Blog post
Every now and then I look back at this thing and wish I still blogged.
Friday, May 08, 2015
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Shameless self promotion
Is it wrong to post to an unused blog just for the purposes of self promotion? Did I mention that Zoey and I won the Discovery Dash?
Friday, December 16, 2011
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Friday, August 08, 2008
New Post
Look how time flies. Just checking to see if the old blog still works. Busy week coming up. Lot's of work related stuff, and the birth of our second child (a still as of yet unnamed boy). One way or another the little guy will make an appearance on or before Tuesday Morning. I will post pics.
Look how time flies. Just checking to see if the old blog still works. Busy week coming up. Lot's of work related stuff, and the birth of our second child (a still as of yet unnamed boy). One way or another the little guy will make an appearance on or before Tuesday Morning. I will post pics.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Birthday
Father's Day was also Zoey's first birthday. She didn't really understand the concept, but seemed to like all of the wrapping paper and frosting that were involved. Here's a pic. More here.
Father's Day was also Zoey's first birthday. She didn't really understand the concept, but seemed to like all of the wrapping paper and frosting that were involved. Here's a pic. More here.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Cold Diet Coke
Is there an airport on this planet that sells a cold Diet Coke? I was travelling last week from Dulles to O'Hare and then to Frankfurt and then through London on the way back to Dulles, so I think the answer is probably no. Why even bother with those open air coolers? Those never work; they're always luke warm, even the ones in the very back. Oh sure, I could get the fountain drinks with ice, but that's not really the same. Too much discretion with the syrup mix, it's totally unrealiable. And the airports in Europe don't even sell regular Diet Coke, it's that Splenda version that's so sweet I can't even drink half of one of them. I could drink a 6 pack a day of the Aspertame sweetened version. So it's good to be home.
Is there an airport on this planet that sells a cold Diet Coke? I was travelling last week from Dulles to O'Hare and then to Frankfurt and then through London on the way back to Dulles, so I think the answer is probably no. Why even bother with those open air coolers? Those never work; they're always luke warm, even the ones in the very back. Oh sure, I could get the fountain drinks with ice, but that's not really the same. Too much discretion with the syrup mix, it's totally unrealiable. And the airports in Europe don't even sell regular Diet Coke, it's that Splenda version that's so sweet I can't even drink half of one of them. I could drink a 6 pack a day of the Aspertame sweetened version. So it's good to be home.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
I liked that guy
I've watched more of this season of American Idol than I should admit publicly, but I was a bit disappointed that they sent the chubby guy, Chris Sligh, home tonight. I guess America wasn't with me on that one either. Admittedly, he flubbed "Every little thing she does is magic", which is one of my favorite songs. It makes you realize how good the Police, and Sting were back in the day. For American Idol, if you can't sing the song better than the original artist, why even bother? It just makes the audience wish they were listening to the record.
I've watched more of this season of American Idol than I should admit publicly, but I was a bit disappointed that they sent the chubby guy, Chris Sligh, home tonight. I guess America wasn't with me on that one either. Admittedly, he flubbed "Every little thing she does is magic", which is one of my favorite songs. It makes you realize how good the Police, and Sting were back in the day. For American Idol, if you can't sing the song better than the original artist, why even bother? It just makes the audience wish they were listening to the record.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Changes
Sorry for ignoring the old blog, but I've has some changes recently. I was staying home with the baby for the past six months, but last month I went back to the old kind of work. The kind where I essentially count money and various other things for a company that I don't own. I started a new job last month at a company near here that makes plastics, or some kind of stuff...I'm still trying to figure it out. They buy stuff, turn it into something else and they sell it for a profit. A typical business model.
I'm actually going to Germany this weekend to visit one of the other plants, which will be my first trip over the pond. In my 37 and half years I haven't made that trip, not for lack of interest, but more related to a dislike of long trips and and plenty of other locations that are closer that I'd rather visit. I'm looking forward to being there, but not getting there. The 8 hour flight is more time in the air than I am used to, and I can't upgrade because I have to fly Delta. Oh well.
