Is it a bird?

Installation art has always puzzled me. This one will likely puzzle you, as well.

Mood: Amused
Music: Jethro Tull: "Aqualung"

Home?

Got some spare refrigerator boxes? Who doesn't! Now you can use them to build a castle.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Beatles: "Hey Bulldog"

Almost White Christmas

Maryanne and I tried to drive up to Door County on Friday (Dec. 22) night. I use "try" because what started as rain in the Madison area switched over to snow somewhere around Rosendale, to the point where we decided to pull off and stay at a hotel in Green Bay over night.

The weather the rest of the holiday weekend was clear and mild, and it at least made for good traveling, though it didn't do much for the holiday spirit. I was happy to see my family and friends, though, despite wishing I had had more time with them.

On our drive back on Sunday it was evident that the worst of the snow had been between Green Bay and Oshkosh. Perhaps if we had kept going things would have improved. I'm glad we didn't take the chance, though.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Cars: "Let's Go"

Peripheral Visions

Looking for some unusual peripherals for that free USB port? Check these out.

Mood: Amused
Music: Aerosmith: Dream On

Canticles 2:6

Maybe this is what prudish Christians need to loosen up.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Beatles: "Two of Us"

Brown Christmas

We had a pretty good snow storm a while back, but some unseasonably warm weather recently melted all but the most persistent of sheltered snow banks. While I appreciate the clear weather and good driving conditions, I find it difficult to get into the holiday spirit without the accompaniment of good snow cover. I know there are plenty of people out there who would prefer it to be like this all winter, but I'm used to having a good chance of snow at Thanksgiving besides having a white Christmas. I can remember plenty of years where we ended up staying home Christmas Eve because the weather was too bad to go to church.

So "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know."

Mood: Pensive
Music: Blackfoot: "Wishing Well"

Map of the Stars

Have you ever wished you had a map of the United Federation of Planets? Well, wish no more. Trekkies rejoice.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Honeydrippers: "Young Boy Blues"

Wussy

In what I hope will be my last visit to AOL, I found this list of the 111 Wussiest Songs.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Animals: "House of the Rising Sun"

Fact or Fiction?

Here's an interesting article on the medieval epic Beowulf.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Pink Floyd: "The Great Gig In the Sky"

Travelin' Man

Create your own personalized map of the USA

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band: "Travelin' Man/Beautiful Loser"

Ginormous Hugantic Distance!

Have you ever wanted to see golf balls destroy breakable objects? I never would have thought so either until I saw this.

Mood: Amused
Music: Bo Diddley: "Roadrunner"

Canstruction

Andy Warhol may have made art of cans, but here is some art made from cans.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Derek & The Dominoes: "Keep on Growing"

What It's Worth

I would argue that some people understand, but not nearly enough.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Supertramp: "Ain't Nobody But Me"

What's New

Popular Science creates their own list of the best inventions of 2006.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: The Rolling Stones: "Sympathy For the Devil"

X Is For Christ

This is truly mind-boggling. Chicago is holding a German Christmas festival, a festival in honor of a Christian holiday, but don't want to offend non-Christians by allowing the new film The Nativity Story to be a sponsor.

One gentleman said that would be a lot like celebrating Abe Lincoln's birthday without talking about Abe Lincoln.

The mayor's office claims they don't want to endorse one religion over another.

It's a Christian holiday! You're already endorsing a religion!

Mood: Baffled
Music: Bad Company: "Youngblood"

Secret Weapon

Chuck Norris was here.

Mood: Amused
Music: Queen: "Hammer To Fall"

Roughing

It's been said that in the NFL good teams find a way to win, and bad teams find a way to lose. The Packers certainly didn't do much in last night's game to find themselves a way to win. There were a lot of questionable calls by the officials in last night's game, not the least of which was a roughing the passer call that was complete bullshit.

There are many sports writers out there who call the Packers a bad team because they seem to keep finding ways to loose. I'm a unwilling to use that word. I would call them young, perhaps mediocre, but not bad. As the rest of the season plays out, though, they have a chance to prove that they're not bad.

Mood: Frustrated
Music: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: "I Wanna Be Just Like You"

Vocabulary

Your Vocabulary Score: A

Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary! You must be quite an erudite person.

How's Your Vocabulary?

Mood: Pleased
Music: Alice Cooper: "Poison"

But Are They Chaste?

The news is a little old now, but whatever comes of this could have great influence on the future of the Roman Catholic church.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Steve Miller Band: "Jet Airliner"

City Mice

Now see, if you live in the country, you don't have to put up with this kind of shit.

Mood: Irritated
Music: Joe Walsh: "Rocky Mountain Way"

A Deaf Ear

The earbuds for my MP3 player finally died. I think there's a short somewhere in the wire for the left channel. It cuts in occasionally, but it's more out than in, making for a rather lopsided listening experience.

However, I guess I can't complain about cheap earbuds that came with the player. After all, they lasted over 18 months of some rather abusive use.

I've had my eye on some earbuds from Koss and Sony on Amazon. I shall have to order soon.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Jefferson Airplane: "Somebody To Love"

Venom

I know what I want for my birthday.

Mood: Excited
Music: The Beatles: "Here Comes the Sun"

Spoilers Ahead

Saturday night Maryanne and I watched Clerks. It was the 10th anniversary version, uncut, and was different from what I remember from seeing it previously (spoilers ahead - you've been warned!). It was mostly the same, though at the very end Dante is shot. I don't remember that happening before.

Maryanne was a little surprised by the movie. I don't know what she was expecting, but it must have been different than the actual movie. I think she kept looking for a plot. I guess there isn't really much of one, not in the strict sense of having rising action, a climax, and so forth.

While I'm speaking of action... they weren't especially pretty, but the Badgers and Packers both won this weekend. In fact the Badgers jumped up several spots in the polls, and the Packers are now tied for second place in the NFC north, albeit with a losing record. It made for a rather satisfying weekend after the snow that came Friday.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Queen: "Dead On Time"

Annoying

Here's a list of 248 ways to annoy people, in case you need any help.

It reminds me of some of those lists I'd get in my e-mail when I was in college.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Doors: "Hello, I Love You"

Barometer

We have had some gorgeous weather the past couple of days. Yesterday it reached almost 70, and today we hit 60. Tomorrow, though, we'll be lucky to reach 40 as rain turns to snow in the afternoon.

As they say in Wisconsin, if you don't like the weather, just wait for it to change.

I'm sure there's people out there wondering how I put up with it. Just think: in spring we could have a day of snow turning to rain, then highs in the sixties the following day.

I like having four distinct seasons, and part of me feels sorry for those that don't get that experience.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Dave Edmunds: "The Race Is On"

Off the Map

I like maps. They're fascinating things that come in a wide variety of styles, and some don't even depict real places. If you like maps, you might want to check this out.

Mood: Fascinated
Music: The Marshall Tucker Band: "Heard It In a Love Song"

Necessity?

Time magazine profiles the best inventions of 2006. Some may surprise you.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: "I Love Rock & Roll"

Oh, Baby, Baby

The Baby Animal Alphabet is an interesting compendium of (ugly ass) baby animals.

Mood: Amused
Music: Ten Years After: "Choo Choo Mama"

Does Not Compute

Long before the casualties in the computing wars left us with only two major platforms, there were a large number of companies looking for your computing money, using TV ads like these.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Heartbreaker"

Romance Is Dead

The London Review of Books is compiling a collection of unusual personal ads.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Beatles: "Searchin'"

Chuck Norris

Chuck Norris doesn't read op/ed columns. He writes them.

Mood: Amused
Music: Peter Gabriel: "Solsbury Hill"

FIBs

You can't see the license plate, but I'd be willing to bet that the driver of the car depicted in this cartoon is from Illinois.

