Attention:

Sunday's paper will include the names of the 2011 crop of Journal/Sentinel community columnists. I've been asked to stay on a 3rd year, which is great, but OTOH whoopdeedoo. I appreciate the platform, and the confidence the editors place in me, but been there/done that/would like to be paid more for it. Anywho, look for me in Sunday's Crossroads section.

 Dan's in the paper today, go buy a copy or check it out on jsonline....own a secret paper or publishing company? Give him a job already! :) Lisa

 The Journal moved up the date of publication to Thursday, so pick up a copy on the way to work. Of note, this warning from the editor: "Hi Dan, your column will run Thursday for sure. Don’t read the online comments unless you’re a masochist."

Uh, what's up Junie?

Tonight Junie spent 10 minutes balancing nuts on a balloon, then applying downward pressure with a plank of wood and shooting them, tiddly-winks style, into a bowl.

Sayeth Lisa: another example that our children do not play with toys, they are just weird.

Customers of Note

Customers of note: the old man who'd been at the Ice Bowl, w/ ticket stubs to prove it; the guy who spent the equivalent of my annual salary at Job Prior to buy a genuine Stevie Ray Vaughn guitar; a member of the Detroit Tigers' front office, with a World Series ring you couldn't miss.

Working on that column. Tonight's musical selection: Andres Sergovia, Mazzy Star, Styx, Cold War Kids, Oasis. Couldn't find the Judas Priest I was looking for earlier.

The Journal editor just wrote and asked me to do a column on the fiasco in Madison, citing my POV and my ability to not sound like a nut. I was going to say 'no', but mistakenly emailed a 'yes' reply I was seeking to scuttle. [Yes, really.]

Whoa Nelly, this is gonna bring some hate mail.

Robot Junie

 "MY AM A ROBOT!"

Quote

 Self Pity

I never saw a wild thing

sorry for itself.

A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough

without ever having felt sorry for itself.

- D. H. Lawrence

 Proof anything can inspire strong emotions: "My wife and I have a motto: If you don't love John Denver, then fuck you". - complete text of someone's post on YouTube.

Say what?

I've mentioned before how I quiz the kids about what artist is playing on the radio, in an effort to get them to pay attention and broaden their listening taste. Yesterday the radio was playing "Captain Jack". I asked YaYa who was singing. "Uh . . .Guns 'n Roses???" she said. Long silence. "That may be the only time in history," I said, "where Billy Joel was confused with Axel Rose"

Ma and Junie

 

The Mark of Zorro

 B4 work I sat down w/ the kids & watched Tyrone Power in "The Mark of Zorro", (these kids will appreciate movie history if it's the end of me). Since it features no talking dogs or singing teenagers, they wandered off 1 by 1. All, that is, except for LuLu, my doll. For her faithfulness she was treated to the greatest sword fight in movie history - Tyrone Power vs Basil Rathbone, a scene she even asked me to rewind.

 I downloaded a virus on my home computer. Working hard to fix it as we 'speak'.

What? I Thought You Could

 We just saw a makeup commercial where a woman transforms into a hot young version of herself. This disclaimer then appeared: "Dramatization. You can not grow younger." I kid you not

Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol

Last night I finally saw "Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol". Wonderful! It was a entertaining and well written twist on the Dicken's classic, and if I do say so the 'ghost of Christmas future' scene was clever and emotional. Steven Moffatt and Matt Smith are doing great things with this show.

FB - the week of Christmas 2010

Dec 21st

A sincere RIP to Barney Miller star Steve Landesburg. Dietrich was my favorite character on that great sitcom.

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.

Dec 23rd

‎'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?"

Dec 24th

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. - I don't remember the source

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.

Joey McIntyre and his wife are expecting their 3rd child. Congrats!

Lisa and I are watching "It's a Wonderful Life" on NBC. It remains my favorite movie ever. No contest - there's not a scene that doesn't make me smile and/or cry. Just seeing it on the screen makes this awful Christmas week nearly tolerable.

