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).

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

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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):

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.

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.

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-

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.

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.

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).

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

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.

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?

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.

Ballerina

Elizabeth playing dress-up.

Wii hunt over

I have a Wii!

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.

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?

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.

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

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.

Finally made it home after

Finally made it home after being 'On the road again.' Can't wait to shower and sleep in my warm bed. Maybe the shoulder will be warm.

ETA 3 hours. -Neil

ETA 3 hours.
-Neil

I can't wait to be-edited-

I can't wait to be home tomorrow. And it's dangerously close to me wanting to be -edited-tomorrow.
-Neil

Fireside Photo

Sitting in front of the fire at Grandma Gayle's.
-Neil

We spent the evening at

We spent the evening at a family party that I didn't want to go to but ended up having a very good time and didn't want to leave.

Eating dinner

Elizabeth at the dinner table.
-Neil

Another day with my second

Another day with my second family and everything is going well. Can't wait to start reading my present (Sunrise Lands by SM Stirling).

We made it Pittsburgh safely

We made it Pittsburgh safely and enjoyed a second round of gifts. And since I left my laptop at home, I'll be blogging via phone.

Christmas Day

Plenty of photos for your viewing pleasure. First, check out the ones I took and make sure you read the comments from Elizabeth. She had quite a day. Then, check out these photos that Elizabeth took with her new camera. She's already a regular Ansel Adams, but tends to move too much and take too many photos. Which means I didn't upload all of the photos, but I did keep enough for you to get the idea.

Presents are open and photos

Presents are open and photos are downloading. They might be up before we leave. Hope everyone got what they wanted!
-Neil

It's 6am and I've had

It's 6am and I've had my shower, William has been fed (and might actually be full), and Elizabeth just woke up.
-Neil

Christmas Eve

Elizabeth playing with her Peoples on Christmas Eve.
-Neil

Dad and me

While the girls are away, William and Daddy play.
-Neil

The Airing of Grievances-edited-

Sienfield had that great episode with Festivus. And while I'm doing quite well in not airing my grievances about Yvonne backing into Dad's car, I feel there are a few things that simply must be said to those out there that need to hear it.

-edited-

To the trees on Caroline Street - Please stop shitting on my car. Your rotten-acorn-like droppings make my car look like it has skin cancer or something.

To the bastards at HBO - Please send me my replacement Deadwood DVD. If it doesn't arrive by the time I get back, I'm going to start sending you hate mail.

To the leftist punks - I can respect your religious preferences. But don't shit your pants when I say Merry Christmas.

-edited-

To the people in traffic on the way home tonight - You're already on vacation so move the hell over. My vacation just started and I want to get home.

To the people in traffic on the way to Pittsburgh - I'm sure somebody will piss me off. I don't know who, but if you're reading this - up yours!

If you open-carry your gun, is that brandishing?-edited-

-edited-

After talking for awhile, I realized that, while I was not brandishing my gun in the legal sense, I was wearing it in the open to make a statement. The statement being, "stay the hell away from me." I usually combine this with my evil stare (or a blank face of contempt) and large size (6 foot, 250 pounds) to keep the crazies away from me. So yes, in his line of thinking I might as well have been advertising I was packing heat.

But I've noticed that when I do open-carry, roughly 75% of the people do not notice. And if they do notice, I don't see any reaction. It's not like I'm wearing a tactical thigh holster or carrying a huge Tommy gun, but I'd expect people to pay more attention. They don't. Most assume it's a cell phone (that would be one hell of a phone call).

In the end, I can see how uncomfortable it may make people. Yet when it comes to my discomfort over not having one or your discomfort for seeing me wear one, I win.

So, that was today's deep thought. Hope you enjoyed my inner thoughts.

So I have a bit

So I have a bit of a surprise. I can now blog from anywhere with my phone!
-Neil (via mobile device)

5 Lessons You Can Live By

Respect and thank your barber - he holds a razor near your throat.

Never trust the scale in the bathroom - it lies.

Never look bored at work - you will soon be too busy to be bored.

Kids are smarter than they look - if you listen to them long enough, you might learn something.

Go visit Unidentified Family Objects - because I said so, that's why.

Christmas comes early

Saturday was a bit of a nightmare. With the big "storm" coming in, everyone, their brother, and their cousin decided to hit the grocery store. Well, we needed groceries too, which meant I got to give people the stink eye to keep them away. But that was thankfully the last stop of our day, so it was bearable.

Before that was a trip to Verizon where we upgraded to new phones, plans, and all sorts of stuff. Turns out we've had our $100 credit to pend since May, so we took advantage of it. Which meant we both got new phones (the LG enV - hers is orange and mine is silver). And since it has the fancy keyboard, we upgraded to include some texts. Lord knows Yvonne will be texting her thumbs numb now. And we combined our plans to save some money as well as added Dad as another line. Kind of funny to watch the salesman squirm with Dad twisting the screws.

Those were the highlights. Lowlights include laundry, dishes, another Steelers loss, and the fact that they will be closing the roads until about 1 pm today for the President's visit. Figures it's on a day when I'm leaving early (at 2 pm). For the curious, he'll be here around noon today (and no, that's not his limo in the bottom right).

So what did you do this weekend?