Mood: Amused
Music: Bachman-Turner Overdrive: "Let It Ride"

National Mom?

James Lileks offers a preview of the first 100 days of a Democrat-majority government.

Wisconsin voters: vote "No" on the state constitutional amendment.

Mood: Amused
Music: Foreigner: "Headknocker"

Lost in Translation

Would you like to see how badly the English language can be mangled? Check this out.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Rolling Stones: "Jumpin' Jack Flash"

Plasma Display

Did you know you could make plasma in your microwave? No, not that plasma, the fourth state of matter plasma. I think this definitely falls in the "do not try this at home" category.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Cheap Trick: "Ain't That a Shame"

State Smarts

A research company in Kansas recently published the results of a study on the intelligence of each state. Wisconsin fared pretty well on the list, ranking far ahead most other states, especially Illinois and California, but it has a long way to go to catch up to the top three.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Collective Soul: "Listen"

Weather

Apparently we got snow sometime Saturday night. Maryanne and I didn't even know about it until Sunday morning when we went to church. Much of it had melted even by then, but it was a fairly significant amount, and a new record for October 21: 2.3 inches of snow fell.

It was a fairly good weekend for Wisconsin sports fans: the Badgers won Saturday, and the Packers won Sunday. Both were away games, so it's doubtful that weather was a factor.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Wilson Pickett: "Mustang Sally"

Priceless

Last Saturday Maryanne and I took Sarah and braved the state of Illinois. There was a purpose to our mad journey, though: my great-grandmother was going to be celebrating her 100th birthday. Now I know there are a number of people out there that are able to claim that they met their great-grandmother, but Sarah will be among the few that will be able to say they met their great-great-grandmother.

I think that despite all the hassles of driving through Illinois, including the construction, the tools, and the stupid drivers, it was worth it, just to be able to get that five-generation photograph.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Marshall Tucker Band: "Can't You See"

Checked Out

In Canada they're called supermarket trolleys, but old shopping carts make good material for interesting sculptures.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Chicago: "Beginnings"

Influential

USA Today created this list of the most influential people who never lived. It's quite interesting, though they're not all exactly "people."

Mood: Intrigued
Music: The Monkees: "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone"

Time

Even in the world of timepieces, there are obviously those that want to be different just for the sake of being different. That's how we end up with these.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Deep Purple: "Mandrake Root"

Outrageous Costume!

Does your Halloween costume seem inadequate? It will once you see this.

Mood: Amused
Music: The James Gang: "Walk Away"

Clouds

Ever heard of lenticular clouds? Me neither. Check this out.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Humble Pie: "I Don't Need No Doctor"

Floppy

Here is an example of what happens when someone with too many floppy diskettes has too much time on their hands.

Sadly, while I probably have enough floppies, I don't have that kind of time.

Mood: Amused
Music: Susan Tedeschi: "It Hurt So Bad"

Pass

You Passed 8th Grade Science

Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

Mood: Pleased
Music: The BoDeans: "Still the Night"

Weem-o-weh!

Here's another example of someone with too much time on their hands.

Bonus: Fark clichés.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Electric Light Orchestra: "Fire On High"

ASCII

You'll have to work to see the badgers or the mushrooms, but the snake isn't too much of a stretch.

Mood: Amused
Music: Deep Purple: "Anyone's Daughter"

Limbo

I found this fairly interesting.

Maybe Pope Benedict XVI isn't so bad after all?

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Mountain: "Never In My Life"

Followup

Here's a followup to the previous post.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Styx: "Come Sail Away"

Blasphemy

Part of me doesn't want to post about this, because it's only giving more attention to a bunch of nutjobs that don't need more attention, but part of me felt it necessary to show another example of the group's lack of tact and respect.

Mood: Irritated
Music: Howlin' Wolf: "Shake for Me"

Ideas

Here's some more book-banning idiocy, this time courtesy of a whack-job mom in Georgia.

Honestly, I'm surprised she can say "indoctrinated."

Mood: Annoyed
Music: Supertramp: "Bloody Well Right"

"This book has pores."

I found an article covering a situation in Texas that's so full of irony and coincidences that it will make your head explode.

Go read a banned book. Especially Fahrenheit 451.



Mood: Irritated
Music: Big Brother & The Holding Company: "Piece of My Heart"

White and Nerdy

How White and Nerdy Are You?

I was kind of hoping for a higher number.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Rolling Stones: "19th Nervous Breakdown"

Revisited

Yesterday I finished re-reading The Belgariad by David (and Leigh) Eddings. It was nice to be able to read it as a more mature reader; the first time I had read it I think I was still in junior high. This time it was easier to see the amount of work that had gone into the books, the creation of cultures, religions, history, and so forth. The writing is better than many other fantasy authors I've read, though maybe not quite as complex as the writing of Robert Jordan. That said, though, the pacing was pretty good for an epic spanning five books. There were moments that seemed a little slow, and other moments that seemed a little quick, but for the most part Eddings was able to keep things moving, usually through dialog, making the series a real page turner.

Next on the list is another book I've read before, though again a long time ago. I'm revisiting The Once and Future King by T.H. White. I don't recall when I read it the first time, though I think it was probably around the same time I had read The Belgariad.

 

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Aerosmith: "Dream On"

Time

I thought that Thursday was going to be fairly pleasant. After all, it was a wedding anniversary for Maryanne and I. She had a meeting to go to, and I had band practice, and that would be that.

I didn't know that it would take me over an hour to get home because of an accident on the Interstate. I didn't know that I wouldn't even have a chance to get home, and that I'd have to go straight to band practice. I didn't expect the lack of communication between Maryanne and her mother that led to a mixup as to what water to use for mixing Sarah's formula, and that it would lead to a bit of a scare.

At the end of the day Thursday, I was glad to go to bed. I'd have a day off Friday, and our new furnace would get installed.

Our contractor wasn't able to show up until about 12:30, having been delayed by a slow building inspector elsewhere. Once he did show up, though, he worked very hard, and didn't leave for the night until around 7:30. He even came back on Saturday to finish what little was left. The new furnace works great, and is very quiet.

The Badgers lost Saturday, and then we went out to dinner with Maryanne's parents. The Packers won Sunday, though they seemed to want to give it away at times, and then we went to Bible study. Another day off Monday, and here it is Tuesday again.

I'd really love a day full of nothing.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Supertramp: "The Logical Song"

Anniversary

It was four years ago today that Maryanne and I got married.

Happy Anniversary!

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Ozark Mountain Daredevils: "If You Wanna Get to Heaven"

Pancakes

I discovered this bizarre gem a while ago.

A breakfast-food trifecta is now in play.

Mood: Amused
Music: Canned Heat: "Going Up the Country"

Bacon

I told Maryanne about this yesterday.

Clearly, some people have too much time on their hands.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Rolling Stones: "Sympathy for the Devil"

Doomed

I don't remember where I found this, but even though it's mostly a bunch of people pissing and moaning, it is fairly amusing.

Mood: Amused
Music: Jefferson Airplane: "White Rabbit"

Censorship

Broaden your mind and read a banned book.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: U2: "Where the Streets Have No Name"

Appetites

The weekend started off well enough. We went to the Maple Tree for fish Friday night, allowing me to get my lake perch fix. Saturday was subdued, getting a few chores done and watching a movie before heading out to Deerfield for a gathering with some friends. Sunday went downhill as I woke up feeling a bit ill: nausea throughout most of the day, then I developed chills for most of the afternoon that was accompanied with achiness that didn't subside until late last night. I guess it was fitting, in away, considering the debacle that was the Packers/Bears game.

I'm feeling somewhat better today, though my appetite has not completely recovered yet. This is probably just as well, considering I probably ate too much Friday night and Saturday night anyway.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: True Image: "I Need You"

Signs

I found this today and found it fairly amusing.

