A) My left knee is killing me. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to sit on my a** for four months then abruptly bike 2+ miles B) I'ts the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. RIP Union soldiers. C) I'm in the paper today. Pick up a copy

The Civil War - 150 Years Later

150 years ago, at this very moment (4:30 AM EST) Confederate troops in South Carolina opened fire on Fort Sumter, starting the American Civil War. By the time hostilities ended four year later 1,030,000 Americans had become casualties (3 % of the population), a number that included more than 600,000 dead.

Whatever bookstore or library you visit will have its fair share of books about the war, as it continues to resonate with Americans across the centuries. I still favor the works of Bruce Catton, a lyrical historian that brought you into the hearts and minds of the men involved. Pick up any of his work and you won't be disappointed.

To the Americans who died in that war, and especially to those who died in the cause of Freedom and Union - RIP. Your sacrifice is appreciated.

LuLu and I take our first bike ride together!!

Tonight Olivia and I hit the road for our 1st ever bike trip together. We went up to Howard Ave & back (about 2 miles), w/ a few added detours through the park, around the block etc. Tip: if you need to clean rust off your bike, take a ball of wet aluminum foil to it. Not only will it remove the rust, it doesn't scratch the paint.

Smiley loses his first tooth! :(

Smiley just lost his first tooth! Seems so recent that I was sitting in his nursery rocking with him - Lisa

Reviews

I just finished reading Felix Gilman's "The Half-Made World". It is a beautiful, lyrical novel that will never get its due because its part of the 'steampunk' genre. But know this: rarely did three pages go by before I was again awed by his ability to capture a moment or a thought with the perfect, economical use of words. Easily the best written book I've read this year.

Over the last few days we also watched I Like Killing Flies, a documentary about Shopsins, a hole-in-the wall restaurant that's been in business for more than 30 years. It's very interesting, in large part because of the conflict between the intelligence of the owner and the angry, dirty

way he chooses to run his business.

The Infidel is a comedy, sometimes wrongly labeled a documentary, about a Muslim man who learns a) he was adopted and b) he was born Jewish. It's very funny and sweet, and while the tail end drags into kumbaya territory, it was a fun film to watch. Session 9 was a movie I was prepared to write off as a schlocky, B movie horror flick, albeit blessed with a semi-impressive cast. Not so. I'm not saying it was a masterpiece, or even a 'good' movie by convential standards, but it held its own and there was a unique twist in the plot. At times, quite impressive.

A beautiful warm day, a fresh column off to the paper, a short day of work ahead of me, and then a day off w/out any (known) obligations Monday. Sounds good to me.

 "Unless you're ashamed of yourself now and then, you're not honest." - William Faulkner

 off of work and straight to doc w/ Junie for an earache/drainage

 “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” - Edmund Burke

Burlesque

 We just finished watching Christina Aguliera in "Burlesque". I'm not sure why the reviews I read last year were bad. Sure, the plot was predictable, but what, you rented it expecting The French Connection? The music was good, the women were attractive, and the romance was sweet. I liked it.