And here is the artwork she created from yesterday.
PS - She appears to be a compulsive counter like her Dad. She's counting seats in the house, glasses on the table, etc.
Licensed to teach English and History in the state of Virginia. Full time #housespouse. I'm just trying to live a happy life. I read, I run, I write, and I do other goofy stuff.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Elizabeth Turns 4 Today
In celebration, she'll be spending the day with Yvonne's parents. I have no idea what they're doing or where they're going, but that's the plan.
And here is the artwork she created from yesterday.
PS - She appears to be a compulsive counter like her Dad. She's counting seats in the house, glasses on the table, etc.
And here is the artwork she created from yesterday.
PS - She appears to be a compulsive counter like her Dad. She's counting seats in the house, glasses on the table, etc.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
The last -edited-
-edited-
And in the not-so-April-Fools category, William just seems to be a magnet for bad luck. Nice to see I've passed something on to my son besides my love of eating. Yesterday he took a trip to the doctor who nearly sent him to the hospital. He's been wheezing and coughing for a few days and it was worse yesterday. Bad enough that he went right in and the doc said to call 911 if it got worse at home. In the mean time he's building up some fighting skills while we try to give him his nebulizer treatment (he was diagnosed with bronchiolitis). On a more positive note, the in-laws arrived safely with baby food and a bed frame in tow.
And now I'm off to the UFO site to put the next photo up.
And in the not-so-April-Fools category, William just seems to be a magnet for bad luck. Nice to see I've passed something on to my son besides my love of eating. Yesterday he took a trip to the doctor who nearly sent him to the hospital. He's been wheezing and coughing for a few days and it was worse yesterday. Bad enough that he went right in and the doc said to call 911 if it got worse at home. In the mean time he's building up some fighting skills while we try to give him his nebulizer treatment (he was diagnosed with bronchiolitis). On a more positive note, the in-laws arrived safely with baby food and a bed frame in tow.
And now I'm off to the UFO site to put the next photo up.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Three-Year-Olds and Guns
So, yesterday had a bit of excitement. Apparently Elizabeth, a week shy of turning four, decided to shoot her toy gun at William's head. Mom was not happy.
Neither was Dad.
As many of you know, I carry. As in heat. Pack. As in pistol. There are exactly two guns in the house. My 9mm pistol and an AR-15. Both are unloaded and locked when they are in the house (unless I'm wearing them - which isn't often or long). My usual routine is to walk in, empty my pockets and lock/stow the gun.
Anyway, guns have been a part of my life since, well, for as long as I can remember. Shooting prairie dogs on the family farm, getting my first bb gun, killing a squirrel and freaking out. All important, gun related moments in my life. But I learned to respect guns. Not play with them. Sure, target shooting is fun and at times it feels like your playing because you enjoy it so much, but guns are dangerous. They can hurt people.
No, I'm not going to rant about "people killing people" and "guns killing people" or anything like that. Instead, I'm going to rant about how we should not have allowed Elizabeth to have a toy gun. Yes, I know, it was just a toy gun. Not even as powerful as a Nerf gun. You squeeze the handle (it's hollow) and a puff of air shoots the little foam dart.
Well, when you have a kid that just doesn't know that guns are guns, you have to live with the consequences. So today, I'm living with the consequences. After the "shooting" yesterday, she sat in time out. She's lucky she didn't an AB (that's code for Ass Beat) from Mom. The gun went into a Ziploc. Dad got home. She got a stern talking to. She almost got an AB from Dad. Mom and Dad made her throw the gun in the trash. She cried. Dad nearly cried, not from her crying, but from being so damn protective of both kids. She had no play time after dinner. No story. And only one round of music instead of two.
I don't know who to be mad at. Her for doing it. Or myself for letting her keep it. I told her she could have a toy gun when she gets older and understands how important it is to be safe with them. And I intend to do that. When she's even older, I'll teach her how to handle real guns. If she wants to.
But for now I need to do my best not to spank her bottom raw. I can only hope the punishment was enough to convey the importance of the situation. Somehow I think she'll forgive and forget before me.
Feel free to say "I told you so" Cinda.
Here's a photo of a similar gun for all you concerned parents out there. Note the age label.
Neither was Dad.
As many of you know, I carry. As in heat. Pack. As in pistol. There are exactly two guns in the house. My 9mm pistol and an AR-15. Both are unloaded and locked when they are in the house (unless I'm wearing them - which isn't often or long). My usual routine is to walk in, empty my pockets and lock/stow the gun.
Anyway, guns have been a part of my life since, well, for as long as I can remember. Shooting prairie dogs on the family farm, getting my first bb gun, killing a squirrel and freaking out. All important, gun related moments in my life. But I learned to respect guns. Not play with them. Sure, target shooting is fun and at times it feels like your playing because you enjoy it so much, but guns are dangerous. They can hurt people.
No, I'm not going to rant about "people killing people" and "guns killing people" or anything like that. Instead, I'm going to rant about how we should not have allowed Elizabeth to have a toy gun. Yes, I know, it was just a toy gun. Not even as powerful as a Nerf gun. You squeeze the handle (it's hollow) and a puff of air shoots the little foam dart.
Well, when you have a kid that just doesn't know that guns are guns, you have to live with the consequences. So today, I'm living with the consequences. After the "shooting" yesterday, she sat in time out. She's lucky she didn't an AB (that's code for Ass Beat) from Mom. The gun went into a Ziploc. Dad got home. She got a stern talking to. She almost got an AB from Dad. Mom and Dad made her throw the gun in the trash. She cried. Dad nearly cried, not from her crying, but from being so damn protective of both kids. She had no play time after dinner. No story. And only one round of music instead of two.
I don't know who to be mad at. Her for doing it. Or myself for letting her keep it. I told her she could have a toy gun when she gets older and understands how important it is to be safe with them. And I intend to do that. When she's even older, I'll teach her how to handle real guns. If she wants to.
But for now I need to do my best not to spank her bottom raw. I can only hope the punishment was enough to convey the importance of the situation. Somehow I think she'll forgive and forget before me.
Feel free to say "I told you so" Cinda.
Here's a photo of a similar gun for all you concerned parents out there. Note the age label.
Reading update
I finished Half-Blood Prince today. Read the review for some interesting comparisons.
The big news is, I'll be starting Deathly Hallows on the way home today. My big request to all (five) readers out there is: Please don't spoil it for me. I haven't read/listened to it yet.
And in other news, I am making some seriously slow progress on A Magic of Twilight. The language is hard to swallow and the characters don't really speak to me yet.
Sacrifice is coming along nicely. Ben assassinated the guy and is making his way off planet. I smell a Sith coming.
The big news is, I'll be starting Deathly Hallows on the way home today. My big request to all (five) readers out there is: Please don't spoil it for me. I haven't read/listened to it yet.
And in other news, I am making some seriously slow progress on A Magic of Twilight. The language is hard to swallow and the characters don't really speak to me yet.
Sacrifice is coming along nicely. Ben assassinated the guy and is making his way off planet. I smell a Sith coming.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Another News Roundup-edited-
If you want to skip ahead and ruin the ending, the new button is at the bottom. Otherwise, stick around.
Abuse Excuse
It appears the abuse excuse has been taken to a whole new level by this guy. Wow. Sure beats telling the cops that the neighbor's dog told me to do it.
Shorpy-like News
In this very Shorpy-like photo, we can see a bridge from the Civil War. You can read more about it in the article here.
Abuse Excuse
It appears the abuse excuse has been taken to a whole new level by this guy. Wow. Sure beats telling the cops that the neighbor's dog told me to do it.
Shorpy-like News
In this very Shorpy-like photo, we can see a bridge from the Civil War. You can read more about it in the article here.
Daddy's Shed
The permit is approved. We'll start running electrical wires soon. Once inspected and approved, we'll insulate, drywall, and paint. Then I can chillax/work in style.
Jericho
Damn. I hate to see such a quality show die like this, but at least it was a decent ending. Not like the ending of Season 1 of Witchblade (which sticks with me to this day) where she turns back time and jumps back to the beginning of the season. I was a little worried the plane would be struck by lightening and blow up. Then I was worried Chavez or Hawkins would flip and blow up the bomb in Texas. But damn. Why can't we see what happens to Beck and the other troops? ARGHARGH!!! Oh, and if you've ever wondered what the Morse Code meant at the beginning of each episode, check this out.
DC Gun Ban
Did you know that guns in DC were once legal? Even in school?
Stripper + Funeral = WTF?!
You read that right.
Snakes on a Plane
Did you guys know I'm on the SOAP DVD? Well I am. But not for reasons like this.
-edited-
-edited-
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Book News
Sacrifice by Karen Traviss
I'm about halfway through this book and it's better than the Republic Commando books, but still not as good as I'd like. Maybe I've been spoiled by some other high class reading (think Rothfuss and Abercrombie), but there you have it.
A Magic of Twilight by S. L. Ferrell
A free (and signed) book I won in a contest. I love free books because no matter how bad they are, you still make out in the end. So far, this one isn't bad, but it is a bit rougher than most getting into. I think it's the language part that I haven't figured out yet. All the ce, cu, ca, etc. before last names is throwing me back to my 9th grade French class and it's hard adjusting.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling
I'm making quick work of this one. But I never remembered that this one appears to move faster than previous ones. I'm on disc 13 and it's already March or April or something. I think it was Goblet of Fire that it took half the book to get past the Quidditch World Cup.
Jack Du Brul
He's an author, not a book. I've read all of his work and have enjoyed most of it. His co-authoring with Clive Cussler left something seriously desired, enough so that I think Cussler wrote the crap, not Du Brul. But the news here is Doubleday bought rights to the next two Mercer novels by Du Brul. Here's hoping he can keep Cussler away long enough to get some quality writing done.
I'm about halfway through this book and it's better than the Republic Commando books, but still not as good as I'd like. Maybe I've been spoiled by some other high class reading (think Rothfuss and Abercrombie), but there you have it.
A Magic of Twilight by S. L. Ferrell
A free (and signed) book I won in a contest. I love free books because no matter how bad they are, you still make out in the end. So far, this one isn't bad, but it is a bit rougher than most getting into. I think it's the language part that I haven't figured out yet. All the ce, cu, ca, etc. before last names is throwing me back to my 9th grade French class and it's hard adjusting.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling
I'm making quick work of this one. But I never remembered that this one appears to move faster than previous ones. I'm on disc 13 and it's already March or April or something. I think it was Goblet of Fire that it took half the book to get past the Quidditch World Cup.
Jack Du Brul
He's an author, not a book. I've read all of his work and have enjoyed most of it. His co-authoring with Clive Cussler left something seriously desired, enough so that I think Cussler wrote the crap, not Du Brul. But the news here is Doubleday bought rights to the next two Mercer novels by Du Brul. Here's hoping he can keep Cussler away long enough to get some quality writing done.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Another book done
Finally finished a depressing read of The Blizzard's Children by David Laskin. Which means I'm keeping pace with Paul (this was book 11 for me) and that I can pick a new (more happy) book!
Anyway, happy weekend everyone. Hope the weather holds out for your egg hunting, the dies don't stain your eggs much, and the bunny has plenty of ears to eat.
Anyway, happy weekend everyone. Hope the weather holds out for your egg hunting, the dies don't stain your eggs much, and the bunny has plenty of ears to eat.