I often wished I could put up some kind of sign that said "violators will be persecuted."

Mood: Amused
Music: Heart: "Magic Man"

Judgment Day

It's about time somebody did something like this

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Guess Who: "Share the Land"

An Old Friend

Despite its length, August passed quickly, and here it is September already. A month of change, as students head back to school, and summer turns to autumn. It's a beautiful late-summer day, sunny and warm without being hot. The nice kind of sunshine, not the opressive kind of July and August. My brisk walk over my lunch break was quite pleasurable.

I decided to reread the Belgariad, and started on Pawn of Prophecy a few days ago. It's been like revisiting an old friend, in a way. I last read the series when I was in junior high. I suspect I'll pick up on some things I didn't before, being a more mature reader now.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Elton John: "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"

Go!

A while ago I posted that Dodge had created a concept vehicle for a new version of their classic Challenger.

It looks like all systems are go.

Mood: Excited
Music: Steely Dan: "Do It Again"

Incoming

Wondering what incoming college freshmen are like? Check out this list.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Supertramp: "Dreamer"

Real Life

Today I finished Blazac's Droll Stories.

I've come to the conclusion that if you really want to know what life was like in Medieval and Renaissance times, one should read not only this book, but Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Boccaccio's Decameron, and Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Boz Scaggs: "Lido Shuffle"

Spoon!

I discovered this today.

I can just about imagine Maryanne's reaction.

Mood: Excited
Music: The Stanley Brothers: "Orange Blossom Special"

A Few Cold Ones

I'm not sure if this is something to be proud of or ashamed of.

More on it here.

Mood: Perplexed
Music: Led Zeppelin: "The Rover"

Red

A German study suggests that it's redheads, and not blondes, that have more fun.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Beatles: "I'm Looking Through You"

Better Than One?

If you have children, and have one of those days where everything seems to go wrong, just remember, things could always be worse.

Mood: Thankful
Music: Jethro Tull: "Aqualung"

Country Mouse

I have no love for the prairie.

I came to that conclusion yesterday as we drove through central Wisconsin, away from said prairie.

Don't get me wrong. Madison's a nice enough city, and Stoughton's a nice enough town. But they sit on the prairies of southern Wisconsin, which for the most part strike me as boring, rarely-interrupted expanses of grassland. Indeed, the geography of this part of the state was once covered with prairie, oak savannahs, and the occasional marsh -- vastly different from the rolling hills, mature woods, and thick swamps of what I consider home.

So when we drove away from all that yesterday, driving towards Baraboo and the Baraboo River, and the hills it flows between, it somehow felt more like Wisconsin. The weather was nice; it was a warm but not hot day with clear skies and plenty of sunshine.

It comes to no surprise, then, when people remark how Madison seems so different than the rest of the state. It's a nice place to visit, but I don't know that I could live there again. In fact, most of the "suburbs" have much of the same vibe. It seems that it's only once I get far enough away from Madison that I feel really comfortable. I don't know what it is. Maybe Madison really is different from the rest of the state. Or maybe it's that "country mouse in the city" thing that Maryanne keeps talking about.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Talking Heads: "Burning Down the House"

Veni, Vidi, Vici

So Maryanne and Jenni discovered this Italian name generator. Plug in your name and your gender and it gives you an Italian name.

The only problem is it's random. Each time you use the site it could give you a different name.

Poo poo to that.

Mood: Annoyed
Music: Bruce Springsteen: "Glory Days"

Changes

You may have noticed some changes to the layout of the website. I really wanted to try to eliminate a lot of the clutter on the page, and present a cleaner site. I think I'm on the right track.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Emerson, Lake & Palmer: "Hoedown"

The Future

The recent airline terrorism attempts and the resulting carry-on restrictions made me quite thoughtful.

Filibuster Cartoons just about nailed it.

I, for one, am becoming quite disappointed in the whole idea of flying.

I am also becoming quite cynical. If a terrorist isn't allowed to carry some kind of liquid chemical explosives on to the plane in his carry-on, what's going to prevent him from just putting it in his checked luggage with some kind of improvised cell phone detonator?

Benjamin Franklin, that great American, wrote, "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Indeed, Franklin had a lot to say on the topic of liberty, and often it was a simple variation on this same theme.

I wish more people would take a cue from Franklin.

Mood: Pensive
Music: Wings: "Jet"

Telephone Line

One of the things we did over the weekend was stop at U.S. Cellular to renew our contract, which was soon to expire. Since we were renewing our contract, we were eligible to upgrade our phones at the reduced promotional prices. I liked a couple of the Motorola phones offered, but Maryanne preferred one of the phones by Samsung. Rather than go with my instinct, we both got Samsung phones. It's a flip phone, which is no big deal, and it has some nice features, like a camera and speakerphone, but I'm not sure how much I like the phone itself. I think I'm going to give it a week or so before I decide if I'm going to trade phones, though. It wouldn't be the first time one of us has traded one phone for another.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Styx: "The Grand Illusion"

Birthday Redux

Today would have been Grandpa A's 86th birthday.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Misty Mountain Hop"

Birthday

Today would have been Grandma A's 84th birthday.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Simon & Garfunkle: "The Boxer"

Home Improvement

This past week at home has been surprisingly productive considering the reason I've been home is to take care of Sarah. We've had a number of heating contractors come out and give us estimates on a new furnace. Our current furnace is around 20 years old, and is in need of replacement. So far four different companies have been out, and have given us quotes on three different brands of furnaces. I'd like to get the work done before September, as that seems to be time when all of these companies will start getting busy and scheduling will become more difficult.

I was also able to order some home improvement items and even get them delivered. We wanted some different blinds for Sarah's room to better block the light. I wanted to get cellular or honeycomb shades, lined so they would block light. Maryanne wasn't enthusiastic about the idea, but didn't really present any alternatives, so I ordered the honeycomb shades. Maryanne had to concede that I had been right about them.

We also ordered a pad for under the living room rug, to help keep it from moving so much as well as pad it. It works passably well so far; it sticks to the floor nicely, but the rug moves on it a little bit. We'll see how it holds up.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Zombies: "Time of the Season"

Heat Wave

Here it is August already. The summer has passed fairly quickly thus far, my time being occupied by various things for various reasons. Unfortunately it's been a warm summer, meaning I have not gotten much accomplished in our yard. There's much more I'd like to do, and it appears much of it will have to wait until autumn when things begin to cool off.

We are currently in the midst of a heat wave, one of the warmest in quite some time. Things are supposed to return closer to normal later in the week, though, and I'm looking forward to what respite it may bring.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Ray Charles: "What Would I Do Without You?"

Where's the Bubbler?

Your Linguistic Profile:

45% General American English

20% Upper Midwestern

20% Yankee

10% Dixie

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

I was disappointed I couldn't say that I drink water from a bubbler.

Mood: Stymied
Music: Montrose: "I Got the Fire"

Censored

This deserves some attention. It could have some far-reaching effects.

Mood: Concerned
Music: April Wine: "You Could Have Been a Lady"

A Real Pearl

Despite its inconsistencies, I try to read the comic strip Pearls Before Swine whenever I can, just in case I find something worthwhile.

This is worthwhile.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Three Dog Night: "Shambala"

Rightfully Armed

Here's some good news for supporters of freedom and the Second Amendment.

Mood: Pleased
Music: The Beatles: "Taxman"

Questions of Fortitude

The weekend started off in a mildly portentous matter, in retrospect. I came home Friday evening and parked in the street, having discovered Maryanne had not pulled her car far enough into the driveway to leave room for me. In addition, one of the neighbors had parked their car in the street, in front of our house, and I was worried I might not have enough room to park behind the car without blocking our other neighbor's driveway.

