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!
Friday, September 30, 2011
The New Piggly Wiggly
just toured the invitation only open house for the new bay view Piggly Wiggly. Quite impressive, and i hope they give Pick n Save a run for their money
I Think We're Alone Now
After seeing it on Matt K's FB page, Lisa & I streamed "I Think We're Alone Now", a doc that follows 2 people obsessed w/ pop singer Tiffany. One is a hermaphrodite w/ a brain injury who believes Tiffany appeared to her during her coma. The other is an autistic man who has stalked her since her heyday. Both believe Tiffany is their 'friend' & soulmate. It's a depressing film, full of sadness & pain, & despite their obsession and the danger it conceivably poses your heart goes out to them. Available to stream via Netflix.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wild Card Baseball
"Nobody can ever claim again with a straight face that the wild card has taken all the excitement out of baseball. Incredible barely begins to describe last night."- comment on BaseballThinkFactory.org
A Political Quote
"When there is a gap between one's real and one's declared aims, one turns, as it were instinctively, to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish squirting out ink." -- George Orwell, "Politics and the English language". Just something to keep in mind when listening to our Prez.
The First Day of School 2011
This year the big day arrived on August 29th. YaYa is now in 5th grade, LuLu in 3rd, Smiley in 1st (and officially in uniform attire!) and precious Ginger is in K4.
At 7:12 a.m. I posted the following on Facebook: "In a before school weigh/measure here at home, Smiley came in at 3# later than he did at the start of summer, and gained an INCH in height. He is now 55# and 48 1/2" tall."
The morning itself went pretty smoothly. In an effort to reign in the chaos of previous years we'd had the kids get their clothes ready the night before and require them to get dressed before heading downstairs. The theory - which so far as held up - is that when they know they can't get bathroom time, check the comp or watch a morning cartoon until they're dressed, they'll come down lickety split and ready to go. So far, three weeks in, so good.
Soon it was time for the mandatory 1st day of school shots!
I then drove them to school and walked Ginger to her spot on the playground. She was very nervous, twirling her hair rapidly as we walked. She went to school last year at a local montessori school, but this was her first day joining the rest of the family at this campus, and her first ever full day of school. Oh boy.
As was required I walked her in with the rest of her class, but this wasn't my first rodeo. I knew she'd be ok, so after a quick goodbye and "good luck" I left her to aquatint herself with the rest of her classmates. A month in, she continues to love school and sincerely adores her teacher Mrs. DiM-.
Here's to another safe and successful school year!
At 7:12 a.m. I posted the following on Facebook: "In a before school weigh/measure here at home, Smiley came in at 3# later than he did at the start of summer, and gained an INCH in height. He is now 55# and 48 1/2" tall."
The morning itself went pretty smoothly. In an effort to reign in the chaos of previous years we'd had the kids get their clothes ready the night before and require them to get dressed before heading downstairs. The theory - which so far as held up - is that when they know they can't get bathroom time, check the comp or watch a morning cartoon until they're dressed, they'll come down lickety split and ready to go. So far, three weeks in, so good.
Soon it was time for the mandatory 1st day of school shots!
I then drove them to school and walked Ginger to her spot on the playground. She was very nervous, twirling her hair rapidly as we walked. She went to school last year at a local montessori school, but this was her first day joining the rest of the family at this campus, and her first ever full day of school. Oh boy.
As was required I walked her in with the rest of her class, but this wasn't my first rodeo. I knew she'd be ok, so after a quick goodbye and "good luck" I left her to aquatint herself with the rest of her classmates. A month in, she continues to love school and sincerely adores her teacher Mrs. DiM-.
Here's to another safe and successful school year!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
LuLu's Stitches
There's a running tradition among my children: they must, before reaching maturity, acquire stitches above their eye.
For the 3 year old YaYa it was a fall on my Mother's steps on Easter Sunday. For Smiley it was an accidental dog bite at a neighbor's BBQ when he was ~4. This August 26th, LuLu assumed her place with a trampoline accident in our backyard.
She'd come inside to ask me if she could go to a softball game with a friend. I agreed and she left, but unbeknownst to me she took a few minutes to play on the trampoline with her friend before she left. That's a big no-no, in no small part because no one but my kids are allowed on the trampoline without parental approval.
Cut ahead a few minutes in the film and LuLu runs up to me crying, with blood streaming down her face. She'd gotten a gash above her right eye after accidentally headbutting her friend.
In what I felt was a great Daddy moment, I kept cool and calm, and talked her out of her panic. Alas, it did need stitches. She wanted the whole family along for support, and gathered up not only her own White Bear but YaYa's Brown Bear.
