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!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Senator Thompson?
Ryan will not run for Herb Kohl's seat, but it looks like my man Tommy Thompson is game! Whoo hoo! Welcome back Tommy, I missed ya.
Easter 2011
This Easter was a little convoluted. I worked the whole weekend, Lisa and the two oldest girls spent Holy Saturday up North, and it was just generally chaotic. We even bumped our Easter dinner to Tuesday to accomodate our schedules! None-the-less, we had the Easter baskets full and ready to go come Easter Morn.
How Lisa pulls these off I'll never know. Every kid got a pair of sandals for the summer; the older two got fashion heavy pairs, while Younger Two got sandals that were more functional.
They also each got a pack of underwear, some clothing, a toy or treat (Smiley got a pack of Punky Brewster DVD's to share with the kids) and of course candy. The girls also got earrings, and YaYa got some suspenders too.
A few days later, when we held "Easter" dinner, Grandpa K dropped off some Easter baskets too. Here are a few of the gifts in use:
I hope your Easter was happy and meaningful.
~ Dan
How Lisa pulls these off I'll never know. Every kid got a pair of sandals for the summer; the older two got fashion heavy pairs, while Younger Two got sandals that were more functional.
They also each got a pack of underwear, some clothing, a toy or treat (Smiley got a pack of Punky Brewster DVD's to share with the kids) and of course candy. The girls also got earrings, and YaYa got some suspenders too.
A few days later, when we held "Easter" dinner, Grandpa K dropped off some Easter baskets too. Here are a few of the gifts in use:
I hope your Easter was happy and meaningful.
~ Dan
Monday, May 16, 2011
Given 10 min unsupervised, Junie decorated the vanity, sink, toilet, her clothing and her face with lipstick & eye shadow. We cleaned it up, yelled at LK, & then sat down. I still had an angry, PO'd look on my face. "Just drop the act, she's out of the room" Lis said. "You know you live for this sh-t." I LOL'd - she's right.
Before school LuLu and I went to the local high school in hopes of retrieving a necklace she'd left behind aftter a rec swim class over the weekend. I didn't think there was a chance in hell of it still being around, but lo and behold there it be. Storing it in a broken locker with a smashed, askew door probably helped her cause.
I Remember
20 years ago today (IIR the date right, and I usually do), I was confirmed in the Catholic Church. The retreat that preceded the ceremony was one of the turning points in my life. There was a clear, defined moment when I looked at who I was and who I wanted to be and realized the two were worlds apart. The last 2 decades would not be possible w/out that insight.
Nasty Weather, another Communion, and a TBR list
It was a nasty weekend here in Milwaukee. The weather was cold, the sky a consistent gray, the rain was incesstant, and the winds reached 30-35 mph. The cold was bad enough, as we had to dig out the winter jackets for the kids, the very same coats we just felt confident enough to pack away last week. The rain, eh, I can handle that. But that wind . . . yikes. I live 'near' the lake, and the wind in my backyard was considerably stronger than offically advertised, even ripping off a piece of siding near my back door.
What a morbidly bleak weekend.
There were some pluses. LuLu finished a large book report project, and we made some headway on the laundry. Big accomplishments, I know. We also attended the 1st Communion of Mary, one of LuLu's best friends.
* * * *
I want to take just a moment here to jot down a list of books to be read (or TBR as I call it). Yes, yes, I have dozens of books that await my eyes, but there have been some great choices at the bookstore lately, and I'm afraid they'll take precedence.
Henry Kissinger - On China
Lawrence Block - A drop of the Hard Stuff
John Sandford - Buried Prey
Rawhide Down: The Near Assasination of Ronald Reagan by Weiner? (misplaced authors name)
In the Garden of the Beasts by Erik Larson
There's also a book called "Think of a Number" (a mystery) that looks good, and I have to polish of Dubya's Decision Points.
What a morbidly bleak weekend.
There were some pluses. LuLu finished a large book report project, and we made some headway on the laundry. Big accomplishments, I know. We also attended the 1st Communion of Mary, one of LuLu's best friends.