When I walked into the house Maryanne promptly asked me why I hadn't parked in the driveway. The nerve! She was the one who hadn't left me enough room and now she's asking why I didn't park in the driveway! When I told her there was no room because of how she had parked she apologized, having forgotten she didn't pull in far enough.

Saturday went somewhat better. The weather was cooperative enough that I was able to get outside and mow the lawn, and I even managed to get a few other things done. There were a number of factors, though, that prevented me from getting more accomplished.

Yesterday's tasks consisted mainly of shopping. However, we did try installing the convertible car seat we got for Sarah, but even with Narf's help we weren't able to get it adjusted properly. Out it came and back in went the infant seat-- for the third time.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Kenny Wayne Shepherd: "I Found Love (When I Found You)"

Idle Hands

When you combine puppets, too much time, and a love of science fiction, you end up with something like this.

Mood: Perplexed
Music: Deep Purple: "Our Lady"

Made in the U.S.A.

Maryanne and I have recently discovered the show Made in America on the Travel Channel. Hosted by John Ratzenberger, it profiles manufacturing companies based right here in the U.S. It has turned out to be very interesting, which is no surprise considering it is produced in partnership with Reader's Digest.

The other night we saw an episode where John visited the Stickley furniture factory in New York. Maryanne remarked how expensive the products were. Seeing the happy workers build quality products in a clean factory, though, and it comes as no surprise. You really get what you pay for with Stickley.

Maryanne fell in love.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Steve Miller Band: "Space Cowboy"

Hollywood Heroes

The other day Maryanne, Sarah, and I were at Narf and Pauline's. They had the local PBS affiliate on the TV, and the movie The Philadelphia Story came on. I'm not that familiar with it, but was pleased to see that it featured such top-notch actors as Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart.

One of the things I happened to remember is seeing Andy Rooney on 60 Minutes comment about Jimmy Stewart: "He was a bomber pilot in WWII and he did it better than he acted."

This could be taken in one of two ways. Either Rooney meant it as a slight against Stewart's acting ability, or a compliment to his piloting skills. I thought Rooney meant the latter.

In fact, on a Google search I found a website that not only relates Stewart's exemplary service in the military, but that of many other celebrities and nobles as well.

They just don't make them like that any more, do they?

Mood: Impressed
Music: Chicago: "Make Me Smile"

Eclipse

This article will certainly make you stop and think about things.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Eagles: "Already Gone"

Road Trip

Last Saturday Narf, Jon, and I drove to Chicago to get some of Leanne's stuff out of storage and bring it to Wisconsin, where it will now be stored in my basement. During this time, Leanne herself was in Ohio, but soon to be in Wyoming.

It was an interesting trip, but in a way fun. It had a "three guys on a road trip without the wives" vibe. Narf was an excellent navigator, and we were able to find our destination rather easily. The toll situation is an awful mess right now, so not only did we have the simple annoyance of having to pay tolls, but the added stress of congestion due to construction at nearly every toll plaza we went through. Have I mentioned my feelings on driving through Illinois?

In a way, it's comforting to know that not only do Chicagoland drivers drive like assholes in Wisconsin, but they drive that way at home, too. This could be caused by anger because gas there is so expensive. We should have gassed up before crossing the border, as I paid $3.18 a gallon when we stopped in Illinois. The fill-up cost almost $75. No wonder my great-uncle Fred is willing to drive to Indiana for gas.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Beatles: "Rain"

Healthy Eats

I found this pretty interesting.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Queen: "'39"

Ranks

These things are always subjective, but here's an interesting list of guitarists, ranked on qualitative and quantitative criteria such as impact, influence, creativity, versatility, originality, technical skill, and lasting popularity. Let the debates begin.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: MC5: "Miss X"

Suggested Reading

Looking for some interesting reading material? Try this list, consisting of books that have been censored, banned, or challenged at some point in time. Some of the titles should be required reading.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Iron Butterfly: "Termination"

The End

Here's an amusing look at Armageddon, in flowchart form.

Mood: Amused
Music: Extreme: "Wind Me Up"

Bunnylance

Many people are surprised when they learn I never read any of the Dragonlance novels, but I would still watch this.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: The James Gang: "I Don't Have the Time"

Neutral Ground

I've posted before on the topic of 'Net neutrality. There have been some interesting developments recently, including an op/ed piece from The Seattle Times that not only describes the situation at hand in the current telecom bill, but also shows exactly what's at stake.

Luckily there has been some good news. While a U.S. Senate committee may have shot down an amendment to the telecom bill, we can all thank Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon for wishing to put a hold on the bill until it has some strong net neutrality requirements. A number of Republicans want to let the big telecoms control the Internet here in the U.S., claiming they built it.

Bullshit. As Al Gore is fond of saying, he "invented" the Internet. While that's not exactly true, it is true that he played a role in the development of ARPAnet, the DOD's network that gave rise to the modern Internet. Take ARPAnet and add some participation by not only major telecoms, but public and private colleges and universities of all sizes all over the country, and that is where the Internet came from.

So in my opinion the bullies like AT&T and Comcast can go to hell. In a country that prides itself on freedom, this argument should be cut and dried. If the telecoms have their way, you'll only be able to see what they decide you can see, and how fast they say you can see it.

So what can you do about it? Start here. Google, who offers their services to the average person free of charge, paid for by sponsors, has a lot at stake here, and so do you.

Mood: Hopeful
Music: Shannon Curfman: "True Friends"

Useless

Here's a list of hundreds of useless facts. Of course, this begs the question, if they're so useless, why did someone take the time to type them?

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band: "Travelin' Man/Beautiful Loser"

Dreams

I had another bizarre dream this morning. In this dream Amy owned a hardware store and I went to work for her. A customer came in looking for a part for a Plymouth Roadrunner, and I was able to find it for him. Near the end of the dream Maryanne showed up, but I had some kind of terrible secret I was afraid to tell her.

And then I woke up.

Mood: Confused
Music: Dave Edmunds: "Summertime"

Drool Machine

A shame I didn't find out about this sooner... Automobili Lamborghini (yes, that Lamborghini) trotted out a concept car around the New Year, resurrecting the legendary Miura. It's smooth, it's sleek, it's yellow, it's beautiful.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Collective Soul: "Why, Pt. 2"

Destruction

The cost of hurricane damage keeps rising. Is it because of global warming? Or is it because there's simply more to destroy?

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Boston: "Peace of Mind"

Good Girl

Maryanne and I finally got a chance to go to Door County this past weekend. The drive up wasn't too bad, all things considered. Sarah was a relative non-factor. We did encounter some heavy traffic around Oshkosh, though, and some slowdowns around Green Bay. Over all it wasn't a terrible drive, though I decided I did need a beer once we got to my mom's house.

Sarah was pretty good the entire weekend, actually. It was a pretty good experience over all, and makes us pretty hopeful about our planned trip to Minnesota at the end of July.

Mood: Pleased
Music: Blind Faith: "Presence of the Lord"

"It's my birthday too"

Today is my friend Adam's birthday. Happy 29th to Adam!

Mood: Cordial
Music: Rockapella: "Zombie Jamboree"

Felicitations

Today is my sister's birthday. Happy birthday, Caly!

Mood: Cordial
Music: Vanilla Fudge: "All In Your Mind"

Hybrid

You may have heard of some of them before, but this list of hybrid animals is pretty interesting reading.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Deep Purple: "Space Truckin'"

Loss of Productivity

I got out of work early yesterday in compensation for working Saturday. I thought I would use the afternoon productively, with my activities depending on the weather. I first stopped at J.C. Penney to look for new slacks for work. Did you know it's nearly impossible to find size 36-31 slacks to begin with, much less in flat/plain front in a color I like? I only bought one pair, and it wasn't even in the color I was looking for. I'll have to try the west-side store.