Swinging in March Video
And here are some videos of the kids swinging (figured I'd try Blogger's video interface to see how it compares to Revver's).
Swinging in March
Some new photos are up of the kids enjoying a spring day on the swing set.
You can see the rest of them here.
You can see the rest of them here.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
To blog-mobile? I've kept blogging
To blog-mobile? I've kept blogging to a minimum as I'm busy and lack "quality" material. But I feel like I'm neglecting you. Thoughts?
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Calling in Well-edited-
-edited-
I know, I know, quit whining.
And in other depressing news.....William is slowly recovering from some sort of stomach bug. He couldn't keep anything down and we've had to scale back to pedialyte in small doses. Yesterday he was able to handle some formula in small doses, so we'll see how he does today at the sitter's.
And in more depressing news.....I'm still plugging along in The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin. Reading about kids freezing to death in a blizzard is about as much fun as reading about Nazis killing kids in Night by Elie Wiesel.
In happier news.....I've made some slow progress on scanning more family history (this time a box from Mom). No surprise, there's some depressing stuff in there, but there's also some very interesting reading material. I'm thinking this summer I'll try to keep busy at work by scanning boxes of photos.
In more happier news.....I should be getting some more feedback on a short story I wrote (that's you Paul and Stone). I'll add that to Epheros' and hopefully get a re-write in at some point in the near future (think after April 15th).
And one final depressing story.....because that's my mood right now.....A fellow Edinboro alumni died. Nobody I knew in person, but I recognized from her flights as a kid.
I know, I know, quit whining.
And in other depressing news.....William is slowly recovering from some sort of stomach bug. He couldn't keep anything down and we've had to scale back to pedialyte in small doses. Yesterday he was able to handle some formula in small doses, so we'll see how he does today at the sitter's.
And in more depressing news.....I'm still plugging along in The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin. Reading about kids freezing to death in a blizzard is about as much fun as reading about Nazis killing kids in Night by Elie Wiesel.
In happier news.....I've made some slow progress on scanning more family history (this time a box from Mom). No surprise, there's some depressing stuff in there, but there's also some very interesting reading material. I'm thinking this summer I'll try to keep busy at work by scanning boxes of photos.
In more happier news.....I should be getting some more feedback on a short story I wrote (that's you Paul and Stone). I'll add that to Epheros' and hopefully get a re-write in at some point in the near future (think after April 15th).
And one final depressing story.....because that's my mood right now.....A fellow Edinboro alumni died. Nobody I knew in person, but I recognized from her flights as a kid.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Weekend Recovery
I'm hoping to recover this week from our busy weekend. Busy you ask? Yes. We were this busy:
- rake leaves out from flower bed
Check. And I raked around the shed and along the tree line. And cleaned out the shed gutters.
- burn after 4 pm
Check. Plus some scrap cardboard and lumber from the shed.
- oil change at 8 am and 9 am
Check and check.
- prep/plan for yard sale/free ads
Kind of a check on this one. Not much left for the free ads, so we'll get into planning for the yard sale later.
- finish bedroom floor
Check. It squeaked. Now it doesn't.
And that was just my To Do List. Added to this we also:
- Bought clothes. Lots of new clothes. Enough to make us both go through our closets and dressers a bit and empty them out.
- Bought/Read books. Bought Before They Are Hanged, Revelation, and The Blade Itself (the non-Abercrombie version). Finished Dead to Me (which I highly recommend). Started Sacrifice.
- Buy/Watch movies. Bought The Ark of Truth and No Country For Old Men. The later was awesome. Best movie I've seen in ages and I don't know why. Purely gripping. Opposite that was Order of the Phoenix. By far the worst of the Harry Potter movies so far.
- Buy Elizabeth's new bed. She's in a Twin bed now. Kid loves it.
- Buy yard supplies. Bought some crabgrass killer, shade flowers, and potting soil.
And I'm sure there's more to add to this insane list, but I'll leave it at that. Now if today was only slow enough at work for me to recover a bit, I might be okay. Sleep was elusive last night. After crawling into bed at 10 pm, I was up at midnight (dog wanted out), 12:30 am (Elizabeth had a bad dream), 4:30 am (William was screaming from a messy diaper), 5:30 am (Yvonne's alarm went off), and 5:50 am (my alarm). I should have been an insomniac.
- rake leaves out from flower bed
Check. And I raked around the shed and along the tree line. And cleaned out the shed gutters.
- burn after 4 pm
Check. Plus some scrap cardboard and lumber from the shed.
- oil change at 8 am and 9 am
Check and check.
- prep/plan for yard sale/free ads
Kind of a check on this one. Not much left for the free ads, so we'll get into planning for the yard sale later.
- finish bedroom floor
Check. It squeaked. Now it doesn't.
And that was just my To Do List. Added to this we also:
- Bought clothes. Lots of new clothes. Enough to make us both go through our closets and dressers a bit and empty them out.
- Bought/Read books. Bought Before They Are Hanged, Revelation, and The Blade Itself (the non-Abercrombie version). Finished Dead to Me (which I highly recommend). Started Sacrifice.
- Buy/Watch movies. Bought The Ark of Truth and No Country For Old Men. The later was awesome. Best movie I've seen in ages and I don't know why. Purely gripping. Opposite that was Order of the Phoenix. By far the worst of the Harry Potter movies so far.
- Buy Elizabeth's new bed. She's in a Twin bed now. Kid loves it.
- Buy yard supplies. Bought some crabgrass killer, shade flowers, and potting soil.
And I'm sure there's more to add to this insane list, but I'll leave it at that. Now if today was only slow enough at work for me to recover a bit, I might be okay. Sleep was elusive last night. After crawling into bed at 10 pm, I was up at midnight (dog wanted out), 12:30 am (Elizabeth had a bad dream), 4:30 am (William was screaming from a messy diaper), 5:30 am (Yvonne's alarm went off), and 5:50 am (my alarm). I should have been an insomniac.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
New photos and video
Here are some new photos. Most are from Elizabeth (amazing to look at the world through the eyes of a three-year-old). And of course, there's a new video of William:
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Jericho
Well, after last week's upset with Bonnie's death, Jericho has redeemed itself with the asshole Getz's death. Bout damn time.
Two more episodes left.
Two more episodes left.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Anton Strout's Green Haze
Bear with me while I do some explaining.
First, I was out sick yesterday, so I'll be a bit catching up on things. So if I owe you money or an email, you'll just need to wait.
Second, I recently finished reading True Colors and was very disappointed. You can find the link to me short review in my Reading Log.
Finally, when I combine these two items, I get a green haze. You've all heard of a "purple haze," right? Well I was in a bit of a green haze yesterday. You know that feeling of lightheadedness you get when you wake up and you feel all crappy kind of like you drank half a bottle of Nyquil the night before? And you know how you semi-hallucinate and see and think things that are just bizarre? Well, thanks to one Anton Strout, author of Dead To Me, I had an even more bizarre green haze yesterday.
Within the first 30 pages of his book, I was able to get a dose of ghosts, psychometricaly induced coitus interruptus, and peek at the workings of an unofficial government agency.
I'm sure you can imagine how my green haze went. Well beyond the bizarre.
But thanks to yesterday's sick day, I was able to make serious progress reading.
First, I was out sick yesterday, so I'll be a bit catching up on things. So if I owe you money or an email, you'll just need to wait.
Second, I recently finished reading True Colors and was very disappointed. You can find the link to me short review in my Reading Log.
Finally, when I combine these two items, I get a green haze. You've all heard of a "purple haze," right? Well I was in a bit of a green haze yesterday. You know that feeling of lightheadedness you get when you wake up and you feel all crappy kind of like you drank half a bottle of Nyquil the night before? And you know how you semi-hallucinate and see and think things that are just bizarre? Well, thanks to one Anton Strout, author of Dead To Me, I had an even more bizarre green haze yesterday.
Within the first 30 pages of his book, I was able to get a dose of ghosts, psychometricaly induced coitus interruptus, and peek at the workings of an unofficial government agency.
I'm sure you can imagine how my green haze went. Well beyond the bizarre.
But thanks to yesterday's sick day, I was able to make serious progress reading.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
I miss you Uncle George
I'm thinking of you more today than I have in awhile. I've been scanning some old photos that were once yours and Aunt Wilma's and, well, I miss you. You were very much an extra grandfather and an extra uncle.
Without you, I would have had a different name.
So here's to you and the good old days when we were both younger and happier.
Without you, I would have had a different name.
So here's to you and the good old days when we were both younger and happier.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Free E-Books
No, I'm not talking about some cheesy looking website like this one. I'm talking about real, honest to goodness free books.
So, here's a small list I've compiled so far. Feel free to add to it as you see fit.
- Project Gutenberg (basically books that are out of copyright, like say Mark Twain)
- Librivox (the audio version of Gutenberg books)
- Baen's Free Library (primarily older sci-fi and fantasy books)
- TOR's Free Books (you'll need to sign up, but it's free - so far I've gotten sci-fi and fantasy books - they just send a link in your email)
- Nightshade's Free Books (not many so far, but I'd expect to see more)
- Jeff VanderMeer's The Situation (via Wired's Geek Dad)
- Kurt R. A. Giambastiani's short stories (a very under appreciated spec fic writer)
- S. M. Stirling's previews (granted, they are just previews, but, I read half of Sunrise Lands before buying the book)
So there you have it, a short list of free books. Feel free to add to it with anything you find out there. I've used all of these with varying degrees of success/satisfaction. Right now, I'd say the free books from TOR are the best as they come right to me and are easy to download and read. Baen's appears to be the largest, but also the oldest (in terms of original publication dates). And yes, I know Stirling's site just has previews, just like every other author out there. But I wanted to draw attention to it since it is a great place to read more than just a sample chapter. In some cases, quite a few chapters.
So, here's a small list I've compiled so far. Feel free to add to it as you see fit.
- Project Gutenberg (basically books that are out of copyright, like say Mark Twain)
- Librivox (the audio version of Gutenberg books)
- Baen's Free Library (primarily older sci-fi and fantasy books)
- TOR's Free Books (you'll need to sign up, but it's free - so far I've gotten sci-fi and fantasy books - they just send a link in your email)
- Nightshade's Free Books (not many so far, but I'd expect to see more)
- Jeff VanderMeer's The Situation (via Wired's Geek Dad)
- Kurt R. A. Giambastiani's short stories (a very under appreciated spec fic writer)
- S. M. Stirling's previews (granted, they are just previews, but, I read half of Sunrise Lands before buying the book)
So there you have it, a short list of free books. Feel free to add to it with anything you find out there. I've used all of these with varying degrees of success/satisfaction. Right now, I'd say the free books from TOR are the best as they come right to me and are easy to download and read. Baen's appears to be the largest, but also the oldest (in terms of original publication dates). And yes, I know Stirling's site just has previews, just like every other author out there. But I wanted to draw attention to it since it is a great place to read more than just a sample chapter. In some cases, quite a few chapters.
The Deaf
So last night I had one of those dreams that, well, disturbed me a bit. it wasn't scary or anything, just odd. My father-in-law was working as a bus driver for the deaf (and not really a bus, more like one of those airport transport thingies). He knew sign language and everything. He's pick up kids, grown-ups, anyone that was deaf and drive them around to do things. Odd.