Christmas Day

A record crowd of Christian pilgrims is celebrating Christmas in Bethlehem. The Pope has also offered prayers urging courage for Catholics in China. My prayer's are with them too; Christians must remain strong in the face of the adversity this world presents against them.

Today, while walking 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?

Dec 26th

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 nt of 'Survivor: Vanuatu', 'Kitchen Nightmares', & Anne Francis in an episode of 'Honey West'. Hope u all had a great & peaceful Christmas.

Until the recent discs from Netflix, we've only seen two episodes of any Survivor (the Richard Hatch finale and this yrs result show). Now, we're hooked. I can't believe how insanely competitive I get, rooting for this contestant or tribe o...ver the other.

BTW - LOVED the abrupt about face that got the snooty but incredibly delictable Ami booted from Vanuatu. Great TV.See More

"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)

Dec 27th

Quote

 You're born an original. Don't die a copy." - John Mason

Play Practice

 Love it, and btw, Junie was singing the song in the car, she loves the play - Grandma Jeanne

 Lisa took Grace (or Grac.E as she now writes her name) to Justice to use up a gc from her aunt katie (thanks!). She found a lot of bargains, even buying something for LuLu. Nice mother/daughter time.

Monsters

I watched 'Monsters' tonight. Despite its moronic choice of title, it was grand. The story involves 2 people trying to cross the "Infected Zone" & reach the US - the Zone being an area of Mexico that has been overrun with ET's who arrived when a space probe broke up on entry. Yeah, yeah, I know - but it's GOOD, even moving at times. IIRC it won several film awards in the UK, and I think it was well deserved.

A quick word from your host

It's been awhile since I've posted here, and while no excuses are required, I'll mention that part of it was due to a lack of internet service. I could access Facebook on my phone, but venturing here? Nuh-uh.

Anyhow, today is the 16th anniversary of the day I met Lisa. Happy Anniversary babe.

A few random thoughts:

The Sentry (grocery) store on 51st and Oklahoma is shutting its doors after what's probably a fifty year run. I remember it largely for the bulk bags of dog food stacked by the windows; as a kid I would lounge on them while my Mom was in the checkout line. I also stopped there on my way back from a tour of Pius. Both memories are irrelevant, but when else am I going to mention them?

By the standards of its day I'm sure it was large, but in today's world it's not leaps and bounds larger than the produce section of its competitors. As a co-worker said, they can't compete with Aldi on the price of canned goods, nor with Pick 'n Save for produce, but their bakery and deli always did well. Failing to expand and stress those areas hastened their demise.

* * *

Yesterday, while the rest of the family was at dance class, LuLu and I watched the movie Secretariat. It was quite good, and well deserving of a rental.

Lisa and I have also just completed watching Season 8 of Project Runway. The winner, Gretchen Jones, is a good designer, but we both felt Mondo Guerra should have taken the gold.

* * *

"BabydollAngelCakesHoneyBunchesofOats" = my term of endearment for the girls. It comes out naturally, and as one word, all in a rush.

* * *

I'm annoyed by how the girls, especially YaYa, are stressing the last syllable of every word. "want" becomes "wanttttt". Have them say 'uh' and it comes out as eight syllables and takes half a minute to complete.

* * *

"No offense, " = another verbal tic of the girls. They use this phrase to inevitably launch into an offensive tirade about your faults.

* * * *
"Me a Robot. Me a Robot" - a phrase Ginger uses as she walks around with her arms out like a TV sleepwalker, a bucket or box on top of her head.

Happy Anniversary

16 years ago today I met Lisa for the first time. 2/22/95 will always rank as one of the pivotal days of my life, and she remains the best thing to ever happen to me. Happy Anniversary.

TJ

This evening's soundtrack: Edith Piaf, George Harrison, Amy Winehouse, Fleetwood Mac, Rihanna, David Bowie, Black Sabbath . . .