Tales Of Brave UlyssesSir Robin

" But blue is wrong . . . for roses"

2011-09-14T12:50:00.005-05:00

Hmm, what would Tennessee have to say about this? They look more lavender to me. What do you think? Will they catch on? Is it a little too much to have a GM flower, or is it not that far a stretch from hybrids?

I'm not sure I want one in my yard, but they are pretty.

Maybe you think like Jim, huh?

JIM: The different people are not like other people, but being different is nothing to be ashamed of. Because other people are not such wonderful people. They’re one hundred times one thousand. You’re one times one! They walk all over the earth. You just stay here. They’re common as—weeds, but—you—well, you’re—Blue Roses!

[Image on screen: Blue Roses.]
[The music changes.]

LAURA: But blue is wrong for—roses. . . .

JIM: It’s right for you! You’re—pretty!

Happy Birthday Edna

2011-02-22T09:08:00.002-06:00

On this day in 1892, Edna Vincent Millay was born in Rockland Maine. Would that she had lived twice as long as her too brief 58 years.

Although perhaps most famous to the general public for her poem First Fig, this poem (obviously, no?) speaks to me.

I read it often a couple of years ago.

Things are so much better now.

I Know The Face Of Falsehood And Her Tongue

I know the face of Falsehood and her Tongue
Honeyed with unction, Plausible with guile,
Are dear to men, whom count me not among,
That owe their daily credit to her smile;
Such have been succoured out of great distress
By her contriving, if accounts be true:
Their deference now above the board, I guess,
Dishcharges what beneath the board is due.
As for myself, I'd liefer lack her aid
Than eat her presence; let this building fall:
But let me never lift my latch, afraid
To hear her simpering accents in the hall,
Nor force an entrance past mephitic airs
Of stale patchoulie hanging on my stairs

How are thing with you?

I Want To Be Famous . . . . . .

2011-01-19T14:04:00.006-06:00

Famous, but only to all of you. It's been so very long since I could find the time, and the will, and the inspiration to write, but mostly, I needed the courage.

Let me explain.

I love Facebook. If it wasn't for Facebook, I wouldn't have reunited with several old friends that I had assumed were out of my life forever, I wouldn't know that my niece was accepted into the Cytogenetics program at UT / MD Anderson. (Go Mattie! - and yes, I had to look it up to see what the hell that meant.) I wouldn't know about friends new puppys, or jobs, or many other mundane but joyous things. If it wasn't for Facebook, I wouldn't have the lovely Xena to wake up to each morning. So yes, I love Facebook.

So . . . . the problem is, Facebook makes it so damn easy to keep in touch with people, including the great majority of you, that my communication has become one-liners and hitting the Like button. I have forgotten how to sit down, organize my thoughts and turn them into a coherent post.

Believe me, I've tried. You should see the unfinished drafts in my queue. It's not like I haven't had plenty to write about. Writing has just become scary and hard.

So bear with me.

Scold me.

Remind me to go write something more than a poorly punctuated paragraph about how stupid Sarah Palin's admirers are.

When I was a brash young man, I dreamed of being famous. I still want that, but I want a different kind of famous now. Something like this.

Famous

by Naomi Shihab Nye

The river is famous to the fish.

The loud voice is famous to silence,

which knew it would inherit the earth

before anybody said so.

The cat sleeping on the fence is famous to the birds

watching him from the birdhouse.

The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek.

The idea you carry close to your bosom

is famous to your bosom.

The boot is famous to the earth,

more famous than the dress shoe,

which is famous only to floors.

The bent photograph is famous to the one who carries it

and not at all famous to the one who is pictured.

I want to be famous to shuffling men

who smile while crossing streets,

sticky children in grocery lines,

famous as the one who smiled back.

I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous,

or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular,

but because it never forgot what it could do.

I want to be famous to you guys again. I really do.

The "he" is always lower case . . . . .

2010-11-11T08:22:00.001-06:00

Ahh, finally a song for the rest of us.

The win is strong in this one.

The Traditional Light Bulb Vote Must Be Huge . . .

2010-11-11T07:01:00.004-06:00

Meet Joe Barton.

He desperately wants to be chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. You may of course, remember him for apologizing to BP following their causing the largest environmental disaster in the history of the United States.

FSM help us if he does.

In a speech yesterday to The Heritage Foundation he laid out his agenda -

Repeal Healthcare Reform

Fight the EPA

Fight Net Neutrality

Fight "Radical Environmentalist

Defend the Traditional Incandescent Light Bulb

Err, umm. . . what was that last one again?

Yes, he is out to fight for the traditional values of incandescent light bulbs, to prevent government regulators from replacing it with "the little, squiggly, pig-tailed ones".

Boy, they're not even trying anymore, are they?

He recently compared his fight against the Democrats to Davy Crockett and the defenders of the Alamo. I'm not sure exactly what he means by that . . . the Mexicans won a decisive victory at the Alamo, and every last one of the defenders was killed.

Hmmmmm . . . Mr. Barton, you keep using that analogy, . . I don't think it means what you thinks it does . . . .

Yes, He's Alive . . . .

2010-11-04T15:48:00.003-05:00

Hey Guys,

I'm still here, just busy.

I thought I'd give you an update on my life and frame of mind. (Mostly in random thoughts and bullet points.) Of course, I am also on Facebook. More about that later.

