I don't think we'll be singing any of these in church any time soon.
Mood: Amused
Music: Aerosmith: "Sweet Emotion"
2005-12-31
2005-12-30
2005-12-29
Puzzling
This article shows why history and archeology are considered social sciences.
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Bill Haley and the Comets: "Rock Around the Clock"
Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Bill Haley and the Comets: "Rock Around the Clock"
2005-12-27
2005-12-26
Bittersweet
It's been a bittersweet holiday season so far. Maryanne and I have been looking forward to the birth of our first child, a daughter, which should be arriving in the middle of January. The entire family is very excited, as are many of our friends. While I was apprehensive at first, the reality has settled in, and I'm finding myself feeling excited at times, as well.
However, on Friday, December 23, we found out that my paternal grandmother had passed away. The timing was very unfortunate. Not only did it put a blemish on the holiday season, but Maryanne will be unable to attend the funeral services. She's too close to her due date to travel that far. She feels very sad that she won't be able to attend.
Mood: Melancholy
Music: Blind Faith: "Can't Find My Way Home"
However, on Friday, December 23, we found out that my paternal grandmother had passed away. The timing was very unfortunate. Not only did it put a blemish on the holiday season, but Maryanne will be unable to attend the funeral services. She's too close to her due date to travel that far. She feels very sad that she won't be able to attend.
Mood: Melancholy
Music: Blind Faith: "Can't Find My Way Home"
2005-12-25
On Tap
While I'm not sure how much I agree with it, this article certainly puts a twist in all the recent hoopla about wire tapping.
Mood: Intrigued
Music: Red Peters: "Holy Shit, It's Christmas"
Mood: Intrigued
Music: Red Peters: "Holy Shit, It's Christmas"
2005-12-23
Grimm
Today I finally finished Roughing It by Mark Twain. It was a fun read, though not in the same way a purely fictional work is a fun read, but entertaining nonetheless. The author was, by all accounts, a truly American writer.
Next on the list is Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales as published by Barnes & Noble. It contains 211 of their tales, though I believe there are at least 215 of them in total. This edition looks nice enough, but may eventually returned; there are pages missing. Not that there are entire sheets missing, but there is no printing on some pages where there should be. It may be simply exchanged for another copy of the same edition, as good and complete editions of the work are hard to find.
Mood: Disappointed
Music: none
Next on the list is Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales as published by Barnes & Noble. It contains 211 of their tales, though I believe there are at least 215 of them in total. This edition looks nice enough, but may eventually returned; there are pages missing. Not that there are entire sheets missing, but there is no printing on some pages where there should be. It may be simply exchanged for another copy of the same edition, as good and complete editions of the work are hard to find.
Mood: Disappointed
Music: none
"Satura was here"
More proof that the more things change, the more things stay the same.
Mood: Amused
Music: The Who: "Love Ain't for Keeping"
Mood: Amused
Music: The Who: "Love Ain't for Keeping"
2005-12-22
2005-12-21
2005-12-20
2005-12-19
A Witch's Tit
The temperature when I left for work this morning was -4° F. A slight breeze put the windchill at -9° F. Even I'll admit that's cold. Bitterly cold.
Mood: Chilled
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Dancing Days"
Mood: Chilled
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Dancing Days"
2005-12-18
2005-12-17
Great
Maryanne and I saw King Kong today.
A lot of people are beginning to say that Peter Jackson is one of the great film makers of our time.
I'd like to say he's fucking brilliant.
This movie was fantastic on so many levels. Great script, great cast, great score, great special effects, and great direction. It was a fantastic story that went not only beyond the action, but beyond the basic plot as well. The story has a lot of depth and complexity to it. Critics left and right are singing its praises as well. I highly recommend you go out and see it.
However, it is not a film for young children! Indeed, our enjoyment of the film was slightly dampered by some of the young children in the audience.
Mood: Pleased
Music: Cat Stevens: "Another Saturday Night"
A lot of people are beginning to say that Peter Jackson is one of the great film makers of our time.
I'd like to say he's fucking brilliant.
This movie was fantastic on so many levels. Great script, great cast, great score, great special effects, and great direction. It was a fantastic story that went not only beyond the action, but beyond the basic plot as well. The story has a lot of depth and complexity to it. Critics left and right are singing its praises as well. I highly recommend you go out and see it.
However, it is not a film for young children! Indeed, our enjoyment of the film was slightly dampered by some of the young children in the audience.
Mood: Pleased
Music: Cat Stevens: "Another Saturday Night"
2005-12-16
Emergency?
