Thor

Here's something I never thought I'd say in a review of 'Thor': it was dull. Yawn-y, "hit fast forward on the remote" dull. Plus Natalie Portman looked oddly . . . drained, like life has just plain used her up.  I was really looking forward to this flick too, and even hustled it up my Netflix queue. What a shame.  C-.

Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037

Brrr, what a cold evening. Welcome to fall.  We just finished watching "Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037", a documentary about the year long construction of a Steinway piano. It's a good doc, but had lots of room for improvement. I've yet to see a documentary w/out narration that doesn't sacrifice something of both its storytelling and educational value. C+/B-

Spidey Facts

You know what? I liked the damn Clone saga. Bring back Ben Reilly!

The Last time this happened . . .

the last time a friend of ours took her baby daddy 2 court, he put a dead bird in her car. Today Lis took her again and her support (for 3 kids) was raised to 600/month. Quote the friend: if I'm found dead tomorrow, u know who did it.

Dance Class Resumes

@ Smiley and Junie's 1st dance class of the yr, and naturally both misplaced their ballet shoes so I look like a putz. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. On the + side i just looked @ last yrs dance pics & lk looks sooo much taller, leaner and more mature than she did a yr ago.

Kids will do that...they love to make you feel like a Putz- - Grandma J

Dick Tracy

Smiley is home watching (and enjoying) the 1961 Dick Tracy cartoons. Thank you Netflix!

Quote

When the music changes, so does the dance

Jackie O

I greatly enjoyed ABC's 2 hour Jackie Kennedy special, and I wish I could afford the $60 price tag that comes with the book it promoted. I wish they hadn't spent a single second rationalizing her opinions; they were her opinions at that moment in time and big wup if they come off as bitchy 48 yrs later. It's not like MLK is going to hold a press conference and object. 

I will say tho' that her "signature, breathy" voice is irritating in quantity. When you close your eyes, it sounds like a bad drag queen.

it should have died with RBP!!!!

Oh heck no! BLASPHEMY!!

The Minnesota Fire

Old news to anyone in Milwaukee, but all afternoon/evening the city has been covered in a haze and reeking of smoke, courtesy of a wildfire in Minnesota - 300 miles away.

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These are pictures of how a bilco door was constructed at a friends house. I'm just saving them for ideas about ours. 

News from Afghanistan

CNN is reporting the US Embassy in Afghanistan is "under siege" by the Taliban . . .

This is probably inconsequential in the long run, except that the press will seize on it as a Tet moment and start pushing for a quicker withdrawal, when of course it should generate the opposite approach. 

History Repeats

I kicked off the NFL season by continuing a grand tradition: the Sad Sack Slapjacks got their butts handed to them 134.08 to 75.42 in fantasy football. 134 points is a monster game (my opponent's D earned 33 points alone) so a loss was all but inevitable, but I didn't help  by starting a WR benched for injury and going with Bradford over Cutler. Ugh.

Just back from an interview in IL, about 60 min from here. Yes, it's a long ride everyday and yes, I would take the job if it was offered.

Facts

While the White House might think the War on Terror is winding down, the *77* US troops wounded today in Afghanistan might disagree.

Tomorrow my 9/11 column will be published in the Journal-Sentinel. Please pick up a copy if you can.

Ouch

Me: (as I put on Voltron via Netflix) "This was my favorite show from when I was a kid" 

Smiley: "So it in black & white, cuz it super old?"

[It's not in B&W, he just assumed it would be.]

In My Time by Dick Cheney

Yesterday I finished Dick Cheney's autobiography "In My Time". It's no shock that I hold the man in high regard, and I'm grateful that a man of his character and strength was there to guide us through the last decade. Politics aside tho', it was a very well written political bio, solidly constructed and entertaining. Well done.

Second Son

Lee Child's short story "Second Son" is the tale of a teenage Jack Reacher, circa 1974, as his family relocates to a Marine base on Okinawa. Unlike Stephen King's recent short, *this* one features both a plot and some fine writing. It certainly left me hungry for the upcoming Reacher novel, which meant it done did it's job and did it well.

A Moving Tribute

KISS FM played a moving 9/11 tribute this morning, mixing actual audio of the day from flight controllers, Bush, news reports, and calls from the Towers. I teared up in the car but of course the kids seemed oblivious to its impact and just argued among themselves. Afterwards I called KISS and spoke to Wes McCain, and thanked them for making the effort.

The Burrowers

Last night I watched "The Burrowers", a movie set in the 1870's. White homesteaders are attacked and their women kidnapped. A posse sets out to recover them from the Indians, only to discover some . . . *thing* else took them. Think "The Searchers" blended with "Alien". I liked it, but way too little time was given to the creepy crawly aspect. It was 85% western, 15% horror. I grade it a B/B-

Entertainment (coupon) Books

If anyone wants an Entertainment book, the kids have some for sale. Let me know.

The Start of the NFL Season

i couldn't find the remote for the big screen so I'm forced to watch the game on the kids tv in the hallway. Ugh.

update: Booyah baby! 42-34, w/ the Packer's D putting up a wall @ the one w/ 3 seconds on the clock. Whew!

It was a good game - Grandma J

Mile 81

Yesterday I finished reading Stephen King's new ebook "Mile 81". My verdict? Turdalicous. If it had any other writer's name on the cover, it would never have made it past an agent's desk, much less into print. Aside from the lack of a story (!) King tries hard to make a character sound like a young kid, which to Stevie means mixing vulgarities, brand names he swiped off the nearest TV ad, and slang from three different decades. For your own sake, skip it.

Got a call back about a job I applied for and the voice mail  directed me to the company website  - which then asked for my credit card # to pay for the privilege of  filling out a screening questionnaire/IQ test. But don't worry; if I get the job I'm promised the $ back! Yeah, uh, I'll pass, thanks.