S l o w M o t i o n

This has got to be one of the sloooooooowest days ever. It's not like I didn't have enough to do at work, but I swear my clock has been going backwards since 2 this afternoon.

And thus ends my profoundness. Back to Kvothe.

Post 500

This is my 500th post to my blog. I started with my first post back in June of 2005. It was the weak and obligatory "this is my first" kind of post. Sad and pitiful. I've gone from reviews, to writing, to photos, to videos, and back again. I've had 7,634 visitors from 78 countries (do you know where Macao is?). And I've had over 11,000 page views. Those four readers out there must be hard at work. Or unemployed.

Some stats:

Average number of posts per month = 17
Month with most posts = January 2007 (34)
Post with most comments (not including my comments) = William Charles Richard (10 comments)
Most viewed post of all time = How Much Money Does An Author Make*
Most views in a day = 113 (May 14, 2007)**
Least Used Label = willvideoforfood (once) [which I'll likely be removing at some point along with the other rarely used labels]
5 Most Used Labels

1. tk42one (290)
2. photos (111)
3. Elizabeth (78)
4. review (78)
5. Neil (68)

Okay, I'm done pimping myself and my compulsive counting has been satisfied for the day. If I'm lucky, it won't rain while I walk outside to enjoy the 68 degree weather.

* Google Analytics was not used until July of 2006 making all data before then incomplete.
** As of midnight EST December 11, 2007.

Kvothe - Chapters 20-25

Chapter 20 – Bloody Hands Into Stinging Fists

The squash wagon arrives in Tarbean with Kvothe riding in the back. He runs from what could have easily been a good family to stay with, all because of his fear of remembering what happened to his own family. And he promptly meets a trio (there’s the number three again) of young street thugs that harass him, steal his lute, and beat him up. In the process the lute gets broken. Not really surprising, you can see it coming. And now there’s more mental anguish added to the physical pain of having the crap kicked out of him.

And the last line of the chapter? “That was the first night of nearly three years I spent in Tarbean.” There’s the number three again.

Chapter 21 – Basement, Bread and Bucket

Yet another short chapter, this one introducing Trapis, an old man who cares for the handicapped waifs who wonder off the streets of Tarbean. Trapis helps those he can with stale bread and water and only asks for those waifs taking his kindness to carry water for him. Not too bad a deal. Most interesting to me is the thought Kvothe mentions of a “hundred howling children” who would do anything to protect Trapis from harm.

Chapter 22 – A Time for Demons

Here we learn more about the city of Tarbean and about the midwinter festival surrounding high Mourning. One great paragraph was:

Waterside is where people are poor. That makes them beggars, thieves, and whores. Hillside is where people are rich. That makes them solicitors, politicians, and courtesans.

Such a classic and true comparison, even in today’s reality.

Part of the year-end festival of Mourning involves people dressing as demons and basically going crazy. Well, some demons helped Kvothe after he got the crap kicked out of him by a guard on the ritzy side of town. Begging from the upper crust didn’t pay off. He somehow made it back to his hiding spot on the roof with numerous injuries but food and drink as well.

Chapter 23 – The Burning Wheel

The majority of this chapter shows Tarpis telling the story of Encanis being defeated by Tehlu. The demon gets bound to iron and roasted over a pit of coals by the god.

Chapter 24 – Shadows Themselves

Another insanely short chapter. All of two pages, maybe a page if condensed. But we are introduced to an interesting sub-set of people in this unnamed land of Kvothe’s; sweet eaters. Essentially druggies that are easily identified by their white teeth. Makes you think twice about those whitening toothpastes on the market.

But even more interesting is the possibility that Kvothe was raped as a boy on the streets of Tarbean. He describes a scene where he sees a young boy be attacked by a group of larger, older boys. There’s not sexual deviancy mentioned, but I could see little other reason for attacking other than robbing him, raping him, or the simple pleasure of beating him.

Chapter 25 – Interlude – Eager for Reasons

Another short chapter that brings us back to the tavern and the Chronicler. Kvothe refreshes himself with a drink and, before going back to telling his story, he mentions the young boy in the alley and how he regretted not going to help him. He says he has regrets in his life that he distinctly remembers, but can’t remember how many times he’s been beaten.

--Read more about the detailed analysis here--

Morning Observations

- Seen while sitting in traffic this morning - A bumper sticker on a pest control truck: "Mosquitoes Suck"

- Seen while driving this morning - a driver not paying attention that nearly rear-ended the car next to me. Skidding tires and all.

- Determined while thinking in my "office" - men are lecherous.

- Heard on the radio - A fellow Edinboro alumni calling my favorite radio host a"Nancy." He has more hair on his back than I do. [send her an email telling her to stop]

The Predictor - 11 Heroes Predictions

Yvonne and I have a bit of a running joke that she's the "Predictor" of the house. It's a bit of a play on words from the TV show Pretender we'd watch in college. She got the reputation of being able to predict most of the "surprise" endings for shows we'd watch and thus, the name stuck.

Well, I stumbled upon one of my previous posts with predictions I made about Heroes. And since I'm short on material to write about today, so begins the discussion.

Prediction 1: Hiro will travel back in time to get his katana (sword) from ancient Japan. Think of the old Seven Samurai movie by Kurosawa.