First and foremost, in early June, I flew to Miami where the lovely Xena was waiting for me at the airport. We then proceeded to drive from Miami to Texas with all of her worldly goods.. Yes, she is here and all is well. As a matter of fact, she has my dream job! She is the Theatre Arts teacher at our old high school.

We have another dog - Titus Andronicus Barnes. I suppose he will be the subject of several posts all on his own.

My brother continues his struggle to regain function in his body and brain after his accident of a couple of years ago. He is better, much better actually, but will most likely never walk again or be able to live unassisted. Again - several post to cover that.

On the same sad note, my Mom died last month. She was 71, and it came very unexpectedly. That post is definitely coming soon to a blog near you.

Work is picking up, after an extended period of reduced hours. I am very grateful for that. Things were looking pretty bleak around the office, there were a number of layoffs, but thankfully, I wasn't one of them.

I'm sure I'll have something to say about the dismal election and the stupidity of giving the keys back to the guys who crashed the car.

What I mean to say is . . . . . can I come back and play?

k

Oh yes, and Zoe is still as beautiful as ever.

Really? . . . Cory Doctorow?

2010-07-20T09:28:00.000-05:00

Well, at least it wasn't Dan Brown . . .

I write like
Cory Doctorow

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

See? This is Good Stuff!!!

2010-02-03T13:47:00.002-06:00

This.

Is the type of review I wish every movie reviewer could write.

It is also the reason Pajiba is the best damn movie site on the inter-tubes.

I love you guys! (and I miss you all)

. . . . . . And Thanks For All The Fish . . . . . . . . .

2009-02-14T06:53:00.003-06:00

Thanks Guys, for sharing the last couple of years of my life. It's time for me to move on. I'll still visit you, you'll probably see me around here and there, but Sir Robin is indeed riding away.

It's time.

Never let anyone tell you that online friends are somehow lesser friends than those in the meat world.

Happy Birthday Bob!

2009-02-06T09:15:00.005-06:00

Bob Marley would have been 64 today. It's hard for me to believe that he was only 36 when he died. He was a true poet, in his mind and in his heart.

He left us way too soon.

Everyday at work, as I sit at my desk, I can look over my monitors and see Bob hanging on my wall. Many years ago, I purchased a charcoal drawing of him at an art show. I paid about a hundred dollars or so for it. At the time, that was a pretty large sum for me. I've never regretted the purchase. During those years, (my low to late 20's), I moved several times. Bob was always the last thing off the wall in the old place and the first thing on the wall in the new place.

When I got divorced, I brought Bob to my office. No one in my office even knows who he is. I tell them he's my grandfather. The most common response is: "Are you Indian"?

Philistines.

I love to watch him sing, he has such passion. I get the feeling he'd be just as happy singing on a street corner as he would be in a concert hall. It was about the music, not the money.

Anyway, I love Bob. I wish he were still around.

Redemption Song

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the 'and of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
Some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfil de book.

Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.
---
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfil de book.
Won't you help to sing
Dese songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs -
All I ever had:
Redemption songs:
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.

Oh Dear

2009-02-05T16:17:00.009-06:00

I am at a loss for words.

That doesn't often happen, but there are just so many ways to approach this.

I suppose one can applaud her for the sentiment of the passage. As bible verses go, it is an agreeable one. The circumstance in which one might find themselves in a position to read it, however, might negate a bit of it's effect.

Speaking of negating . . . . just a thought . . . . . if one were to be in a position to read the words, mightn't they, (the words), oh . . . . I don't know . . . . lessen the . . . . well . . . . um . . . need to be in such a position? I mean, in times that one might find oneself in that position, might bible verses not be on one's mind?

I'm just sayin' . . . . . . .

Are you sure you want to see this?

OK. but you've been warned . . . . . .

Last chance to not look . . . . . . .

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!

2009-02-05T10:19:00.006-06:00

THIS!!!!!!
Makes me very happy.

I own and enjoyed this, but I am very excited about the new project.

Discuss - please. . . . . . .

I Got a Big New Love . . . . . .

2009-02-04T05:52:00.008-06:00

I have a question for you.

When you find that you really like something that you assumed you wouldn't, does it annoy you, or delight you?

I must admit, it rather annoys me. Let me explain -

I don't watch a lot of regular TV. I simply don't have time to get involved in a series. Yes, I have a DVR, (what a wonderful invention!), and it helps, but I still rarely find the time to actually sit and watch something. Because of that, I just don't even start to watch a weekly TV series, even one I'm sure I would love, because I don't want to spend the time trying to keep up with each episode.

When I see advertisements for a new show, I tune them out just for that reason. So, when Big Love started a couple of years ago, I didn't pay a lot of attention. The premise alone was enough to turn me off of it. Let's face it; I have some very prejudicial, preconceived notions about far right Mormon pluralist, and the entire idea of multiple wives creeps me out to no end. Easy to avoid that show, right?

Well, it was.

The new season started three weeks ago, and I caught a few minutes here and there of the show. Then, I watched the entire third episode.

Damn you HBO for making such intriguing and interesting characters!!!!

I'm hooked. I've already set the DVR to record all the episodes, and this Friday is a back to back to back catch up for all of this season.

**sigh**

It is a good show. Even if I feel like I need a shower after I watch it.

Better Late Than Never?

