Cats and Dogs
What Women Want
The Patriot
The Santa Clause
Bad Santa
World Trade Center
The Last Season
Satisfaction
Ramona and Beezus
Six Pack
Tootsie
some movie w/ Gary Coleman, where he hid stuff in a public locker
The Pledge
Mortal Kombat
Always
Seven Alone
The Mask

A Late Night

Worked until midnight, came home and watched the very well done Tennant finale and the premiere of Demons (yawn), then had to crawl into Smiley's bed for 5 hours of sleep because my two youngest girls were sprawled next to Lisa in our bed- and rule #1 is, and always will be, never wake a sleeping baby/toddler. Ever.

Proud Papa

I'm proud that my two oldest are sad (and a bit concerned) that David Tenant's time as the Doctor is coming to an end tonight. They know far more about the show and its characters than I ever could have guessed, even ID'ing an episode after seeing one scene. Nice to know I've done something right.    

June of 1996

If I remember right, this was at the apartment of my brother-in-law Bob and his girlfriend at the time, Sioux. Note the Big Dog brand tee I'm wearing, right out of  Casual Male Big and Tall LOL. 

A Surprise Visit

The Ginger's Godfather, who we haven't seen in over a year, just called to say he's on his way over to drop off a gift for her. Yikes - and us, with a turtle in the bathtub and Chinese takeout half-eaten in the living room. udpate: it was a family pass to the Zoo!

The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

I love the Brendan Fraser movie The Mummy and consider it one of my ten favorite movies. Note I said 'favorite', not 'best.' It was fun, it was exciting, and it was enjoyable beginning to end.

This one . . not so much. Not at all actually.

The Mummy: Curse of the Dragon Emperor is the third installment in the Mummy series, although I'll be danged if I can include the bad guys here under the banner of "mummies".

I'm going to skip the plot, of which there's little to begin with. The premise is stupid, the action ho-hum, and the holes in the story are vast enough to house a pyramid.

Plus they replaced the woman who played Fraser's wife with a stilted, utterly out of place Maria Bello.

Avoid this.

2.2 out of 4

Me in Summation

Listening to the Glee soundtrack on the computer, with Joe Mac's new album playing in the dining room, while Dance Your Ass off is on the TV and the Twilight Zone and Doctor Who marathons are recording on the DVR . . how I ever got laid, much less married, escapes belief.

Mishap

Our turtle tank was just shattered, sending water across the floor. Franklin is OK, but I guess I'll have to spend my morning looking for a cheap tank to replace his home.

Here's Hoping!

Happy New Year everyone! May 2010 far surpass the suckassy '09!

ISO

Odd question: does anyone have an old police scanner you're willing to part with?

 Good Riddance 2009, you won't be missed! - Lisa

Enjoy your New Years Eve everyone!

I've been neglecting this website. I don't think I've made a 'live' post in all of December, with the stuff you've seen automatically moved over from the 'scheduled' pile. I'm not at all sorry for that, as I needed the break, but I do feel obliged to at least post something new to end this year. Well, not "new" but certainly new to this site. It's a collection of Facebook status updates from the last six weeks. Exciting innit?

As for New Years Eve Lisa, Ginger, LuLu and I will be spending the evening at home. YaYa's at a sleepover, while Smiley is partying at my Mom's place. We have plans to make homemade onion rings, sloppy joe's, and spinach and artichoke dip, while enjoying some margaritas, with cider for the kids.

There's not much to recommend this crappy, taint of a year. There are three exceptions that come to mind: the birth of my new Godson on December 10th, the publication of my columns/public reading of my Halloween story, and last, the Grand Restoration of the Proper Order of Events in the Universe.

By which, of course, I refer to my Yankees taking a 27th - yes, 27th - World Championship.

Anyhow, 2010 has to be better. It has to be, or all is lost. And on that cheery note, on with the show!

* * *

December 22nd: In the midst of our first family fun night . . . homemade tacos, now getting ready to play Topple and Go Fish
[this is a deliberate effort on our part to structure together time with the family. In the end, Week #1 was tacos and bingo instead, but it went great. Both of my older girls took time to tell me how much they loved it over the next few days, and YaYa went so far as to add "Family Game Night" to every Tuesday on her calendar!]

December 17th: So Smiley is wrapping presents with Lisa at the dining room table, and he spots the Zuzu pets we've kept hidden. Speech problems? Not today "Zuhzu Pets!" he yells, inspiring his two year old sister to run around the house repeating news of the sighting.

December 11th: Spent all evening getting the house ready for a visit from Smiley's speech therapist, only to have her cxl this morning because of illness. Good luck keeping this house clean until the rescheduled appt.

Regarding a news report that the remains the Soviets had were not, in fact, Hitler's: I'm not a conspiracy guy. The Towers fell because of the airliners, Oswald killed Kennedy, FDR didn't set out to sacrifice the Pacific fleet, etc. But I think the Ruskies were full of shi* about Hitler's remains. I don't think they ever found the corpse, or at least couldn't ID it.

December 9th: Pretty crappy night. Lisa broke her glasses, I lost five pages of newly written text due to gremlins in the computer, it's snowing, and [soap operal] As The World Turns was cancelled. :(

December 8th: Just gave a hitchiker a ride, which would be a first for me. He came begging for a lift at a gas station, drunk and stranded at 7 at night. Gotta love the South Side.