I think I just have deaf people on my brain. Likely due to the fact that the deaf girl on Jericho was killed this week. Damn. Why her? She was so nice. Guess her brother will go on a rampage against the new government? I hope so. I really want to see that Ravenwood guy get his ass kicked, but I get this funny feeling that he's the stranger on Hawkins' phone.
And in other news, I think I finished my short story. I'll be sending to a few of you readers out there for your feedback. I know it stops abruptly, but that was kind of the idea (plus I wasn't sure where to go from there).
I think I just have deaf people on my brain. Likely due to the fact that the deaf girl on Jericho was killed this week. Damn. Why her? She was so nice. Guess her brother will go on a rampage against the new government? I hope so. I really want to see that Ravenwood guy get his ass kicked, but I get this funny feeling that he's the stranger on Hawkins' phone.
And in other news, I think I finished my short story. I'll be sending to a few of you readers out there for your feedback. I know it stops abruptly, but that was kind of the idea (plus I wasn't sure where to go from there).
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
It's getting hot in here
So, yesterday the weather was nice at a balmy 67 degrees (give or take a few degrees). I, however, didn't get the chance to enjoy the sun as I had to stay home with William and Elizabeth. William was running a temp of 101 in the morning that eventually came down to about 99 before disappearing by this morning. I figure it was due to his three shots he got on Thursday.
And this morning, when all looked like it was getting back on the normal routine, Elizabeth looked a little green around the gills, didn't want her breakfast and barely touched her milk (despite being thirsty). Checked her temp, yep, 101.
So, Dad is watching Elizabeth today while William is at work. Hopefully she'll feel better watching Noggin on my nice, LCD, full HD, newly anchored to the wall, 47 inch television.
And this morning, when all looked like it was getting back on the normal routine, Elizabeth looked a little green around the gills, didn't want her breakfast and barely touched her milk (despite being thirsty). Checked her temp, yep, 101.
So, Dad is watching Elizabeth today while William is at work. Hopefully she'll feel better watching Noggin on my nice, LCD, full HD, newly anchored to the wall, 47 inch television.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Weekenday Update-edited-
Yesterday was a weekenday for me. Yvonne was proctoring another SAT test (scary that kids these days can't write in cursive, even scarier that one fell asleep during her test). Which means I got to babysit. After getting the kids up, fed, and dressed we headed to the local Home and Craft show. Saw lot of jewelry, hand sewn bags, builders, and real estate agents. Way too many people for Elizabeth and I, but we survived. I snapped these on the way out.
After that, we headed home for a steady stream of Noggin while I worked on chores when William was napping. Once Yvonne was done, we headed to town to do some shopping. Nothing terribly exciting, but I did pick up Dead to Me by Anton Strout to add to my ever growing Reading List. We also ran into a former classmate/-edited- of mine. I actually went to high school and college with her before ending up as her -edited- for a few months. It was great to catch up on things and hear that she's doing well.
-edited-
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The Fantasy Genre
Okay, okay, "fantasy" may be a bad stereotype. But that's what I want to deal with, stereotypes.
What stereotype? The fantasy one of course. To be more specific, the young hero that is taught by a wise old man before said old man leaves/dies so young hero can fulfill his fate/destiny/prophecy as a hero.
Where to start.....how about Kvothe, the young hero of Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I like Pat and his book, so I'll pick on him to start with. We see Kvothe as a young boy with a "wise old man," Abenthy, acting as his tutor. Ben teaches Kvothe, Ben leaves, Kvothe grows to be a hero. That's the stereotype right? How about we see where everyone measures up:
Name of the Wind
Young Hero - Kvothe
Wise Old Man - Abenthy (aka Ben)
Fate of Old Man - Leaves the troupe to resume living his own life
Fate of Hero - To be determined
Star Wars
Young Hero - Luke Skywalker
Wise Old Man - Obi-Wan Kenobi (aka Ben)
Fate of Old Man - Dies while fighting Luke's father, Darth Vader
Fate of Hero - Saves the galaxy from the evil clutches of the Empire
Wheel of Time
Young Hero - Rand al'Thor
Wise Old Man - Thom Merrilan or al'Lan Mandragoran
Fate of Old Man - I don't know, I haven't finished the series yet
Fate of Hero - I don't know, I haven't finished the series yet
Harry Potter
Young Hero - Harry Potter
Wise Old Man - Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
Fate of Old Man - He dies in one book, but I still haven't read the last one to see if he comes back (shame on me, I know)
Fate of Hero - Yes, that's right, I haven't read the last book yet - just don't spoil it for me please
Feel free to chime in with your own - or to correct my errors.
What stereotype? The fantasy one of course. To be more specific, the young hero that is taught by a wise old man before said old man leaves/dies so young hero can fulfill his fate/destiny/prophecy as a hero.
Where to start.....how about Kvothe, the young hero of Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I like Pat and his book, so I'll pick on him to start with. We see Kvothe as a young boy with a "wise old man," Abenthy, acting as his tutor. Ben teaches Kvothe, Ben leaves, Kvothe grows to be a hero. That's the stereotype right? How about we see where everyone measures up:
Name of the Wind
Young Hero - Kvothe
Wise Old Man - Abenthy (aka Ben)
Fate of Old Man - Leaves the troupe to resume living his own life
Fate of Hero - To be determined
Star Wars
Young Hero - Luke Skywalker
Wise Old Man - Obi-Wan Kenobi (aka Ben)
Fate of Old Man - Dies while fighting Luke's father, Darth Vader
Fate of Hero - Saves the galaxy from the evil clutches of the Empire
Wheel of Time
Young Hero - Rand al'Thor
Wise Old Man - Thom Merrilan or al'Lan Mandragoran
Fate of Old Man - I don't know, I haven't finished the series yet
Fate of Hero - I don't know, I haven't finished the series yet
Harry Potter
Young Hero - Harry Potter
Wise Old Man - Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
Fate of Old Man - He dies in one book, but I still haven't read the last one to see if he comes back (shame on me, I know)
Fate of Hero - Yes, that's right, I haven't read the last book yet - just don't spoil it for me please
Feel free to chime in with your own - or to correct my errors.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Writing Contracts
Some wishful thinking here, I know, but I began wondering today about contracts for authors. I read a short story by a friend and saw the site had a contract that they essentially copied from SWFA.org. Which prompted this post.
So, what is in a contract? SWFA's simple web contract appears to be just that, simple. Their paperback contract by comparison is much more complex. But having studied law and code, I want to know what it means. For me, my big question lies in what the first sentence means.
Specifically, the part about "nonexclusive rights to publish." So in an attempt to decipher the legal code, here's what I found.
- A great definition of Exclusive vs. Nonexclusive Rights.
- A listing of Types of Rights Commonly Sold by Freelancers.
- Some very old but interesting reading (for those of us in the tax industry) about Authors and the Internal Revenue Code.
For those of you readers who have actually published, feel free to chime in on your experiences (good or bad).
So, what is in a contract? SWFA's simple web contract appears to be just that, simple. Their paperback contract by comparison is much more complex. But having studied law and code, I want to know what it means. For me, my big question lies in what the first sentence means.
AGREEMENT dated this day of [DATE] in which we, the publisher, [NAME], agree
with you, the author, [NAME}, that you grant us the nonexclusive right to
publish your work entitled [TITLE] on our World Wide Web site.
Specifically, the part about "nonexclusive rights to publish." So in an attempt to decipher the legal code, here's what I found.
- A great definition of Exclusive vs. Nonexclusive Rights.
- A listing of Types of Rights Commonly Sold by Freelancers.
- Some very old but interesting reading (for those of us in the tax industry) about Authors and the Internal Revenue Code.
For those of you readers who have actually published, feel free to chime in on your experiences (good or bad).
Monday, February 25, 2008
The new TV
So, this weekend's excitement was the new TV's arrival. Dad agreed to purchase it for us on a short term loan. Once the refund arrives, it'll get kicked over to Dad.
And since he was nice enough to help transport the I guess we'll have to let him watch it.
Anyway, here's the "old"setup.
And here's the "new" setup.
* Apologies for the poor photos. The first is Elizabeth's and the second is from my phone. But hey, I did the best I could. Both entertainment centers are roughly the same size. It's just the TV that's changed.
** Paul, the Wii is awesome on here. Played Order of the Phoenix last night and it was almost like being inside the movie. I think if I can get an HDMI cable for it, it might even be better.
And since he was nice enough to help transport the I guess we'll have to let him watch it.
Anyway, here's the "old"setup.
And here's the "new" setup.
* Apologies for the poor photos. The first is Elizabeth's and the second is from my phone. But hey, I did the best I could. Both entertainment centers are roughly the same size. It's just the TV that's changed.
** Paul, the Wii is awesome on here. Played Order of the Phoenix last night and it was almost like being inside the movie. I think if I can get an HDMI cable for it, it might even be better.
Friday, February 22, 2008
The latest photo of Elizabeth
We had a fun morning coloring and putting stickers in her sticker book and playing checkers (she was pretty good for her age). It sure beat all the excitement I missed from the night before. Yes, last night was apparently so exciting at home, the cops came. Me? I was at work completely oblivious to it all. Short story is a couple came to the house needing the phone, guy left, girl came inside, cops come for a statement, yeah. Lots of fun.
But, everyone is safe and sound, Yvonne was pretty smart through it all, and I'm glad for both. But enough of that. Here's "Bizzy" being busy playing games on the computer.
But, everyone is safe and sound, Yvonne was pretty smart through it all, and I'm glad for both. But enough of that. Here's "Bizzy" being busy playing games on the computer.
Assassin's Apprentice
Finally finished. You can read my review via my Reading Log. It was good enough to keep me reading and I'm willing to keep with the series for now.
Up next, True Colors, the latest Republic Commando book.
Up next, True Colors, the latest Republic Commando book.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Some choice search results
Amazing what people search for online. Even more amazing that they found my blog.
For everyone that found my blog, I'm so glad I could be of service.
PS - that was just the last month.
- les stroud hairy chest
- kvothe was raped
- blogspot nudist hairymen
For everyone that found my blog, I'm so glad I could be of service.
PS - that was just the last month.
Weather-edited-
I hate snow, ice, and cold. Maybe hate is a too-strong word, but I certainly have an extreme dislike of winter weather. It looks all nice and pretty, like sugar coated pine trees in a Courier and Ives print, but I'll be damned if I want to spend enough time in it to catch a chill, freeze my ninny-who-whos off, and try to drive with the insane people in it.
So I sit here at -edited- and watch the temperature hover at the freezing point with rain and ice and snow and sleet knocking on my door as I ponder my commute tomorrow afternoon and my intent to finally purchase the TV stand and TV Saturday.
If I'm lucky, I'll either make it to -edited-. But knowing how I trend toward attracting bad luck, it will likely be a sketchy drive to and from -edited- on to make up for those missing and a dash of no TV. Damn. I knew I should have checked the bank account before making that purchase....
So I sit here at -edited- and watch the temperature hover at the freezing point with rain and ice and snow and sleet knocking on my door as I ponder my commute tomorrow afternoon and my intent to finally purchase the TV stand and TV Saturday.
If I'm lucky, I'll either make it to -edited-. But knowing how I trend toward attracting bad luck, it will likely be a sketchy drive to and from -edited- on to make up for those missing and a dash of no TV. Damn. I knew I should have checked the bank account before making that purchase....