2009-02-03T12:17:00.011-06:00

I somehow missed Blogger Poetry Reading Day yesterday.

What do you know about Ted Hughes? I didn't know much. To me, he was always the guy who killed Sylvia Plath. Of course, that's not true, things are rarely that simple.

This year, I was gifted by a dear friend with two volumes of his poetry.

This one is from Birthday Letters. It is addressed to Sylvia, as are all but two in the collection. They are deeply personal, intimate, and occasionally disturbing. Reading some of them almost makes me feel like a voyeur, peering into the raw emotion of an intense but flawed relationship.

If you can't guess what this one says to me, you haven't been paying attention.

The Shot

Your worship needed a god.
Where it lacked one, it found one.
Ordinary jocks became gods-
Defiled by your infatuation
That seemed to have been designed at birth for a god.
It was a god-seeker. A god finder.
Your Daddy had been aiming you at god.
When his death touched the trigger.
In that flash
You saw your whole life. You ricocheted
The length of your Alpha career
With the fury
Of a high-velocity bullet
That cannot shed one foot-pound
Of kinetic energy. The elect
More or less died on impact-
They were too mortal to take it. They were mind-stuff.
Provisional, speculative, mere auras.
Sound-barrier events along your flightpath.
But inside your sob-sodden kleenex
And your Saturday night panics,
Under your hair done this way and that way,
Behind what looked like rebounds
And the cascade of cries diminuendo,
You were undeflected.
You were gold-jacketed, solid silver,
Nickel-tipped. Trajectory perfect
as through ether. Even the cheek-scar,
Where you seemed to have side-swiped concrete,
served as a rifling groove
To keep you true.
Till your real target
Hid behind me. Your Daddy,
God with the smoking gun. For a long time
Vague as mist, I did not even know
I'd been hit,
Or that you had gone clean through me-
To bury yourself at last in the heart of the god.

In my position, the right witchdoctor
Might have caught you in flight with his bare hands,
Tossed you, cooling, one hand to the other,
Godless, happy, quieted.
I managed
A wisp of your hair, your ring, your watch, your nightgown.

Can Brave Sir Robin Come Out And Play?

2009-02-02T10:39:00.006-06:00

I've been tagged!!!!

Audrey, the lovely proprietress of Multitude has tagged me with the "4th" meme.

Here are the rules:

Got to the file that holds your pictures, go to the fourth folder and pick the fourth picture and display and write about it.

My home computer crashed last week, and I haven't received a call from the repair shop as to it's health. The photo folders on my work computer are not nearly as extensive as on my home computer, but I do have some.

Here goes:

This is a picture of the USS Constitution. It was taken in the Spring of 2000. I was still married at the time and I took my wife to Boston for the weekend to celebrate her birthday.

The story of how it came to be on my work computer is far more exciting than the picture itself.

I have been and out of my attic several times over the last few weeks, as I have been working on a bit of remodeling/redecorating at the castle. My attic is a pain to get in and out of, so I don't usually go there. While up there looking at wiring options for a light fixture, I found a box of old photos that I didn't know was up there. They included many picture of the children growing up. These are a particular treasure to me because I lost most of my photos in the divorce.

This photo was on a CD that was in the box. I was on my lunch break when I found it, so I brought it to work to see what was on it. Photos from our weekend in Boston, Spring of 2000.

As always, consider yourself tagged!

A New Feature!

2009-01-22T10:59:00.010-06:00

I'd like to introduce a new feature here at Tales of Brave Sir Robin. I call it:

Songs I like that you've probably never heard of.

Of course, the problem with that premise will be that the more obscure the song, the more difficult it will be to find a video of it. The quality of today's video will attest to that fact. It is a live version and not nearly as haunting and poignant as the studio cut.

So, now that my intro is crudely out of the way . . . .

Songs I like that you've probably never heard of.
(Vol. 1)

Paralyzed

Artist - Sixpence none The Richer Album - Divine Discontent

Americans like distractions.

We must, because we are so easily distracted. Why do you think bad news always comes out late on a Friday afternoon? Although you'd barely know it from the (American) media, there has been a great deal of brutal carnage going on in Gaza for the last month. To be fair, there has been a lot to distract us from the rest of the world lately; the holiday season, the banking crisis, the economy, the new administration nominating cabinet officials, and of course, the inauguration.

It seems the human race just can't keep from killing and maiming one another. I challenge you to find a 5 year period in modern history without a war of some type. Hell, I haven't done the math, but I'll bet a 2 year period doesn't exist. Perhaps that's why we hardly treat it as news anymore. What is your reaction when you watch an account of a village being bombed? Do you ignore it? Are you anesthetized to it? Or do you grieve?

This song was written 10 years ago, but it will sadly remain topical for as long as human nature remains as it is. It is also an appropriate response to violence.

Again, seek out the studio cut, it's so much better.