[I had a 200 pound advantage on the man, and while I agree it was foolish and I won't do it again, I don't think I was in any danger]

[the next night I came to an abrupt stop when a blind man was nonchalantly walking in the middle of a large intersection. With his cane tapping in front of him, he was making a wide, meandering circle in the road, bringing traffic to a stop from all four directions.]

December 8th: Took the kids to school, went to Mass (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), shoveled my walk, now writing and working up the nerve to hit the road to get some things done. Or, I may nap. Either/or.

December 6th: An unusually quiet and Hallmark-y morning, with Lisa sitting with the two oldest girls in the living room, teaching them to sew so they can make their own costumes from some old sheets they found. Oh, and 'Bama crushed Florida. What a nice weekend so far.

December 4th: On hold or voicemail, on hold or voicemail it's all I ever get. I know I'm not a phone person, so I'm just as guilty, but I do, when required, answer the phone AT MY JOB . . .

December 2nd: I bought Smiley a gumball from a quarter machine. He rejected it when I brought it home, pointing to his teeth and starting a fit. Ten minutes later I asked if we were cool. "na-uh," he said, patting his breast. "ooo bwoke my [h]eart". Jeez, what a momma's boy lol

November 23rd: I just took the garbage out and happend upon a possum in our backyard, the first I've ever seen. It looked at me as if to say "WTF dude?", then calmly walked beneath the trampoline. I've been wondering what's been crapping in our (fenced-in) yard. Now I know.
[I don't live in the country. I don't like sharing my backyard with a petting zoo. Ick.]

November 21st: F*! I forgot the baby shower for my best friends wife. I lost the invite but had assumed - there's that word - that it was closer to the due date. No way to get Lisa and Grace home to attend. My status as "Tre's Loser Friend" is assured. &*^@!

November 17th: As of an hour ago my Mom was out of surgery and doing well (knock on wood) [after spending several weeks in a nursing home to recoup, she's back home and back on track]

November 17th: Angel (one of our cats) knocked over a fishtank last night and ate YaYa's Beta. Tears this morning, mitigated by her respect for Angel's prowess. We'll have to buy another soon.
[Actually, while she did knock it over, I later found the Beta on the floor (deceased of course)]

Enough

 So sick of football....  - Lisa

Blessings Amid Recession

Here's the full text of my Oct 21st (2009) column "Blessings Amid Recession"

* * *

About a year ago, I was told I was being laid off. It was not entirely unexpected (in short order, almost all of the staff would be replaced). My employer wished me well and told me that, if I liked, I could finish the 20 minutes left in my shift. Shockingly, I refused this generous offer.

Within a few weeks, my car would begin to act its age, limiting my options to workplaces nearby or on bus routes. While I found work, it provided neither the hours nor the financial weight of Job Prior. As my job search continued, bills began to be paid in triage fashion, with the mortgage a priority and extras now . . . extras.

Gone were dance lessons for the kids, Brewers games and our plans to repair the roof and replace that troublesome car. As for that long-planned family vacation of 2010, well, that's been bumped to 2011. Knock on wood.

Welcome to the Great Recession.

We're not out of the woods yet - I'm still looking for better employment - and I'll cheer like mad when this lousy year is history. But here's the kicker:

It's not all misery and grief. The fact is, my wife says one of the most frustrating parts of this whole experience is that I still seem . . . happy.

Well, why not? After 14 years, my wife and I are still in love. I have four great kids, a house, two cars (one of which runs) and a valid library card. Give me a little jazz on the radio, and I'm good to go.

Don't confuse that with apathy. I miss being able to provide the extras for my family. I miss putting on a tie in the morning. I miss the feeling that I was contributing to the world in ways somewhat indicative of my intelligence and education. I miss, when all is said and done, having a dollar to spare at the end of the week.

But at this time last year, when I was making X dollars more a month, I thought I was broke. Every purchase and fee was an unfair burden, and life was ever so complicated and stressful.

The sad, silly little truth is I'd lost perspective, and just like in the movies, it took a disaster to make me see the light. Of course, in the movies, the disaster is only a hiccup, and by the end of the hour, the hero is back on his feet and better off than when he started.

Here's hoping I've got a little bit of Hollywood in my future.

I read your Christmas Day article.  Good job!  -Sandra G. 

The Zhu Zhu Pets are a Hit!

 zhu zhus were a huge hit...the kids have been playing together w/ them (nicely) for hours. Me? I'm exhausted! - Lisa

Cemetery Dance

Cemetery Dance is the first book I've read by the popular team of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, and it didn't disappoint.

A reporter for the New York Times is murdered in his own home by someone easily recognized by witnesses. The only trouble? The murderer died and was autopsied weeks ago.

Cue the arrival of FBI Special Agent Pendergast and Lieutenant Vincent D'Agosta, both of whom counted the reporter as a friend. It's soon discovered that a cult inhabiting the very far north of Manhattan is rumored to have created and unleashed zombies throughout its centuries of existence. As more victims appear, all apparently killed by people believed dead, the likelihood of a supernatural solution seems certain - or is it?

I liked the book quite a bit, and was impressed with the easy style and quirky storyline. I'm not as impressed with the Scooby-Doo like ending, and I found the frequent references to past events in the series a bit daunting for a first time reader, but those are small issues.

It won't be the last book I'll read by this duo.

3.1 out of 4