Friday, November 25, 2005
Song that has been running through my head today:
Good is good and bad is bad
You don't know which one you had
She put your books out on the sidewalk
Now they're blowing 'round
They won't help you when you're down
Love's on your list of things to do
To bring your good luck back to you
And if you think that everything's unfair
Would you care if you're the last one standing there
And everytime you hear the rolling thunder
You turn around before the lightening strikes
And does it ever make you stop and wonder
If all your good times pass you by
I don't hold no mystery
But I can show you how to turn the key
Cause all I know is where I started
So downhearted
And that's not where you want to be
And everytime you hear the rolling thunder
You turn around before the lightening strikes
And you could find a rock to crawl right under
If all your good times pass you by
When the day is done
And the world is sleeping
And the moon is on its way to rise
When your friends are gone
You thought were so worth keeping
You feel you don't belong
And you don't know why
And everytime you hear the rolling thunder
You turn around before the lightening strikes
And does it ever make you stop and wonder
If all your good times pass you by
When the day is done
And the world is sleeping
And the moon is on its way to rise
When your friends are gone
You thought were so worth keeping
You feel you don't belong
Neither do I
--"Good is Good" by Sheryl Crow
Picture of Chandra North for no real reason:
This Day in History:
In 1758, in the French and Indian War, the British captured Fort Duquesne in present-day Pittsburgh. I'm guessing that they captured it from the French, because the Indians would have known better than to have a word in their vocabulary like "Duquesne" that looks entirely nothing like it's pronounced. And they wonder why they're unloved...
In 1783, the British evacuated New York, their last military position in the United States during the Revolutionary War. ON their way out, they could be heard singing "We gotta get out of this place! If it's the last thing we ever do!"
In 1881, Pope John XXIII was born Angelo Roncalli near Bergamo, Italy.
In 1944, baseball commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis died at age 78. Landis is best known for bannishing the 1919 BLack Sox from the game permentently, as portrayed in the movie Eight Men Out.
In 1957, President Eisenhower suffered a slight stroke.
In 1973, Greek President George Papadopoulos was ousted in a bloodless military coup. As many of you remember, he was later able to carve out a small living for him and his wife, and his adopted son Webster.
In 1985, Ronald W. Pelton, a former employee of the National Security Agency, was arrested on espionage charges. (Pelton was later convicted of selling secrets to Soviet agents.)
In 1999, 5-year-old Elian Gonzalez was rescued by a pair of sport fishermen off Florida, setting off an international custody battle between relatives in Miami and Elian's father in Cuba.
Today's Birthdays:
Former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet is 90.
Nice guy, that Pinochet. Wasn't he the guy from Perfect Strangers taht was also in the Beverly Hills Cop movies as Serge?
No, that was Bronson Pinchot...Balki Bartakamous...might have been related to george Papadapalous though...
Actor Ricardo Montalban is 85.
My generation will know that he was on Fantasy Island, but will remember him for...
"He tasks me! He tasks me, and I shall have him! I'll chase him 'round the moons of Nibia and 'round the Antares Maelstrom and 'round perdition's flames before I give him up."
Some of the best writing for Star trek was done for this movie, which is why it is viewed as the best of the bunch. And there has yet to be a movie with a villan/foe that measures up to Khan.
And Khan got some of the best lines in this movie...
Ah Kirk, my old friend. Do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is very cold in space.
From hell's heart, I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.
Actress Kathryn Crosby is 72.
Singer Percy Sledge is 65.
Percy captured exactly what it is like for a Man to be in love with a woman. And then Michael Bolton came along and ruined it.
Author, actor and game show host Ben Stein is 61.
As Ben might say, "wow".
Actor John Larroquette is 58.
best and most remembered for Dan fielding, and his own show shortly after that, but one piece you MAY NOT know is that Dan was in a Star Trek movie himself. He was in Star Trek III, as Maltz.
"Maltz! Choi Chew!"
Ok, I know that 2 references to Star Trek is too many fo rmany of you to stay with. SO I will only further drive you away when I mention that the character Maltz lives on in a series of books I am reading called "The Genesis Wave", which features the Next Generation crew. Maltz is a broken down Klingon diplomat on a backwater planet that gets hit by the genesis wave as it passes through the galaxy. He escapes the planet, and from there, I have yet to find out.
Singer Amy Grant is 45.
Filed under guilty pleasure, and you all know you have it filed there too.
Actress Christina Applegate is 34.
Constantly looking to break away from Kelly Bundy.
Shakespeare Quote of the day:
"My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go."
--From Hamlet (III, iii, 100-103)
Word of the day:
mawkish \MOCK-ish\, adjective:
1. Sickly or excessively sentimental.
2. Insipid in taste; nauseous; disgusting.
Thoughts and musings while shaving:
The hair atop my head has reached the point of unrulyness, and for the sake of my own sanity, it must be cut down. In many years past, I would have gone to a barber...a very specific stylist, who at the time worked for Great Clips. (It was a job.) As luck would have it, he has his own shop now, called Lords and Ladies, found in Brooklyn Park, just across the way from my old townhome. It was of many regrets taht I would ahve to move away, taht I would not see him again. the owner's name is Gary Struebel, and he reminds me of John at the bar, being quick with a joke or a light of your smoke. he knew how I liked my hair styled, and was careful not to produce a style that can only be described as "Mushroom hair."If you are yourself in need of a trim, stop in, and say hello for me.
It was short on the sides, and a little longer on the top. Just a little bit longer than spiked, just enough to curl a bit. But still avoid the appearance (at least) of being a walking phallus-head.
Though in retrospect, I may have convinced more women to sit upon my top-most appendage. But such is the way of things.
As the years passed, my preference for hairstyles evolved, and I found that I simply wanted my hair as short as possible, for the sake of time and efficiency. I didn't need a stylist to do that, so I purchased a pair of elecric shears, and shaved my head myself. Eventually, that became step 1 of a 2 step process, shear and then shave.