Paralyzed
(Matt Slocum)

I look out to the fields
Where blood is shed upon the ground
I breathe in, breathe out
Change the channel, mute the sound
I take a match, a cigarette, and a walk to clear my head
Stomach's reeling at the thought of all those (human beings dead)

I breathe in, breathe out
I'm going to an interview
About a song, three minutes long
I just need something to do
Especially when my dearest friend
Was sent to cover Kosovo
His last assignment brought a bullet
And now he's gone, he's gone

Feels like I'm fiddling while Rome is burning down
Should I lay my fiddle down, take a rifle from the ground
I need the Ghost to breathe a Northern Gale tonight*
'cause I'm paralyzed, I'm paralyzed

I packed his books up, left the office*
Went to tell the wife the news
She fell in shock, the baby kicked,
And shed a tear inside the womb
I breathed in, I breathed out,
Soaked the ground up with my eyes
It's hard to say a healing word
When your tongue is paralyzed

Feels like I'm fiddling while Rome is burning down
Should I put my fiddle down, take a rifle from the ground
God give me strength to pray that You will set things right
'cause I'm paralyzed, I'm paralyzed

*Yes - some of these lyrics don't quite match the live version. This band was originally signed to a Christian label, and was still representing this label in 1999 when this performance was recorded. The song wasn't actually released until 2002 on a secular label. I am supposing that is the difference. These lyrics match the studio version.

It's Almost Over

2009-01-20T09:01:00.007-06:00

Our long National nightmare is about to come to an end.

It's yet to be seen if the Republic will survive the devastation of the Bush years, but millions of Americans and millions more worldwide are hopeful.

That hope is personified in one man.

Thank you Mr. Obama, for accepting this burden.

While You're Waiting . . .

2009-01-12T09:43:00.004-06:00

Sorry guys, I've been very busy for a few days. I'll have updates and details soon.

Meanwhile, Fred took this video of Zoe Christmas night, and it was too cute not to share.

(The laugh track you hear in the background was the boys watching TV - it sounds coordinated with Zoe, but that was just happy coincidence.

Oh, Sorry, Is It 2009?

2009-01-04T10:00:00.006-06:00

Brave Sir Robin has been remiss during the Holidays. I have neglected all of you shamelessly. What with fabulous Holiday parties to attend, a gorgeous new girlfriend to keep me occupied, and jet setting away to a sunny locale I just haven't had time.

Oh, what's that? None of that happened to me? That was all other bloggers?

Well, then I guess I was just lazy.

Or busy.

Or a combination of both.

So, what has happened in the past few days?

Brave Sir Robin rested.

A lot.

This was my year to have the kids for Christmas, so I took the last two weeks of the year off. 17 days in a row without going to work.

A guy could get used to this I tell you.

Alas, it ends tomorrow, back to the routine I'm afraid. Luckily, I have had the chance to ease into it. Clinton had a basketball game Friday the 2nd, so school has intruded into our lazy time a bit before work will.

I spent a lot of time in the car, traveling back and forth to Houston, but I don't usually mind the drive. We visited Scottie quite a few times, including yesterday. I'm elated to report that his is progressing. His progress tends to go in spurts. He will make several advances in a short time, then plateau for a week or two, but his overall progress is readily apparent. He is feeding himself now, and can dial a telephone. His speech is getting better, but it is still far from good. His therapy at his current facility is primarily focusing on getting his left arm and leg fully mobile. His leg is showing progress. He isn't walking yet, but I feel certain he will in the next few weeks. His left arm isn't showing nearly so much cooperation I 'm afraid. He still has pretty much no mobility at all in that arm. His spirits, however, were very good throughout the holidays.

Did I mention I rested?

The photo detectives among you may have noticed a pattern in the pics I posted the day after Christmas. Yes, everyone is wearing pajamas. Bee lamented that she didn't spend a couple of days in pajamas watching movies. Rest assured dear friend, Brave Sir Robin's clan more than made up for your lack of sloth, with our excess of same. I let the family open one present a couple of days early so it could be enjoyed all week. Enjoy we did.

Christmas Eve, we awoke early and went to Houston. We visited Scottie, and brought him an order of enchiladas, rice and beans. We then went shopping for Christmas Dinner at the newly opened Wholefoods right across the street from my children's absolute favorite restaurant, (no - not McDonald's) - P.F. Chang's. After stowing away our Wholefoods booty in the ice-chest, we went and feasted across the street. That's about all we did in Houston that day, we drove home and while I prepared Christmas Eve dinner - Tamales, rice, beans, assorted cheese, crackers and finger foods, the kids immediately got back into PJ mode. The entire family remained in PJ mode until Saturday when I had to take them all to their Mother's. I prepared Christmas Dinner in my Pajamas, and it was consumed by all in the same manner. The day after Christmas I watched about 10 hours of TV straight through. All told, while all four kids were here, I watched about 5 movies, 4 seasons of That 70's Show, and as much football as possible.

The Saturday after Christmas, I loaded up the kids and took them to their Mom for her half of the Holiday. I was prepared to stay in Houston for several days and do New Year's Eve out on the town with friends.

Didn't happen.

For some reason, she wanted me to pick them up New Year's Eve morning, so I did. Clinton used the opportunity to attend a party at the home of a young lady he is fond of. Unfortunately for Dad, said young lady lives almost 25 minutes away. There is no way, no how I was going to be on the road after midnight with even a drop of alcohol in my system, so I spent a sober night at home, alone, watching football.

I spent the rest of the week either driving to Houston or working on my redecorating project, which - btw - is coming along nicely.

Yes, I did spend more than a few moments this weekend thinking about She Who Must Not Be Named, but it was more bittersweet than raw and painful.

That, dear friends, is the kind of progress that makes me hopeful for 2009.

Christmas At The Castle

2008-12-26T08:29:00.005-06:00

A few random images of our Christmas together.