* * * *
I want to take just a moment here to jot down a list of books to be read (or TBR as I call it). Yes, yes, I have dozens of books that await my eyes, but there have been some great choices at the bookstore lately, and I'm afraid they'll take precedence.
Henry Kissinger - On China
Lawrence Block - A drop of the Hard Stuff
John Sandford - Buried Prey
Rawhide Down: The Near Assasination of Ronald Reagan by Weiner? (misplaced authors name)
In the Garden of the Beasts by Erik Larson
There's also a book called "Think of a Number" (a mystery) that looks good, and I have to polish of Dubya's Decision Points.
My Favorite Things pt 2
I think that a few people thought an earlier spiel about my cell phone was a paid post, part of some obscure Internet marketing plan. No, sorry. I just love the phone. You'll see a few more posts of my 'favorite things' in the future. For today, I'm going to chose something low-tech, just to finish dispelling that notion.
This is a canvas book cover available at Barnes and Noble. Large enough to accomodate a Robert Jordan tome, but able to adapt to any convential size hardcover, this is truly one of my Favorite Things. I have one to accomodate mass market paperbacks, but it's this one that I adore.
It has a durable, textured canvas cover that resists stains, and a zipper that locks up the book safe and sound.
When I read a hardcover I remove the dust jacket for safe keeping and slide the book into the case. It includes an attached ribbon bookmark, if you like that sort of thing. Myself, I think bookmarks are a sign of mental weakness. ;)
The outside of the case features a zippered pocket. It's deceptively roomy. I keep my datebook, book light, coins, and misc junk in it.
And of course, it also has a handle along the spine.
I got the book cover from my Mom for my birthday in '09, and it certainly ranks as not only one of my Favorite Things, but one of the best gifts ever. I love it.
~ Dan
This is a canvas book cover available at Barnes and Noble. Large enough to accomodate a Robert Jordan tome, but able to adapt to any convential size hardcover, this is truly one of my Favorite Things. I have one to accomodate mass market paperbacks, but it's this one that I adore.
It has a durable, textured canvas cover that resists stains, and a zipper that locks up the book safe and sound.
When I read a hardcover I remove the dust jacket for safe keeping and slide the book into the case. It includes an attached ribbon bookmark, if you like that sort of thing. Myself, I think bookmarks are a sign of mental weakness. ;)
The outside of the case features a zippered pocket. It's deceptively roomy. I keep my datebook, book light, coins, and misc junk in it.
And of course, it also has a handle along the spine.
I got the book cover from my Mom for my birthday in '09, and it certainly ranks as not only one of my Favorite Things, but one of the best gifts ever. I love it.
~ Dan
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Sixkill by the late great Robert B Parker
"I know what I like and what I don't like, and what I'm willing to do and what I'm not, and I try to be guided by that"
Sixkill is the 39th and final Spenser novel by the late great Robert B Parker.
As some of you may know I named my only son after RBP. This book marked the proverbial 'end of an era', and caused tears to well up in my eyes when I held it in my hands on the day of its release.
Still, I wasn't expecting a lot from the novel. While Parker had had a recent return to form, many of his latter Spenser novels were cookie-cutter, mailed in efforts. The odds didn't favor a masterpiece in the making.
I was wrong. Sixkill ranks as my second favorite Spenser novel of all time, behind only Early Autumn.
Like Early Autumn, this book is about a young male in search of a path in life, a way of overcoming his past, discovering what it takes to be a man, and getting on with the business of living. In both books Spenser is the mentor, the 'fixed point in space' on which they may rely, but unlike Paul in EA, in Sixkill the titular character morphs into an heir apparent.
That's important. The Spenser novels have never been about plot or mystery, both of which are in constant short supply with RBP. No, they were therapy sessions for the author to hash out his own demons through the life of Spenser. The convoluted relationship with his significant other Susan, the homosexuality of characters (both RBP's sons are gay), the constant search for meaning and truth - THAT'S a Spenser novel.
If the series had to end unexpectedly, how better to end it than with a novel that allows us see even more of what makes Spenser tick by giving him a clone to tutor?
Best of all, the trademark Parker/Spenser wit, the ability to toss out just a dash of sparse prose and make it zing - it's all there. I laughed out loud a couple times, and even read a passage out loud to my wife.