But in doing this, I didn't realize that I was denying myself some simple pleasures of life, such as sitting in a chair and carrying on a good conversation with a friend, that I saw too little of. Or the instances where Gary would have one of the girls wash and wet my hair before he cut it. There is something (much, actually) to be said about a woman you don't know meticulously running her fingers through your air while warm water cascades down on your crown. Their gentle fingers massaging your scalp, and you close your eyes so as not to be too obvious you're staring at their cleavage. It is an act that implies intimacy and care, and is much under-rated as a part of the hair styling process.
I very much doubt that it is about to change, as I have no desire to stray from my current style, nor do I have the money to get my shearing done professionally. And now that I have spoken about it, I cannot see myself doing it again, without it feeling as though I am going to a working girl to get a particular fetish fulfilled. But that isn't necessarily right either. it's not a sexual sort of thing, so much as it is an intimacy shared between two people that don't know each other, with cash paid for services rendered.
Oh, yeah...that sounds SO much better.
I'll just post a listing for a "hair whore" and be done with it.
Pat Morita
It's hard to wax poetic about Pat, becuase inevitably whatever you wax on, you would then be required to wax off. But it was because of Pat Morita that enrollment in dojos across America increased probably 10-fold. Had it not been for "The Karate Kid" the only way anyone would ahve remembered him would be as the guy who took over Arnolds in Happy Days.
Good-bye, Pat. Thanks for playing your part in my 1980's childhood,a nd for whatever brief entertainment the Karate Kid series brought me, before it was nauseously played on basic cable programming.
Nick and Jessica:
A marriage can only take so much outside pressure before it cracks and breaks. Because of the public nature of this marriage, what with the cameras documenting the early days of bliss and playful fighting, it was a formula that in retrospect was bound for hard times. Seeing a young couple such as this in love is addicting, and the public camoured to know more about their private lives. But once they opened the door, they found that they could not close it again, and every aspect of their marriage was under attack from all angles. Finally it collapsed, and everyone and noone seems to be to blame. Or at least, taht is the outsiders perspective.
There may have been other internal issues, but the media attention (much of which was created on their own) certainly didn't help.
Out of respect, I hope that both are given their own time to heal from this, and are able to find a way of moving on after the pain subsides.
Unless they've done that already, as is suggested in the various rags.
Things I am thankful for this year:
Amongst all the tumult and upheaval the previous year has brought upon all of us, I find that it is these times taht make us most thankful for what we have. The absence of other people and other things hopefully teach us the importance of those around us, those who sustain us, and help dust us off when we falter.
There was a time this year I would not have thought it possible, but I am thankful that I have life, and that I have much of it ahead of me. There are things to be done, and great oppurtunities to take advantage of. And I want to be around to see and do those things which await me.
Part of that is seeing my girls grow up, and I cannot think of anything I am more thankful for than them. Little girls need their parents, and this parent leans on his little girls for their love. It takes whatever control I can muster not to break out in tears when tehy tell me unsolicited. And I am sure taht there are times they tire of Daddy asking if they love him. Well, that's the breaks for having me as a father. I also don't know taht I could ever explain to them thatmany times when I am angry, it isn't because of what they did, but because of the frustration I feel at not being the father they deserve.
And the love that they provide me wouldn't be possible if it was not for their mother, of whom I will always be eternally grateful. It has not been lost upon me that she has provided me in these children a reason and purpose for my life. And because of the faith and trust she has in me to take care of OUR children until a time that she can be with them too is a grreat honor that supercedes whatever other feelings we may carry.
Further, she has (despite possible internal misgivings) trusted me to not take advantage of the situation. Hers is a delicate position, and the bravery that she shows against the fear of the prospect that I would take them from her is astounding. And it is partially because of this trust that I have come to a resolve within my own mind that her trust was not wrongly placed. It is of most import to me that I be a person of my word, and that I can be relied upon to do my best, even if I fail. But the effort is all that more dogged when I know that I have those that believe in me. But this isn't about me. this is about ebing thankful for what others give me, and the affect that they have upon me. And for good or ill, there is noone who has had a more profound impact on my adult life than her. I'll take the good, and I'll take the bad. I'll take them both. (And there you have the Facts of Life! )
I am vastly thankful for my family on all sides,for supporting our family, fractured though it may be, and residing far apart from one another. While closer to my own relations in blood, my relations in heart are doubled in strength for the kind and tender words and actions of those that loved me. People sometimes have a tendancy to diminish the importance of others or events in their lives while we move forward. But as I look back upon those early and late hours of doubt, the memories are softened by the care that you showered upon me to assure that I would not be dismissed. Instead, you pulled me closer all the more. It is a family I am intensely proud to be a part of, and am humbled by your graces.
There are few people who ahve made as large of a personal sacrifice as my sister has, in moving to a new unknown area and settin gup a hom e for the children adn I to live in, allowing us to set our feet, and feel at home. For her, I am profoundly thankful, and can't picture a scenario that would make me feel the debt would be repaid. What she has meant to me for my own stability, to say nothing of what she provided for the kids, is beyond measure. She has given of herself despite what it may have meant to her own situation.
My friends, who helped me back on my feet. For helping me realize that Life isn't just the shit that you fall in...there are good things to find in it too. That fun was still possible. And laughter. And for helping me understand that I wasn't the horrible person I felt I was for everything that happened, and that I still had something to contribute to the world.
The contributions to society by Mark and Kathy Petersen.
Coca-Cola Classic.
The company that employed me, and still does, for ushering me to move here in their own way.
For Adriana Lima....
For the sacrifices others in the Armed Forces make so that I don't have to.