On Christmas Eve, we drove to Houston to visit my brother, on the way back, we spotted this pink limo. Zoe knows what she wants for Christmas.

But she was thrilled with the new dress.

We had Roast Beast.

And had pear and apple pie.

Merry Christmas!

It Could Always Be Worse

2008-12-22T09:06:00.004-06:00

If you tend to get the Holiday Blues, remember, it could always be worse.

Classic scene. I wish I could find a better copy.

I know this is a cheesy movie, but I always watch it when it comes on. Consider it a guilty pleasure. Besides, was there anyone more lovely than the young Phoebe Cates?

Merry Freakin' Christmas

2008-12-18T10:33:00.004-06:00

Ok, I know I posted this last year, but for those of you who missed it . . . .

If Martin Scorsese directed animated Christmas specials . . . . .

Raging Rudolph

Remembrance Of Cookies Past

2008-12-17T07:15:00.011-06:00

Do you have a favorite holiday memory? Or, even a memory, favorite or not, that just means the Holidays to you? I was forced to think about that last year. It was just over a month past the end of my ill-fated love affair, and I was facing Christmas without the kids. I needed a shot of holiday cheer, and I needed it fast. What to do?

I remembered a cookie my Mom used to make, back when I was a kid.

A bit about my Mom, Christmas at our home, and these cookies.

As I've told you before, my Mom wasn't really a great cook. She wasn't horrible, but she wasn't especially adventurous. Pretty much everything was fried, at least until my Dad's heart attack. After that, everything was shoved under the broiler.

She was, however, a proficient baker. She made great pastry, and I still can't match her biscuits. Every Holiday, be it Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving, she would bake, and bake, and bake. I can't say whether or not she enjoyed it, but she did have a sweet tooth, and spared no effort to fill the dessert table at each opportunity.

Christmas baking meant pies, of course; pumpkin, mince, and chocolate for sure, sometimes apple, and usually a sweet potato in later years. Every year she made fudge, pralines, divinity, a non bake fruitcake abomination that consisted of crushed vanilla wafers and, something else, I'm not quite sure what, and lots and lots of cookies.

The usual cut-out cookies were there, iced with powdered sugar icing tinted a garish red and green, some kind of spiced date bar that I wish I had the recipe for, spritz cookies in the same shade as the icing, and fruit cake cookies.

The fruitcake cookies were ubiquitous to my childhood Christmases. We had them at home, if I went to a friend's house, they were pretty much guaranteed to be sitting on the counter there as well. My grandmother always had them, and I can remember eating them at church get-togethers.

The funny thing is, I didn't really like those cookies. They were white and bland, and filled with artificial, chemical tasting candied fruit. That was it. The cookie was just an innocuous vehicle for candied fruit and citron, along with a small amount of nuts. I didn't like fruitcake, well, not the one's I'd been exposed to at this point in my life, and I didn't like the overly sweet, artificial taste of candied fruit. Yet, every year, I looked forward to those cookies, and I anticipated their appearance on the kitchen counter.

The only time I ever saw those cookies was at Christmas time. One taste of that chemical, bitter citron and I knew that Christmas was really almost here. When you're 10 years old, that's a pretty big deal.

I thought about those cookies as I tried to jump start my holiday spirit, so I set out to make them. There was a problem; nobody but me remembered them. I guess they must have been some 70's fad from a women's magazine or something, because I couldn't remember the last time I had them, and I couldn't find anyone who even knew what I was talking about.

I started pouring through my collection of Holiday cooking magazines. I finally found a recipe that I thought might be close, so I made them, along with toffee and pecan tassies and far, far more sweets that we could ever hope to eat in three Christmases. I played Christmas music the whole time I baked, and by the time I had the counter filled with goodies, I had made it through the whole day without thinking of you know who.

Satisfied with my day's work, I made a pot of coffee and sat down with one of my cookies. It was a pale, golden white and had a very faint vanilla smell. I bit in. The moment that tang of candied citron hit my tongue, I could see my Mom's old kitchen. I could imagine the little Santa shaped cocoa mugs that lined the bar, and I could smell the Christmas tree. (Flocked, with a color wheel on it) It worked. Make no mistake, this cookie is a far cry from Proust's madeleine, but it accomplished it's goal.

Later, when the kids came home, they surprised me by liking those cookies. I made several more batches, and experimented a bit. I tried substituting first some, and then all of the candied fruit for dried. I used apricots and dried cranberries, even dried cherries. While the dried fruit may have made a better cookie, it was not the Christmas cookie of my memory, for that, it needs the candied citron.

This year, I needed the same boost, so last Friday, I put on the Christmas CD's, I made a pot of Earl Grey, and I baked these cookies. Maybe someday my kids will fondly remember me in the kitchen baking these, and always associate that memory with Christmas.

I hope so.

Fruitcake Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups AP flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cottage cheese (small curd, creamy - don't use low fat)
1 egg
2 Tab milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup mixed candied fruit with citron * see note below
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Lightly mix in half of the flour. Add the next 7 ingredients, mix until well combined, stopping to scrape the sides occasionally. Stir in the remainder of the flour, and the fruit and nuts.

Bake at 375 F for 10-12 minutes on parchment paper. Cool on a rack. This recipe makes about 30 cookies for me.

* The fruit should be chopped much finer than it comes out of the container. To accomplish this, I lightly oil my knife with vegetable oil. It makes the job much, much easier.