Since I was in the neighborhood anyway I decided to stop at Jiffy Lube for an oil change. Apparently so had everyone else because it took almost thirty minutes for me to get in. They managed to talk me into getting the differentials and transfer case serviced, but that's OK.

After all that about all I had time for was heading home and mowing the lawn. When I was done I didn't have the energy or the motivation to do anything else, even though the garden is still in need of a lot of work. The downpour of rain we got Sunday caused some erosion, showing how badly we need to get some flowers planted, if only to help hold the soil together.

As I was returning to the house after putting the mower away in the shed I saw a couple out walking their dog, a Boston terrier. Frankly, I'd be embarrassed to be seen with a dog that small, but there they were. The dog had stopped to relieve itself, on my lawn, of course, which didn't bother me, since the owner clearly had a plastic bag in her hand with which to pick up said feces. What did bother me though is that the dog had the nerve to bark at me. It's my own lawn, and a stranger's dog is barking at me. Damn little yappy dogs. I've really come to appreciate Maryanne's term for them: "kick-me" dogs.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Billy Squier: "In the Dark"

To the Lists

It's a little late considering Father's Day was yesterday, but here's a list of things a man should know about fatherhood.

The list also reminds me that there's a lesson to be learned from Harry Chapin's "Cat's In the Cradle."

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Badfinger: "Day After Day"

Lucky Seven

I recently downloaded and installed Internet Explorer 7.0 at home. I'm quite impressed.

Mood: Pleased
Music: Derek and The Dominos: "Bell Bottom Blues"

Ratings

My life is rated R!



Your life is rated R!

What is your life rated? (MPAA Scale)

Take Other Caffeine Nebula Quizzes

Gonna have to tone that down with a kid in the house.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Allman Brothers Band: "Revival"

Blog, Dammit!

Nobody blogged today. Don't you people know I read those things?

Mood: Perturbed
Music: Genesis: "Misunderstanding"

Followup

Here's a followup on a story I posted about at the beginning of the month.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Lynyrd Skynyrd: "Tuesday's Gone"

Comfort

I found this on Fark today.

Mood: Moved
Music: Matthew Sweet: "Sick of Myself"

Blog, e.g., Blogger

Read this so you don't look like an idiot when you blog.

Mood: Amused
Music: The BoDeans: "Still the Night"

Ha!

Here's some good news for proponents of the Second Amendment.

Mood: Pleased
Music: Queen: "Seaside Rendezvous"

More Parking

I had another strange dream last night, though it might actually have been sometime early this morning. I dreamt that Maryanne and I threw some kind of party, but it was at my mom's house -- my mom's old house. Many of our friends were there; I recognized a lot of my friends from Carroll, with their families when applicable.

Now, not only was it weird that it was my mom's old house, which burned in 1998, but Maryanne and I decided to hold the party there because there was more room for parking.

Bizarre.

Mood: Perplexed
Music: Paul Simon: "Kodachrome"

Neutral Ground

Here's some good news on the topic of Net neutrality.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Ten Years After: "Rock and Roll Music to the World"

Dream Away

I had a strange dream last night wherein a contestant that Maryanne and I had seen on reruns of "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" started working with me at the Help Desk.

Odd.

Mood: Confused
Music: The Beatles: "Dig a Pony"

the hell...?

You Are Cherry Pie

You're the perfect combo of innocent and sexy Those who like you enjoy a contradiction

What Kind of Pie Are You?

Mood: Confused
Music: The Mavericks: "To Be With You"

Sweet Dreams

Had a pleasant dream last night that involved the model/actress Erica Campbell. If you don't know who that is, you could try a Google search, but I don't recommend doing it at work, if you catch my drift.

Mood: Amused
Music: Cream: "Sunshine of Your Love"

Underdog

In this case of David vs. Goliath, it may not be a battle worth waging.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Fool In the Rain"

Ignorant

This is why we should be concerned about the education of our nation's youth.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Ted Nugent: "Just What the Doctor Ordered"

Strike Three

Here is an example of how truth is stranger than fiction. It also makes one question the purpose and usefulness of the so-called "three strikes" laws.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Collective Soul: "Vent"

Influential

I found an interesting list of the religious affiliations of history's one hundred most influential people.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Queen: "Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon"

Scathing

I guess I wasn't the only one who gave a tell-off speech at his graduation. Of course, I didn't have to be so devious about it, though mine wasn't so nearly obvious.

Mood: Amused
Music: Kenny Wayne Shepherd: "Slow Ride"

Hot, hot, hot

Had a hot but otherwise pleasant holiday weekend, starting with an early exit from work on Friday. We were dead slow, and managers started asking for volunteers to go home early. You don't have to ask me twice.

It was hot enough when I got home that I thought turning on the AC was a good idea. Unfortunately, it didn't turn on. Checked the breaker outside, checked the breaker at the panel, checked the thermostat. Nothing. We finally got a hold of someone from Harker on Saturday, and he was able to come out that afternoon. It turned out there was a bad connection in the thermostat. Live and learn.

The hot weather continued Sunday, so we spent much of the day indoors. We ventured out in the morning to go to church, and later in the afternoon we ventured out again for a cookout.

Monday wasn't much better, making for an uncomfortable Stoughton City Band performance as part of the local Memorial Day celebration. It was nice to return to an air-conditioned house, though, and we were able to spend most of the rest of the day gaming with Jenni, Jeff, and Eric. It was a fine end to the weekend.

Things are a little more pleasant today, with the temperature currently at 78° and rain threatening. We could use a bit of rain since I was actually able to plant some flowers on Saturday. They'll need regular water until they get established. Things continue to take shape in the yard as I formulate some sort of plan.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Amboy Dukes: "Dr. Slingshot"

Testy

Florida teachers chime in on the thorny issue of pay for performance and standardized testing. The results may surprise you.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Extreme: "Get the Funk Out"

Conflicting Reports

What happened to "Protect and Serve"?

Mood: Disgusted
Music: The Beatles: "Savoy Truffle"

"...It Pours"

I hoped for rain, and we got it, in rather spectacular fashion. A line of storms moved through last night, dumping a large amount of water on the area in a brief amount of time. High winds brought down trees in some areas, causing power outages for many. The sudden downpour also led to flooded streets and therefore stalling cars.

Last night I watched the last half of The Count of Monte Cristo on ABC Family channel. This is a fairly recent production, starring James Caviezel. Even before I had seen any of the movie, I knew there was no way it could live up to the book. Indeed, considering I turned it on halfway through and Edmond was just returning to Marseilles with his first load of treasure, there was no way it could have the same depth and complexity as the book. While it maintained much of the spirit of the book, it wasn't completely faithful to it, but this didn't surprise me; a truly accurate film version of the book would have to be as long as The Lord of the Rings movies.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: .38 Special: "If I'd Been the One"

Keep Off

I had taped the final episode of That '70s Show since Maryanne and I would not be able to watch it when it actually aired. Not only did we have practice for Stoughton City Band that night, but Sarah might have caused some disruptions as well. We finally got to watch it last night. While the show didn't go out with a bang, it didn't quit go out with a whimper either. All things considered, it was a comparatively satisfying conclusion to an otherwise poor final season.

We were supposed to get some rain today. While overall we probably don't need it, I was actually hoping for some since I actually got a chance to sow grass seed over the weekend. There were a few sprinkles on my drive in to work this morning, but I don't think they amounted to anything significant.