For the grace of God that I have made it this far, and can hope to see even brighter days ahead.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Good is good and bad is bad
You don't know which one you had
She put your books out on the sidewalk
Now they're blowing 'round
They won't help you when you're down
Love's on your list of things to do
To bring your good luck back to you
And if you think that everything's unfair
Would you care if you're the last one standing there
And everytime you hear the rolling thunder
You turn around before the lightening strikes
And does it ever make you stop and wonder
If all your good times pass you by
I don't hold no mystery
But I can show you how to turn the key
Cause all I know is where I started
So downhearted
And that's not where you want to be
And everytime you hear the rolling thunder
You turn around before the lightening strikes
And you could find a rock to crawl right under
If all your good times pass you by
When the day is done
And the world is sleeping
And the moon is on its way to rise
When your friends are gone
You thought were so worth keeping
You feel you don't belong
And you don't know why
And everytime you hear the rolling thunder
You turn around before the lightening strikes
And does it ever make you stop and wonder
If all your good times pass you by
When the day is done
And the world is sleeping
And the moon is on its way to rise
When your friends are gone
You thought were so worth keeping
You feel you don't belong
Neither do I
--"Good is Good" by Sheryl Crow
Picture of Chandra North for no real reason:
This Day in History:
In 1758, in the French and Indian War, the British captured Fort Duquesne in present-day Pittsburgh. I'm guessing that they captured it from the French, because the Indians would have known better than to have a word in their vocabulary like "Duquesne" that looks entirely nothing like it's pronounced. And they wonder why they're unloved...
In 1783, the British evacuated New York, their last military position in the United States during the Revolutionary War. ON their way out, they could be heard singing "We gotta get out of this place! If it's the last thing we ever do!"
In 1881, Pope John XXIII was born Angelo Roncalli near Bergamo, Italy.
In 1944, baseball commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis died at age 78. Landis is best known for bannishing the 1919 BLack Sox from the game permentently, as portrayed in the movie Eight Men Out.
In 1957, President Eisenhower suffered a slight stroke.
In 1973, Greek President George Papadopoulos was ousted in a bloodless military coup. As many of you remember, he was later able to carve out a small living for him and his wife, and his adopted son Webster.
In 1985, Ronald W. Pelton, a former employee of the National Security Agency, was arrested on espionage charges. (Pelton was later convicted of selling secrets to Soviet agents.)
In 1999, 5-year-old Elian Gonzalez was rescued by a pair of sport fishermen off Florida, setting off an international custody battle between relatives in Miami and Elian's father in Cuba.
Today's Birthdays:
Former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet is 90.
Nice guy, that Pinochet. Wasn't he the guy from Perfect Strangers taht was also in the Beverly Hills Cop movies as Serge?
No, that was Bronson Pinchot...Balki Bartakamous...might have been related to george Papadapalous though...
Actor Ricardo Montalban is 85.
My generation will know that he was on Fantasy Island, but will remember him for...
"He tasks me! He tasks me, and I shall have him! I'll chase him 'round the moons of Nibia and 'round the Antares Maelstrom and 'round perdition's flames before I give him up."
Some of the best writing for Star trek was done for this movie, which is why it is viewed as the best of the bunch. And there has yet to be a movie with a villan/foe that measures up to Khan.
And Khan got some of the best lines in this movie...
Ah Kirk, my old friend. Do you know the Klingon proverb that tells us revenge is a dish that is best served cold? It is very cold in space.
From hell's heart, I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.
Actress Kathryn Crosby is 72.
Singer Percy Sledge is 65.
Percy captured exactly what it is like for a Man to be in love with a woman. And then Michael Bolton came along and ruined it.
Author, actor and game show host Ben Stein is 61.
As Ben might say, "wow".
Actor John Larroquette is 58.
best and most remembered for Dan fielding, and his own show shortly after that, but one piece you MAY NOT know is that Dan was in a Star Trek movie himself. He was in Star Trek III, as Maltz.
"Maltz! Choi Chew!"
Ok, I know that 2 references to Star Trek is too many fo rmany of you to stay with. SO I will only further drive you away when I mention that the character Maltz lives on in a series of books I am reading called "The Genesis Wave", which features the Next Generation crew. Maltz is a broken down Klingon diplomat on a backwater planet that gets hit by the genesis wave as it passes through the galaxy. He escapes the planet, and from there, I have yet to find out.
Singer Amy Grant is 45.
Filed under guilty pleasure, and you all know you have it filed there too.
Actress Christina Applegate is 34.
Constantly looking to break away from Kelly Bundy.
"Christina Applegate, you gotta put me on.
Guess who's piece of the cake is Jack gone?
She broke her wishbone and wished for a sign.
I told her whispers in my heart were fine.
what did she think she could do?
I feel for her, I really do.
The next day I had the ring finger on her hand,
I wanted her to be a big PM Dawn fan,
but I had to put her right back with the rest.
That's the way it goes, I guess.
Baby you send me...
Set adrift on memory bliss of you"
Shakespeare Quote of the day:
"My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go."
--From Hamlet (III, iii, 100-103)
Word of the day:
mawkish \MOCK-ish\, adjective:
1. Sickly or excessively sentimental.
2. Insipid in taste; nauseous; disgusting.
Thoughts and musings while shaving:
The hair atop my head has reached the point of unrulyness, and for the sake of my own sanity, it must be cut down. In many years past, I would have gone to a barber...a very specific stylist, who at the time worked for Great Clips. (It was a job.) As luck would have it, he has his own shop now, called Lords and Ladies, found in Brooklyn Park, just across the way from my old townhome. It was of many regrets taht I would ahve to move away, taht I would not see him again. the owner's name is Gary Struebel, and he reminds me of John at the bar, being quick with a joke or a light of your smoke. he knew how I liked my hair styled, and was careful not to produce a style that can only be described as "Mushroom hair."If you are yourself in need of a trim, stop in, and say hello for me.
It was short on the sides, and a little longer on the top. Just a little bit longer than spiked, just enough to curl a bit. But still avoid the appearance (at least) of being a walking phallus-head.