Scooped out and ready to bake.

Out of the oven - They don't get very brown or crisp, you want them soft.

Cooling on the rack.

A final note -

The title of this post is an obvious reference to Proust's great work. In recent years, it has become de rigueur to refer to this work as In Search Of Lost Time. I thought the earlier title better served my purpose, but after re-reading this post, I'm not so sure. Searching for lost time is a fair description of my blog, n'est-ce pas?

The One Where I Need To Relax

2008-12-16T06:49:00.012-06:00

Brave Sir Robin is a little tense.

Just a tad.

My life has been a dime store novel (though, not a particularly compelling one) for pretty much forever it seems.

That, it appears, is changing!

The events of the past few days have made it clear that my life is indeed now a Christmas movie. Not a beloved one, that you can't wait to see every year because it doesn't feel like Christmas without it. Not one that TBS will run marathons of, and families will gather around the TV in Christmas Eve pajamas to watch, holiday libations in hand.

No, Brave Sir Robin is living one of those Christmas movies that plays on the other channels. The ones with "C" list stars from the 80's. The ones that play on channels opposite football games.

you know the plot -

Stressed out, type "A" person plans the perfect Christmas, works like the devil to make everyone's Christmas wish come true, only to see it turn into disaster after disaster through no fault of their own, and then wrap up neatly with a "that's what Christmas is really about" ending?

I hate those movies.

I will, however take the cheesy happy ending if I can get it.

I'm trying to schedule a carpenter, (no, not that one), an electrician, furniture delivery, and the cable (satellite) guys.

Everything depends on the cable guys.

Guess who didn't show up as scheduled yesterday?

Still, as problems go it's a better one to have than what most of the last year delivered.

I just need to relax.

I think Cappuccino has the answer. Doesn't he look sweet? Don't be fooled. He's playing nice the last two weeks before Christmas. He's hoping for some catnip in his stocking. Or a small child, I'm not sure which.

Oh - I did manage to make cookies Friday.

Recipe to follow.

Happy Holidays from my castle to yours.

This Is A Bailout I Can Get Behind!

2008-12-10T20:41:00.006-06:00

It seems the family farms that produce the most heavenly, delectable, irreplaceable item on this earth are in financial trouble.

Of course, I'm talking about Parmigiano , of course, what did you think I was talking about?

Who knew?

The Italian Government has purchased 100,000 wheels of cheese in an effort to prop up the failing industry.

Damn. They could send me a wheel.

Have you priced the real stuff lately?

I can no longer buy it here locally, but I bought some in Houston Saturday.

Ouch.

But, the trip wasn't a total loss. I went to the downtown Spec's. (My annual Christmas pilgrimage), and look what I found!

Yes, Moxie!

The nectar of the Gods. They only had two left. I bought them both. I drank one that night, and I'm saving the last one for . . . . I don't know. A day I really need it.

Laugh, Think, Cry

2008-12-10T06:52:00.007-06:00

I noticed this morning that by 2010, cancer will replace heart disease as the world's number one killer. I was a little surprised that it wasn't already. It's hard to imagine that there isn't a person or family that you know that hasn't been affected by this disease.

It was a nice little bit of synchronicity that I saw that article this morning. I was mulling this post over in my head all night. I don't often go overly sentimental in this space, but today I want to make an exception.

We watch a lot of sports in our household. With two teenage boys and myself, if the TV is on in the evening, it is usually sports. Last night was no exception. The Longhorns were scheduled to play Villanova in the Jimmy V Classic last night in Madison Square Garden. Of course, we tuned in.

Do you know the story of Jim Valvono? Jim Valvano (Jimmy V), was a college basketball coach. He is best known as the coach of the North Carolina State team that defeated the heavily favored, high flying, Phi Slamma Jamma team of the University of Houston in 1983. That was the Houston team with future NBA hall of famers Hakeen Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. I never forgave him for that, but I digress.

Jimmy left coaching in the early 90's and turned to broadcasting. It was then that he began to earn my respect. He was an excellent basketball analyst. He knew the game, he was bright and engaging, but mostly, he just inspired me. He was always positive and upbeat, he could always find something good to say about the players or their coach. It is no surprise that he became a highly sought after motivational speaker. His motto, which is now the motto of the foundation that bears his name is Don't give up, don't ever give up.

In 1993 Jimmy was awarded the first ever Authur Ashe Courage award. His acceptance speech that night was one of the truly most inspiring moments I've ever witnessed. In his speech, he gives the audience a recipe for fulfilment:

To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special.

Not bad advice, is it?

So think about that today, would you? Life is so short, why not squeeze every little bit out of it? Times can be hard sometimes, but face them with enthusiasm. Life is precious, make the most of it.

In case you haven't figured it out, yes, Jimmy V died of cancer. Less than two months after his speech, he was gone. He may be gone, but his fight lives on in his foundation. To date the Jimmy V foundation has raised over $80,000,000 to fund cancer research.

This year, if there is a person on your Christmas list who has everything, a person you never know what to get, why not make a donation in their name to the Jimmy V foundation? As Jimmy said,

We need money for research. It may not save my life. It may save my children's lives. It may save someone you love.

The speech is 11:15 long. I know you're busy, but it just may be the best 11 minutes you spend today. My favorite part may be around the 7:10 mark, but please, for me, watch it all.