If the weather holds this weekend I'd like to get a few things accomplished outside. I'm just not sure what, since I want to avoid trampling the grass seed if at all possible. Perhaps I can try to get some work done in the front yard.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Van Morrison: "Wild Night"

Premature

One might think plans like these might be premature, but clearly someone is hoping to be the early bird that gets the worm.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: The Kinks: "You Really Got Me"

Defiant

I found this on the website of a radio station from my home town:

It seems more and more people these days are spending time and money on creating their own getaway... in the backyard. According to the owner of Briggsville Gardens Richard Briggs, people are spending more time at home and are creating their own outdoor living areas in their own backyard. He says there are many different options like paving, adding flagstone, brick or stone, or installing a retaining wall and all aesthetics involve very little maintenance. Briggs said no matter what you do to create your own backyard retreat, be sure to do it right. If properly planned, designed, and installed, the results will defiantly increase the resale value on your home, if or when you decide to move. [Emphasis added]

While this is good news, I didn't know that the value of my home could be defiantly increased.

Mood: Amused
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Rock and Roll"

Bad Decisions

If you're in this country illegally, it's probably not a good idea to get arrested for stealing the sign of an anti-immigration protestor.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Beatles: "Happiness Is a Warm Gun"

Telephone Line

If you're in the market to change or purchase telephone service, you may want to read this first.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: The Traveling Wilburys: "End of the Line"

No Appreciation

Author Ben Bova laments the current state of popular music and the lack of appreciation for classical music.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Bachman-Turner Overdrive: "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet"

Droll

Today I started on Droll Stories by Honoré de Balzac. I'm not very far into it thus far, but it seems to be much in the same vein as Bocaccio's Decameron or Rabelais; that is, droll, lusty, bawdy and in all ways as entertaining and true to life as a good dirty joke.

This particular edition is published by the Heritage Press, translated by Jacque Le Clercq, and illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff. There's some minor damage to the book, including a couple of missing pages at the end, but I think I'll keep it as it is otherwise good shape. I'm looking forward to my first true experience with Balzac.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: "I Want To Be Like You"

Heroes

Today I finally finished The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle. I've elucidated on this particular edition of said text before, so won't rehash it here.

It was a good read, and very entertaining. It carries much of the same authenticity of the Roger Lancelyn Green version, though it lacks some of the depth, complexity, and character development of the Paul Creswick version. It again struck me as having a similar feel to the legends of King Arthur, but I suppose we all long for noble heroic leaders such as Robin Hood and King Arthur.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Van Morrison: "Moondance"

Inland Hurricane

The past two days now have featured some crummy weather, the kind of weather that should be reserved for early April, not the middle of May. Cool, rainy, chill weather. Blustery weather. Clammy weather. Indeed, looking at radar images of the Great Lakes region one would think a hurricane was swirling around us. It has certainly brought gray skies and rain, and in some places high winds. Gills Rock reported gusts up to 70 mph. The Washington Island Ferry actually shut down; there were reports of 8- to 9-foot seas in Death's Door. And Maryanne thought our crossing was hazardous.

This less than balmy weather is forecasted to last throughout the weekend, thereby putting a damper on my work in the yard. If the weather continues wet, though, I'll have to forgo mowing the lawn, but it will be a good opportunity to sow grass seed to patch some thin or bare spots, as well as spread insecticide on the front lawn to deal with the ants there. Part of me thinks Maryanne is secretly happy I won't be spending the entire weekend out in the yard, despite her protestations to the contrary.

I've begun formulating a plan for what I want to do with the yard, and am now actually anxious to complete as much of the work as I can. The fact that this weekend's weather is not expected to be cooperative is disappointing. We'll need more perennials, as well as some shrubs, but I can't yet justify the expense until I have all the manual labor done in preparation.

Mood: Disappointed
Music: Santana: "No One to Depend On"

Old School

This may come as a surprise to some:

You scored as Old School Democrat. Old school Democrats emphasize economic justice and opportunity. The Democratic ideal is best summarized by the Four Freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Old School Democrat 80% Pro Business Republican 75% Libertarian 65% New Democrat 60% Green 60% Foreign Policy Hawk 60% Socially Conservative Republican 40% What's Your Political Philosophy? created with QuizFarm.com

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Vanilla Fudge: "Good Good Lovin'"

That's Entertainment

Sometime earlier this afternoon I had what I thought was a brilliant idea for today's blog post. Unfortunately, I quickly forgot it in dealing with Sarah's soiled diaper. Honestly, I've been wracking my brain for the better part of the afternoon and evening yet have absolutely no idea what it is I wanted to blog about. Instead here are some random observations.

A while ago I picked up a two disc set of the best of Paul Revere and the Raiders. I was familiar with some of their work. Some of their best known songs get some rotation on most oldies station, and my parents had some 45s of some of their singles. The two disc set was a replacement for a single disc collection. I'm glad I chose to upgrade. I've been very pleased with some of the songs that were new to me. Indeed, I'm kind of surprised the group is not better remembered than it is. But then again that's what MP3 players are for.

On my days off I've been trying to watch Boy Meets World. I never got to watch it much when it was on regular network TV, and have since only caught it in reruns. I find it very entertaining, being funny yet thoughtful as well. Considering how rarely I'm able to watch it I was still surprised to see that today's episodes were both ones I'd seen before. They were still entertaining, though.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Paul Revere and the Raiders: "Gone Movin' On"

Dollars

This is pretty informative.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Journey: "Who's Crying Now"

Happy

I once again spent a good portion of the weekend outside working in the yard. I still haven't sown new grass seed where needed, but I got a lot of other things accomplished. I kind of wish I had taken a picture of the yard at the beginning of the season so I could post some before and after pictures. There is going to be a significant difference, especially now that I have some kind of plan formulated.

I was fairly sore yesterday after having worked in the yard most of the day Saturday. I worked outside for a little bit yesterday anyway, which didn't help the situation. I'm not feeling too bad today, though.

Today is my birthday, and I turned 29. I don't feel much different, as usual. It's really not the birthdays themselves that make me feel different, it's the life events that do: getting married, buying a house, and having a child.

I took a day of vacation today, so I've been at home with Sarah. I don't feel too cooped up, though, as the sky has been cloudy since late this morning, and it appears it could rain at any moment. I needed to get some things done in the house anyway. This morning, though, Maryanne and I went to breakfast and ran a couple of errands. She took some personal time off from work this morning so she could spend some time with me for my birthday. It was a very pleasant morning, and it's been a pretty relaxing afternoon. Happy birthday to me.

Mood: Relaxed
Music: The Rolling Stones: "Happy"

Cinco de Mayo

I had another day off today, this time because I took a vacation day. It worked out well since Sarah had her four-month checkup today, along with another battery of vaccines. It turns out she's doing well, and she handled the shots fairly well, too, all things considered. Maryanne was pleased as well.

Rather than brave one of the many local Mexican restaurants in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, especially with an infant, we decided to make our own Mexican meal at home and had tacos. Nothing spectacular, but it was a more relaxing experience than a trip to a restaurant might have been.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Mott the Hoople: "All the Young Dudes"

Chivalry

I found this interesting article on the state of chivalry.

It raises some interesting questions. Why is it that some women feel that chivalry and gallantry are an affront to the equal rights movement? Why is it that some men have not only abandoned chivalrous and gallant behavior because of this, but have abandoned manners and common courtesy as well?

While I'm thinking about it, what have happened to people's manners in general? Last fall I was at a work function which featured a lunch of spaghetti. I was appalled that no one seemed to know how to handle a formal place setting. No one knew where to put their napkin (on your lap!), where to put their butter knife (on your bread plate!), or which fork to use (salad fork for salad, dinner fork for entree). I see manners lacking in the grocery story as well: people leaving their carts in the middle of the aisle, sometimes while they're in another aisle altogether. Has our culture become so selfish that we've forgotten our manners?