Though in retrospect, I may have convinced more women to sit upon my top-most appendage. But such is the way of things.
As the years passed, my preference for hairstyles evolved, and I found that I simply wanted my hair as short as possible, for the sake of time and efficiency. I didn't need a stylist to do that, so I purchased a pair of elecric shears, and shaved my head myself. Eventually, that became step 1 of a 2 step process, shear and then shave.
But in doing this, I didn't realize that I was denying myself some simple pleasures of life, such as sitting in a chair and carrying on a good conversation with a friend, that I saw too little of. Or the instances where Gary would have one of the girls wash and wet my hair before he cut it. There is something (much, actually) to be said about a woman you don't know meticulously running her fingers through your air while warm water cascades down on your crown. Their gentle fingers massaging your scalp, and you close your eyes so as not to be too obvious you're staring at their cleavage. It is an act that implies intimacy and care, and is much under-rated as a part of the hair styling process.
I very much doubt that it is about to change, as I have no desire to stray from my current style, nor do I have the money to get my shearing done professionally. And now that I have spoken about it, I cannot see myself doing it again, without it feeling as though I am going to a working girl to get a particular fetish fulfilled. But that isn't necessarily right either. it's not a sexual sort of thing, so much as it is an intimacy shared between two people that don't know each other, with cash paid for services rendered.
Oh, yeah...that sounds SO much better.
I'll just post a listing for a "hair whore" and be done with it.
Pat Morita
It's hard to wax poetic about Pat, becuase inevitably whatever you wax on, you would then be required to wax off. But it was because of Pat Morita that enrollment in dojos across America increased probably 10-fold. Had it not been for "The Karate Kid" the only way anyone would ahve remembered him would be as the guy who took over Arnolds in Happy Days.
Good-bye, Pat. Thanks for playing your part in my 1980's childhood,a nd for whatever brief entertainment the Karate Kid series brought me, before it was nauseously played on basic cable programming.
Nick and Jessica:
A marriage can only take so much outside pressure before it cracks and breaks. Because of the public nature of this marriage, what with the cameras documenting the early days of bliss and playful fighting, it was a formula that in retrospect was bound for hard times. Seeing a young couple such as this in love is addicting, and the public camoured to know more about their private lives. But once they opened the door, they found that they could not close it again, and every aspect of their marriage was under attack from all angles. Finally it collapsed, and everyone and noone seems to be to blame. Or at least, taht is the outsiders perspective.
There may have been other internal issues, but the media attention (much of which was created on their own) certainly didn't help.
Out of respect, I hope that both are given their own time to heal from this, and are able to find a way of moving on after the pain subsides.
Unless they've done that already, as is suggested in the various rags.
Things I am thankful for this year:
Amongst all the tumult and upheaval the previous year has brought upon all of us, I find that it is these times taht make us most thankful for what we have. The absence of other people and other things hopefully teach us the importance of those around us, those who sustain us, and help dust us off when we falter.
There was a time this year I would not have thought it possible, but I am thankful that I have life, and that I have much of it ahead of me. There are things to be done, and great oppurtunities to take advantage of. And I want to be around to see and do those things which await me.
Part of that is seeing my girls grow up, and I cannot think of anything I am more thankful for than them. Little girls need their parents, and this parent leans on his little girls for their love. It takes whatever control I can muster not to break out in tears when tehy tell me unsolicited. And I am sure taht there are times they tire of Daddy asking if they love him. Well, that's the breaks for having me as a father. I also don't know taht I could ever explain to them thatmany times when I am angry, it isn't because of what they did, but because of the frustration I feel at not being the father they deserve.
And the love that they provide me wouldn't be possible if it was not for their mother, of whom I will always be eternally grateful. It has not been lost upon me that she has provided me in these children a reason and purpose for my life. And because of the faith and trust she has in me to take care of OUR children until a time that she can be with them too is a grreat honor that supercedes whatever other feelings we may carry.
Further, she has (despite possible internal misgivings) trusted me to not take advantage of the situation. Hers is a delicate position, and the bravery that she shows against the fear of the prospect that I would take them from her is astounding. And it is partially because of this trust that I have come to a resolve within my own mind that her trust was not wrongly placed. It is of most import to me that I be a person of my word, and that I can be relied upon to do my best, even if I fail. But the effort is all that more dogged when I know that I have those that believe in me. But this isn't about me. this is about ebing thankful for what others give me, and the affect that they have upon me. And for good or ill, there is noone who has had a more profound impact on my adult life than her. I'll take the good, and I'll take the bad. I'll take them both. (And there you have the Facts of Life! )
I am vastly thankful for my family on all sides,for supporting our family, fractured though it may be, and residing far apart from one another. While closer to my own relations in blood, my relations in heart are doubled in strength for the kind and tender words and actions of those that loved me. People sometimes have a tendancy to diminish the importance of others or events in their lives while we move forward. But as I look back upon those early and late hours of doubt, the memories are softened by the care that you showered upon me to assure that I would not be dismissed. Instead, you pulled me closer all the more. It is a family I am intensely proud to be a part of, and am humbled by your graces.
There are few people who ahve made as large of a personal sacrifice as my sister has, in moving to a new unknown area and settin gup a hom e for the children adn I to live in, allowing us to set our feet, and feel at home. For her, I am profoundly thankful, and can't picture a scenario that would make me feel the debt would be repaid. What she has meant to me for my own stability, to say nothing of what she provided for the kids, is beyond measure. She has given of herself despite what it may have meant to her own situation.
My friends, who helped me back on my feet. For helping me realize that Life isn't just the shit that you fall in...there are good things to find in it too. That fun was still possible. And laughter. And for helping me understand that I wasn't the horrible person I felt I was for everything that happened, and that I still had something to contribute to the world.
The contributions to society by Mark and Kathy Petersen.