This speech was given on March 4, 1993. Jimmy died on April 28, the same year.

About Last Night . . .

2008-12-06T10:07:00.005-06:00

Last Night, I went to a tree lighting event, and Winter Fair. It was nice, because it was one of those rare alignments of event and weather that don't often happen here. We had one of our coldest nights of the year, and it made the atmosphere perfect for a Christmas festival.

I'm afraid the pictures are in need of a lot of work before they are presentable, but I'll share a few.

Smaller packaging Sucks . . .

2008-12-03T15:32:00.004-06:00

I think by now most of have noticed the grocery store shrink ray.

You know how it works, the price stays the same, but the product size gets smaller.

Yes, it's frustrating, but. . .

Oh Dear.

Just don't leave a message like this one . . .

A Quick Update

2008-11-29T11:01:00.005-06:00

Was your Thanksgiving great?

I spent the day with Scottie, and it was quite nice. His conversational skills are greatly improving. The big news however, is he has been moved from the hospital to a rehab facility. There have been several complications regarding his move over the last few weeks.

About a month ago, we thought we had him placed in a perfect facility, but several things happened to make the move not go through at the time. As it turns out, it may have been for the best. He is much more receptive to therapy at this point, and the place he is now in is only a few blocks from his old apartment. We moved him Friday. There was a mix up with the hospital and they were going to move him alone earlier in the week. We were able to push it back to Friday, so he would have family there during the move. He seems very, very happy to be in this new place, and it will be much easier for his kids to come and see him now.

I'm getting ready to drive back up there in a few minutes, but I thought I'd let you know.

So yeah, I have things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Yes, I am thankful for all of you as well.

Still Busy . . . .

2008-11-25T06:20:00.005-06:00

Is the mad rush to the Holidays getting you down? Keeping you busy?

Clinton had his first basketball game last night, and tonight, the boys go to their Mother's for Thanksgiving.

I will work Wednesday, and then?

I plan to get up early Thursday morning and spend the day with Scottie, then drive back and spend the evening at the Bayhouse. We'll see. I may even drive up there Wednesday night.

Meantime, here's something to enjoy.

As God as my witness . . .

No Doubt About It, This Is Good News

2008-11-24T15:10:00.003-06:00

I'm loving this!

I'm Too Tired To Write, So I'll Post Pictures Edition . . . .

2008-11-22T20:08:00.010-06:00

It's true, I am tired.

Tonight is #2 son, Dylan's 16th birthday party. It is somewhat calmer than his younger brother's 14th was.

No less work for the grocer and chef, I'm afraid, but its a calmer crowd.

I'm glad for that. I've been up since about 12:45 AM, and I'm afraid to sit for too long, because I'll probably fall asleep.

Anyway, here are a few random photos which have been sitting in my camera, some from tonight, some from a month or two ago, and some in between. These are unedited, so be kind. As always, they have clickable goodness.

Clinton and friends tonight, going to yet another Quincineria

Speaking of Clinton, this was so not his costume, really.
(What do you think? He could go as Tavi)

Pork with Green Chili and Potatoes, in the pan
(make sure and click this one)

And ready to eat

Tailgating at last year's Texas Bowl. Sorry Pido, we all wore Cougar Red.
(But we sat on the TCU side)

Not A Rookie, But Way Cool . . . .

2008-11-21T20:01:00.006-06:00

Are you familiar with the blog Style Rookie?

It is allegedly written by a 12 year old named Tavi.

She is tragically hip, precociously clever, and pretty damn funny actually.

My guess is, she is not 12 and the site is someone's creative outlet.

I hope she is a 12 year old writing a blog like that. If so, she'll probably grow up to be as good as Bee.

You should go and check it out.

It's OK, I'll wait, tell me what you think.

Merry Christmas To Me? . . . .UPDATE!!

2008-11-21T17:34:00.010-06:00

UPDATE!!

AWKKK!!!

It's not on sale this morning!!

It was $69.99 yesterday, and now it's $186.99

OK, I haven't done it, but I probably will.

In this morning's Petulant Rumblings, I saw this nugget.

Do you have any idea how long I have wanted this? And for only $69.99?

Yes, I already have every individual season in the original DVD releases. Yes, this version has one disk of extras, that has some interviews and such, but really, do I need them all in a single package? (40 disks!)

This Amazon.com reviewer, who has a daughter in college thinks so. His reason?

I Quote:

You buy "The Chosen Collection" so your kids will leave your "BtVS" DVDs alone

I mean, that's sensible, right? The kids will be going off to college before you know it, and technically, some of those seasons are theirs, birthday gifts and the like. So what's a Dad to do when the offspring run off with his Buffy DVDs?

I know some of you still haven't jumped on the Buffy Bandwagon.

Do you trust Brave Sir Robin's judgment?

OK - other than in Women.

Would I steer you wrong? This is the perfect opportunity for those of you who have to this point been reluctant to enter the Buffyverse. It's 65% off!!