So here's to chivalry. Women should learn to accept it as a gesture of respect and not one of condescension or patronization. Men should learn that part of being chivalrous or gallant is doing the right thing, even knowing that not everyone is going to accept their gesture of respect with a gracious thank you.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Beatles: "When I'm Sixty-Four"

Giveaway

This could be troubling.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Stone Free"

Delicious

Clearly, nerds love cake.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Offspring: "No Breaks"

Rainy Days

Friday's weather was quite spectacular, but since I was home alone with Sarah I was only able to accomplish some of the indoor chores. Saturday dawned cloudy but dry, and it stayed that way long enough for me to clean up the yard and mow the lawn. Unfortunately I did not have enough time to start sowing grass seed to patch the bare spots before the rain started. That task will have to wait along with some of the other things I want to get done.

Saturday night involved a birthday party for Jenni, apparently the same day as the Mifflin Street Block Party, so downtown was insane. We had to wait quite some time before we were able to get into the Campus-State Street ramp. It was an enjoyable evening, though, if long. Sunday the weather had not improved, which put a damper on the wedding reception to which we were invited. We were able to get some shopping done, though, buying some baby things for which Maryanne had a hankering. If nothing else I'll no longer have to listen to her talk about how badly we need them (read, "how badly she wants them").

Today I have a flex day, so am home alone again with Sarah. Luckily she's been good enough for me to get a few more chores done.

So here it is, May already. May is my favorite month, which I remark about yearly, it seems. We're off to a rather inauspicious start, though, as it is overcast and cool. It's one of those damp, gray days that are better suited to April. Since I don't have the opportunity to get anything accomplished outside anyway, then I guess it doesn't matter if it's crummy outside or not.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Cream: "Badge"

Post Haste

I'm beginning to become very frustrated by the post office. Ever since Maryanne and I moved into this house, we have received mail for the previous residents. Some of this is to be expected, as it is marketing materials such as catalogs that is addressed to "current resident." There's really nothing I can do about that. However, something can be done about the mail that's addressed specifically to the previous residents, Ed and Jen. The mail for Ed stopped showing up a long time ago, but just today we got yet another piece of mail addressed to Jen. I have tried to stop it, even speaking with the postmaster here in Stoughton, but it just keeps coming. Part of me says to just start pitching the stuff with the rest of the recycling, but I'm unsure of the legality of this.

Short of putting a sign on the mailbox or some such thing I'm sure of how to make it perfectly clear to our postal carrier that the only surname in use at this residence is Anschutz.

Mood: Irritated
Music: Jackson Browne: "Boulevard"

Must See Before...?

Here's a list of "102 Movies You Must See Before..." Before... you die? Who knows. It may not be a list of the the best movies ever, but it's an interesting list nonetheless. Links go to Roger Ebert's reviews.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: The Outlaws: "Green Grass and High Tides"

Flat

When you read about stuff like this, is it any wonder I rail against California liberals the way I do?

Mood: Annoyed
Music: Mötley Crüe: "Enslaved"

Fugitives

You know the immigration reform that was being debated in Congress and died in the process? Yeah, if people understood what it was really about, and it had passed, we might not be reading about stuff like this:

Of the 183 arrested, 130 were fugitives who had already been ordered deported by an immigration judge [emphasis added]. The remaining 53 were also illegal immigrants...

That's right. All of them were criminals simply by being illegal immigrants, but many of them were guilty of much worse crimes, including sex offenses, child abuse, and drug trafficking.

Do people really want these elements in our society so badly that they're willing to import them illegally from other countries?

Mood: Disgusted
Music: BBM: "Can't Fool the Blues"

Green Thumb

We had a pretty decent weekend as far as the weather went, and after a stop at the hardware store on Saturday I decided to try to get some yard work done. Most of the late morning and afternoon were spent pruning trees and shrubs, digging out stumps, and raking. I paid for it Sunday, as I was quite sore and had given myself a painful blister. I still have a bit of soreness today, as a matter of fact. I wish I had been able to get more done, but am satisfied with the progress thus far.

Having the proper tools for the work was very useful. Recent acquisitions include a pole pruner, lopping shears, shrub rake, mattock, garden spade, and pitch fork. We'll also need a wheelbarrow or cart of some sort soon, though I'm not sure where we're going to store it right now.

I'd like to start a compost heap somewhere, but I'm not sure where to locate it right now. It certainly would come in handy for the garden work I hope to accomplish this spring.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Pat McCurdy: "Nude Party"

Plink

Today (much like most of the week) has been one of those days when I wish I could go home, have a nice beer, and go outside and do some plinking.

Unfortunately, we live in the city where they frown upon such things.

Mood: Disheartened
Music: Badfinger: "No Matter What"

Advice

Good advice for men approaching age 30.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Beatles: "For No One"

Scripted

Here is a list of the 101 greatest screenplays ever written, as determined by the Writers Guild of America.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: The Eagles: "James Dean"

Change of Venue

Since Sarah's soon to outgrow her bassinet, Maryanne cleared the crib last night. The crib had been used as a catch-all for stuff in the nursery that we didn't want to deal with. Now, apparently, the rocking chair has that function, at least until the weekend when we can properly organize things.

I was a little nervous about how Sarah would handle the change in venue, but she did well. She started her last feeding around eight o'clock last night, and ate a total of seven ounces. She settled down for good just before ten, and slept through the entire night. I was fairly excited about it. I hope it's a trend!

Mood: Enthused
Music: Aerosmith: "Toys In the Attic"

Profiteering

Here's a study showing that all the reasons cited by oil companies for high gas prices are a bunch of bullshit.

Mood: Irritated
Music: Jethro Tull: "Sweet Dreams"

Easter turducken

"Many children wonder around Easter how it is that bunnies lay eggs. As a side benefit, Easter turducken illustrates clearly that this 'theory' is wrong. Obviously bunnies lay chickens, which then lay the eggs. Mystery solved."

Mood: Amused
Music: The Yardbirds: "For Your Love"

Abuse of Language

Overheard today: "...photogenic memory..."

That's from a coworker.

It's things like this that make me feel more secure in my job.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Golden Earring: "Twilight Zone"

Fallen Apples

I'm not sure exactly what comment to make on this, other than I find it highly amusing and wish I had the nerve to talk to stupid people that way.

Mood: Amused
Music: The Beatles: "Eight Days a Week"

Why is the sky blue?

When asked "What is one science question every high school graduate should be able to answer?" several science gurus came up with this list.

I know for sure that number four is something a lot of students won't be able to answer because it's not even being taught in some schools.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Donovan: "Season of the Witch"

Crazy Like a Fox

Is a crazy conspiracy theory still crazy if it's presented by a physics professor at a well-respected American university?

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Creedence Clearwater Revival: "Hey Tonight"

Wheee!

This is pretty bizarre.

Mood: Confused
Music: The James Gang: "Walk Away"

Judas

Last night I ended up turning on the National Geographic Channel, intrigued by the title of the program they were airing, a program about The Gospel of Judas. You read that right: a gospel according to Judas Iscariot. Apparently there is such a thing, condemned as heresy by early Orthodox Christian church leaders, most notably by Irenaeus, and suppressed. A papyrus codex was discovered in Egypt in the 1970s, and after circulating the antiquities market for some time, nearly being irreparably damaged, it finally reached the appropriate experts in 2001. The restoration is now complete, and the text has been translated from its original Coptic into a gospel that has more in common with the Gnostic gospels than with the gospels of the New Testament.

Also of note was the contrast between the way Judas is portrayed in the Gospel of Judas compared to the way he is portrayed in the canonical gospels. In the New Testment Judas is increasingly villainized from one gospel to the next, from a fairly benign description in Mark to an evil and adversarial description in John. This contrasts even more greatly in the Gospel of Judas, where he is portrayed as the only one who completely understands Jesus. Indeed, even Judas' demise differs between the canonical gospels, when it is mentioned at all. In one gospel he hangs himself, and in another he falls to his death. It's a head scratcher.