Here is a cute pic:
Sorry for ignoring the old blog, but I've has some changes recently. I was staying home with the baby for the past six months, but last month I went back to the old kind of work. The kind where I essentially count money and various other things for a company that I don't own. I started a new job last month at a company near here that makes plastics, or some kind of stuff...I'm still trying to figure it out. They buy stuff, turn it into something else and they sell it for a profit. A typical business model.
I'm actually going to Germany this weekend to visit one of the other plants, which will be my first trip over the pond. In my 37 and half years I haven't made that trip, not for lack of interest, but more related to a dislike of long trips and and plenty of other locations that are closer that I'd rather visit. I'm looking forward to being there, but not getting there. The 8 hour flight is more time in the air than I am used to, and I can't upgrade because I have to fly Delta. Oh well.
Here is a cute pic:
Sunday, February 04, 2007
XLI
Things got off to a great start thanks to Devin Hester, but it just wasn't meant to be. By the middle of the second quarter, I started to have a bad feeling about this. The Colts offense was on the field too much and the Bears defense wasn't really stopping them. It's easy to blame Rex Grossman, and believe me I do, but it wasn't all his doing. First of all, what coach would build a team around a quarterback named Rex Grossman. But anyway, there's plenty of blame to go around.
Again, like I mentioned earlier, since I haven't emotionally invested much in this team, this loss, while unfortunate, disappointing and slightly infuriating, doesn't mean much to me in the vast scheme of things. I lost a bet and have to cook a new menu dinner for my wife, who bet on the Colts. That's about it. But I think back to Super Bowl XX and how important that was to me. If the 1985 Bears had lost, I can't imagine how disappointed I would have been. My life would have been totally different. I probably would have dropped out of school and turned to a life of crime. Who knows where I would be now? Thank you Walter Payton, Jim McMahon, Mike Singletary, Mike Ditka and the rest of the 1985 Bears for making me who I am today.
Things got off to a great start thanks to Devin Hester, but it just wasn't meant to be. By the middle of the second quarter, I started to have a bad feeling about this. The Colts offense was on the field too much and the Bears defense wasn't really stopping them. It's easy to blame Rex Grossman, and believe me I do, but it wasn't all his doing. First of all, what coach would build a team around a quarterback named Rex Grossman. But anyway, there's plenty of blame to go around.
Again, like I mentioned earlier, since I haven't emotionally invested much in this team, this loss, while unfortunate, disappointing and slightly infuriating, doesn't mean much to me in the vast scheme of things. I lost a bet and have to cook a new menu dinner for my wife, who bet on the Colts. That's about it. But I think back to Super Bowl XX and how important that was to me. If the 1985 Bears had lost, I can't imagine how disappointed I would have been. My life would have been totally different. I probably would have dropped out of school and turned to a life of crime. Who knows where I would be now? Thank you Walter Payton, Jim McMahon, Mike Singletary, Mike Ditka and the rest of the 1985 Bears for making me who I am today.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Boston Police
According to this article the authorities in Boston are still pretty upset about wasting every one's time yesterday. I got a kick out of this line from the article:
Sounds intriguing.
According to this article the authorities in Boston are still pretty upset about wasting every one's time yesterday. I got a kick out of this line from the article:
"Officials have vowed to hold responsible Turner Broadcasting Inc., the parent company of the Cartoon Network, which airs the series about a talking milkshake, a box of fries and a meatball."
Sounds intriguing.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Bears
So are these Bears for real? Living outside of Chicago, it's hard to get a sense of the real scoop on these guys. I remember the excitement surrounding the 1985 Bears like it was yesterday. I can still name the starting line up of that team by position, but now that I get to see maybe 2 or 3 games a season on TV, I don't know this team at all. I've always had my doubts about Rex Grossman with that goofy wet behind the ears face of his. He's no Jim McMahon...or is he?
Since Jordan left the Bulls, I try not to get too emotionally invested into any team from my hometown. Oh sure you have White Sox last year, but I'm a Cub fan. I'm used to disappointment. But I'm starting to feel that maybe this might happen. Go Bears!