It is a fitting coda to the Spenser series and I loved it.
RIP Robert B Parker. You will be missed.
Sixkill is the 39th and final Spenser novel by the late great Robert B Parker.
As some of you may know I named my only son after RBP. This book marked the proverbial 'end of an era', and caused tears to well up in my eyes when I held it in my hands on the day of its release.
Still, I wasn't expecting a lot from the novel. While Parker had had a recent return to form, many of his latter Spenser novels were cookie-cutter, mailed in efforts. The odds didn't favor a masterpiece in the making.
I was wrong. Sixkill ranks as my second favorite Spenser novel of all time, behind only Early Autumn.
Like Early Autumn, this book is about a young male in search of a path in life, a way of overcoming his past, discovering what it takes to be a man, and getting on with the business of living. In both books Spenser is the mentor, the 'fixed point in space' on which they may rely, but unlike Paul in EA, in Sixkill the titular character morphs into an heir apparent.
That's important. The Spenser novels have never been about plot or mystery, both of which are in constant short supply with RBP. No, they were therapy sessions for the author to hash out his own demons through the life of Spenser. The convoluted relationship with his significant other Susan, the homosexuality of characters (both RBP's sons are gay), the constant search for meaning and truth - THAT'S a Spenser novel.
If the series had to end unexpectedly, how better to end it than with a novel that allows us see even more of what makes Spenser tick by giving him a clone to tutor?
Best of all, the trademark Parker/Spenser wit, the ability to toss out just a dash of sparse prose and make it zing - it's all there. I laughed out loud a couple times, and even read a passage out loud to my wife.
It is a fitting coda to the Spenser series and I loved it.
RIP Robert B Parker. You will be missed.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Questionable Dining
An afternoon of compromise. W/ Lis & GC gone shopping, Netflix failed so I found a college gymnastics tourney for Lu to watch. We're starving, so I set out to make tuna casserole, but in the end found no soup, so we're eating noodles, peas, and tuna dry. Thankfully, Lu seems to love both. She's entranced by the gymnastics for sure.
Lu's Trip to the Fireside pt 2
The next morning we woke up and had breakfast. Well, Lisa and Lu did. They just brought some stuff back to the room for Sleepy Dad. While I got ready for the day Lisa took Lu swimming again, and then I packed up while the ladies freshened up.
Soon we were off to the Fireside.
The Fireside is justifiably well known for its extensive gift shops, and with cash left to burn LuLu spent quite some time browsing.
Here are two items I loved (but didn't buy). A birdhouse:
and a fancy music box that played LP sized discs
Soon it was time for lunch.
This is the adult menu for the show:
Signature Aloha Salad
Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Kiwi, Strawberries, Blueberries, Mandarin Oranges and Oriental Vegetables over Fresh Garden Greens, sprinkled with Sesame Croutons and glazed with our famous Papaya Chutney Dressing.
Freshly Baked Breads from The Fireside Ovens
Chicken Kona Kai
Skinless Breast of Chicken dipped in a special Egg Batter, rolled in Coconut Panko Bread Crumbs, sautéed to a golden brown and glazed with Brandied Apricot Sauce.
Served with Baked Yukon Gold Potatoes, Edamame Soybeans and Sweet Corn and a Plum Tomato stuffed with Creamed Spinach.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Garnished with ribbons of Caramel and presented on a Graham Cracker Crust.
Coffee, Tea and Milk
Lu's consisted of premium chicken tenders, mac 'n cheese, and corn. I also sprang for a big Shirley Temple for my girl
By the end of lunch LuLu was pooped, and with an hour before the show we retired to the van so she could rest. In the blink of an eye it was time to venture back in for the production of Annie.
The walls inside the theater were decorated in comic strip-esque panels
We took our aisle seats, which had an excellent view, and eagerly waited for the show to begin.
With a little time for horseing around.
Obviously, they don't allow photography during the show. I can tell you it was excellent, and the actress who played Annie was on the top of her game and did very well. I will say, however that our school's performance of "Hard Knock Life" had better choreography and energy. I kid you not.