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Farseer Update
So I've progressed nicely in Assassin's Apprentice. Not as fast as I'd like, but considering the serious increase in my workload, my free time is much smaller.
Anyway, I've gotten far enough I should be able to start my next book soon and still be able to finish Fitz's story. I'm interested enough to buy the next book about Fitz, but I'm not sure how much I'll go beyond this particular trilogy. It's not that I don't like it, I do. I'm just not sure there's enough of a hook to keep me reading. Guess we'll see.
Anyway, I've gotten far enough I should be able to start my next book soon and still be able to finish Fitz's story. I'm interested enough to buy the next book about Fitz, but I'm not sure how much I'll go beyond this particular trilogy. It's not that I don't like it, I do. I'm just not sure there's enough of a hook to keep me reading. Guess we'll see.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Norwegian Family Photos
Since I'm at a loss of what to write today, I'll be plugging my other blog, Unidentified Family Objects. If you are not familiar with it, it's essentially a place where I post photos of family heirlooms. Some of them I'm able to research and discover more information about them, others I'm not. There's also a fair bit of creative writing in some parts, so enjoy my dry wit if you can.
Today, well, yesterday really, I started a very long "special theme" of old photos I found in an old album. As you'll learn quickly, I know very little about the people in the photos. Anyway, enough blathering, enjoy the old photos if you're into that kind of thing.
Here's the first photo to entice you.....
Today, well, yesterday really, I started a very long "special theme" of old photos I found in an old album. As you'll learn quickly, I know very little about the people in the photos. Anyway, enough blathering, enjoy the old photos if you're into that kind of thing.
Here's the first photo to entice you.....
Monday, February 18, 2008
William
As you can see in the first photo, William's cheeks have cleared up nicely. In the second photo, you'll see he likes to stare out the window instead of napping.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
A Drow Child
Ever see pictures of one? We know they are evil as are all Dark Elves, but this little brochure tells you how to prevent them. What water has to do with the process, I'm not sure.
Yes, this is from a real Bumbo seat. No it has not been edited (other than that red box to get your attention). We have one for William, but other than giving a comfy seat to sit in, there's no way of keeping him there. He's such a Houdini at the moment and is days/weeks from crawling.
Yes, this is from a real Bumbo seat. No it has not been edited (other than that red box to get your attention). We have one for William, but other than giving a comfy seat to sit in, there's no way of keeping him there. He's such a Houdini at the moment and is days/weeks from crawling.
Weekenday Update
So yesterday was one of those rare days when you go to every store you want and accomplish nearly everything on your list. Wow. I'm pooped.
After the early morning wake-up from William, we headed out the door to do the following:
- buy water
- stop at the old pediatrician to pay for copies of paperwork to send to the new pediatrician
- meet Dad at BJ's to buy formula and get TV measurements
- stop at Good Wood Furniture to shop for entertainment center and shelves, buy entertainment center, get measurements on shelves to purchase later
- I shop at Costco (for gum and Pledge) while Yvonne shops at Belk (for makeup)
- lunch at Quiznos (our usual minus Elizabeth's order)
- I shop at Borders (bought I Am Legend and the 25th Anniversary of Thriller album) while Yvonne shops at Target (to return William's shoes)
- stop at Lowe's to buy new kitchen faucet (old one leaked)
- I shop at Best Buy (didn't find anything) while Yvonne shops at Kohls (new sunglasses and holiday socks)
- then Wal-Mart to get groceries
After all that, we made it home for dinner time and I even had time to replace the kitchen faucet (I like the new one a lot).
But the best part of all this? The trip to the Good Wood store. While we were looking at the bookshelves (we are such bibliophiles, it isn't even funny) the store employee guy was waiting behind us while we talked to each other about the design and measurements. So here's the little story of the day:
I hear her ask the guy "Is he wearing a gun?"
"I think so ma'am" he said.
So I turn around and the lady says to me "Are you a private citizen?"
"Yes ma'am" I replied.
"And you're allowed to carry a gun?" she asked pointing a gnarled finger in the general direction of my gun.
"Yes, Virginia has an open-carry law" I said. "But I also have a concealed weapons permit" I added with a smile on my face.
With a look of shock she muttered "Oh" under her breath a bit.
Yvonne and I returned to the counter at the front with the store employee to pay for the entertainment center. While he was writing things up he said "I'd like to apologize for that lady back there."
I kind of chuckled and said not to worry about it.
I didn't know what was funnier, the lady's reaction or the man's apology. Anyway, that's it from here. Entertainment center has been secured for pick-up next week. TV will be purchased after the refund arrives (which will be after the return is filed).
After the early morning wake-up from William, we headed out the door to do the following:
- buy water
- stop at the old pediatrician to pay for copies of paperwork to send to the new pediatrician
- meet Dad at BJ's to buy formula and get TV measurements
- stop at Good Wood Furniture to shop for entertainment center and shelves, buy entertainment center, get measurements on shelves to purchase later
- I shop at Costco (for gum and Pledge) while Yvonne shops at Belk (for makeup)
- lunch at Quiznos (our usual minus Elizabeth's order)
- I shop at Borders (bought I Am Legend and the 25th Anniversary of Thriller album) while Yvonne shops at Target (to return William's shoes)
- stop at Lowe's to buy new kitchen faucet (old one leaked)
- I shop at Best Buy (didn't find anything) while Yvonne shops at Kohls (new sunglasses and holiday socks)
- then Wal-Mart to get groceries
After all that, we made it home for dinner time and I even had time to replace the kitchen faucet (I like the new one a lot).
But the best part of all this? The trip to the Good Wood store. While we were looking at the bookshelves (we are such bibliophiles, it isn't even funny) the store employee guy was waiting behind us while we talked to each other about the design and measurements. So here's the little story of the day:
I hear her ask the guy "Is he wearing a gun?"
"I think so ma'am" he said.
So I turn around and the lady says to me "Are you a private citizen?"
"Yes ma'am" I replied.
"And you're allowed to carry a gun?" she asked pointing a gnarled finger in the general direction of my gun.
"Yes, Virginia has an open-carry law" I said. "But I also have a concealed weapons permit" I added with a smile on my face.
With a look of shock she muttered "Oh" under her breath a bit.
Yvonne and I returned to the counter at the front with the store employee to pay for the entertainment center. While he was writing things up he said "I'd like to apologize for that lady back there."
I kind of chuckled and said not to worry about it.
I didn't know what was funnier, the lady's reaction or the man's apology. Anyway, that's it from here. Entertainment center has been secured for pick-up next week. TV will be purchased after the refund arrives (which will be after the return is filed).
Friday, February 15, 2008
Sailors take warn
There was a red sky this morn:
And Elizabeth will be leaving with Grammy and Bapa Dave this morning. I hope they all have a fun time at Aunt Monica's!
And Elizabeth will be leaving with Grammy and Bapa Dave this morning. I hope they all have a fun time at Aunt Monica's!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
History in HD
Shorpy, from the creators of Plan 59, turns a year old today. This is one of those sites that is both entertaining and educational. And the scans are amazing, especially those Kodak photos where the colors literally pop.
Anyway, the only other comment I can think of about today is the amazing chance that we might get something positive out of our President. Money. Maybe he'll actually end his term on a positive note. Well, in addition to him leaving being positive.
Anyway, the only other comment I can think of about today is the amazing chance that we might get something positive out of our President. Money. Maybe he'll actually end his term on a positive note. Well, in addition to him leaving being positive.
Rogue Jedi on the loose
That's right folks, our very own Fredericksburg, VA has a Jedi on the loose. And he's not afraid of showing off his lightsaber skills on the rooftops in the city.
You can read the article here.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
My caucus is bigger than yours-edited-
Stealing a line from Erik Scott de Bie, I did some quick math this morning using the newspaper's election results and was pleasantly surprised to see the Democrats had roughly 400 more people voting on the blue side. Our county is usually Republican when it comes to voting and I wouldn't be surprised if McCain carries the state (or at least the immediate area) when it comes to the big election in November.
-edited-
And finally, let's all bow our heads in respect for those fans who put time into bringing Jericho back. Thank you. We bow in your almighty presence. Last night's show was great.
-edited-
And finally, let's all bow our heads in respect for those fans who put time into bringing Jericho back. Thank you. We bow in your almighty presence. Last night's show was great.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
No Gym Today
I wanted to, but wanted to relax a bit at work. Seems like a rash of illness is going around work and that means those well enough to make it, get to pick up the extra slack. And it's tax season. Not a good combination.
But, if it makes me (or you) feel any better, I was inspired enough to write some of my story. Nothing fancy, clearly a rough draft, but it actually follows my outline, which is something new for me. Both the outline and following it. So, we'll see how it turns out. I'm looking to keep it a short story and non-fantasy. More crime or suspense. A bit odd, but the idea came and well, I have to get it out now before I crowd out everything else I need to keep in there.
But, if it makes me (or you) feel any better, I was inspired enough to write some of my story. Nothing fancy, clearly a rough draft, but it actually follows my outline, which is something new for me. Both the outline and following it. So, we'll see how it turns out. I'm looking to keep it a short story and non-fantasy. More crime or suspense. A bit odd, but the idea came and well, I have to get it out now before I crowd out everything else I need to keep in there.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Reading progress
With the end of the writer's trike looming, I fear I'll fall into my old TV habits. Curse you writers! You should demand more money!
This weekend I finished Triple Zero and Harry Potter IV. I'm hoping to start Potter V tomorrow but will wait a bit before I start another book (likely True Colors, another Republic Commando book). I'd like to concentrate on Assassin's Apprentice to get a better scope of the story, plot, characters, etc. before moving on.
And with that, I leave you for lunch.
This weekend I finished Triple Zero and Harry Potter IV. I'm hoping to start Potter V tomorrow but will wait a bit before I start another book (likely True Colors, another Republic Commando book). I'd like to concentrate on Assassin's Apprentice to get a better scope of the story, plot, characters, etc. before moving on.
And with that, I leave you for lunch.
3:10 to Yuma
So after a long day at work and before a long night trying to sleep, I rewarded myself with a Pay Per View movie (we have a bunch of coupons, so it was free). I never knew it was a remake, but shouldn't have been surprised. What I really enjoyed though was not the two main characters. They were pretty easy to read and very predictable.
Instead, I fell in love with Ben Foster's character. He literally exuded evil. He was awesome. Great. Brilliant. He was even in one of the greatest shows ever to be cancelled, Freaks and Geeks.
The rest of the movie? So-so. I'm glad it was free, but would have spent the $3.99 to watch it if I had to. Wouldn't pay for the DVD though.
Instead, I fell in love with Ben Foster's character. He literally exuded evil. He was awesome. Great. Brilliant. He was even in one of the greatest shows ever to be cancelled, Freaks and Geeks.
The rest of the movie? So-so. I'm glad it was free, but would have spent the $3.99 to watch it if I had to. Wouldn't pay for the DVD though.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Insert humorous title here-edited-
Ever have one of those days? Well, I think I'm having one today.
Things started out decent at home. Everyone seemed to be up earlier than normal, so we all got out the door earlier than normal. Cool. No problem. Harry Potter sees Cedric die after taking the Goblet of Fire as portkey to the graveyard. Sad, but exciting to listen to. Little to no traffic on the way. Even better. Things are looking borderline awesome. Had a nice mocha java thingy with breakfast. Wow. I must be King.