Coca-Cola Classic.
The company that employed me, and still does, for ushering me to move here in their own way.
For Adriana Lima....
For the sacrifices others in the Armed Forces make so that I don't have to.
For the grace of God that I have made it this far, and can hope to see even brighter days ahead.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Song of the day:
Mama look at me now
Oh how I wish
You were around
So many friends I wish
I had right now
Mister you can't hurt me now
You've got my girl, I still don't know how
But it don't matter now
No it don't matter now
So look out into the morning rain
'cause I'm on,
I'm already on
The mourning train
-Mourning train by The Wallflowers
Random Picture of a girl wearing a ballcap:
This Day in History:
Today is Saturday, Nov. 5, the 309th day of 2005. There are 56 days left in the year.
In 1872, suffragist Susan B. Anthony was fined $100 for attempting to vote for President Grant. (She never paid the fine.)
In 1895, George B. Selden of Rochester, N.Y., received the first U.S. patent for an automobile. 3 days later, Henry Ford knocked on his door and kicked his ass, muscling him out of the automobile manufacturing business. Or not. Maybe if I include the word allegedly, it'll keep the Ford lawyers off my back. But then again, what are the chances anyone in MI is reading this anyway?
(kidding, kidding)
In 1912, Woodrow Wilson was elected president, defeating Progressive Republican Theodore Roosevelt and incumbent Republican William Howard Taft.
In 1940, President Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term in office as he defeated Republican challenger Wendell L. Willkie.
In 1944, British official Lord Moyne was assassinated in Cairo, Egypt, by the Zionist Stern gang. That might be a tough one for those dyslexic gamers out there. It was a Zionist Stern gang, not a Lion-like Zerg gang.
In 1946, Republicans captured control of both the Senate and the House in midterm elections.
In 1968, Richard M. Nixon won the presidency, defeating Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey and third-party candidate George C. Wallace.
In 1985, Spencer W. Kimball, president of the Mormon Church, died at age 90; he was succeeded by Ezra Taft Benson.
In 1990, Rabbi Meir Kahane, the Brooklyn-born Israeli extremist, was shot to death at a New York hotel. (Egyptian native El Sayyed Nosair was convicted of the slaying in federal court.)
In 1996, voters returned President Clinton to the White House for a second term but kept Congress in Republican control.
Today's Birthdays:
Singer-songwriter Ike Turner is 74. Actor Chris Robinson is 67. Actress Elke Sommer is 65. Singer Art Garfunkel is 64. Actor-playwright Sam Shepard is 62. Singer Peter Noone is 58. Actor Nestor Serrano ("24") is 50. Actor Robert Patrick is 47. Singer Bryan Adams is 46. Actress Tilda Swinton is 45. Actress Tatum O'Neal is 42. Actress Andrea McArdle is 42. Rock singer Angelo Moore (Fishbone) is 40. Rock musician Mark Hunter (James) is 37. Actor Sam Rockwell is 37. Country singers Jennifer and Heather Kinley (The Kinleys) are 35. Actor Corin Nemec is 34. Rock musician Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) is 34. Country singer-musician Ryan Adams is 31. Actor Jeremy Lelliott is 23.
Miscellaneous Quote of the day:
Word of the Day:
Tree of Serenity:
Mama look at me now
Oh how I wish
You were around
So many friends I wish
I had right now
Mister you can't hurt me now
You've got my girl, I still don't know how
But it don't matter now
No it don't matter now
So look out into the morning rain
'cause I'm on,
I'm already on
The mourning train
-Mourning train by The Wallflowers
Random Picture of a girl wearing a ballcap:
This Day in History:
Today is Saturday, Nov. 5, the 309th day of 2005. There are 56 days left in the year.
In 1872, suffragist Susan B. Anthony was fined $100 for attempting to vote for President Grant. (She never paid the fine.)
In 1895, George B. Selden of Rochester, N.Y., received the first U.S. patent for an automobile. 3 days later, Henry Ford knocked on his door and kicked his ass, muscling him out of the automobile manufacturing business. Or not. Maybe if I include the word allegedly, it'll keep the Ford lawyers off my back. But then again, what are the chances anyone in MI is reading this anyway?
(kidding, kidding)
In 1912, Woodrow Wilson was elected president, defeating Progressive Republican Theodore Roosevelt and incumbent Republican William Howard Taft.
In 1940, President Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term in office as he defeated Republican challenger Wendell L. Willkie.
In 1944, British official Lord Moyne was assassinated in Cairo, Egypt, by the Zionist Stern gang. That might be a tough one for those dyslexic gamers out there. It was a Zionist Stern gang, not a Lion-like Zerg gang.
In 1946, Republicans captured control of both the Senate and the House in midterm elections.
In 1968, Richard M. Nixon won the presidency, defeating Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey and third-party candidate George C. Wallace.
In 1985, Spencer W. Kimball, president of the Mormon Church, died at age 90; he was succeeded by Ezra Taft Benson.
In 1990, Rabbi Meir Kahane, the Brooklyn-born Israeli extremist, was shot to death at a New York hotel. (Egyptian native El Sayyed Nosair was convicted of the slaying in federal court.)
In 1996, voters returned President Clinton to the White House for a second term but kept Congress in Republican control.
Today's Birthdays:
Singer-songwriter Ike Turner is 74. Actor Chris Robinson is 67. Actress Elke Sommer is 65. Singer Art Garfunkel is 64. Actor-playwright Sam Shepard is 62. Singer Peter Noone is 58. Actor Nestor Serrano ("24") is 50. Actor Robert Patrick is 47. Singer Bryan Adams is 46. Actress Tilda Swinton is 45. Actress Tatum O'Neal is 42. Actress Andrea McArdle is 42. Rock singer Angelo Moore (Fishbone) is 40. Rock musician Mark Hunter (James) is 37. Actor Sam Rockwell is 37. Country singers Jennifer and Heather Kinley (The Kinleys) are 35. Actor Corin Nemec is 34. Rock musician Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead) is 34. Country singer-musician Ryan Adams is 31. Actor Jeremy Lelliott is 23.