Between yesterday and Wednesday we've gotten quite a bit of snow. As I posted yesterday, I was able to keep up with it yesterday thanks to my day off.
However, apparently this constituted a snow emergency, so I found a parking ticket on my truck this morning since it had been parked on the street last night. I didn't see any evidence of a plow going through, though. Sounds like more of a fundraiser, to me.
The morning commute took much longer than I would have liked; I was about five minutes late, and saw four accidents on my way in to work.
Mood: Annoyed
Music: The Beatles: "Lovely Rita"
However, apparently this constituted a snow emergency, so I found a parking ticket on my truck this morning since it had been parked on the street last night. I didn't see any evidence of a plow going through, though. Sounds like more of a fundraiser, to me.
The morning commute took much longer than I would have liked; I was about five minutes late, and saw four accidents on my way in to work.
Mood: Annoyed
Music: The Beatles: "Lovely Rita"
2005-12-15
Relief
I was able to take advantage of my day off today and finish the Christmas shopping and get everything shipped off. Two packages went out via UPS, one to Virginia and one to Florida. What a relief!
I also got the oil changed in the truck today, as well as spent some time outside shoveling snow. Today's high, hovering near 32°, felt balmy compared to our recent frigid weather. However, it made shoveling the snow a much more taxing task.
Mood: Relieved
Music: Bruce Springsteen: "Glory Days"
I also got the oil changed in the truck today, as well as spent some time outside shoveling snow. Today's high, hovering near 32°, felt balmy compared to our recent frigid weather. However, it made shoveling the snow a much more taxing task.
Mood: Relieved
Music: Bruce Springsteen: "Glory Days"
2005-12-14
Incredibly Generous
If this doesn't make you a little misty, then... well, I don't know.
Mood: Misty
Music: The Moody Blues: "Nights in White Satin"
Mood: Misty
Music: The Moody Blues: "Nights in White Satin"
2005-12-13
2005-12-12
O.T.
The Packers actually won last night, in overtime in a closely contested game against the Detroit Lions. The Packers showed a lot of the same things they have shown the rest of the season: decent defense, inconsistent special teams, and too many mistakes on offense. However, against the Lions they were able to get a running game going, and I think that made the difference.
Mood: Pleased
Music: Queen: "Dead on Time"
Mood: Pleased
Music: Queen: "Dead on Time"
2005-12-11
Yesterday
Yesterday Maryanne and I were at Narf and Pauline's for a while; Pauline wanted to throw a baby shower for Maryanne, to include the Carroll people. It turned out to be a rather small affair, as not many people were able to make it. Indeed, not many people RSVP'd for that matter. It was a nice little affair, though, that didn't seem to have much of the feel of a baby shower.
John and Anne were previously expected to make it, but that was revised to just Anne, and then it turned out Anne didn't make it, either; it could have been the weather. However, Tina was able to make it, as was Scott and his wife Joni, whom we had not met before. Angela was able to make it as well, and brought Ashley with her. I hadn't seen Scott or Angela since Maryanne and I got married, which was over three years ago now. It was very nice to see them again, and to see how much Ashley had grown. She's a pretty mature seven year-old.
The most interesting piece of news that we learned is that Ashley's going to be a big sister; Angela's pregnant. We were all very happy for her, knowing how much she wanted to have another child. As Maryanne and I drove home, though, we both remarked how we were a little surprised by it.
The afternoon made me think back to my Carroll days, though. It's hard to believe sometimes that six years have gone by since I graduated.
Mood: Reflective
Music: Ray Charles: "It Should've Been Me"
John and Anne were previously expected to make it, but that was revised to just Anne, and then it turned out Anne didn't make it, either; it could have been the weather. However, Tina was able to make it, as was Scott and his wife Joni, whom we had not met before. Angela was able to make it as well, and brought Ashley with her. I hadn't seen Scott or Angela since Maryanne and I got married, which was over three years ago now. It was very nice to see them again, and to see how much Ashley had grown. She's a pretty mature seven year-old.
The most interesting piece of news that we learned is that Ashley's going to be a big sister; Angela's pregnant. We were all very happy for her, knowing how much she wanted to have another child. As Maryanne and I drove home, though, we both remarked how we were a little surprised by it.
The afternoon made me think back to my Carroll days, though. It's hard to believe sometimes that six years have gone by since I graduated.
Mood: Reflective
Music: Ray Charles: "It Should've Been Me"
2005-12-10
Pest Control
If it wasn't for the fact we've got a child on the way, one of these might be useful for the house.