And then the King gets dumped on. I can only think of Kelly in her shower thinking the same thing because now things are swinging the other direction.
-edited-
Okay. I feel better now that I've vented some hot air. Now the real question is, will I be able to motivate myself to go to the gym in 3 minutes.
Things started out decent at home. Everyone seemed to be up earlier than normal, so we all got out the door earlier than normal. Cool. No problem. Harry Potter sees Cedric die after taking the Goblet of Fire as portkey to the graveyard. Sad, but exciting to listen to. Little to no traffic on the way. Even better. Things are looking borderline awesome. Had a nice mocha java thingy with breakfast. Wow. I must be King.
And then the King gets dumped on. I can only think of Kelly in her shower thinking the same thing because now things are swinging the other direction.
-edited-
Okay. I feel better now that I've vented some hot air. Now the real question is, will I be able to motivate myself to go to the gym in 3 minutes.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Mimi and Fitz watching TV-edited-
-edited-With that out of my head (-edited-), here's the latest thing on our shopping list.
Not necessarily an entertainment center or TV just like this, but you get the idea. First the table, then the TV. We'll keep you posted. Thank God Jericho is coming back soon!
Finally, I'm almost 100 pages into Assassin's Apprentice and, while not supremely impressed, I am enjoying it. It's a bit simple so far (meaning it doesn't require a lot of thought to read it), but I'm intrigued enough to keep reading.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Naughty Neil
No, that's not my porn name, I just feel like I've been a bad boy lately. I've skipped out of the gym four days in a row (well, one if count the number of days I've actually been at work to use the gym). So today I punished myself. I ran.
Well, it was more like a wheezing, loping jog-and-walk than a run, but I tried. I felt pretty good when I finished my shower and had a semi-healthy lunch. About an hour later I stood up and nearly cried. The punishment worked. My legs are sore. Honest Gym-Rat God, I'll do my best to workout tomorrow. Please don't give me cramps. Please don't make me sore tomorrow when I wake up.
Well, it was more like a wheezing, loping jog-and-walk than a run, but I tried. I felt pretty good when I finished my shower and had a semi-healthy lunch. About an hour later I stood up and nearly cried. The punishment worked. My legs are sore. Honest Gym-Rat God, I'll do my best to workout tomorrow. Please don't give me cramps. Please don't make me sore tomorrow when I wake up.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Thursday, Saturday, Tuesday-edited-
I feel like I'm neglecting you all. Boohoo.
So, the Giants won. Yeah. Eat shit and die Bill Belichick. You're an ass.
Elizabeth will likely be traveling with Grammy and Bapa Dave to see Aunt Monica next week. Assuming there is no blizzard. Which meant we had to draft up a guardianship paper. Which reminds me we still need to do a will. Shame on us, I know. I started one, but never finished it. Guess I'll add that to my plate of things to do.
William is looking much better again. He had a bit of a relapse with the scrappy cheeks, but is back on his meds and looking good. We'll see how he holds up after his meds are gone. He's also doing pretty good at rolling over and at getting up on his knees. He scoots backwards most of the time but has been known to rock back and forth on his knees. He's also chowing down on half a jar of baby food at breakfast and dinner. Porker.
And Yvonne is doing fine. School is school. There's always drama of some sort. Always a teacher/student/administrator/parent rubbing people the wrong way or doing something great or who knows what. The bad news is the school system seems to be out of money, which means no spending for classroom supplies.
-edited-
And the van is fixed now. Dad's car is in the shop taking its turn at repairs.
And I'm seriously looking at the big screen TVs now. We should get a nice refund and it's already burning a hole in my pocket. We still need to do some shopping first, but things are looking good. And big.
-edited- Yippee! I skipped the gym today to read some more of Triple Zero. I'm right at that part in the middle where things get interesting. Keeping the troopers straight is insanely difficult but I'm managing. I also started Assassin's Apprentice this weekend. So far, it's keeping me interested. I'll keep you posted on that one.
5 minutes. The UFO blog took a hit in the crotch over the weekend. Everything should work out, but man, I hate it when people act stupid.
And with 2 minutes, I'm quitting. Don't want to be late for dinner!
So, the Giants won. Yeah. Eat shit and die Bill Belichick. You're an ass.
Elizabeth will likely be traveling with Grammy and Bapa Dave to see Aunt Monica next week. Assuming there is no blizzard. Which meant we had to draft up a guardianship paper. Which reminds me we still need to do a will. Shame on us, I know. I started one, but never finished it. Guess I'll add that to my plate of things to do.
William is looking much better again. He had a bit of a relapse with the scrappy cheeks, but is back on his meds and looking good. We'll see how he holds up after his meds are gone. He's also doing pretty good at rolling over and at getting up on his knees. He scoots backwards most of the time but has been known to rock back and forth on his knees. He's also chowing down on half a jar of baby food at breakfast and dinner. Porker.
And Yvonne is doing fine. School is school. There's always drama of some sort. Always a teacher/student/administrator/parent rubbing people the wrong way or doing something great or who knows what. The bad news is the school system seems to be out of money, which means no spending for classroom supplies.
-edited-
And the van is fixed now. Dad's car is in the shop taking its turn at repairs.
And I'm seriously looking at the big screen TVs now. We should get a nice refund and it's already burning a hole in my pocket. We still need to do some shopping first, but things are looking good. And big.
-edited- Yippee! I skipped the gym today to read some more of Triple Zero. I'm right at that part in the middle where things get interesting. Keeping the troopers straight is insanely difficult but I'm managing. I also started Assassin's Apprentice this weekend. So far, it's keeping me interested. I'll keep you posted on that one.
5 minutes. The UFO blog took a hit in the crotch over the weekend. Everything should work out, but man, I hate it when people act stupid.
And with 2 minutes, I'm quitting. Don't want to be late for dinner!
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Baited Breath
As I'm sure all my fans out there have been waiting with baited breath, let me assure I am alive and well. I just took the day off yesterday since it made no sense to work a couple of hours before going to Richmond to pick up Dad. Sooo, to make a long story short. I'm back.
Here's a quick run down of things.
- Dad arrived safe and sound. It was a long trip (2 weeks) made only longer by the drama.
- I spent most of yesterday cleaning up around the house, thus no blogging.
- I did finish Knight of the Dove (review is here) and updated my Reading Log.
- I started reading Triple Zero.
- I have some mail and bills to catch up on. Yuck.
- William did have MRSA, but seems to be clearing up, only to have what looks like a recurrence of more eczema. Thanks to my Mom's side of the family, it appears to be in our genes. Guess I'll have to see what the doc can do about mine.
- Yvonne's van is nice and clean. Bumper has been fixed and repainted. Dad's car will go in for fixing Monday.
- Don't forget to print out your Bridget Moynahan mask and wear it during the Superbowl. Hopefully Brady will be too distracted to want to win.
- And since I have enough stuff to catch up on, I'll leave you with that mini-broadcast of the news.
Here's a quick run down of things.
- Dad arrived safe and sound. It was a long trip (2 weeks) made only longer by the drama.
- I spent most of yesterday cleaning up around the house, thus no blogging.
- I did finish Knight of the Dove (review is here) and updated my Reading Log.
- I started reading Triple Zero.
- I have some mail and bills to catch up on. Yuck.
- William did have MRSA, but seems to be clearing up, only to have what looks like a recurrence of more eczema. Thanks to my Mom's side of the family, it appears to be in our genes. Guess I'll have to see what the doc can do about mine.
- Yvonne's van is nice and clean. Bumper has been fixed and repainted. Dad's car will go in for fixing Monday.
- Don't forget to print out your Bridget Moynahan mask and wear it during the Superbowl. Hopefully Brady will be too distracted to want to win.
- And since I have enough stuff to catch up on, I'll leave you with that mini-broadcast of the news.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Squish-edited-
What on earth did I just step into? I just did a quick update to my reading log and dear me. How things change when you realize how much you already have to read in your queue. Ten books. Ten whole books. At this rate, if I buy two more, that'll be enough for the year. Guess I need to re-evaluate where I stand and what's in queue before preceding on.
Okay, I reordered them a bit and have decided to put Name of the Wind down for a bit while I pick up another to read. I've already read NOTW and could use the extra space on my desk. With that filed away for awhile, I think I'll start a Star Wars book, the first I've read in some time.
Oi vey. Squish squish.
So how was your weekend (or weekenday)? And what do you call your "to be read" list? A stack? A pile? I think I'll stick with "The Queue" for mine. -edited- Why not another one at home!
Okay, I reordered them a bit and have decided to put Name of the Wind down for a bit while I pick up another to read. I've already read NOTW and could use the extra space on my desk. With that filed away for awhile, I think I'll start a Star Wars book, the first I've read in some time.
Oi vey. Squish squish.
So how was your weekend (or weekenday)? And what do you call your "to be read" list? A stack? A pile? I think I'll stick with "The Queue" for mine. -edited- Why not another one at home!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sunday Blogging-edited-
-edited- That's both great and painful at the same time.
Which brings us to this Sunday's blog post. I was recently contacted by a local author to review his book. I was on the brink of turning him down when I decided to give his book a the opportunity to redeem itself. After 100 pages of Knight of the Dove by William A. Kooiker, it's still a bit of a mixed bag. The first part of the book was, well, barely better than the horrid stuff I write. But I pushed through hoping to see improvement. And I did. While Kooiker is no Rothfuss or Abercrombie, there is some talent present. So right now, with another 160+ pages to go, I'd bet that Kooiker would benefit with another 5 years of practice and a mainstream publisher. Then he'll be able to hang with the big dogs.
Which brings us to this Sunday's blog post. I was recently contacted by a local author to review his book. I was on the brink of turning him down when I decided to give his book a the opportunity to redeem itself. After 100 pages of Knight of the Dove by William A. Kooiker, it's still a bit of a mixed bag. The first part of the book was, well, barely better than the horrid stuff I write. But I pushed through hoping to see improvement. And I did. While Kooiker is no Rothfuss or Abercrombie, there is some talent present. So right now, with another 160+ pages to go, I'd bet that Kooiker would benefit with another 5 years of practice and a mainstream publisher. Then he'll be able to hang with the big dogs.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
It's not even 8 and
It's not even 8 and I feel like I've accomplished a ton on my weekenday. But it was hell buying so little in Borders.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
2008 Review #3
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. A great read. A moderate review. And an updated Reading List.
I go into more detail in the review, but to give you an overall impression of the book, it was good. Damn good. Likely in my Top 10 for this year.
So, read the review and let me know what you think.
I go into more detail in the review, but to give you an overall impression of the book, it was good. Damn good. Likely in my Top 10 for this year.
So, read the review and let me know what you think.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Dangerously Close
- I'm dangerously close to being good at Wii bowling (I actually won a game last night).
- I'm dangerously close to not playing Wii boxing with Yvonne again (while I won the first fight in the second round, she TKO'd me in the second fight early in the first round).
- I'm dangerously close to leaving work (don't worry, I'm supposed to leave early today).
- I'm dangerously close to buying a big screen TV (I really want to spend that tax refund, but I also want to save it).
- I'm dangerously close to going ape-shit on Lance crackers (they're "cheese crackers" have peanuts in them!)