Oh, and FDR's expansion of the federal government didn't end the Depression, nor was it an economic miracle as hinted at in the play. I just wanted to get that out there ;)
After a quick trip to Justice (a kids clothing shop at the mall) we were home, safe and sound.
And Lu's verdict on the trip?
"EXTREME fun!!!!"
Mission accomplished.
Soon we were off to the Fireside.
The Fireside is justifiably well known for its extensive gift shops, and with cash left to burn LuLu spent quite some time browsing.
Here are two items I loved (but didn't buy). A birdhouse:
and a fancy music box that played LP sized discs
Soon it was time for lunch.
This is the adult menu for the show:
Signature Aloha Salad
Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Kiwi, Strawberries, Blueberries, Mandarin Oranges and Oriental Vegetables over Fresh Garden Greens, sprinkled with Sesame Croutons and glazed with our famous Papaya Chutney Dressing.
Freshly Baked Breads from The Fireside Ovens
Chicken Kona Kai
Skinless Breast of Chicken dipped in a special Egg Batter, rolled in Coconut Panko Bread Crumbs, sautéed to a golden brown and glazed with Brandied Apricot Sauce.
Served with Baked Yukon Gold Potatoes, Edamame Soybeans and Sweet Corn and a Plum Tomato stuffed with Creamed Spinach.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Garnished with ribbons of Caramel and presented on a Graham Cracker Crust.
Coffee, Tea and Milk
Lu's consisted of premium chicken tenders, mac 'n cheese, and corn. I also sprang for a big Shirley Temple for my girl
By the end of lunch LuLu was pooped, and with an hour before the show we retired to the van so she could rest. In the blink of an eye it was time to venture back in for the production of Annie.
The walls inside the theater were decorated in comic strip-esque panels
We took our aisle seats, which had an excellent view, and eagerly waited for the show to begin.
With a little time for horseing around.
Obviously, they don't allow photography during the show. I can tell you it was excellent, and the actress who played Annie was on the top of her game and did very well. I will say, however that our school's performance of "Hard Knock Life" had better choreography and energy. I kid you not.
Oh, and FDR's expansion of the federal government didn't end the Depression, nor was it an economic miracle as hinted at in the play. I just wanted to get that out there ;)
After a quick trip to Justice (a kids clothing shop at the mall) we were home, safe and sound.
And Lu's verdict on the trip?
"EXTREME fun!!!!"
Mission accomplished.
An apology, and a short explanation
In six and a half years of writing Slapinions I have only one regret: that in the heat of a contentious American Idol season, this Bo Bice fan called Carrie Underwood a "no talent hack". I was wrong, and I apologize unequivocally.
Back to our regular programming . . .
Or not.
You may have noticed that Blogger, a Google company, went haywire over the last few days. In the end they temporarily wiped all blog entries posted after a certain date/time, to 'reset' the system and restore sanity. As promised, they brought the exorcised posts back, although in the case of this blog, not in the correct order. You'll notice a repeat of at least one post in the next few days. Sorry about that, it isn't my doing.
Which again begs the question of permanence. During Slapinions time on AOL I publicly argued for a print or save option; a year later AOL Journals went belly-up. Blogger has been much more dependable than AOL ever was, but if a Google company can glitch - yikes.
Fred, I'm putting this on you: if something (God forbid) was to ever happen to me, I'd ask that you get a printed/bound copy of this journal into Lisa's hands.
Back to our regular programming . . .
Or not.
You may have noticed that Blogger, a Google company, went haywire over the last few days. In the end they temporarily wiped all blog entries posted after a certain date/time, to 'reset' the system and restore sanity. As promised, they brought the exorcised posts back, although in the case of this blog, not in the correct order. You'll notice a repeat of at least one post in the next few days. Sorry about that, it isn't my doing.
Which again begs the question of permanence. During Slapinions time on AOL I publicly argued for a print or save option; a year later AOL Journals went belly-up. Blogger has been much more dependable than AOL ever was, but if a Google company can glitch - yikes.
Fred, I'm putting this on you: if something (God forbid) was to ever happen to me, I'd ask that you get a printed/bound copy of this journal into Lisa's hands.
Friday, May 13, 2011
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