A two bear trip - you know she was upset.
Here are the Facebook updates from that night:
6:32 PM "@ St Francis ER w/ the family. LuLu got hurt playing w/ a friend and got a decent slash above her right eye."
6:44 PM "the admission's lady mistakenly gave Lu the ID band of a lovely 92 yr old, and vice versa. The woman tripped on a new couch and cut her mouth. She is a very lively, friendly woman who looks 10 yrs younger."
6:58PM "Some nut is screaming and banging his head on the wall in the ER. Security is responding. Long wait, screaming nuts - it reminds me of riding the bus"
7:07 PM "playing rock/paper/scissors to pass the time"
We also watched Shark Tank and Smiley found a green Power Ranger action figure in the waiting room. He turned it in to the Lost and Found but a nurse sterilized it and gave it to him to pass the time. Score!
(he's not happy that she's hurt; at this point he was over-tired and goofy)
In the end, after all that fuss, I still wasn't 'there' for her when she got the stitches, as I walked her siblings out to stretch their legs right before the doc decided to get it over with. Figures.
Anyhow, the stitches are out, the scar is barely recognizable as one, and all is well. More importantly, a tradition has been continued! (j/k)
For the 3 year old YaYa it was a fall on my Mother's steps on Easter Sunday. For Smiley it was an accidental dog bite at a neighbor's BBQ when he was ~4. This August 26th, LuLu assumed her place with a trampoline accident in our backyard.
She'd come inside to ask me if she could go to a softball game with a friend. I agreed and she left, but unbeknownst to me she took a few minutes to play on the trampoline with her friend before she left. That's a big no-no, in no small part because no one but my kids are allowed on the trampoline without parental approval.
Cut ahead a few minutes in the film and LuLu runs up to me crying, with blood streaming down her face. She'd gotten a gash above her right eye after accidentally headbutting her friend.
In what I felt was a great Daddy moment, I kept cool and calm, and talked her out of her panic. Alas, it did need stitches. She wanted the whole family along for support, and gathered up not only her own White Bear but YaYa's Brown Bear.
A two bear trip - you know she was upset.
Here are the Facebook updates from that night:
6:32 PM "@ St Francis ER w/ the family. LuLu got hurt playing w/ a friend and got a decent slash above her right eye."
6:44 PM "the admission's lady mistakenly gave Lu the ID band of a lovely 92 yr old, and vice versa. The woman tripped on a new couch and cut her mouth. She is a very lively, friendly woman who looks 10 yrs younger."
6:58PM "Some nut is screaming and banging his head on the wall in the ER. Security is responding. Long wait, screaming nuts - it reminds me of riding the bus"
7:07 PM "playing rock/paper/scissors to pass the time"
We also watched Shark Tank and Smiley found a green Power Ranger action figure in the waiting room. He turned it in to the Lost and Found but a nurse sterilized it and gave it to him to pass the time. Score!
(he's not happy that she's hurt; at this point he was over-tired and goofy)
In the end, after all that fuss, I still wasn't 'there' for her when she got the stitches, as I walked her siblings out to stretch their legs right before the doc decided to get it over with. Figures.
Anyhow, the stitches are out, the scar is barely recognizable as one, and all is well. More importantly, a tradition has been continued! (j/k)
X-Factor
Drew, the 14 yr old who aced Beiber's ''Baby" on X-Factor, pretty much made the hour. and Simon was right on w/ his 'dead on arrival' spiel. The female judges had nothing but spite for female contestants.
Nevermind and School Pictures
Listening to the 'Boombox Rehearsals' from Nevermind's 20th anniversary deluxe edition. Simultaneously pre-ordering my kids' school pictures online. The two seem so incongruous. 20 years ago, listening to this for the 1st x, could I have pictured myself with 4 rugrats? Well, yeah. Who am I kidding? I always knew I'd have kids, provided I found a woman foolish enough to repeatedly have them with me. BTW, track 38, the rehearsal take of "On a Plain" made me break into a wide grin. I love that song.
Today in Baseball
So Jose Reyes bunts in his first at bat, then takes a seat rather than risk his lead in the race for the NL batting title. Not exactly the Ted Williams ethic there, eh, Jose? With that move, Braun now needs 3 hits tonight to take the title.
Damnit. Cardinals won and Atlanta fell in extra innings. LaRussa's in the playoffs and we face the Diamondbacks on Saturday. Ugh. I wanted a post-season free of Boston and St. Louis fans. I can still get the former, since my Yanks - just to spite Boston, no doubt - let Tampa rally. That decisive game is now in the 12th inning.