So are these Bears for real? Living outside of Chicago, it's hard to get a sense of the real scoop on these guys. I remember the excitement surrounding the 1985 Bears like it was yesterday. I can still name the starting line up of that team by position, but now that I get to see maybe 2 or 3 games a season on TV, I don't know this team at all. I've always had my doubts about Rex Grossman with that goofy wet behind the ears face of his. He's no Jim McMahon...or is he?
Since Jordan left the Bulls, I try not to get too emotionally invested into any team from my hometown. Oh sure you have White Sox last year, but I'm a Cub fan. I'm used to disappointment. But I'm starting to feel that maybe this might happen. Go Bears!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Cute Pic
I see you can finally post pics directly from your hard drive using blogger without having to link to them from some other source. That's nice. Here's a cute pic of the little one at bath time.
I see you can finally post pics directly from your hard drive using blogger without having to link to them from some other source. That's nice. Here's a cute pic of the little one at bath time.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Ford
Gerald Ford was the first president that I voted for. As I recall in a mock election in my first grade class, Ford beat Carter by a 16 to 1 margin, and this was in the heavily Democratic south suburbs of Chicago. I suppose it wasn't a very representative sample.
Great guy though, or so it seems. I went to grad school at U of M, and they had some old photos of him as a football player in the student union that were pretty cool. Too bad he couldn't figure out a way too keep us from 4 years of Jimmy Carter, but I suppose we get the government we deserve.
Gerald Ford was the first president that I voted for. As I recall in a mock election in my first grade class, Ford beat Carter by a 16 to 1 margin, and this was in the heavily Democratic south suburbs of Chicago. I suppose it wasn't a very representative sample.
Great guy though, or so it seems. I went to grad school at U of M, and they had some old photos of him as a football player in the student union that were pretty cool. Too bad he couldn't figure out a way too keep us from 4 years of Jimmy Carter, but I suppose we get the government we deserve.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Local Celebs
I was just out walking on Charlottesville's downtown mall with the baby this afternoon and I saw another local celebrity, John Grisham. You'd think after 6 years I'd finally see the guy, and yeah well, today was the day. He must have come from some book signing, which he occasionally does at some of the bookstores on the mall. He had nice shoes and looked older than I thought, but it was him. I was tempted to say "Hey man, I loved The Firm", but instead of wowing him with that insightful comment, I just said "hi" and walked on by.
I was just out walking on Charlottesville's downtown mall with the baby this afternoon and I saw another local celebrity, John Grisham. You'd think after 6 years I'd finally see the guy, and yeah well, today was the day. He must have come from some book signing, which he occasionally does at some of the bookstores on the mall. He had nice shoes and looked older than I thought, but it was him. I was tempted to say "Hey man, I loved The Firm", but instead of wowing him with that insightful comment, I just said "hi" and walked on by.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Rematch
Personally, I'd like to see that Michigan - Ohio State game played again on neutral turf in early January. I think the result would be different. It's great to see these Big Ten teams playing like this, and to see the Florida football factory schools losing. Like Miami losing to Virginia yesterday...and Virginia is awful this year.
Personally, I'd like to see that Michigan - Ohio State game played again on neutral turf in early January. I think the result would be different. It's great to see these Big Ten teams playing like this, and to see the Florida football factory schools losing. Like Miami losing to Virginia yesterday...and Virginia is awful this year.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Election Results
Last night was about what I expected and I'm happy to see that Jim Webb looks like he might take George Allen's seat. I don't claim to know a thing about Jim Webb, except that he looks like he might be hitting the sauce a little too frequently. That's OK though. I've seen George Allen's mug now for a dozen years and I've gotten tired of his schtick. Time to give someone else a chance.
Last night was about what I expected and I'm happy to see that Jim Webb looks like he might take George Allen's seat. I don't claim to know a thing about Jim Webb, except that he looks like he might be hitting the sauce a little too frequently. That's OK though. I've seen George Allen's mug now for a dozen years and I've gotten tired of his schtick. Time to give someone else a chance.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Friday, October 20, 2006
Bugs
Wednesday the sun was out and I spent the afternoon fighting off an invasion of ladybugs. I guess this time of year they go looking for a warm place to stay for the winter, and they use the last sunny days of the fall to invade the homes of regular people like me.