Looks like I was right on this one. 10/10

Prediction 2: He [Matt] will confront Horn Rim Glasses Guy (HRGG) and get the information he needs. But it won't be pretty, the confrontation or the information.

Pretty much right on this one too. 9/10

Prediction 3: Claire now realizes what her father (HRGG) has done (or can do) and will run-away from home. I'm sure she'll end up in New York City, but will hitch a ride with either Hiro or someone else to get there. In NYC, she will use her power to heal Peter Petrelli of the combustible power he absorbed.

Almost right? She was going to run away and kind of did, but in the end I think she'll stay with the family. 7/10

Prediction 4: Micah helps dismantle a bomb. Don't ask where that came from, just a guess.

Well, he nearly got burned up in an arson, which exploded kind of like a bomb. 5/10

Prediction 5: The Haitian will "rescue" HRGG from The Cop. But he will give him the same treatment as Claire.

The Haitian rescues HRG from the Company, not Matt. And he did turn out to be nice. 6/10

Prediction 6: Isaac (the artist) - Continues to sketch and paint without being high and will provide Hiro with more clues as to the destiny of the group.

Way off base on Isaac. With his head sporting a new flip top lid, I doubt he'll be painting much. 0/10

Prediction 7: Simone - Her story line is pretty much dead.

Thankfully dead on with this one. 10/10

Prediction 8: Nathan Petrelli - He wins the election and turns out to be a typical politician, evil. Until he hurts his wife and decides to use his power for good.

Did he win? I don't remember. I'm pretty sure he did. But he turned out to be a good guy. And we never really saw much of his wife in Season 2. 3/10

Prediction 9: Mohinder - Will continue to attempt to warn those on "the list" and will garner the attention of the FBI lady and The Cop. They'll join forces to save the world.

The "List" was pretty much forgotten. So was the FBI lady. But he did join forces with Matt. 3/10

Prediction 10: Niki - Will turn herself in but escape prison to rejoin DL and Micah to do something.

She turned herself in to the Company and did rejoin DL and Micah. 6/10

Prediction 11: Peter Petrelli - Will become the combustible man but will not be the reason behind the blast in NYC.

He was the combustible man and was the reason behind the blast in NYC. But the blast never came about like we originally thought it would. 7/10

Total Score: 66/110 = 60%

Not too bad. Feel free to dispute my scoring. Or my predictions.

Videos and Spelling Bees

I'll save the Santa Train videos until last. First, I forgot to mention that Elizabeth was able to spell her name yesterday. She has a little magna-doodle-thing and wrote each letter all by herself. I only helped her with the letter "H" when she wrote it lower case and the letter "N" which she still struggles with. I know, there's no "N" in her name, but there is in her middle name (she spelled that too).

And I forgot to mention the lights at Wal-Mart. Next time you go inside, wait until you get to the checkout line. Then, turn around, look at the ceiling in the back of the store, and let your eyes go a little out of focus. See all those flickering lights? It's amazing there aren't more epileptic fits in that place. Probably waste more energy with the flickering bulb than a good one.

And finally, the videos:

Mega Holiday Weekend

Ever have one of those weekends where you just want to get back to work so you can take a break? Well, this weekend was almost one of those. If we had not accomplished so much, it would have been like that.

Saturday
The Santa Train (pictures are here and videos will be coming soon) went well. We arrived early (before 0900) and got to see the first train arrive late and leave. And there was a large line waiting to get to the station, which was nice to see. Guess 200+ kids running around train tracks isn't safe. The ride went from Fredericksburg up to Quantico and back. Got to see a few freight and passenger trains as well. Santa and Mrs. Claus were nice (they actually had two to walk in each direction on the train).

From there, we went to Goolrick's for lunch (a counter-style soda fountain where the ladies that run the operation are too young to know that calling them "soda jerks" would be a compliment). There was also several groups of Civil War reenactors roaming the town for the Irish Brigade campaign.

Then it was out to the mall where we waited to see Santa. While waiting, I looked at sunglasses that were too expensive and Yvonne got her necklace checked out. We also had a laugh at what would happen if teachers were caught shopping in Victoria's Secret by students. Pictures would be on MySpace with the lingerie in minutes.

And we made a Costco run for gas, Kleenex, and some other items before heading across the main drag to shop at Borders. Elizabeth slept while Yvonne fed William, so I did my shopping alone. Picked up Angels and Demons on audio and a Backyardigans book for Elizabeth (Daddy is getting a little tired of the Dora books).

Then it was Kohls where we finished up Christmas shopping with the last present and a pair of boots for the wonderful wife-with-so-many-shoes-they-don't-fit-in-her-closet. And since Elizabeth and William were sleeping, Yvonne did the grocery shopping alone (I tried to nap in the car but was entirely too entertained by the sheer number of idiots that drive the wrong way in the parking lot.

Then we capped off our day by having dinner at Ruby Tuesday. I got ribs and steak and the ribs were amazingly better than the steak. And just as our dessert arrived, William decided to wake up and scream. So I took him to the van and promptly got puked on. Did a decent number on my shirt but decided that my pants were too clean and got them next. It looked entirely too much like I had an accident.