Whoo-hoo! The Red Sox choked in the 9th and lost to Baltimore, and Tampa rallied to win 8-7 which means Tampa takes the Wild Card! Congrats Boston, that month long choke - capped off by yet *another* Boston choke - makes the '69 Cubs look like studs. Enjoy your postseason from your living room you second class wannabee Yanks.
Quote
"Very often education is geared to what it calls extending the frontiers of truth, and sometimes this ideal is prized and used to excuse men from acting on old truths already discovered. The discovery of the size of a distant star creates no moral obligation; but the old truths about the nature and destiny of man can be a reproach to the way one lives." Archbishop Fulton Sheen
A Target Ad
Have you seen those commercials that follow a little girl's academic path? She's shown to be crazy for science & chemistry, is elected high school class president, wins on Jeopardy, graduates from college babbling medical-speak - and winds up as a pharmacist at Target.
I know Target's trying to say "we've got the best and brightest" but to me it screams "Recession. Couldn't afford med school, so I got a job where I could. Sorry Ma."
Geez, how depressing. Absolutely nothing against that profession - I'd be proud to have a kid take it up - but the emphasis on the commercial is on the girl's excellence and it certainly implies she was destined for the stars. I haven't seen that much wasted potential since I looked in the mirror this morning.
LOL
Jack Donaghy was having problems getting Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) to perform on camera so he asked another actress for advice. She told him to "lie to her, coddle her, protect her from the real world." Jack's response? "I get it! I'll treat her like the New York Times treats its readers"
30 Rock Quote
Kenneth: Oh no Sir, I don't vote Republican or Democrat. Choosing is a sin, so I always just write in the Lord's name.
Jack: That's Republican. We count those.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Quote
"When Mitt Romney & Ted Kennedy are celebrating the same piece of legislation, it means only one thing: one of us didn't read it," - Ted Kennedy
Cedar Rapids and Transformers 2
Tues we watched 'Cedar Rapids' a comedy about an insurance agent from a small town in WI who lets it rip at an industry convention in Iowa. It was funny, believable, and low key considering it had a few raunchy moments. We liked it.
Today we watched 'Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen'. I thought it was a fair to good popcorn flick. But then, just when I decided I liked it, my internal plot-maker said "we should be entering the 3rd act about now" . . . and we still had an hour & 8 min too go. Too long, too loose of a plot, and all the Transformers looked alike during their brawls. C.
Our September Trip to Cool Waters
On September 4th (Labor Day Weekend) we took the kids to Cool Waters, a local county owned water park, to celebrate the end of summer. The air that day was cool, and it was hardly a day that screamed 'water sports'. But it was the 2nd to last day of the season for the park, the water is heated, it was last day for the free coupons we had, and most importantly, one of the rare times Lisa could convince me to accompany the kids near a crazy large body of water.
The air temp actually worked towards our advantage, as we had the park all but to ourselves the whole day. I kid you not.
Here's a few of the FB posts I made from my phone that day:
Smiley is tall enough for the adult slides! And he loves them!
my family accounts for 6 of the FIFTEEN patrons in the entire water park right now [THIS WAS NOT AN EXAGGERATION!]
Although the air was chilly the water was warm, and w/ the park nearly empty my water-anxiety w/ the kids was nil. It was a great trip (my 1st there) courtesy of passes the kids earned from the library's summer reading program.
I went down the tube slide with all the kids individually (well, not Ginger. She was too small) and I made a big production of screaming like a ninny on the way down each time. Lisa said she could literally hear me across the deserted park!
This next bit *isn't* a sign we feed Ginger too much - it's an inflatable preserver built into her swimsuit.
The lifeguards that day were soooo bored, but I relished the opportunity to have 2 or 3 lifeguards for every kid in the water :) And as I said to one of them, "You might be bored, but I feel like a celebrity that just bought out the park".
For the most part, when I wasn't on a slide with the older kids, I just took turns with Lisa watching Ginger in the kiddie area. It was a very relaxing time.
What a great time we had!
The air temp actually worked towards our advantage, as we had the park all but to ourselves the whole day. I kid you not.
Here's a few of the FB posts I made from my phone that day:
Smiley is tall enough for the adult slides! And he loves them!
my family accounts for 6 of the FIFTEEN patrons in the entire water park right now [THIS WAS NOT AN EXAGGERATION!]
Although the air was chilly the water was warm, and w/ the park nearly empty my water-anxiety w/ the kids was nil. It was a great trip (my 1st there) courtesy of passes the kids earned from the library's summer reading program.
I went down the tube slide with all the kids individually (well, not Ginger. She was too small) and I made a big production of screaming like a ninny on the way down each time. Lisa said she could literally hear me across the deserted park!