- I'm dangerously close to finishing The Blade Itself (yes, "dangerously close;" if you've read the book, you'll understand my desire to keep reading the story)
- I'm dangerously close to wanting to see The Blade Itself as a movie (while never a big fan of books-turned-movies, I really want to see Bayaz dripping wet and naked [note: for those that don't know, Bayaz is an old man, a wizard, but he's pretty damn powerful and I don't want to ruin the book so I won't tell you what he does])
Monday, January 21, 2008
Why I almost cried
So last night, after our evening routine of trying to pick up all the toys strewn about the abode by our three year old daughter, she asked about doing something today. I said I had to go to work, but she didn't.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because it's a holiday."
"What holiday is it?"
And this is where I tried to explain how Martin Luther King (I left off the "Jr." to avoid confusion) got a lot of people together to make sure everyone treated each other the same no matter what their skin color is. She grasped the concept fairly well (considering she's only three), but it was difficult to explain why today is celebrated and how important King was to our society.
Anyway, she got the idea of what he did. Kind of funny when she looked at my hand and then hers and said "My skin is the same color as yours. What color is Mommy's?" So she got the idea, but didn't know why we celebrated today. I explained that today was his birthday and because he did such a big, important thing, everyone celebrated his birthday.
So she said she wanted to make a birthday card for him.
And that, is why I love my little girl. You never know what she's going to do next. So if there's time, we'll have her make a birthday card for Martin Luther King today. I know her babysitter and her husband will get a kick out of it.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because it's a holiday."
"What holiday is it?"
And this is where I tried to explain how Martin Luther King (I left off the "Jr." to avoid confusion) got a lot of people together to make sure everyone treated each other the same no matter what their skin color is. She grasped the concept fairly well (considering she's only three), but it was difficult to explain why today is celebrated and how important King was to our society.
Anyway, she got the idea of what he did. Kind of funny when she looked at my hand and then hers and said "My skin is the same color as yours. What color is Mommy's?" So she got the idea, but didn't know why we celebrated today. I explained that today was his birthday and because he did such a big, important thing, everyone celebrated his birthday.
So she said she wanted to make a birthday card for him.
And that, is why I love my little girl. You never know what she's going to do next. So if there's time, we'll have her make a birthday card for Martin Luther King today. I know her babysitter and her husband will get a kick out of it.
Case of the Mondays
Well, I have a mild case at least. The morning routine was slightly less frenetic than normal as Yvonne had the day off and everyone didn't have to run out the door by 7 am. And, I ran across this charming page of Olan Mills via one of my feeds. A little Monday morning humor to get you started.
As for the weekend, well, I spent damn near all day working Saturday. The overtime is nice, but I'd rather get my money without the effort. Sunday was the usual chores as well as the playoff games. While I was rooting for the Packers just to give them a chance at beating the Patriots, I'm more than happy to root for the Giants instead. As long as they beat the Patriots. That's the key.
And we also ran across the river (well drove, it's cold but not that cold) to Maryland to buy a new stroller. Yvonne had "one of those days" Saturday which involved a lot of crappity-crap. One being the stroller fell out of the van and broke. So here's the part that cost us about $150.
But at least the new one appears to work easier than the old one. Much lighter, smaller, and easier to fold up.
And that was my weekend. Work, work, and very little play. I did play a Wii bit more of Harry Potter (pretty neat to cast spells with the Wii-mote). And I did make some steady progress on The Blade Itself. I'm about 50 to 75 pages from the end and the guy just got beheaded (you'll have to read the book to find out who).
Friday, January 18, 2008
My list is better than yours
Since I'm a copy-cat, Paul and I think alike, and because it was a neat idea, here's where I stand on the AFI's Top 100 movies (this is the original 1998 list):
* bold I've seen, red italics I'd like to see
1 Citizen Kane
2 Casablanca
3 The Godfather
4 Gone with the Wind
5 Lawrence of Arabia
6 The Wizard of Oz
7 The Graduate
8 On the Waterfront
9 Schindler's List
10 Singin' in the Rain
11 It's a Wonderful Life
12 Sunset Boulevard
13 The Bridge on the River Kwai
14 Some Like It Hot
15 Star Wars
16 All About Eve
17 The African Queen
18 Psycho
19 Chinatown
20 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
21 The Grapes of Wrath
22 2001: A Space Odyssey
23 The Maltese Falcon
24 Raging Bull
25 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
26 Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
27 Bonnie and Clyde
28 Apocalypse Now
29 Rosemary's Baby
30 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
31 Annie Hall
32 The Godfather Part II
33 High Noon
34 To Kill a Mockingbird
35 It Happened One Night
36 Midnight Cowboy
37 The Best Years of Our Lives
38 Double Indemnity
39 Doctor Zhivago
40 North by Northwest
41 West Side Story
42 Rear Window
43 King Kong
44 The Birth of a Nation
45 A Streetcar Named Desire
46 A Clockwork Orange
47 Taxi Driver
48 Jaws
49 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
50 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
51 The Philadelphia Story
52 From Here to Eternity
53 Amadeus
54 All Quiet on the Western Front
55 The Sound of Music
56 M*A*S*H
57 The Third Man
58 Fantasia
59 Rebel Without a Cause
60 Raiders of the Lost Ark
61 Vertigo
62 Tootsie
63 Stagecoach
64 Close Encounters of the Third Kind
65 The Silence of the Lambs
66 Network
67 The Manchurian Candidate
68 An American in Paris
69 Shane
70 The French Connection
71 Forrest Gump
72 Ben-Hur
73 Wuthering Heights
74 The Gold Rush
75 Dances with Wolves
76 City Lights
77 American Graffiti
78 Rocky
79 The Deer Hunter
80 The Wild Bunch
81 Modern Times
82 Giant
83 Platoon
84 Fargo
85 Duck Soup
86 Mutiny on the Bounty
87 Frankenstein
88 Easy Rider
89 Patton
90 The Jazz Singer
91 My Fair Lady
92 A Place in the Sun
93 The Apartment
94 Goodfellas
95 Pulp Fiction
96 The Searchers
97 Bringing Up Baby
98 Unforgiven
99 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
100 Yankee Doodle Dandy
* bold I've seen, red italics I'd like to see
1 Citizen Kane
2 Casablanca
3 The Godfather
4 Gone with the Wind
5 Lawrence of Arabia
6 The Wizard of Oz
7 The Graduate
8 On the Waterfront
9 Schindler's List
10 Singin' in the Rain
11 It's a Wonderful Life
12 Sunset Boulevard
13 The Bridge on the River Kwai
14 Some Like It Hot
15 Star Wars
16 All About Eve
17 The African Queen
18 Psycho
19 Chinatown
20 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
21 The Grapes of Wrath
22 2001: A Space Odyssey
23 The Maltese Falcon
24 Raging Bull
25 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
26 Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
27 Bonnie and Clyde
28 Apocalypse Now
29 Rosemary's Baby
30 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
31 Annie Hall
32 The Godfather Part II
33 High Noon
34 To Kill a Mockingbird
35 It Happened One Night
36 Midnight Cowboy
37 The Best Years of Our Lives
38 Double Indemnity
39 Doctor Zhivago
40 North by Northwest
41 West Side Story
42 Rear Window
43 King Kong
44 The Birth of a Nation
45 A Streetcar Named Desire
46 A Clockwork Orange
47 Taxi Driver
48 Jaws
49 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
50 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
51 The Philadelphia Story
52 From Here to Eternity
53 Amadeus
54 All Quiet on the Western Front
55 The Sound of Music
56 M*A*S*H
57 The Third Man
58 Fantasia
59 Rebel Without a Cause
60 Raiders of the Lost Ark
61 Vertigo
62 Tootsie
63 Stagecoach
64 Close Encounters of the Third Kind
65 The Silence of the Lambs
66 Network
67 The Manchurian Candidate
68 An American in Paris
69 Shane
70 The French Connection
71 Forrest Gump
72 Ben-Hur
73 Wuthering Heights
74 The Gold Rush
75 Dances with Wolves
76 City Lights
77 American Graffiti
78 Rocky
79 The Deer Hunter
80 The Wild Bunch
81 Modern Times
82 Giant
83 Platoon
84 Fargo
85 Duck Soup
86 Mutiny on the Bounty
87 Frankenstein
88 Easy Rider
89 Patton
90 The Jazz Singer
91 My Fair Lady
92 A Place in the Sun
93 The Apartment
94 Goodfellas
95 Pulp Fiction
96 The Searchers
97 Bringing Up Baby
98 Unforgiven
99 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
100 Yankee Doodle Dandy
Couple of Updates
Reading
I've recently started Goblet of Fire on audio. I've read the book before (was actually working in a major bookstore when it was released - that was fun!) but I've started from the beginning so I can catch up on all that I missed before reading the last one.
I've also been enjoying The Blade Itself (by Joe Abercrombie, not Marcus Sakey). But I'll keep you waiting for my review when I'm done.
Comics
As many of my readers know, I like comics. How do my readers know this? Because they're the ones drawing them. We have Paul's daily comic and Kelly's daily comic that I enjoy during the week. I also enjoy the Prometheus comic three times a week.
But, I'd also like to give a shout out to a weekly comic that I learned about from Lynn Johnston (of For Better of For Worse fame): Rabbit and Bear Paws.
And that's about it for now.
I've recently started Goblet of Fire on audio. I've read the book before (was actually working in a major bookstore when it was released - that was fun!) but I've started from the beginning so I can catch up on all that I missed before reading the last one.
I've also been enjoying The Blade Itself (by Joe Abercrombie, not Marcus Sakey). But I'll keep you waiting for my review when I'm done.
Comics
As many of my readers know, I like comics. How do my readers know this? Because they're the ones drawing them. We have Paul's daily comic and Kelly's daily comic that I enjoy during the week. I also enjoy the Prometheus comic three times a week.
But, I'd also like to give a shout out to a weekly comic that I learned about from Lynn Johnston (of For Better of For Worse fame): Rabbit and Bear Paws.
And that's about it for now.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Rothfuss news
While many Rothfuss fans are crying in their pint of ale over the late publication date of book 2 (April 2009), The Wise Man's Fear, I'm crying about his quiting his job. Wow. Huge step to go from a full-time, steady job to the unsteady, overtime/no-time job of being a writer. I'm hoping his work won't suffer.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
2008 Review #2
Some serious weak sauce here. Check out the 2008 Reading Log (there's a link inside for the full "review"). I don't even know if I'd a review, but you'll survive.
Monday, January 14, 2008
3 New Videos
Late, but better than never.
First, the "Griswold Lights" from Christmas. Just for you Paul.
Second, the Dora Dance Pad.
Finally, Christmas with Grandma Gayle (note Froggy is a decent piano player).
First, the "Griswold Lights" from Christmas. Just for you Paul.
Second, the Dora Dance Pad.
Finally, Christmas with Grandma Gayle (note Froggy is a decent piano player).
Weekend Flashback-edited-
Saturday
-edited- I tried to get here early enough to go for a walk beforehand, but other errands kept me too busy. -edited-
Sunday
Yesterday was busy with shopping, laundry, and dishes. I was lucky enough to find everything I needed (well, wanted) for the Wii; Wii Play (with extra Wii-mote), Wii Nunchuck, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. First impressions on Wii Play are, well, it's bizarre. i like that the Wii-mote comes with the cook grippy thing on it, but the games are just odd. Harry Potter is fun, but takes some getting used to casting spells. And by casting spells, I mean you actually cast them with the Wii-mote. Medal of Honor was fun in arcade mode but I'll need more time getting used to the controls in campaign mode to be any good.