Sunday
A much more sedate day. Sorted and washed the mounds of laundry. Changed sheets, towels, etc. And Yvonne made cookies (chocolate chip, sugar, and cut out). The cut out still have to be baked and iced, but the sugar and chocolate chip are good.

And of course the Steelers lost. Damn Patriots.

And Saturday our friend had her second baby, so Yvonne went last night to visit them (Kaleb with a K). I got a blue bubble gum cigar.

Woof. So, lots of stuff done, still a few more to do (like mail packages) but a very productive weekend.

Insert Creative Title Here

First, a translation of yesterday's rhyming post.

- William is back on Soy formula and appears to be happy. No throwing up, no expensive formula, and the scaly skin appears to be gone.
- Santa called Elizabeth and from the sounds of it, she loved it. He told her to make sure she took a nap during the day and she has everyday since.
- I found out that Benjamin Richard (my great-grandfather) may have donated some photos to the Nebraska State Historical Society. I'm working on getting samples of the photos and one potential photo of him.
- The nice girl in Norway that is translating the letters into English is still interested in translating more. She's slow, but frankly, I don't care. I'm just happy she's excited about translating.

And in other news, a neat video:



And of course we have the invasion of Pearl Harbor:

http://www.shorpy.com/node/2079?size=_original

And that's about it. I got paid today, tomorrow is the Santa Train, and Sunday is the Steeler game. Maybe somewhere in there I'll be able to clean the house some. It's a mess.

Rhyming Update

A few updates to keep all you llamas
In the loop of all the dramas

William is back to drinking his formula Soy
Liquid Gold made him sick, the poor boy
Don't tell the doctor we made the switch
He might think we like to bi......

Santa called Elizabeth the other night
He told her more naps would put her a'right
Her eyes lit up with tremendous glee
But she said he wouldn't be calling me

Great Grandaddy Richard made a donation
To the historical society's photo rotation
And there could be a pic of him as a boy
That would be three total, oh joy

Rakel has been translating by moon and sun
Now a letter can be read for Olava Hanson
More letters are coming around the bend
We should then learn from whom they did send

All this rhyming is making me dizzy
All this work is sending me into a tizzy

So sit back and enjoy this post
I hope you'll enjoy it the most
When your rhyming post host
Did stop rhyming this post most

It's snowing

For the first time this year, we actually have snow falling from the sky. We had some flakes earlier, but nothing more than a flake or two.

And in light of this change in weather, I'll be avoiding grocery stores and the roads as much as possible. Total accumulation will be an inch or two, which is roughly equivalent to a foot or two for those in normal snow regions. For those further north, it's more like 10 or 20 feet. The people here just freak out, drive crazy, and horde food.

Whelpers, it's time for a meeting. Later tater!

Holiday Meme

Well, not an "official" meme, but something I'd like all my readers (all five of you) to think about and respond to. And I mean seriously think about. And answer seriously (do your best Paul).

Why do you give Christmas presents?

That's it. Just one question. Here's what I've been thinking about for my answer.

Because I'm selfish.

Let me explain. By our very nature, we are selfish people. We do things to either survive or bring ourselves pleasure. You might argue that some noble people, like say Mother Teresa, are very giving. These noble people give things away to help better the lives of others. To help them survive or live a better life. And it makes them happy. So, by definition, if you do something that makes you happy, isn't that being selfish?

So I give presents because it makes me happy. I like to see how people react when they open something really neat or something they really wanted. If I had enough money, I'd buy everyone presents. I'd spoil them so much I would be poor (probably a good reason for my not being the CEO of some big company). I'd love to buy a new van for Yvonne, or a big toy for Elizabeth, or the family farm, or a car for Mom, or this, that and the other thing for everyone.

So that's why I buy presents for Christmas. To make people happy so I can be happy. And if I'm lucky enough, I'll get something good in return (like a Wii, or a pick-up truck, or a million dollars).

Kvothe - Chapters 17, 18, and 19

Chapter 17 – Interlude – Autumn

Back in the Waystone Inn, Bast is nearly crying at Kvothe’s painful childhood. He keeps a straight face and gets some wood for the rest of the evening. And once alone, he sheds his tears.

Chapter 18 – Roads to Safe Places

Again with the threes. In dealing with pain, Kvothe talks about the three ways we cope. Sleep, forgetting, and madness. After the tragedy of losing his parents, he sleeps. Then he tries to forget. Then he borders on insanity.

Chapter 19 – Fingers and Strings

Kvothe goes native by killing rabbits, building a shelter, and surviving in the wild. And he begins to shut down his mind by focusing on survival and playing his lute. He focuses so much on playing his lute, that he eventually learns to play all day long. And he learns to play with six then five strings instead of seven. But when he was down to four strings, he decided it was time to leave his little base camp and venture into the world.

And he finally meets normal people but doesn’t quite know how to react. Kind of like Tarzan coming to London the first time.

--Read more about the detailed analysis here--

Ever notice how things change?

Well, no sooner than our Christmas spirit getting tossed about like a queasy landlubber in the middle of a New England gale riding a small trawler, than the clouds part and there's light ahead.