This next bit *isn't* a sign we feed Ginger too much - it's an inflatable preserver built into her swimsuit.
The lifeguards that day were soooo bored, but I relished the opportunity to have 2 or 3 lifeguards for every kid in the water :) And as I said to one of them, "You might be bored, but I feel like a celebrity that just bought out the park".
For the most part, when I wasn't on a slide with the older kids, I just took turns with Lisa watching Ginger in the kiddie area. It was a very relaxing time.
What a great time we had!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Reefer Madness
watching 'Reefer Madness'. 30 seconds in it's already full of hooey. This'll be a hoot!
Contagion
Lisa & I just finished watching 'Contagion' (bootleg DVD - I didn't download or buy it, I just bummed it off a friend, so my conscience is no more than murky at best). Anyhow, it was a good film and worth seeing, but overall pretty monotonous and dry. Lisa seconded my opinion. C+/B-
Facebook: Sept 1st - 17th
Saturday Sept 17th
seriously considering calling into wrk for only the 3rd x since 1998. Dental problems, tired, and generally blah. I wish my hrs hadn't changed 2day - I'd b nearing the end of my day, not the start.
[I didn't call in]
I'm must be getting depressed. I've slept most of the day and am dreading the clopen [close, then open the next morning] ahead of me @ wrk . . .
Scientists have found (dinosaur?) feathers in 80 million year old amber
Why the Millenium Falcon? Why not? I wish I owned that bucket of bolts.
Sept 16th
A - You aren't following Alec Baldwin on Twitter? Why the heck not? B - There are few things worse than seeing your precious big screen TV subjected to "The View". Damn you Lisa. C - What's with all the moans & gasps & body noises in anime? Watching it is like listening to a deaf guy take a dump in the stall next to you. Must be some Japanese fetish. D - That host from Bravo has great chemistry w/ Kelly Ripa. He should be on the list to replace Regis.
""In the Beginning, there was nothing, which exploded."
--Terry Pratchett on the current scientific understanding of Creation"
I really enjoyed the two episodes of the Japanese cartoon 'To' available via Netflix streaming. It's a blend of crisp computer animation, adult story lines, and inventive sci-fi. Check it out.
Sept 15th
"supper was homemade Applebee's fiesta lime chicken, smashed potatoes and brussell sprouts, all scorned by the kids, natch. Then it was on to Smiley's 1st Pack meeting, where we Tigers improvised a skit about a treasure hunting turtle who can't get a gold coin off the ocean floor cuz its glued on, so he uses some 'magic markers' to create a shovel to do the job. Lotta fun."
just finished watching the series finale of Hannah Montana. It was quite good if u scrap the last 30 seconds of the episode. [I took a lot of playful heat from my male friends about this one, but oh well - the show was important to my kids for years. I wanted to see how it turned out]
Sept 14th
"@ smiley and ginger'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."
"smiley at home watching (and enjoying) the 1961 Dick Tracy cartoons. Thank you Netflix!"
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.
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 . . . used up. I was really looking forward to this flick too, and even hustled it up my Netflix queue. What a shame. C-."
Two Mexican bloggers who wrote about the local drug trade were mutilated and disemboweled, then hung from a bridge as a warning to others. Welcome to Mexico, the Somalia of North America. The hell with a fence, time for a new Hadrian's wall.
"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-"
"When the music changes, so does the dance"
"Ten years until manned trials, 20 years until we actually go somewhere. FM. If 15th century Spain had been run like our space program, Columbus would have made his second voyage right about . . . now."
Sept 13th
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. When you close your eyes, it sounds like a bad drag queen.
Solyndra = the administration's 1st 'real' scandal?
"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."
"CNN is reporting the US Embassy in Afghanistan is "under siege" by the Taliban . . ."
"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."
Monday, Sept 12th
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.
Sunday Sept 11th
"watching abc's coverage of the 911 services in NY w/ the kids. YaYa tearing up, as am I, Smiley starting to grasp the enormity of it. Never forget, never forgive."
Saturday Sept 10th
"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."
(as I put on Voltron via Netflix) "This was my favorite show from when I was a kid" Smiley: "So it [is going to be]in black & white, cuz it super old?"
"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."
Sept 9th
Carlos H says: Don't make fun of a fat guy with a lisp. He's probably thick and tired of it.
"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-"
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.
Sept 8th
"i couldnt find the remote for the big screen so I'm forced to watch the game on the kids tv in the hallway. Ugh."