Oh, and watching Yvonne bowl is fun. Looks like a kid again.
Flashback
Thought I'd share some "old" photos with everyone. First is our house around the time we bought it. I'm so glad we made some improvements.
The rest are from the Biltmore in Asheville, NC. I've mentioned that we want to go there for our 10th anniversary in 2010, so I thought it was only fitting to share some of my favorite photos from one of our trips there.
-edited- I tried to get here early enough to go for a walk beforehand, but other errands kept me too busy. -edited-
Sunday
Yesterday was busy with shopping, laundry, and dishes. I was lucky enough to find everything I needed (well, wanted) for the Wii; Wii Play (with extra Wii-mote), Wii Nunchuck, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. First impressions on Wii Play are, well, it's bizarre. i like that the Wii-mote comes with the cook grippy thing on it, but the games are just odd. Harry Potter is fun, but takes some getting used to casting spells. And by casting spells, I mean you actually cast them with the Wii-mote. Medal of Honor was fun in arcade mode but I'll need more time getting used to the controls in campaign mode to be any good.
Oh, and watching Yvonne bowl is fun. Looks like a kid again.
Flashback
Thought I'd share some "old" photos with everyone. First is our house around the time we bought it. I'm so glad we made some improvements.
The rest are from the Biltmore in Asheville, NC. I've mentioned that we want to go there for our 10th anniversary in 2010, so I thought it was only fitting to share some of my favorite photos from one of our trips there.By one of the ponds:
From inside the hotel room:
The front of the main house:
The view from another hotel room (that's the main house in the distance):
Saturday, January 12, 2008
100 Pages - The Blade Itself
Thought I'd give everyone a quick update on my reviews, starting with my impressions of The Blade Itself after 100 pages. Well, technically 110 pages, but close enough.
So, Joe Abercrombie makes his debut with, well, one great looking cover. I know, I know, "don't judge a book by its cover." Well, I do. And this one is nice. Kind of has that look of olde with the parchment papers but gives you some hints as to the action inside with the blood.
So far, it's a decent read and I've taken a liking to Loren (the man I'm assuming will be the main "hero" character) and Glotka (the toothless cripple who's mean as hell). Jezal is funny, but I'm not sure yet how much I like him. And Bayaz has only just been introduced, so I'm not sure about him at all.
That's all for now. I need to save some for when I finish.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Almond Joy-edited-
-edited-
And what's in store this weekend? I have no idea. Since I'm -edited-, I may or may not go shopping with Yvonne, all depends on when she goes. But there is an upside, I've picked two Wii games I'd like to buy. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Medal of Honor Heroes 2. Maybe I'll rate those with my new rating system. Speaking of which, I'm making some progress on The Blade Itself. It's a bit misleading as I was completely sucked into the book by the first chapter but have now slowed down to try to take in the cast of characters. But so far, so good.
And what's in store this weekend? I have no idea. Since I'm -edited-, I may or may not go shopping with Yvonne, all depends on when she goes. But there is an upside, I've picked two Wii games I'd like to buy. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Medal of Honor Heroes 2. Maybe I'll rate those with my new rating system. Speaking of which, I'm making some progress on The Blade Itself. It's a bit misleading as I was completely sucked into the book by the first chapter but have now slowed down to try to take in the cast of characters. But so far, so good.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
La Grenouille-edited-
No, I'm not talking about the restaurant in midtown Manhattan.
I'm talking about this guy:
Who actually looks more like this:
So anyway, La Grenoille (pronounced "la grawn-we") was lucky enough to go with Yvonne to school on Monday and to work with me yesterday. I have no idea why or how we managed such an honor.
Let me back up a bit before you get lost. Froggy (as he's known in our house) has become the security blanket/favorite doll of choice. Froggy goes to bed, goes to work, goes everywhere (except inside stores when shopping) with Elizabeth. For whatever reason, he is "THE MAN!"
So, keeping that in mind, that is why we were both surprised when she agreed to let him leave her proximity for not one, but two days.
*Editor's note: This was written yesterday but posting was delayed -edited-
I'm talking about this guy:
Who actually looks more like this:
So anyway, La Grenoille (pronounced "la grawn-we") was lucky enough to go with Yvonne to school on Monday and to work with me yesterday. I have no idea why or how we managed such an honor.
Let me back up a bit before you get lost. Froggy (as he's known in our house) has become the security blanket/favorite doll of choice. Froggy goes to bed, goes to work, goes everywhere (except inside stores when shopping) with Elizabeth. For whatever reason, he is "THE MAN!"
So, keeping that in mind, that is why we were both surprised when she agreed to let him leave her proximity for not one, but two days.
*Editor's note: This was written yesterday but posting was delayed -edited-
Hair!
No, not the Broadway show. I'm talking hair cut folks! And not mine either (don't have much to cut). Yesterday, Yvonne and Elizabeth went for a haircut so they could donate their clippings to Locks Of Love. This is the second time Yvonne has donated but the first for Elizabeth.
Well, I was in for a surprise when I got home!
You can go here to see the before and after shots of Elizabeth. She looks SOOO different. Of course Yvonne looks different too. And it took her until we were getting in bed last night to finally ask me "So do you like my hair?" "Well of course I do. But do you like it?"
it's more important to me that she likes it because if she doesn't, it isn't going to be pleasant. But I think it looks cute. And I'm a big fan of short hair.
Well, I was in for a surprise when I got home!
You can go here to see the before and after shots of Elizabeth. She looks SOOO different. Of course Yvonne looks different too. And it took her until we were getting in bed last night to finally ask me "So do you like my hair?" "Well of course I do. But do you like it?"
it's more important to me that she likes it because if she doesn't, it isn't going to be pleasant. But I think it looks cute. And I'm a big fan of short hair.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
The Fourth Notch
So over the past few days, I've noticed a disturbing trend. When I wear my belt, I'm able to use the fourth notch. When first purchased, I had to use the second or the third (if I sucked it in) notch. Then I gradually used the third notch all the time. This past weekend I graduated to the fourth notch.
Sounds encouraging, right? All that exercise and watching what I eat has helped, right? Well, I'm not sure. I have no hard data to back up any shrinkage (there's a scary word for men) occurring with my waist. My pants still fit the same. My gut still looks the same. But I have not used a scale or measuring tape to gather scientific data points in months, if not years. I did manage to step on a scale a few weeks back and it showed 248. Hard to believe since a week later it showed 235. I doubt I could have lost that much weight in a week. So I cannot rely on the scale for a solid answer. And I absolutely dread the tape measure. Always makes me feel inadequate.
So, I'll take my fourth notch and keep it. If I can make the fifth, then I know I'm either losing inches or my belt is suddenly elastic. And for those of you out there trying to watch what you eat, keep up the good work. Eating better is only half of the equation, but it's often the hardest.
Sounds encouraging, right? All that exercise and watching what I eat has helped, right? Well, I'm not sure. I have no hard data to back up any shrinkage (there's a scary word for men) occurring with my waist. My pants still fit the same. My gut still looks the same. But I have not used a scale or measuring tape to gather scientific data points in months, if not years. I did manage to step on a scale a few weeks back and it showed 248. Hard to believe since a week later it showed 235. I doubt I could have lost that much weight in a week. So I cannot rely on the scale for a solid answer. And I absolutely dread the tape measure. Always makes me feel inadequate.
So, I'll take my fourth notch and keep it. If I can make the fifth, then I know I'm either losing inches or my belt is suddenly elastic. And for those of you out there trying to watch what you eat, keep up the good work. Eating better is only half of the equation, but it's often the hardest.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
More photos
I'm a little late in getting these up, but I've finally uploaded the remaining Christmas photos. Plenty to look at but I'd like to draw special attention to two photos for Paul. Here is the "normal" house we visited:
And here is the "Griswald" house across the street:
The photos don't really do it justice and I appear to have archived the videos prematurely. When I get the chance, I'll pull them off and upload them for your viewing pleasure.
And here's the link to the full gallery as well as Elizabeth's photos (from her camera - now those are funny).
And here is the "Griswald" house across the street:
The photos don't really do it justice and I appear to have archived the videos prematurely. When I get the chance, I'll pull them off and upload them for your viewing pleasure.
And here's the link to the full gallery as well as Elizabeth's photos (from her camera - now those are funny).
The First Review of 2008
The Sunrise Lands by S. M. Stirling is the first book I'll be reviewing this year. I may not write a full review for everything I read this year, but I will take the time to give you a rating.
Which brings me to a little bit of an explanation of the rating system. I know some of you (well, one of you) have been eagerly awaiting my new, fresh idea behind rating books. So take some time now to read and understand my convoluted cerebral machinations.
So, take my review of Sunrise Lands. I've laid out all the details of the book that you may find relevant in my Reading Log. One of those columns is the Cost column. Next to it is the Value column. And next to that is the Net Worth (Cost/Value = Net Worth). So for the Sunrise Lands, the Cost is $24.95, the Value is $12.48, and the Net Worth is 50%. Now before you jump to any conclusions, 50% is actually pretty good. And since I could read the first half of the book for free, the number is a bit skewed (you can read more in the full review). Using the same system, Name of the Wind has a Net Worth of 133%. Why so high? Because I feel I would be willing to pay more than face value for the book. Sunrise Lands I'd only be willing to pay half face value of the hardback price. So that's why 50% is decent for a hardback.
I know, a little confusing to start with, especially since Sunrise Lands is a bit of a special case. But, I'm hoping as the year progresses, the rating system will make more sense. Maybe The Blade Itself will make more sense when I get to it.
Now, the Reading Log will also let you see what I'm reading now (or listening to on audio) and what I have in my queue (in the order I'll be reading them). Can you tell I'm a bit OCD with spreadsheets? Oh, and the Log also gives you the link to the full review, if there is one.
And if I don't make sense in this explanation, well, tough. You work on growing a brain and I'll work on growing intelligent words and clear thoughts.
My 2008 Reading Log (also available over there to your left as a link)
Sunrise Lands Review
Which brings me to a little bit of an explanation of the rating system. I know some of you (well, one of you) have been eagerly awaiting my new, fresh idea behind rating books. So take some time now to read and understand my convoluted cerebral machinations.
So, take my review of Sunrise Lands. I've laid out all the details of the book that you may find relevant in my Reading Log. One of those columns is the Cost column. Next to it is the Value column. And next to that is the Net Worth (Cost/Value = Net Worth). So for the Sunrise Lands, the Cost is $24.95, the Value is $12.48, and the Net Worth is 50%. Now before you jump to any conclusions, 50% is actually pretty good. And since I could read the first half of the book for free, the number is a bit skewed (you can read more in the full review). Using the same system, Name of the Wind has a Net Worth of 133%. Why so high? Because I feel I would be willing to pay more than face value for the book. Sunrise Lands I'd only be willing to pay half face value of the hardback price. So that's why 50% is decent for a hardback.
I know, a little confusing to start with, especially since Sunrise Lands is a bit of a special case. But, I'm hoping as the year progresses, the rating system will make more sense. Maybe The Blade Itself will make more sense when I get to it.