Santa called Elizabeth last night. I wish I was there to see it, but I heard about it. In fact, Elizabeth actually talked to me on the phone about it right after he called. I've never had that long of a conversation on the phone with her. She'll talk like that in person, but I've never heard her that excited on the phone.

And William's rash looks better already. He's got one more bottle of soy formula before moving to the Liquid Gold (don't ask what the name of it is, I can't remember - but it smells funny). Let's see, what else is happening. Dad bought a new toy that looks pretty nice. Hanukkah starts tonight (Happy Hanukkah for those that celebrate). We had two Mormon missionaries/elders/not sure what to call them stop by last night. I was as polite as I could be in turning down their offers. And while I respect and admire what they're doing, I'm just not religious. And my headlight blew this morning. Sarcastic "yeah." And it's supposed to snow tonight and tomorrow. Another sarcastic "yeah." And I have applesauce sitting on my desk.

Now, I need to get into my morning routine before calls start coming in. Later taters.

OOOHHHH!!!! Almost forgot. Heroes!

I totally support the writer's strike, but I'm really pissed there won't be more Heroes! Nathan dies. Meh, I'll miss him. And there's still a chance he'll survive. Nikki dies. Meh, no big deal, she wasn't doing much anyway. Hiro sticks Adam in a coffin! Woot! And did Peter absorb the virus? Is he going to be the cause of the outbreak? Sylar is BACK! YES! Micah and the Power Ranger girl need to grow in a story line now before we forget about them. And Elle is starting to be interesting. Will she turn on her father? And was HRG Nathan's shooter? I think he'll betray the company again, assuming that was really him. Couldn't the company have another shapeshifter working for them?

This post is rated R

Four posts in a day. Amazing huh? Not really.






(Fair warning. Swearing ahead.)








The level of Holiday Cheer just got sucked out the fucking window at the Richard house today. Turns out the docs think William is allergic to soy as well as milk. Definitive tests won't be run until the 17th. And being the pessimist I am, I don't want to imagine the worst case scenario. But I will. Milk, soy, wheat, nut, egg, and numerous other foods could end up on the allergy chart. Not too bad for an adult or even a kid. But Christ, he's only 3 months old. Try telling a kid that bottle he's chugging away on is worth five bucks. Liquid gold that gets crapped out every day.

William, William. I feel bad for the kid and there's not much we can do. Can't just leave him on the doorstep somewhere. So, we'll slog through it. Yvonne and I are both stubborn, and our parents are stubborn, and I'm pretty sure all of our grandparents were stubborn too. So from one mule-head to another, we make it work whatever the cost.

Okay, I feel much better now. Ranting cycle is complete and venting is finished. Now I can move on to the Rinse cycle.

Feeling sad yet? Well don't. Go down there and read about the UFOs.






v

go on






v

The Not-So-Secret Secret Project

So, I've been working on this project that some of you may know about because I told you, some may have discovered on your own, and some may not give a hairy rodent's hind quarters.

Needless to say, I've had a lot of fun working on it, but as with anything new I try, I never know how long it will hold my interest. I seem to have a severe case of AADD (that's Adult ADD). How I've survived this long without a diagnosis, I'll never know.

Anyway, some of you are bugging me to reveal my secret project, but I just like making everyone wait.

And squirm.

And growl with impatience.

And curse me.

And give up.

And that's why, for those with enough patience to hang in there long enough, I think I'll reveal my secret.

Sometime soon.

But I'm still not sure if I want to do it today. You see, keeping secrets makes you feel powerful and powerless. I like the powerful part, I get to hold something over your head and watch you jump and do tricks like a little puppy dog. But I'm powerless because if I don't share, nobody will know.

So, without further ado, here is my Not-So-Secret Secret Project.

UFOs.

That's right, UFOs. As in Unidentified Family Objects. I've covered a few objects already, so make sure you go back and start from the beginning. Today was the grand reveal of the first, large, and still operational UFO. I'll continue this week with more of the same type of UFO and should have enough to keep that theme through next week. Right now I'm trying to pace myself to posting every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I don't want to do too much at once. And this weird comic drawing Hobbit had a great point about having content backlogged and ready to go ahead of time.

Speaking of which, I need to get writing for this week.

Kvothe - Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Hope

This is likely one of the darkest chapters in the book. It gave me the goose bumps the first time I read it and still doesn’t sit well the second time around. Here, Kvothe looses his parents and his troupe to a group of unknown assailants. He goes out in search of firewood and wanders as any kid would. Upon returning to the camp, he finds everything in ruin, smoke rolling across the camp, people dead, and iron rusted.

As to the attackers? Well, it’s a bit like the scene from Star Wars when Luke returns to the moisture farm and sees his aunt and uncle laying there like charred meat. Kvothe stumbles upon the attackers and sees that they don’t quite appear to be human. One being called Lord Haliax and another called Cinder. Neither are nice, but Lord Haliax is clearly in charge. They scamper off without killing Kvothe as something comes to scare them away. Exactly what, it’s still unclear.

Kvothe finds his parents wagon and stays the night inside. He nearly burns with the wagon but manages to save the book from Ben and his father’s lute, which he plays to block the pain.