Booyah baby! 42-34, w/ the Packer's D putting up a wall @ the one w/ 3 seconds on the clock. Whew! [this was the NFL season opener vs New Orleans, a matchup of the last two SuperBowl winners]
Sept 6th
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.
"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."
Sept 5th
hanging w/ the kids in the backyard b4 heading to work
Some of the yield from our garden
"I've finished watching "Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars", the mini-series that concluded the series. I thought it was so-so; on par with an average Farscape episode, but also riddled with cheap plot devices and deus ex machina 'outs'. And in case no one paid attention, the end completely justifies every machination, torture, and death that Scorpious committed over the run of the series."
Sept 3rd
I just finished watching "Centurion", a British movie about the unknown fate of the 9th Roman Legion, which disappeared from all records in the mid-2nd century. The film uses the belief that the Legion was destroyed in warfare w/ the Picts to set up a chase involving a few Roman survivors eager to return to their own lines. The film had mixed to negative reviews, but I liked it.
Sept 2nd
"Before work today we watched "HH Holmes, America's 1st Serial Killer", a documentary about the subject of the book "Devil in the White City". It was nothing I hadn't heard b4, but it was interesting all the same."
"Ah, to spend 7-4 at work and go home to find not one but FIVE rejection letters from jobs. At least one was actual snail-mail, so I had a glimmer of hope for a second."
Sept 1st
"My children's fave songs as of the end of August a) the '80's-ish "Denim" jingle from the Target back to school ads 2) "Pumped up Kicks" by Foster the People. 3) Lovesick by Emily Osment (which is actually quite catchy) and 4) "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars (which Lauren calls "the monkey song" after seeing a Youtube cover of it)"
strawberry stuffed french toast for dinner
The kids hated the stuffed french toast, but tough - it was yummy and we're gonna have it again.
seriously considering calling into wrk for only the 3rd x since 1998. Dental problems, tired, and generally blah. I wish my hrs hadn't changed 2day - I'd b nearing the end of my day, not the start.
[I didn't call in]
I'm must be getting depressed. I've slept most of the day and am dreading the clopen [close, then open the next morning] ahead of me @ wrk . . .
Scientists have found (dinosaur?) feathers in 80 million year old amber
Why the Millenium Falcon? Why not? I wish I owned that bucket of bolts.
Sept 16th
A - You aren't following Alec Baldwin on Twitter? Why the heck not? B - There are few things worse than seeing your precious big screen TV subjected to "The View". Damn you Lisa. C - What's with all the moans & gasps & body noises in anime? Watching it is like listening to a deaf guy take a dump in the stall next to you. Must be some Japanese fetish. D - That host from Bravo has great chemistry w/ Kelly Ripa. He should be on the list to replace Regis.
""In the Beginning, there was nothing, which exploded."
--Terry Pratchett on the current scientific understanding of Creation"
I really enjoyed the two episodes of the Japanese cartoon 'To' available via Netflix streaming. It's a blend of crisp computer animation, adult story lines, and inventive sci-fi. Check it out.
Sept 15th
"supper was homemade Applebee's fiesta lime chicken, smashed potatoes and brussell sprouts, all scorned by the kids, natch. Then it was on to Smiley's 1st Pack meeting, where we Tigers improvised a skit about a treasure hunting turtle who can't get a gold coin off the ocean floor cuz its glued on, so he uses some 'magic markers' to create a shovel to do the job. Lotta fun."
just finished watching the series finale of Hannah Montana. It was quite good if u scrap the last 30 seconds of the episode. [I took a lot of playful heat from my male friends about this one, but oh well - the show was important to my kids for years. I wanted to see how it turned out]
Sept 14th
"@ smiley and ginger'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."
"smiley at home watching (and enjoying) the 1961 Dick Tracy cartoons. Thank you Netflix!"
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.
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 . . . used up. I was really looking forward to this flick too, and even hustled it up my Netflix queue. What a shame. C-."
Two Mexican bloggers who wrote about the local drug trade were mutilated and disemboweled, then hung from a bridge as a warning to others. Welcome to Mexico, the Somalia of North America. The hell with a fence, time for a new Hadrian's wall.
"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-"
"When the music changes, so does the dance"
"Ten years until manned trials, 20 years until we actually go somewhere. FM. If 15th century Spain had been run like our space program, Columbus would have made his second voyage right about . . . now."
Sept 13th
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. When you close your eyes, it sounds like a bad drag queen.
Solyndra = the administration's 1st 'real' scandal?
"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."
"CNN is reporting the US Embassy in Afghanistan is "under siege" by the Taliban . . ."
"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."
Monday, Sept 12th
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.