Of course, it would probably bother the cat, too.
Mood: Intrigued
Music: Golden Earring: "She Flies on Strange Wings"
Of course, it would probably bother the cat, too.
Mood: Intrigued
Music: Golden Earring: "She Flies on Strange Wings"
2005-12-09
Driving Conditions
Last night's commute was a little hairy... or perhaps I should say snowy, as we got a couple inches of snow yesterday which made driving conditions less than ideal. Under the best of conditions my commute takes from twenty to twenty-five minutes, but last night it took about forty-five. I passed a few cars, including one driving very slowly with its hazard lights on. However, I myself was passed far more often. I guess I prefer to not be the one who ends up in the ditch.
This morning's commute took longer than normal, as well, but not due to weather nor to road conditions. In fact, the Interstate was in pretty good winter driving condition. However, a number of drivers felt it necessary to drive about forty-five miles per hour, when I felt conditions were good enough for at least fifty-five. Thanks to these dipshits, I was a few minutes late to work.
Mood: Annoyed
Music: Del McCoury: "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms"
This morning's commute took longer than normal, as well, but not due to weather nor to road conditions. In fact, the Interstate was in pretty good winter driving condition. However, a number of drivers felt it necessary to drive about forty-five miles per hour, when I felt conditions were good enough for at least fifty-five. Thanks to these dipshits, I was a few minutes late to work.
Mood: Annoyed
Music: Del McCoury: "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms"
2005-12-08
2005-12-07
Axed
I spent much of the evening trying to remove some spyware from the computer. Somehow some crap called SpyAxe had gotten installed on the system, and I had a devil of a time getting it removed. After Ad-Aware, Spybot, and Microsoft AntiSpyware all failed to remove it, I searched Google and found some additional instructions. These included such fun things as installing HijackThis and ewido, then booting in to safe mode to run all the tools. It took several hours to complete the process, but the system is finally clean again.
Mood: Satisfied
Music: Van Halen: "Fire in the Hole"
Mood: Satisfied
Music: Van Halen: "Fire in the Hole"
2005-12-06
Blue Balls
Here's an excellent example of what happens when someone has access to a GIF animator and too much time on their hands.
Mood: Amused
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Night Flight"
Mood: Amused
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Night Flight"
2005-12-05
The Other Side
2005-12-04
For Narnia
There seems to be some hoopla over the upcoming film release of Disney's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Christians, of course, claim it as their own, citing its Christian message. A more secular demographic, including non-Christians, want to downplay that, and view it as a fantasy adventure story.
The Chronicles of Narnia as a whole are indeed a wonderful fantasy adventure. C.S. Lewis was, after all, a friend of J.R.R. Tolkien, and both were professors at Oxford. Favorite topics included fantasy, metaphysics, and (gasp!) theology.
As the article explains, Lewis was an atheist for much of his life, before converting to Christianity at age 32.
Anyone reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will see within it a message of sin, redemption, and forgiveness. Anyone with any familiarity with Christianity will see so much Christian symbolism it will make their head spin. Indeed, the climax of the story is a Passion play.
In the end, it doesn't really matter how an individual reads the book or views the movie. Some will see the Christian message, others will see only the fairy tale. However, to completely deny the spiritual significance of the story is not only ignorant, but stupid.
Mood: Annoyed
Music: The Monkees: "Valleri"
Christians, of course, claim it as their own, citing its Christian message. A more secular demographic, including non-Christians, want to downplay that, and view it as a fantasy adventure story.
The Chronicles of Narnia as a whole are indeed a wonderful fantasy adventure. C.S. Lewis was, after all, a friend of J.R.R. Tolkien, and both were professors at Oxford. Favorite topics included fantasy, metaphysics, and (gasp!) theology.
As the article explains, Lewis was an atheist for much of his life, before converting to Christianity at age 32.
Anyone reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will see within it a message of sin, redemption, and forgiveness. Anyone with any familiarity with Christianity will see so much Christian symbolism it will make their head spin. Indeed, the climax of the story is a Passion play.
In the end, it doesn't really matter how an individual reads the book or views the movie. Some will see the Christian message, others will see only the fairy tale. However, to completely deny the spiritual significance of the story is not only ignorant, but stupid.
Mood: Annoyed
Music: The Monkees: "Valleri"
2005-12-01
A Mummy Playing Tennis
This is why I want to buy the Yamara book.
Mood: Amused
Music: Willie Nelson: "If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time"
Mood: Amused
Music: Willie Nelson: "If You've Got the Money, I've Got the Time"
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