--Read more about the detailed analysis here--

Now I remember

This is why I don't like posting so damn early in the morning. My brain simply is not awake. And I've already started my week off short on sleep. Stayed up late last night to watch the end of the Steeler game. Was just a tad nervous when I say the field conditions could be like last week's near loss to the Dolphins, but it turned out the field wasn't too bad.

Now, for the rest of the weekend report. Saturday was babysitting William while Yvonne went to the high school to proctor an SAT test. Did you know that you can use a calculator on the math portion now? Even if the calculator has functions and equations? What's up with that? Sheesh.

Meanwhile, Dad took Elizabeth to see the Bee Movie and they both wanted to leave early. After lunch, they came back. And Yvonne came back. And then we all headed back into town to grocery shop. The parade was penciled in, but we just didn't have time and it was a wee bit chilly.

Sunday was Christmas photos in the morning. What a chore it is to get a three year old that's as stubborn as both her parents to smile when she doesn't want to. At least William didn't throw up all over the place. Now that would have been a photo.

Then it was back home, lunch, then back to the Riverside while we left the kids with the sitter. We got to see Disney's Beauty and the Beast. They had great costumes, but I just couldn't get into the story that much. After the play, we made a quick run to the local Sports Authority to get Yvonne a new winter coat and new shoes for me.

And the secret project is still progressing nicely, but I think I have too much other stuff to catch up on to work on it today. And I have a full schedule at work. Yuck. Work.

So, what did you do this weekend? What was your SAT score (mine was 970 in 8th grade I think and 1270 in 11th -- assuming I can remember)?

Gah! It's after 3!-edited-

Oh well, there goes my goal to post first thing in the morning. And I've now progressed far enough in my day to be completely slouching in my chair. So much that it looks like I'm laying flat. Which I just about am.

Anyway, here's a little update.

- Secret Project - Progressing nicely. I have plenty to work on to keep me busy for several months if I limit myself to posting three times a week.
- HBO - They still has sent me a replacement disc for the damaged Deadwood DVD I sent them. Crapweasles.
- Rabbit and Bear Paws - I'm still eagerly awaiting the my free shirt I won for their riddle. Big surprise that when I win something, I never get it. Figures.
- Christmas Cube - I've actually decorated my desk a bit for the holiday season. I have a large poster, a small tree, and a Christmas Story ornament that talks when you push the button.
- All I want for Christmas - Is my flipping Washington Post. For the second time I've been rejected with no delivery. The distributor was nice enough to tell me that he delivers to the Sheetz (4 miles away) and the Round Hill Market (2 miles away) but does not deliver to my road. The putz.

In the end, I'm comforting myself with work and Top Gear (via YouTube). -edited- I really don't want to edit more documents. Oh well. Looks like their trip across Botswana will keep me busy for awhile.

Kvothe - Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – Distractions and Farewells

We finally see Ben leave the troupe to go teach the son of a wealthy widow. Combined with his leaving is Kvothe’s twelfth birthday. The troupe puts on quite a show and Arl (short for Arliden) sang a verse of the secret project he was working on, the ballad about Lanre and the Chadrian.

Kvothe wakes the next day to find a book, Rhetoric and Logic, signed by Ben. This will play an important role later. Oh, and the town where Ben stays behind, Hallowfell, is actually on the map.

--Read more about the detailed analysis here--

Why you so quiet?

I don't know if that line actually came from a movie, but I remember some little Asian lady saying it for some reason. Oh well, thus is the madness of my post titles.

As for my silence, well, I've actually had work to do. Amazing. I've been volunteered for yet another project, this one will involve a lot of document reviews, edits, changes, approvals, uploads, etc. Not pretty, but very time consuming. And we still have a limited amount of staff for our team, which means more phone time. Yiippee.

And on top of that, I've been working on a little secret project on the side. I always seem to have some sort of project on the side, most I never seem to follow through on. Well, with this one, I'm hoping to get some support from others. Not necessarily you (meaning my readers here----all four of you) but you are by all means welcome to come and visit, provide feedback, etc. It's kind of a niche market, and I've not seen many others offering/providing/entertaining like I'm trying to do.

And I just realized that whole paragraph was a bunch of gibberish. So, moving on, this weekend will be busy. Actually this whole month will be. There's the Christmas parade, family photos, an SAT test to proctor, a play at the Riverside, a movie, the list goes on. Kind of like Santa's.

So here's to hoping we all stay in the Nice column.

God my brain is going to mush. Maybe I should write in the morning.

Kvothe - Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – The Name of the Wind

The title chapter. Ben issues a challenge to bring a bird down out of the sky. Kvothe, being clever and smart, binds the wind in his chest to that outside. And nearly kills himself. Ben saves him and does well at hiding it from Kvothe’s mother, but the damage is done. Ben does not teach Kvothe as much as he’d like and we begin to see the end of their relationship.
--Read more about the detailed analysis here--

The DTs

It's days like today I could really go for a Coke. A nice, ice-cold, glass bottle of sparkling, bubbling Coke. With condensation dripping down the sides of the bottle and the carbonation so fresh there's a little mini-fountain of cola goodness sprouting gently from the mouth of the bottle. That opening to the refreshing goodness of sickly sweet soda.