Sunday Sept 11th
"watching abc's coverage of the 911 services in NY w/ the kids. YaYa tearing up, as am I, Smiley starting to grasp the enormity of it. Never forget, never forgive."
Saturday Sept 10th
"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."
(as I put on Voltron via Netflix) "This was my favorite show from when I was a kid" Smiley: "So it [is going to be]in black & white, cuz it super old?"
"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."
Sept 9th
Carlos H says: Don't make fun of a fat guy with a lisp. He's probably thick and tired of it.
"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-"
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.
Sept 8th
"i couldnt find the remote for the big screen so I'm forced to watch the game on the kids tv in the hallway. Ugh."
Booyah baby! 42-34, w/ the Packer's D putting up a wall @ the one w/ 3 seconds on the clock. Whew! [this was the NFL season opener vs New Orleans, a matchup of the last two SuperBowl winners]
Sept 6th
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.
"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."
Sept 5th
hanging w/ the kids in the backyard b4 heading to work
Some of the yield from our garden
"I've finished watching "Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars", the mini-series that concluded the series. I thought it was so-so; on par with an average Farscape episode, but also riddled with cheap plot devices and deus ex machina 'outs'. And in case no one paid attention, the end completely justifies every machination, torture, and death that Scorpious committed over the run of the series."
Sept 3rd
I just finished watching "Centurion", a British movie about the unknown fate of the 9th Roman Legion, which disappeared from all records in the mid-2nd century. The film uses the belief that the Legion was destroyed in warfare w/ the Picts to set up a chase involving a few Roman survivors eager to return to their own lines. The film had mixed to negative reviews, but I liked it.
Sept 2nd
"Before work today we watched "HH Holmes, America's 1st Serial Killer", a documentary about the subject of the book "Devil in the White City". It was nothing I hadn't heard b4, but it was interesting all the same."
"Ah, to spend 7-4 at work and go home to find not one but FIVE rejection letters from jobs. At least one was actual snail-mail, so I had a glimmer of hope for a second."
Sept 1st
"My children's fave songs as of the end of August a) the '80's-ish "Denim" jingle from the Target back to school ads 2) "Pumped up Kicks" by Foster the People. 3) Lovesick by Emily Osment (which is actually quite catchy) and 4) "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars (which Lauren calls "the monkey song" after seeing a Youtube cover of it)"
strawberry stuffed french toast for dinner
The kids hated the stuffed french toast, but tough - it was yummy and we're gonna have it again.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
My Day
I had my annual review at work today, and later in the evening intercepted a thief and recovered a bagful of property. Yay me. Of more interest to me, while my opponent still has two players on the field Monday night, I lead my fantasy matchup 115.55 to 55.80.
On Romney
I'm reading Romney's book, and I just don't get many of these "Obama Lite"/weak principles accusations that I hear flying around all over the net. The man skewers Obama on foreign policy and clearly lays out a solid economic plan. He is a politician and unlikely to yak on air just to feed the press, but that doesn't make him weak. So far he has my vote.
I don't think his MA plan was a failure. There were problems, and things that should have been done differently, but that's different from flunking out. He just can't say that and still woo the base, which is ridiculous. What a state wishes to do, God bless. It's different than a invasive federal plan.
FB September 18th thru 24th
Saturday Sept 24th
20 years ago today Nirvana released Nevermind, and w/in a few months my friend Atta would introduce me to Nirvana, PJ, and more. I can't believe it's been 20 yrs. Thanks Kurt & Co for a great 2 decades.
watching StarBlazers on Netflix, an old anime about resurrecting the battleship Yamamoto as a space ship standing btwn Earth & doom. I own the old Comico comic books, but was never a huge fan . . . and now I remember why. It's Robotech minus the writing.
Friday b4 work I had a 40 min phone interview w/ another job that would require relocation. Did it go well? I can never tell. Maybe she kept me yakking because she's a sadist. An oddity: she devoted some ?'s to my writing (it's a job that has nothing to do with the arts in any way) & expressed concern I would jump ship when - not if - my writing 'took off'. A) Yes. Yes I would. B) Where did that come from? I didn't bring it up, & it's about as likely a problem as me landing on the moon tomorrow.
Adoring FB's new Timeline feature. I really think it's a blessing, so long as folks will spend 5 minutes getting the hang of it. Of course, it could go all to hell when it's rolled out. We'll see.
This was the Dow's worst week since October 2008, dropping 6.4% for the week. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
Obama is allowing states to scrap academic standards set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act because many schools are in danger of falling short of those standards. So rather than fix the problem, he'd rather eliminate the acknowledgement of the problems. What a do nothing/stand for nothing President.