Miscellaneous Quote of the day:
Many men can make a fortune by very few can build a family.
-- J. S. Bryan
Word of the Day:
winsome \WIN-suhm\, adjective: 1. Cheerful; merry; gay; light-hearted.
2. Causing joy or pleasure; agreeable; pleasant.
You got chocolate in my peanut butter!
Recent word has filtered out that Coca-cola is discontinuing its production of Vanilla Coca-Cola. Word hit the daily Update Writer's household quite hard. In baseball terms, Vanilla Coke was the change-up to the constant diet of Coca-Cola classic fastballs that my Roger Clemens regimen provided. It certainly wasn't everyone's favorite, and I can remember being none too impressed with it when I first tried it. But it grew on me, and I was able to develop a taste for it in no time at all. Cherry coke seemed to be just as harsh, and maybe even a bit heavier in the gut than the regular stuff, and Vanilla coke provided a smoother, slightly lighter alternative from time to time.
Oh, crap! Vanilla Coke was all that Joel would drink from the 1 true bottling company! Oh, for his sake, I hope that Leah held his hand throughout the night, as he suffered what must have been many night sweats at the thought of it gone.
Then again, he still has beer to fall back upon.
As for the rest of us, there is talk in the above article of a Black Cherry Vanilla Coke.
This product must be made for the good of all mankind. I am quite sure that the members of whatever board that makes these decisions would prefer that their cars NOT be keyed with some sort of terrible slander. Like..."Pepsi drinker" or something.
Tree of Serenity:
-Picture provided by Sonja Petersen
I have journeyed many times across the mountainous terrain of a troublesome mind to arrive at this tree found within my soul, though I have never seen it myself. It has survived the fires of my anger and the floods of my sorrow. Emotions stronger than the winds that swirl around the highest mountain tops have pushed me to thoughts and acts I could not imagine, and yet this tree stands in stillness, surrounded by a calm unfit for description.
I come to this park inside myself when there is no refuge to be found in the outside world. If one were to look closely, the tree would show the slashes from sharp words and deeds, and yet it does not die. It continues to grow and bear fruit.
I dare not stand any closer than this; the ground surrounding it I revere as sacred, though I have no way of knowing this. As I look upon it, I feel the darknes surrounding me, the quiet of the moment. There is no one else within this world; the park I have to myself. I am alone. the thought is comforting and terrifying all at once. There is no noise, other than the beating of my heart, the sound of my own breath. I panic for a moment. there is no one with me! What will I do on my own? And then the moment passes. I am stronger than that. I am on my own. I can trust myself, and do not need another. This moment is for me.
The winter air is cold and biting, and I feel it nipping at my ears. Were I to move, I would hear the crunch of the snow beneath me, which has formed a thin crust atop the soft yet densly packed flakes beneath. I stand here for a moment, taking in the absolute silence, as though I were standing in the middle of a forest at midnight. Is it only in my mind that I hear the roar of a wind? I do not feel it. Perhaps my mind cannot comprehend the idea of such quiet, and has engineered it's own sounds to fill the void.
The tree cannot chase away the demons of the outer world. It does not provide protection from my own fears. But here...in this park within myself...I find the stillness I need. I can become this moment. I can become the stillness, the quiet. I take in a lasting blast of the cold winter night air and hold it within my chest. I find composure, and let the air out. I hold in the cold winter night however, and it chills the searing conflict of feelings within. I travel back to the world in which we all belong, and I find that composure that comes from becoming that park. I am no longer angry, or carry doubt, or am fearful.
Those things were left behind along my journey from the tree in the park within.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Song of the Day:
I want to have a good time
Just like everybody
And I don't want to fall apart
I just want have a good time
Just like everybody else
And I don't want to fall apart this time
So would you please invite me in
I really love the red haired girls
I'm just another boy from texas
Come on and take a spin
I got a brand new set of wings
"Good Time"-Counting Crows
Not so random picture of Shaune Bagwell:
Today in history:
In 1783, Gen. George Washington issued his Farewell Address to the Army near Princeton, N.J.
In 1795, the 11th president of the United States, James Knox Polk, was born in Mecklenburg County, N.C.
In 1865, the 29th president of the United States, Warren Gamaliel Harding, was born near Corsica, Ohio.
In 1889, North Dakota and South Dakota became the 39th and 40th states.
Celebrate North Dakota!
Celebrate South Dakota!
Now imagine celebrating them together!
In 1930, Haile Selassie was crowned emperor of Ethiopia. Oh goodie. I rule a sandbox.
In 1947, Howard Hughes piloted his huge wooden flying boat, the Hughes H-4 Hercules (popularly known as the "Spruce Goose"), on its only flight, which lasted about a minute over Long Beach Harbor in California.
In 1948, President Truman surprised the experts by being re-elected in a narrow upset over Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey. Hewey and Louey were so disapointed. Uncle Donald secretly delighted in it.
In 1959, game show contestant Charles Van Doren admitted to a House subcommittee that he'd been given questions and answers in advance when he appeared on the NBC TV program "Twenty-One."
In 1976, former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter became the first candidate from the Deep South since the Civil War to be elected president as he defeated incumbent Gerald R. Ford.
Rumor had it they settled the election with a game of 4 square. Vice Presidents got in on the action too.
Today's Birthdays:
Country singer Charlie Walker is 79.
Rhythm-and-blues singer Earl "Speedo" Carroll (The Cadillacs; The Coasters) is 68.
Earl's got nothing on me.
Singer-songwriter k.d. lang is 44.
Oh crap! Dude, she's gonna kick my ass! Look at how she's looking at me! You gotta do something.
Rock musician Bobby Dall (Poison) is 42.