Now, the Reading Log will also let you see what I'm reading now (or listening to on audio) and what I have in my queue (in the order I'll be reading them). Can you tell I'm a bit OCD with spreadsheets? Oh, and the Log also gives you the link to the full review, if there is one.
And if I don't make sense in this explanation, well, tough. You work on growing a brain and I'll work on growing intelligent words and clear thoughts.
My 2008 Reading Log (also available over there to your left as a link)
Sunrise Lands Review
Monday, January 07, 2008
Need a little help
Please let me know if you can or CANNOT view this document - http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df6d5nq2_408f8cw4v34
Thanks!
Oh, and if you want to tell me what you think about the book or my review, that's fine too.
Thanks!
Oh, and if you want to tell me what you think about the book or my review, that's fine too.
A week in review
It's already a week into the new year and I thought it would be a great idea to see where things are going so far (thanks to Kelly for the idea).
Reading
I'm nearly done with Sunrise Lands and hope to have the review/rating finished today for tomorrow's posting. My reading queue is full already and I still have books that need to be added to the list. But I'm going to make a solid effort to reduce the TV schedule and increase the book time.
UFO Project
Going well so far. Made a trip to Dad's yesterday and increased my pool of items to research. In the short term, I should have enough to keep me busy for a few months. Long term, I'd like to bring in outsiders to submit their items.
Family
Elizabeth will be four in April and William will be one in August (Mom and Dad's birthdays don't matter so much). My sister-in-law should graduate from Duke with her PhD this spring (assuming all goes well). And I'm betting my brother-in-law will get engaged towards the end of the year. Just a hunch.
Travel
No major travel plans that are firm. I'd like to go with my Dad to Nebraska this summer for at least a weekend. A week if I can swing it. Maybe a trip north to Pennsylvania during the summer.
Work
Tax season has been pushed back a week already (thank you Congress for screwing AMT again). But I hope to survive through mid-April and then some.
Genealogy
Still working on it when I can. Right now there's a lot of photos to go through and stuff of that nature. If I can get things organized just right, I'll try to add to it from the collection at Dad's house.
Writing
Quite likely this will end up on the back burner if not back in the fridge this year. War Wagon was a solid bust and is pretty much orphaned at the moment. I do have another great idea for a - get this - a comedic fantasy. Right now, it's more of a short story since I don't have a lot of material. But the idea can be expanded to novel length. And from past experience, I've learned I'll have a better shot at a short story.
Everything Else
- The Wii is in the house and in use already. Yvonne did a wonderful job of stomping me at bowling last night. But I returned the favor in tennis. I'm hoping this will add to our reduced TV schedule and more fun-time with each other (last night was great, even if she beat me).
- I'm also moderately trying to watch what I eat and increase my physical activities. I almost said "seriously trying" but that would be a lie.
So, how was your first week of the new year? Accomplish anything? Already drop a resolution? Any grandiose schemes to take over the world?
Reading
I'm nearly done with Sunrise Lands and hope to have the review/rating finished today for tomorrow's posting. My reading queue is full already and I still have books that need to be added to the list. But I'm going to make a solid effort to reduce the TV schedule and increase the book time.
UFO Project
Going well so far. Made a trip to Dad's yesterday and increased my pool of items to research. In the short term, I should have enough to keep me busy for a few months. Long term, I'd like to bring in outsiders to submit their items.
Family
Elizabeth will be four in April and William will be one in August (Mom and Dad's birthdays don't matter so much). My sister-in-law should graduate from Duke with her PhD this spring (assuming all goes well). And I'm betting my brother-in-law will get engaged towards the end of the year. Just a hunch.
Travel
No major travel plans that are firm. I'd like to go with my Dad to Nebraska this summer for at least a weekend. A week if I can swing it. Maybe a trip north to Pennsylvania during the summer.
Work
Tax season has been pushed back a week already (thank you Congress for screwing AMT again). But I hope to survive through mid-April and then some.
Genealogy
Still working on it when I can. Right now there's a lot of photos to go through and stuff of that nature. If I can get things organized just right, I'll try to add to it from the collection at Dad's house.
Writing
Quite likely this will end up on the back burner if not back in the fridge this year. War Wagon was a solid bust and is pretty much orphaned at the moment. I do have another great idea for a - get this - a comedic fantasy. Right now, it's more of a short story since I don't have a lot of material. But the idea can be expanded to novel length. And from past experience, I've learned I'll have a better shot at a short story.
Everything Else
- The Wii is in the house and in use already. Yvonne did a wonderful job of stomping me at bowling last night. But I returned the favor in tennis. I'm hoping this will add to our reduced TV schedule and more fun-time with each other (last night was great, even if she beat me).
- I'm also moderately trying to watch what I eat and increase my physical activities. I almost said "seriously trying" but that would be a lie.
So, how was your first week of the new year? Accomplish anything? Already drop a resolution? Any grandiose schemes to take over the world?
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Answers to Rothfuss questions
So, I recently asked Patrick Rothfuss three questions. Here are his answers.
1. What are the days of the week?
"As for more particulars about the callendar [sic], keep an eye on the page. I'm going to post it up there before too long so you can see the days of the week and the months, etc."
2. How long is a span?
"A span is eleven days long."
3. If names are so important, then what is the name of the land you created?
"The name of the part of the world where the stories take place I generally think of as "The four corners." I'm undecided right now about the overall name..."
So there you have it. One solid answer, one "coming soon" answer, and one non-answer.
1. What are the days of the week?
"As for more particulars about the callendar [sic], keep an eye on the page. I'm going to post it up there before too long so you can see the days of the week and the months, etc."
2. How long is a span?
"A span is eleven days long."
3. If names are so important, then what is the name of the land you created?
"The name of the part of the world where the stories take place I generally think of as "The four corners." I'm undecided right now about the overall name..."
So there you have it. One solid answer, one "coming soon" answer, and one non-answer.
The Steelers lost last night.
The Steelers lost last night. Bummer. But it's 5:02 am and I appear to be first in line for a Wii.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Three open questions for Pat Rothfuss
Here be the three questions I've asked Pat Rothfuss. I'll keep you posted on his responses.
1. What are the days of the week?
2. How long is a span?
3. If names are so important, then what is the name of the land you created?
1. What are the days of the week?
2. How long is a span?
3. If names are so important, then what is the name of the land you created?
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Wii hunt
Here's the situation
I went away on a vacation
I got to play with a Wii
And it really made me happy
So now I'm hunting one down
And I'm running all over town
But alas there isn't one to be found
As I run around and around
So pray for little old me
As I hunt a little old Wii
So yes, I'm officially on the bandwagon looking for a Wii. I've wanted one for some time, but never really had the motivation to go out and buy one. After playing my brother-in-law's, I now have motivation. It was a blast to bowl and play tennis. And I actually beat them (the in-laws) at baseball. Boxing was rough (as was dodge ball), but fun. Golf was hard as it was sensitive to how hard you swung. I could go on and on. Bottom line, I want one.
And in other news, I bought a slew of books that I'll be testing my new rating system on. Here's a little taste of what I have on deck:
The Name Of The Wind
Angels and Demons
The Sunrise Lands
The Blade Itself (The First Law: Book One)
Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy, Book 1)
Fury (Legacy of the Force, Book 7)
True Colors (Republic Commando)
Twilight Falling (Erevis Cale Trilogy, Book 1)
I'm re-reading Name of the Wind and currently in the middle of Angels and Demons (on audio) and The Sunrise Lands. The Blade Itself, Assassin's Apprentice, and Twilight Falling are all virgin authors for me (meaning I haven't read their work before, not that they are so geeky they are still virgins). And if they suck too bad, then we'll make a virgin sacrifice with the rating system. And speaking of the rating system, well, you'll have to stay tuned to learn more. But if you're smart, you'll figure it out.
I also ordered two micro SD cards for each of our phones. Not sure how much we'll use them, but at least we can use them for something.
Work is picking up something fierce. Potty breaks are few, the calls many, and the escalated cases are growing like a patch of mold in your basement. But I'm still trying to find the time to exercise, shower, and eat during my lunch hour. And I'm trying to keep my books at home in an effort to force myself to read the Bible (for curiosity, not religion).
And my UFO project is due back Monday. I already have some things to talk about but I think I'll need to pay another visit to Dad's to get more material.
I went away on a vacation
I got to play with a Wii
And it really made me happy
So now I'm hunting one down
And I'm running all over town
But alas there isn't one to be found
As I run around and around
So pray for little old me
As I hunt a little old Wii
And in other news, I bought a slew of books that I'll be testing my new rating system on. Here's a little taste of what I have on deck:
The Name Of The Wind
Angels and Demons
The Sunrise Lands
The Blade Itself (The First Law: Book One)
Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy, Book 1)
Fury (Legacy of the Force, Book 7)
True Colors (Republic Commando)
Twilight Falling (Erevis Cale Trilogy, Book 1)
I'm re-reading Name of the Wind and currently in the middle of Angels and Demons (on audio) and The Sunrise Lands. The Blade Itself, Assassin's Apprentice, and Twilight Falling are all virgin authors for me (meaning I haven't read their work before, not that they are so geeky they are still virgins). And if they suck too bad, then we'll make a virgin sacrifice with the rating system. And speaking of the rating system, well, you'll have to stay tuned to learn more. But if you're smart, you'll figure it out.
I also ordered two micro SD cards for each of our phones. Not sure how much we'll use them, but at least we can use them for something.
Work is picking up something fierce. Potty breaks are few, the calls many, and the escalated cases are growing like a patch of mold in your basement. But I'm still trying to find the time to exercise, shower, and eat during my lunch hour. And I'm trying to keep my books at home in an effort to force myself to read the Bible (for curiosity, not religion).
And my UFO project is due back Monday. I already have some things to talk about but I think I'll need to pay another visit to Dad's to get more material.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Patrick Rothfuss Article
Ran across this article thanks to Google Alerts. Love the picture and his quote about the book being "stupidly successful." It's so nice to see the good guy win a round.
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007712270576
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007712270576
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Snuffle huh wha?
It's a new year and I already feel like I'm behind schedule.
But hark! There's light ahead!
Yeah, that's the dawn of tomorrow you moron. Everything is pretty much "back to normal" after the holiday marathon. The Suburban is unpacked and returned to Dad. The Christmas decorations are back in the attic (except for one tote that's waiting for two towels to get washed). And the dishes are done. Laundry is done. Lunch boxes are our and ready for tomorrow. The floor has been vacuumed, some of the house has been dusted, and there's a new stack of books waiting to be read. I'm in Chapter 12 of The Sunrise Lands (more on that later). And there's even a new shower head awaiting installation.
And of course I get to go to work tomorrow. So, I should be back to a more normal schedule this week.
But hark! There's light ahead!
Yeah, that's the dawn of tomorrow you moron. Everything is pretty much "back to normal" after the holiday marathon. The Suburban is unpacked and returned to Dad. The Christmas decorations are back in the attic (except for one tote that's waiting for two towels to get washed). And the dishes are done. Laundry is done. Lunch boxes are our and ready for tomorrow. The floor has been vacuumed, some of the house has been dusted, and there's a new stack of books waiting to be read. I'm in Chapter 12 of The Sunrise Lands (more on that later). And there's even a new shower head awaiting installation.
And of course I get to go to work tomorrow. So, I should be back to a more normal schedule this week.
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