Friday Sept 23rd
LuLu has never been much of a reader but has recently taken an interest in it. When coupled with a week of low esteem following an innocent remark Lisa made at Isiah's birthday party (saying Smiley was the nicest of the kids), I figured it was time for a little reward. I bought her a Betty & Veronica comic digest, an old favorite of my sister. She'd never heard of them before (!) but tore through it. I was so glad.
I signed in as a Facebook developer and enabled the new Timeline feature. I'm sure they'll be some horrific breach of privacy involved w/ it down the road, but at first glance the dang thing is wickedly awesome.
Let me summarize Nic Cage's 'Season of the Witch': anti-Christian to a vile degree, full of ret-conned history and belief, and Cage does an English accent ala Costner. F.
CERN is alleging that they have recorded subatomic particles traveling faster than the speed of light. Whoa. If true, this could shake up everything, and prove Einstein wrong . . . .
September 22nd
Yesterday I finished reading Christopher Buehlman's debut novel "Those Across the River"
It's a gothic horror story set in rural Georgia in the 1930's. It is WONDERFUL, a dark decent into terror tempered by Buehlman's smooth, poetic language. I enthusiastically recommend this book.
The word 'convenient' is the most inconvenient word for me to spell in the whole dang language. I just wrestled with it for two minutes trying to reply to a job, spelling it so 'off' spellcheck couldn't offer any advice. Geesh!
Milwaukee native Grace Weber is promoting her first national CD on TV this morning.
Clara Tung, the missing 11 yr old Greendale girl police were searching for, has been found unharmed.
Wed September 21st
Congrats to my Yanks for clinching a playoff spot for the 16th time in 17 seasons - as if there was ever any doubt :)
Reading 'Day of Fire', a chapter in Dubya's autobiography. I got the chills when he described his trip to NYC after the attacks.
After 31 years together, REM announced today they are "calling it a day" and disbanding. R(etire)IP guys.
watching the premiere of The X Factor
55 min to get from Bay View to Brookfield for dance class. Yikes.
grouchy & under the weather. I went to bed early but woke up 90 min later feeling like crud. Now debating benefits of netflix vs going back to bed. I'll let u know who wins ;)
Tuesday Sept 20th
Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball
35 bodies were found on a single Mexican street. Again - Mexico has devolved into the Somalia of North America.
RIP Dolores Hope (widow of Bob), age 102.
Very bitter that this bloated DWTS special has pre-empted Wipeout. I didn't work all day to be scorned in primetime ABC. I am not amused.
Monday Sept 19th
I just finished warching Ashton Kutcher's debut on Two and a Half Men. I enjoyed it and found myself smiling/LOL several times. Maybe the show has some fuel left in the tank after all.
Digging the hot brunette on '2 Broke Girls'. The show's not bad either.
Congrats to Mariano Rivera on save #602, setting the all-time record and absolutely cementing his status as THE BEST EVER. Dang I love my Yanks!
Floyd Mayweather KO's Victor Ortiz for WBC title. Bam!
Sunday Sept 18th
After a lousy night of work I rented 'SuckerPunch'. It was visually exquisite. But it was also intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and artistically sterile. It was little more than a glorified video game trailer, and a fetishists rape fantasy played out under the guise of female 'empowerment'. EPIC FAIL. (wicked soundtrack tho')
Yet another reason to love Dubya. [news of a longtime feud between Bush and Perry] I'm not sold on Perry. Not by a long shot.
Spent part of the morning watching "Robotech" with Smiley, now off to a bday party, followed by football, a volleyball game for YaYa, more football, job hunting, and prob ten other things to consume this rainy day off.
@ YaYa's volleyball game.
A long day, but overall a good one. The bday party went much better than I expected, YaYa's team won their first game, after a tight contest I surged ahead to score a fantasy W at the close of SNF tonight, and Lisa's got a list of job openings highlighted and ready for my attention. Oh, and we had bacon and eggs for dinner. Can't go wrong with that.
20 years ago today Nirvana released Nevermind, and w/in a few months my friend Atta would introduce me to Nirvana, PJ, and more. I can't believe it's been 20 yrs. Thanks Kurt & Co for a great 2 decades.
watching StarBlazers on Netflix, an old anime about resurrecting the battleship Yamamoto as a space ship standing btwn Earth & doom. I own the old Comico comic books, but was never a huge fan . . . and now I remember why. It's Robotech minus the writing.
Friday b4 work I had a 40 min phone interview w/ another job that would require relocation. Did it go well? I can never tell. Maybe she kept me yakking because she's a sadist. An oddity: she devoted some ?'s to my writing (it's a job that has nothing to do with the arts in any way) & expressed concern I would jump ship when - not if - my writing 'took off'. A) Yes. Yes I would. B) Where did that come from? I didn't bring it up, & it's about as likely a problem as me landing on the moon tomorrow.