As a child I recall disliking Judas, probably because in Sunday School they portrayed him as a villain and as a traitor. Now that I'm older I'm a little more sympathetic. After having read more of the gospels on my own (canonical and non-canonical), and even after listening to Jesus Christ Superstar, I've come to the conclusion that someone had to betray Jesus for things to happen as they did. There's no point to Christianity if Christ isn't crucified and resurrected. If someone has to betray Christ, why not Judas? I think the greatest item of contention that marked the Gospel of Judas as heretical is the the notion that Jesus asked Judas to betray him. It's a necessary evil, as we might call it today, but I can see how it would seem blasphemous to the early Church fathers.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Jethro Tull: "Bungle in the Jungle"

Backfire

A recent Zogby poll shows that all the protests regarding proposed immigration laws and the status of illegal aliens has, as expected, backfired.

I, for one, am not surprised.

Mood: Unsurprised
Music: Elton John: "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"

Portable Stereotypes

This cartoon about sums up my problems with the ad campaign for the Sony PSP. Even before reading this comic strip I could tell from the commercials that the characters were based on racial stereotypes, and thinly veiled at that. I'm no longer so enthusiastic about Sony as a company as I once was, and the ads just hurt my opinion of Sony that much more.

Mood: Annoyed
Music: Deep Purple: "Freedom"

Illegal

This article was linked on Fark with the headline "Rallies across U.S. call for illegal immigrant rights. Rallies for burglar rights, tax evader rights, and drunk driver rights to follow."

That about hits the nail on the head.

Yes, in what may be an oversimplification of the issue, people are protesting because illegal aliens who are not U.S. citizens do not have the same rights of people that are U.S. citizens.

People are upset that the government would want to deny rights and priveleges to illegal aliens, people that are not in the country legally.

That kind of nerve (or maybe it's just stupidity) makes me fear for this country.

The comments thread on Fark makes for interesting reading, as well.

Mood: Annoyed
Music: Led Zeppelin: "Black Country Woman"

"Waiting for the bus all day..."

I don't think anything like this would have happened when I was a student at Sevastopol High School.

Mood: Concerned
Music: April Wine: "Roller"

Running Gag

Maryanne and I have been fairly amused by the series of commercials for Kellogg's Raisin Bran Crunch cereal. The commercials started with a pretty funny gag, and it's been pretty interesting to see the series stay fresh and entertaining, even with the latest installments.

On a different note, my Blogger Word Verification string for this post is "holybjzs" which bears a striking resemblance to "Holy b'Jesus."

Mood: Amused
Music: Cream: "Crossroads"

What the Puck

Last night I was able to watch the UW Men's Hockey team win the NCAA championship for the sixth time, defeating Boston College in a closely-contested game. The game was very exciting, and Maryanne commented on how fast of a game hockey is. She also noted her surprise at my interest in the sport.

I've had a bit of an interest in hockey for a while, but beyond cable there's little opportunity to watch televised hockey in Wisconsin. There's no NHL home team, and most hockey fans in the state either come from elsewhere and already have a team they follow, or simply pick a team for one reason or another. I find the game exciting, but haven't really latched on to a pro team yet, though my parents were fans of the Chicago Blackhawks.

In any case, I was glad to see the Badger Men win, since the Badger Women's team won the NCAA championship this year as well. It's been a good year for Wisconsin hockey.

Mood: Pleased
Music: Blue Öyster Cult: "Burnin' for You"

Body of Evidence

This article from Time shows some new evidence in support of Darwinian evolution, providing yet another stumbling block for Creationism and Intelligent Design.

However, from a magazine like Time I'd expect the article would be a little more objective and avoid the weighted words at the end of the article.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Styx: "Lady"

Games

Today I was home with Sarah while Maryanne was at work. This morning I had the TV on, and was watching Game Show Network. They were showing reruns of To Tell the Truth and today's "contestants" featured a woman who worked as a body double, and had served as the body double for Julia Roberts when she did Pretty Woman. What struck me, though, was that one of the imposters looked familiar. She was a tall, slender brunette. When the imposters introduced themselves, this particular woman introduced herself as Cathy Bell, and she worked as a massage therapist. The reason she was so familiar is that it was none other than Catherine Bell, from JAG.

This wouldn't be the first time Maryanne and I have seen "future" celebrities on the Game Show Network. We once spotted Kirstie Alley as a contestant on Match Game.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: The Alan Parsons Project: "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You"

Rocket Science

Here's an interesting article on rocket pioneer Robert Goddard.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Steely Dan: "Dirty Work"

Brick by Brick

LEGOs are a great time waster -- I know that quite well. But I don't think I ever dedicated the amount of time it would take for this, or especially this.

Mood: Awed
Music: Deep Purple: "Smoke on the Water"

The "E" Word

This article is very interesting and thought-provoking. It raises a lot of questions about how widespread the issue of evolution vs. creationism could be. It is also saddening to see creationism (illegally) pushed and evolution (illegally) not being taught. It is no wonder we are falling behind other countries in the educational levels of our youth.

Mood: Concerned
Music: Ace: "How Long"

Run Amok

This article pretty much speaks for itself.

Mood: Annoyed
Music: Tonic: "You Wanted More"

Punishing Honesty

This morning I made the comment that (most of) Indiana was stupid for not observing daylight saving time.

Here's another example of stupidity in action in Indiana: punishing a student for being honest.

Mood: Annoyed
Music: Chicago: "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?"

29

For the second time in her lifetime, this woman was dealt a perfect hand in cribbage.

And to think I've never even seen it once.

Mood: Disappointed
Music: Big Star: "Thank You Friends"

Bias

It seems I'm not the only one with a bone to pick with the main-stream media.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: U2: "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

To the Lists

Here's some guy's list of the Greatest Internet Moments. It's a much different list than what you might find in a magazine or newspaper (or their websites), but just as relevant.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: The Who: "Won't Get Fooled Again"

Running Over

When you think about it, is there really such a thing as a "modest" boob job?

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Donovan: "Sunshine Superman"

Strike

I feel for this guy.

Mood: Sympathetic
Music: Rockapella: "Zombie Jamboree"

Capital Offense

This is interesting.

Mood: Intrigued
Music: Episode Six: "Alone Again Or"

Merry

I was finally able to start on The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle this afternoon. Pyle is probably better known as an illustrator, with his quality comparing to that of such contemporaries as N.C. Wyeth and Maxfield Parrish among the great American illustrators.

This will be the third classic Robin Hood text I've read, already having read Paul Creswick's work as well as that by Roger Lancelyn Green. I don't expect much variation in Pyle's rendition, but I am looking forward to his artwork.

The particular edition that I have acquired was found at an antique shop, and is actually a library discard, and thus bound in hardcover, in what is typically known as "library binding." It's copyrighted 1946, and is a reprint of the original 1883 edition published by Scribner.

Since I'm on the subject of Robin Hood... I've been trying to get Maryanne to watch the classic The Adventures of Robin Hood with me for a long time. With some caution I call it the definitive film version, for it is this version which Mel Brooks more closely imitated in his Robin Hood: Men in Tights, though Brooks did borrow slightly from Kevin Costner's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Some of the elements of the latter, including a Saracen, a witch, and Robin's return from the Crusades, are included in Brooks' version, but he maintains the tradition of the characters of Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham. The Errol Flynn film, of course, gives the Sheriff a name (Sir Guy of Gisbourne), and features a cast that's hard to beat: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, and Alan Hale.

All of the movies, though, vary from the tales, cutting out a lot of material along the way from start to finish. Robin's origins are actually explained better in the books, and those origins do not involve the Crusades. All of the movies end with Robin's happy union with Marion, though in many of the tales she doesn't even exist. None of the movies give any treatment to Robin's demise, a tale nearly as woeful, yet as hopeful, as the demise of King Arthur himself.

Mood: Thoughtful
Music: Bad Company: "Bad Company"