Dude, there's no way Bobby Dall is gonna protect me from K.D. Lang. go get some real help.
Actor David Schwimmer is 39.
OK, now you're not even trying, and I am starting to question your gender choice. And I STILL have to worry about K.D. Lang.
Word of the day:
cant \KANT\, noun:
1. The idioms and peculiarities of speech in any sect, class, or occupation; jargon.
2. The use of pious words without sincerity.
3. Empty, solemn speech, implying what is not felt; insincere talk; hypocrisy.
4. A whining manner of speaking, especially of beggars.
Random Picture of Karen Mulder:
Shakespeare quote of the day:
"So foul and fair a day I have not seen. "
-MacBeth
Link of the day:
http://www.lizhickok.com/assets/portfolio/pages/01city.html
There's always room for San Fransisco!
Another Embarrassing Moment in Matt's life!
Let it be noted that any sort of dexterity that I could falsely lay claim to because "I played High School (JV) football" is now completely off the books. I have no right to continue any sort of charade I might have carried out in years past that I have any sort of hand eye coordination in any way that matters.
Yesterday morning, on my way into the building, I had to place a security badge in front of the scanner to unlock the door, and get to the warm gooey goodness on the inside that is my job. The small led light went off, letting me kow that the door was unlocked, and I was welcome to try to get in. So far, so good. However, I neglected to remember that I had to get out of the path of the door opening in order to get into the building. So as I pulled the door towards me, it came to an abrupt halt as it came into violent contact with a blunt object. Namely, my forehead. Having successfully beat the crap out of myself with a door, I proceeded indoors to my desk. My cranium ached, and I went to get a drink of water to take my mind off the pain. And I then proceeded to choke on water. The height of my incompetence has been reached; I was no longer able to swallow water. I could offer mnay exuses as to why this migh thappen, such as a lack of sleep or a lack of coke...but they would be empty words devoid of meaning. And like so many others, I have to accept that my high school football playing days are over. But I am still holding out hope for interpretive dance.
"All you're doing is standing there giving me the finger."
I have a simple message.
Halloween with the Girls:
It surprises me to say taht there isn't much to report on this. Anna and Bailey went as Belle and Cinderella respectively, and Restory was a "goth fairy", complete with a costume and wings created by her mother.
Restory's definition of Goth is as follows:
"Goth's are people who don't care about things, and wear alot of black."
That's a pretty accurate description, to be honest. thankfully, she didn't mention the self-mutilation, or the angst that accompanies many of them. "My life is a book of rain, created by my weeping tears, and is of dark night because the sun never rises."
Anyway, I had them dress in their costumes and we headed over to the local mall. Poor Bailey's costume was too long, and she kept stepping on the dress in front of her. I held the dress partially up so that she didn't step on it for a time, but eventually she tired of that, and got frustrated by it all. Solution? Bailey combined voltron-style with Dad to create Super-Cinderella! 6'4" of Cinderella candy collecting power, with 2 heads! I did the walking, and she collected the candy. it became difficult to take pictures with her on my shoulders, but it was well worth it, as they seemed to have quite a bit of fun. later,we got a pizza and headed home to get ready for bed. They quickly changed into pajamas, though Anna had a hard time giving up her Belle shoes, and only after I assured her that she could keep them for later this weekend was she willing to seperate from them.
Astros-White Sox World Series fallout
Ok, not only did the one team I did NOT want to win the World series win it, ut it came at the expense of some of my favorite ballplayers in Jeff Bagwell (Shaune Bagwell above is his wife) and Craig Biggio. But at least they can say that they got a chance to play in the Series, which is what they deserved. It just didn't work out for them this time. Maybe next year they can come back. Maybe not.
But for crying out loud...did it have to be the White Sox winning?
Release of Star Wars Battlefront II, Star Wars Episode III
Only a few months ago, Daily Update Reader Joel introduced me to the first version of Battlefront. For me, it has become the Madden of 1st person shooters. It is something that is a weekly fix, and I delight in destroying wimpy Rebel spies. I've become king of the headshot!
Well, no, not like that. See, they die faster if you shoot them in the head, see, and it keeps track of how many you kill that way. Apparently I have also taken on the persona of Edward G Robinson in my writing style....see?
You don't know who Edward G Robinson is, do you?
Well, the newest version is out, and it's murder to see it out there, and not have it in my ps2 loading tray already. Financial responsibility SUCKS!
Add to it the release of Star Wars Episode III, of which I saw with the same Daily Update Reader Joel. Ah, to go back to May and see the sun shine off his hair.
Ah well.
Really, the main reason one would want to ahve the movie is to sit down and watch them all in their entirety. But the couch can only take so much sitting and cheetos before even the couch must get up and move about. All I ask is that it not bump the chili I left on the coffee table, and get me a Coca-cola while its up.
I want to have a good time
Just like everybody
And I don't want to fall apart
I just want have a good time
Just like everybody else
And I don't want to fall apart this time
So would you please invite me in
I really love the red haired girls
I'm just another boy from texas
Come on and take a spin
I got a brand new set of wings
"Good Time"-Counting Crows
Not so random picture of Shaune Bagwell:
Today in history:
In 1783, Gen. George Washington issued his Farewell Address to the Army near Princeton, N.J.
In 1795, the 11th president of the United States, James Knox Polk, was born in Mecklenburg County, N.C.
In 1865, the 29th president of the United States, Warren Gamaliel Harding, was born near Corsica, Ohio.
In 1889, North Dakota and South Dakota became the 39th and 40th states.
Celebrate North Dakota!
Celebrate South Dakota!
Now imagine celebrating them together!
In 1930, Haile Selassie was crowned emperor of Ethiopia. Oh goodie. I rule a sandbox.
In 1947, Howard Hughes piloted his huge wooden flying boat, the Hughes H-4 Hercules (popularly known as the "Spruce Goose"), on its only flight, which lasted about a minute over Long Beach Harbor in California.