Adoring FB's new Timeline feature. I really think it's a blessing, so long as folks will spend 5 minutes getting the hang of it. Of course, it could go all to hell when it's rolled out. We'll see.
This was the Dow's worst week since October 2008, dropping 6.4% for the week. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
Obama is allowing states to scrap academic standards set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act because many schools are in danger of falling short of those standards. So rather than fix the problem, he'd rather eliminate the acknowledgement of the problems. What a do nothing/stand for nothing President.
Friday Sept 23rd
LuLu has never been much of a reader but has recently taken an interest in it. When coupled with a week of low esteem following an innocent remark Lisa made at Isiah's birthday party (saying Smiley was the nicest of the kids), I figured it was time for a little reward. I bought her a Betty & Veronica comic digest, an old favorite of my sister. She'd never heard of them before (!) but tore through it. I was so glad.
I signed in as a Facebook developer and enabled the new Timeline feature. I'm sure they'll be some horrific breach of privacy involved w/ it down the road, but at first glance the dang thing is wickedly awesome.
Let me summarize Nic Cage's 'Season of the Witch': anti-Christian to a vile degree, full of ret-conned history and belief, and Cage does an English accent ala Costner. F.
CERN is alleging that they have recorded subatomic particles traveling faster than the speed of light. Whoa. If true, this could shake up everything, and prove Einstein wrong . . . .
September 22nd
Yesterday I finished reading Christopher Buehlman's debut novel "Those Across the River"
It's a gothic horror story set in rural Georgia in the 1930's. It is WONDERFUL, a dark decent into terror tempered by Buehlman's smooth, poetic language. I enthusiastically recommend this book.
The word 'convenient' is the most inconvenient word for me to spell in the whole dang language. I just wrestled with it for two minutes trying to reply to a job, spelling it so 'off' spellcheck couldn't offer any advice. Geesh!
Milwaukee native Grace Weber is promoting her first national CD on TV this morning.
Clara Tung, the missing 11 yr old Greendale girl police were searching for, has been found unharmed.
Wed September 21st
Congrats to my Yanks for clinching a playoff spot for the 16th time in 17 seasons - as if there was ever any doubt :)
Reading 'Day of Fire', a chapter in Dubya's autobiography. I got the chills when he described his trip to NYC after the attacks.
After 31 years together, REM announced today they are "calling it a day" and disbanding. R(etire)IP guys.
watching the premiere of The X Factor
55 min to get from Bay View to Brookfield for dance class. Yikes.
grouchy & under the weather. I went to bed early but woke up 90 min later feeling like crud. Now debating benefits of netflix vs going back to bed. I'll let u know who wins ;)
Tuesday Sept 20th
Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball
35 bodies were found on a single Mexican street. Again - Mexico has devolved into the Somalia of North America.
RIP Dolores Hope (widow of Bob), age 102.
Very bitter that this bloated DWTS special has pre-empted Wipeout. I didn't work all day to be scorned in primetime ABC. I am not amused.
Monday Sept 19th
I just finished warching Ashton Kutcher's debut on Two and a Half Men. I enjoyed it and found myself smiling/LOL several times. Maybe the show has some fuel left in the tank after all.
Digging the hot brunette on '2 Broke Girls'. The show's not bad either.
Congrats to Mariano Rivera on save #602, setting the all-time record and absolutely cementing his status as THE BEST EVER. Dang I love my Yanks!
Floyd Mayweather KO's Victor Ortiz for WBC title. Bam!
Sunday Sept 18th
After a lousy night of work I rented 'SuckerPunch'. It was visually exquisite. But it was also intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and artistically sterile. It was little more than a glorified video game trailer, and a fetishists rape fantasy played out under the guise of female 'empowerment'. EPIC FAIL. (wicked soundtrack tho')
Yet another reason to love Dubya. [news of a longtime feud between Bush and Perry] I'm not sold on Perry. Not by a long shot.
Spent part of the morning watching "Robotech" with Smiley, now off to a bday party, followed by football, a volleyball game for YaYa, more football, job hunting, and prob ten other things to consume this rainy day off.
@ YaYa's volleyball game.
A long day, but overall a good one. The bday party went much better than I expected, YaYa's team won their first game, after a tight contest I surged ahead to score a fantasy W at the close of SNF tonight, and Lisa's got a list of job openings highlighted and ready for my attention. Oh, and we had bacon and eggs for dinner. Can't go wrong with that.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)