Instead I opted for a Mocha Java Cooler from Daily Grind. Not the same, but as close as I can get. Probably worse for me too, but I don't care. I haven't been to bed early (as in before 11:00 pm) since Saturday so my old age is kicking in. Gramps needs his rest.

And it doesn't help that the annoying cube-neighbor that always has something to say isn't here today. In fact, I'm all alone on my row today. And tomorrow. And we're slammed silly on the phones. God, why can't I work from home in my underwear and make money reading books and editing manuscripts?

Because God doesn't like you, moron.

Ahhh, but my Mocha Java does!

Farvel!

Kvothe - Chapter 13

Chapter 13 – Interlude – Flesh with Blood Beneath

This is a juicy chapter, but not long enough. Kvothe takes a break from telling his story and calls on his friend/servant Bast to get something to drink. As Bast and he are talking, Chronicler goes from showing curiousity over Bast, to openly studying him, to attacking him by invoking the name of Iron. Bast in turn attempts to retaliate, but Kvothe settles them down and makes them see the error of their ways.

And it’s in the middle of all this that we learn Chronicler is an accomplished member of the Arcanum and is one of the few people that know the name of Iron. We also learn that Bast is the son of a Prince of some import but most interesting to me, his cloven hooves and eyes that become a solid color. Clearly the question of his race is raised.

--Read more about the detailed analysis here--

Kvothe - Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Puzzle Pieces Fitting

Now we get into a bit more of Kvothe’s family as we find him eavesdropping on Ben talking with his parents. We learn that Kvothe’s father, Arl, is in the process of writing a new song about Chandrain, the most vile and evil of creatures to walk the lands. And aside from them being evil, we only learn a little more about them here. Be patient, we’ll learn more soon enough. And we begin to develop a bit of kinship or caring for Kvothe’s parents as they joke and tease each other while we learn the Ben is wise, maybe wiser than we thought. And the seed for Kvothe attending the University has been officially planted. It’s a big deal to his parents and Ben, but even bigger to Kvothe.

--Read more about the detailed analysis here--

I need your help

I've been staring at my stupid face with a mustache for too long and I need your help. I want a new avatar for Google (which would cover my blog and Picasa). So, I've searched hi and low and I've found the following.

Please vote with your choice in the comments. You decide who lives or dies!

The current avatar:

Choice One
Choice Two
Choice Three
Choice Four

Choice Five

Grande weekend report

Lots of reading here, so pull up a comfy chair and a coffee.

I'm published
I've now been published. In Spanish. And English. Only the Spanish version is online, but the English version is available in print (scan is below). Not quite the groundbreaking writing I was hoping for, but better than nothing.


Scrabble
Since I've been reading about Paul and his Scrabble games, I've had a hankering to play. So this weekend, Yvonne agreed to play. Well, I beat her. Twice. The second game was a bit of a blow-out at 192 to 302. My highest scoring turn was 33 points, her's was 24. My favorite play was playing a single tile (the letter D) and getting 21 points. I don't think she'll play Scrabble with me for a very long time.

School
Today is my last day of class until late April. This was only my second class in my Masters program, but I think I've learned the key behind this particular program (Masters of Information Systems and Management) thanks to my professor, who was a giant ass. The key is bull shit. The work I've written for this class sucked worse than a Hoover. So bad, I didn't want anyone to proof read the papers for fear they would laugh. But it was a great exercise in creative writing. Even if I bomb this week due to my distribution of fecal matter (which I doubt), I should still pass the class. So remember that class. The key to management is bull shit.

Dancing
Elizabeth had a blast dancing during the Macy's parade. What a hoot.



Reading
I finally finished reading Innocent Mage by Karen Miller and, quite frankly, was surprised I continued reading it until the end. This book has been on the best seller list in the US, UK, and her native Australia. And I'm not sure why. It's not that it isn't a good book, it's just, well, rough around the edges. There are certain aspects of the story that just don't jive. Namely, when the bad guy arrives, he does so suddenly. So suddenly it almost stops the story in its tracks and makes you (the reader) go huh? wha?

I think the best way to describe this story is like a nugget of gold. It has a lot of value, but it's very rough and even looks ugly at times. It isn't like S. M. Stirling or Patrick Rothfuss who have stories that are more like a gold coin. Very crisp, polished, and shiny, but worth the same amount.

I'm hoping the next book is better as is her next series. Until then, I'm off to read Havoc by Jack DuBrul. And maybe I can get back to re-reading (and analyzing) Name of the Wind.

UFOs
As in Unidentified Family Objects. I'm thinking I've found a name for a new blog. Something that will allow me to show and identify some family heirlooms. I'll test it and see what happens. This was all brought about by my time spent Saturday going through a very small portion of the items Dad brought back from the farm. And I'm not even talking about the letters we sorted out. Kind of sad to see your grandfather's wallet and his father's wallet still full of credit cards and paper items. Anyway, keep an eye on the sky for UFOs!

Christmas
It's that time of year where I'm tired of working on decorating. Yvonne does most of the work (thank God) and Elizabeth helped this year with the bottom part. I did the top. Yvonne did the middle. We also listened to some holiday music, watched some holiday movies, and generally made a mess of the house that finally got cleaned up late last night (damn those Patriots for winning). But all is done, the house looks normal again, and I'm officially on the Christmas Wagon.