These aren't the nice pretty red ladybugs that everyone likes. The red ones are the kind that land on you in the summer, and you might smile and call someone over and proudly say, "look a ladybug is on me." These are the nasty orange kind, the Asian Lady Beetle, that bite, smell and leave a yellow residue if you mess with them. Once inside, they spread out from where they entered and then bunch up in groups in the corners by the ceiling. I've vacuumed up hundreds of these monsters over the past few days, and I don't feel a thing for them. In the spring, the bastards that survived will get the itching to leave, and will get the same treatment.
Wednesday the sun was out and I spent the afternoon fighting off an invasion of ladybugs. I guess this time of year they go looking for a warm place to stay for the winter, and they use the last sunny days of the fall to invade the homes of regular people like me.
These aren't the nice pretty red ladybugs that everyone likes. The red ones are the kind that land on you in the summer, and you might smile and call someone over and proudly say, "look a ladybug is on me." These are the nasty orange kind, the Asian Lady Beetle, that bite, smell and leave a yellow residue if you mess with them. Once inside, they spread out from where they entered and then bunch up in groups in the corners by the ceiling. I've vacuumed up hundreds of these monsters over the past few days, and I don't feel a thing for them. In the spring, the bastards that survived will get the itching to leave, and will get the same treatment.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Jinx
Thanks ESPN. You do a big monday night pre-game on how great the Bears are, bring out Da Coach and now they're down 14-0 to Arizona in the First Quarter. Plenty of time left, but still...
Update: 20-0 at halftime so I went to bed. My bad. Bears 24-23!
Thanks ESPN. You do a big monday night pre-game on how great the Bears are, bring out Da Coach and now they're down 14-0 to Arizona in the First Quarter. Plenty of time left, but still...
Update: 20-0 at halftime so I went to bed. My bad. Bears 24-23!
Friday, October 13, 2006
Garbage Detective
A faint smell of garbage kept hitting my nose late yesterday on the couch. I suppose it's time to take out the garbage. Problem solved? No. Hmm, run the garbage disposal maybe? Nope. Alright look under the couch: no. Look under coffee table: no. Remove all couch cushions: no. Is it the cushions themselves? Have they been supersaturated in spip-up and are finally rotting? They don't smell great, but that ain't it either. Crap.
Oddly the smell is pretty localized to one part of the couch. Hmm, and right behind that spot is my backpack, which, ugh, now I remember, has the remnants of a Potbelly sub that I bought at Dulles and didn't finish on the airplane last week. Whew, major house cleaning avoided for another day.
A faint smell of garbage kept hitting my nose late yesterday on the couch. I suppose it's time to take out the garbage. Problem solved? No. Hmm, run the garbage disposal maybe? Nope. Alright look under the couch: no. Look under coffee table: no. Remove all couch cushions: no. Is it the cushions themselves? Have they been supersaturated in spip-up and are finally rotting? They don't smell great, but that ain't it either. Crap.
Oddly the smell is pretty localized to one part of the couch. Hmm, and right behind that spot is my backpack, which, ugh, now I remember, has the remnants of a Potbelly sub that I bought at Dulles and didn't finish on the airplane last week. Whew, major house cleaning avoided for another day.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Fame
So if you were watching the Today Show on Saturday at about 8:45 you might have seen Zoey and me. My parents saw us. I didn't get there early enough to be in the front for one of those crowd interviews, so I was just another one of those idiots in the crowd waving. I actually met Lester Holt right when I got there. He was coming out for a segment and I had the baby in the baby bjorn and he asked me her name. I was kind of hoping that these television folks would be shorter in person, but he was taller than I thought he would be. I figured him for a 6'0" kind of guy, but he's more like 6'2".
So if you were watching the Today Show on Saturday at about 8:45 you might have seen Zoey and me. My parents saw us. I didn't get there early enough to be in the front for one of those crowd interviews, so I was just another one of those idiots in the crowd waving. I actually met Lester Holt right when I got there. He was coming out for a segment and I had the baby in the baby bjorn and he asked me her name. I was kind of hoping that these television folks would be shorter in person, but he was taller than I thought he would be. I figured him for a 6'0" kind of guy, but he's more like 6'2".