In 1948, President Truman surprised the experts by being re-elected in a narrow upset over Republican challenger Thomas E. Dewey. Hewey and Louey were so disapointed. Uncle Donald secretly delighted in it.
In 1959, game show contestant Charles Van Doren admitted to a House subcommittee that he'd been given questions and answers in advance when he appeared on the NBC TV program "Twenty-One."
In 1976, former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter became the first candidate from the Deep South since the Civil War to be elected president as he defeated incumbent Gerald R. Ford.
Rumor had it they settled the election with a game of 4 square. Vice Presidents got in on the action too.
Today's Birthdays:
Country singer Charlie Walker is 79.
Rhythm-and-blues singer Earl "Speedo" Carroll (The Cadillacs; The Coasters) is 68.
Earl's got nothing on me.
Singer-songwriter k.d. lang is 44.
Oh crap! Dude, she's gonna kick my ass! Look at how she's looking at me! You gotta do something.
Rock musician Bobby Dall (Poison) is 42.
Dude, there's no way Bobby Dall is gonna protect me from K.D. Lang. go get some real help.
Actor David Schwimmer is 39.
OK, now you're not even trying, and I am starting to question your gender choice. And I STILL have to worry about K.D. Lang.
Word of the day:
cant \KANT\, noun:
1. The idioms and peculiarities of speech in any sect, class, or occupation; jargon.
2. The use of pious words without sincerity.
3. Empty, solemn speech, implying what is not felt; insincere talk; hypocrisy.
4. A whining manner of speaking, especially of beggars.
Random Picture of Karen Mulder:
Shakespeare quote of the day:
"So foul and fair a day I have not seen. "
-MacBeth
Link of the day:
http://www.lizhickok.com/assets/portfolio/pages/01city.html
There's always room for San Fransisco!
Another Embarrassing Moment in Matt's life!
Let it be noted that any sort of dexterity that I could falsely lay claim to because "I played High School (JV) football" is now completely off the books. I have no right to continue any sort of charade I might have carried out in years past that I have any sort of hand eye coordination in any way that matters.
Yesterday morning, on my way into the building, I had to place a security badge in front of the scanner to unlock the door, and get to the warm gooey goodness on the inside that is my job. The small led light went off, letting me kow that the door was unlocked, and I was welcome to try to get in. So far, so good. However, I neglected to remember that I had to get out of the path of the door opening in order to get into the building. So as I pulled the door towards me, it came to an abrupt halt as it came into violent contact with a blunt object. Namely, my forehead. Having successfully beat the crap out of myself with a door, I proceeded indoors to my desk. My cranium ached, and I went to get a drink of water to take my mind off the pain. And I then proceeded to choke on water. The height of my incompetence has been reached; I was no longer able to swallow water. I could offer mnay exuses as to why this migh thappen, such as a lack of sleep or a lack of coke...but they would be empty words devoid of meaning. And like so many others, I have to accept that my high school football playing days are over. But I am still holding out hope for interpretive dance.
"All you're doing is standing there giving me the finger."
I have a simple message.
Halloween with the Girls:
It surprises me to say taht there isn't much to report on this. Anna and Bailey went as Belle and Cinderella respectively, and Restory was a "goth fairy", complete with a costume and wings created by her mother.
Restory's definition of Goth is as follows:
"Goth's are people who don't care about things, and wear alot of black."
That's a pretty accurate description, to be honest. thankfully, she didn't mention the self-mutilation, or the angst that accompanies many of them. "My life is a book of rain, created by my weeping tears, and is of dark night because the sun never rises."
Anyway, I had them dress in their costumes and we headed over to the local mall. Poor Bailey's costume was too long, and she kept stepping on the dress in front of her. I held the dress partially up so that she didn't step on it for a time, but eventually she tired of that, and got frustrated by it all. Solution? Bailey combined voltron-style with Dad to create Super-Cinderella! 6'4" of Cinderella candy collecting power, with 2 heads! I did the walking, and she collected the candy. it became difficult to take pictures with her on my shoulders, but it was well worth it, as they seemed to have quite a bit of fun. later,we got a pizza and headed home to get ready for bed. They quickly changed into pajamas, though Anna had a hard time giving up her Belle shoes, and only after I assured her that she could keep them for later this weekend was she willing to seperate from them.
Astros-White Sox World Series fallout
Ok, not only did the one team I did NOT want to win the World series win it, ut it came at the expense of some of my favorite ballplayers in Jeff Bagwell (Shaune Bagwell above is his wife) and Craig Biggio. But at least they can say that they got a chance to play in the Series, which is what they deserved. It just didn't work out for them this time. Maybe next year they can come back. Maybe not.
But for crying out loud...did it have to be the White Sox winning?
Release of Star Wars Battlefront II, Star Wars Episode III
Only a few months ago, Daily Update Reader Joel introduced me to the first version of Battlefront. For me, it has become the Madden of 1st person shooters. It is something that is a weekly fix, and I delight in destroying wimpy Rebel spies. I've become king of the headshot!
Well, no, not like that. See, they die faster if you shoot them in the head, see, and it keeps track of how many you kill that way. Apparently I have also taken on the persona of Edward G Robinson in my writing style....see?
You don't know who Edward G Robinson is, do you?
Well, the newest version is out, and it's murder to see it out there, and not have it in my ps2 loading tray already. Financial responsibility SUCKS!
Add to it the release of Star Wars Episode III, of which I saw with the same Daily Update Reader Joel. Ah, to go back to May and see the sun shine off his hair.
Ah well.
Really, the main reason one would want to ahve the movie is to sit down and watch them all in their entirety. But the couch can only take so much sitting and cheetos before even the couch must get up and move about. All I ask is that it not bump the chili I left on the coffee table, and get me a Coca-cola while its up.