Presents
And finally (yes, almost there, you can do it!) the presents I wrapped at work for Yvonne are in the car and ready to go home. Elizabeth has a couple under her bed for Yvonne too. I hope she'll like them!

Turkeys go Gobble Gobble

Ducks go quack quack and Chickens go cluck cluck.

So, here's the long awaited Thanksgiving report. The first part. The one I've been planning since last week. The one with all the photos.

But I'll spare you from posting all the photos here, so go HERE instead to look at them.

Beef Jerky Anyone?

So, I've been known to order some beef jerky in the past. In fact, there are several co-workers that see me as the "beef jerky guy." While I enjoy it, I can't quite bring myself to eat a pound of jerky in a week. My co-workers can. So, they bring me there money, I place the order, I deliver, and the eat. And eat. And eat.

Needless to say, the folks I order from are quite nice. I've dealt with them for several years. And they should treat me nice. I've ordered as much as $300 in beef jerky at once (at the peak of jerky eating) and average a few hundred dollars a year in orders.

So, they send me a nice Christmas letter every year.

If you like jerky, order from No Man's Land.

Flowers and Marshmallows

Enjoy the latest photos (from this morning!).

From Flowers and M...

I've also added a video (just for you Mom, now that you have DSL).

Heroes Rewind

- Papa Claire Bear isn't dead. Not enough blood for a head shot through the eye. He somehow turned in time. Ha! I told you.
- West, the flying boy wonder, will die. If not, I'll be pissed.
- Favorite line from tonight: "Hurts like a bitch, doesn't it?" Water and electricity don't mix, do they?
- Parkman is skirting that grey area between good and bad. Will he give in and do the wrong thing or will he play it safe?
- We now have the plot the next season or the next half of this season. The mystery woman from the photo. Victoria Pratt.
- Does Mama Claire bear have a power? Yes. The ability to not act well. Maybe she's the flying boy wonder's mother.
- Hiro meets Young Hiro. Pretty cool. And now we see Hiro grow. Finally. Some major character development.

That is all.

Friends-Giving

So, I was going to tell everyone about my nice weekend but I decided to depress everyone instead by telling you I have no "real" friends.

Now, before everyone jumps the gun, let me explain a little bit. My best friend is my wife. But she's family. And she is a REAL friend, but not the kind I'm talking about. I'm talking about the kind of friend you can go out and do things with, have a drink at the bar, talk about your wife, your kids, your job. You know, a friend.

Maybe a "real guy" friend is a better choice of words. I simply don't have any. I have family. I have family I'm very close to. I have friends online. I have friends online that I feel I'm close to (they may not feel the same way, who knows). But I don't have a single, solitary person that I feel comfortable going out, having a drink or round of golf, and talking about marriage or work or kids.

And while I'm lucky enough to have Yvonne as a best friend, I don't feel like I have a "best-friend-that's-not-your-wife friend." Maybe I'm still too introverted.

So, if you're reading this, be thankful if you have a "best-friend-that's-not-your-wife/husband friend." And if you don't, then feel comfortable that you're not alone.

Elizabeth's Song

So this past week, Elizabeth has been a singer/songwriter/dancer. She's been dancing at the sitter's and at home. She's been singing in the car and making up her own songs. My only regret is not videotaping this particular song.

Jingle bells
[clap your hands]
Make new friends
Look out the window
Look for the red light

[repeat]

Makes you wonder what little kids think about.

[le sigh]

I wish I had something profound to say.

But I don't.

So carry-on and enjoy your day.

New photos

Here are some new photos from the past week or so. I haven't heard anyone clamoring for more photos of William, so I thought I'd be proactive before I heard more complaints. There's also Dad's birthday (my Dad, not me), Mom's postcard, and Elizabeth's fingernails.

Enjoy!

PS - Don't forget that you can always check out the photos and videos by clicking that link over there to the left!

The Innocent Mage Quasi-Review

So, while I've given up reviews to a certain degree, I would like to stand out on a ledge for a bit and talk about The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller. I can't tell you how I came across Karen as a writer, but I think it was through her Stargate books. She's down in Oz-land (Australia) so her books are mostly available in the UK and difficult to find in the US. I subscribed to her blog some time ago and have been loosely following her writings. When I saw her book was being published in the US, I piqued my interest but didn't go much further than that.

Until I started to see more rumblings about her book. And good reviews.

So, I managed to finish the first part of her book and was pleasantly surprised. It's about Asher, the proverbial farm boy (fisherman's son in this case) who goes to the big city to make some money. In the process he comes to be the employee of the Prince. The Prince likes him so much, he moves up from stable boy to assistant.

Nothing too terribly exciting, but there are enough secrets layered into the story, that you want to know what happens. The two "races" are magic and non-magic people. There's a huge wall on the edge of their land that keeps back some hidden danger. And there's a secret group of non-magic people who can actually do magic, despite it being forbidden. And they want Asher to fulfill the proverbial prophecy.

So, there's enough here to keep you reading, but the real question is how well does it end. This particular series, called "Kingmaker, Kingbreaker," is only a duology. She does have more books coming for the series, but they're still in the works.

Bottom line, it's good so far, but yet to be determined on how well it will finish.