Friday, September 29, 2006
New York City
I'm hanging out in New York City today with the wife and little one. We are staying at the Marriott on the east side which is only about half a mile from 30 Rockefeller center, so I went over to the Today show with the intention of trying to get the baby on TV. However, the place was mobbed because Janet Jackson was playing, so I saw a little bit of her and headed back. Maybe I'll try it tomorrow with the weekend crowd.
I'm hanging out in New York City today with the wife and little one. We are staying at the Marriott on the east side which is only about half a mile from 30 Rockefeller center, so I went over to the Today show with the intention of trying to get the baby on TV. However, the place was mobbed because Janet Jackson was playing, so I saw a little bit of her and headed back. Maybe I'll try it tomorrow with the weekend crowd.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Commercials
I just saw that Liberty Mutual commercial again and thought, you know maybe I should switch all of my insurance to them. Well not really, but jees, every time I see that I well up like schoolgirl. It's this one, where people are going about their day and they see somebody help out someone else and kind of pass it along. It's a nice idea, and the song is really what does it, which, I've learned is called "Half Acre" by Hem.
Also, I stll laugh at that commercial for Chicken Fries at BK. This is the one where there is some race pit guy whose job is to pass the chicken fries to the driver at pit stops, and they go into the history of passing chicken to the driver. Originally, the would just use big pole and they would stick a whole chicken on it, which would then be passed to the driver. And then they show an example of this in the commercial, but the chicken never makes it through, it just stays stuck on the pole. It's brilliant.
I just saw that Liberty Mutual commercial again and thought, you know maybe I should switch all of my insurance to them. Well not really, but jees, every time I see that I well up like schoolgirl. It's this one, where people are going about their day and they see somebody help out someone else and kind of pass it along. It's a nice idea, and the song is really what does it, which, I've learned is called "Half Acre" by Hem.
Also, I stll laugh at that commercial for Chicken Fries at BK. This is the one where there is some race pit guy whose job is to pass the chicken fries to the driver at pit stops, and they go into the history of passing chicken to the driver. Originally, the would just use big pole and they would stick a whole chicken on it, which would then be passed to the driver. And then they show an example of this in the commercial, but the chicken never makes it through, it just stays stuck on the pole. It's brilliant.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Path to 9/11
I watched most of the controversial Path to 9/11. True or not, I thought it was pretty good but for this, as noticed by Tim Cavanaugh:
It is a nice effect, but really not for every scene. The only still shots were where the subjects were so far away that the jiggle effect would make them unrecognizable.
I watched most of the controversial Path to 9/11. True or not, I thought it was pretty good but for this, as noticed by Tim Cavanaugh:
However, having checked out a few minutes of last night's episode, I do have one plangent cry from the mouth of madness: Please, God, please, let the era of the shakycam come to an end! What sinister plot, what hatred of the west, what terrorist conspiracy is it that subjects the world's greatest democracy to the stomach-churning effects of artsyfartsy handheld camerawork day after day, movie after movie?
It is a nice effect, but really not for every scene. The only still shots were where the subjects were so far away that the jiggle effect would make them unrecognizable.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Captive Audience
I've been playing a lot of guitar and getting the calluses back on my fingertips now that I have a captive audience back at home to listen. I probably need to update my repertoire to be more age appropriate, but I can do a rendition of "Interstate Love Song" and "Under the Bridge" in a laid-back, almost lullaby that even the brightest 11-week old kid could appreciate. Especially when her only musical experience comes from her bouncy seat and her water activity gym. It's fun for me, and she seems to like it at first and then falls asleep, so that's a win-win.
I've been playing a lot of guitar and getting the calluses back on my fingertips now that I have a captive audience back at home to listen. I probably need to update my repertoire to be more age appropriate, but I can do a rendition of "Interstate Love Song" and "Under the Bridge" in a laid-back, almost lullaby that even the brightest 11-week old kid could appreciate. Especially when her only musical experience comes from her bouncy seat and her water activity gym. It's fun for me, and she seems to like it at first and then falls asleep, so that's a win-win.