Still not convinced? (Yes, I know which ones of you aren't), here is the Amazon editorial review:

From its charming and angst-ridden first season to the darker, apocalyptic final one, Buffy the Vampire Slayer succeeds on many levels, and in a fresher and more authentic way than the shows that came before or after it. How lucky, then, that with the release of its boxed set of seasons 1-7, you can have the estimable pleasure of watching a near-decade of Buffy in any order you choose. (And we have some ideas about how that should be done.)
First: rest assured that there's no shame in coming to Buffy late, even if you initially turned your nose up at the winsome Sarah Michelle Gellar kicking the hell out of vampires (in Buffy-lingo, vamps), demons, and other evil-doers. Perhaps you did so because, well, it looked sort of science-fiction-like with all that monster latex. Start with season 3 and see that Buffy offers something for everyone, and the sooner you succumb to it, the quicker you'll appreciate how textured and riveting a drama it is.
Why season 3? Because it offers you a winning cast of characters who have fallen from innocence: their hearts have been broken, their egos trampled in typically vicious high-school style, and as a result, they've begun to realize how fallible they are. As much as they try, there are always more monsters, or a bigger evil. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the core crew remains something of a unit--there's the smart girl, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) who dreams of saving the day by downloading the plans to City Hall's sewer tunnels and mapping a route to safety. There are the ne'r do wells--the vampire Spike (James Marsters), who both clashes with and aspires to love Buffy; the tortured and torturing Angel (David Boreanz); the pretty, popular girl with an empty heart (Charisma Carpenter); and the teenage everyman, Xander (Nicholas Brendon).
Then there's Buffy herself, who in the course of seven seasons morphs from a sarcastic teenager in a minidress to a heroine whose tragic flaw is an abiding desire to be a "normal" girl. On a lesser note, with the boxed set you can watch the fashion transformation of Buffy from mall rat to Prada-wearing, kickboxing diva with enviable highlights. (There was the unfortunate bob of season 2, but it's a forgivable lapse.) At least the storyline merits the transformations: every time Buffy has to end a relationship she cuts her hair, shedding both the pain and her vulnerability.
In addition to the well-wrought teenage emotional landscape, Buffy deftly takes on more universal themes--power, politics, death, morality--as the series matures in seasons 4-6. And apart from a few missteps that haven't aged particularly well ("I Robot" in season 1 comes to mind), most episodes feel as harrowing and as richly drawn as they did at first viewing. That's about as much as you can ask for any form of entertainment: that it offer an escape from the viewer's workaday world and entry into one in which the heroine (ideally one with leather pants) overcomes demons far more troubling than one's own. --Megan Halverson

Ok - I wouldn't advise you to start with season three, because one of the things Joss does so well, is allow the characters to grow, to mature and to act age appropriately. It's damn fun to watch. Also, the amazing way he presents story arcs over multiple seasons. If you watch closely, he'll drop story hints a full two season ahead of when they actually happen.

This series should be required watching for every television executive, producer or writer, before they're allowed to work in the business. This is how you do it people.

It's not about the monsters, it's not about the special effects, it's not even about a hot chick in a miniskirt. It's about relationships, it's about characters who are real to us, no matter how fantastic their circumstances may be. It's about growing, and learning, and love, and yes, loss.

Sigh.

OK. I was gonna buy myself the new Blackberry . . . . . .

Scottie Update

2008-11-20T17:15:00.005-06:00

Guess what Brave Sir Robin did today?

I had a phone conversation with my brother!!

It was slow and halting, and difficult to understand at times, but it was real, and I could tell it was him.

To be honest, there were many days that I thought he was gone. I had said my goodbyes, and I actually went shopping for a new suit for the funeral.

Then, after the hurricane, we had a glimmer of hope, only to be frustrated with the turtle's pace of his progress.

I doubted this day would ever come, but it did.

Welcome back Bro. I love you.

My Plea . . .

2008-11-20T09:53:00.006-06:00

I'm listening to this sound track on the headphones today while I'm working, and this song came on. It struck me as extremely appropriate, considering the events of this weekend. Listen to the lyrics, it's very dammed appropriate.

And yes, I knew him before he was famous.

I'm good today.

Tuesday was Dylan's birthday, and we went to Victoria to eat and do a little shopping.

Last night, I had planned to make pork and green chili tacos, but my green chili seems to have disappeared. I made something else, which took longer, so I basically spent all night in the kitchen or on the phone.

Why on the phone? My sister called with news about Scottie. Good news. . . . stay tuned!

About That Purge . . .

2008-11-18T14:35:00.006-06:00

Brave Sir Robin had a bad weekend.

I can't really share much of it with you, I may at a later date, but possibly not.

Those of you who have been following this site for a while now can guess it's nature.

It is time to move on.

This blog started at a time in my life that is the opening parentheses of a series of events that this current situation may well close.

Most of my older post will come back online over the next few days. Some may be edited, some may never come back.

I will be changing the look and feel of this site as well. It won't be a drastic change, but I need to move on.

I can tell you this, I have more friends than I ever imagined.

I'm OK . . . (physically)

2008-11-17T13:11:00.005-06:00

Guys, I'm sorry if I alarmed you.

I was in a pretty emotional state when I took the site down last night.

I didn't feel safe, and I wasn't thinking clearly.

I have been overwhelmed by the concern and love I have been shown today.

Each and every one of you has blessed me.

I'm going to figure this out, and I will keep you posted.

Any Good Thoughts Out There?

2008-11-15T18:31:00.010-06:00

I don't believe in prayer, but I could sure use any good thoughts, or Karma, or candles, or Whatever it is you believe in.

I'm kind of a mess at the moment.

Yeah, that again.

Danger!!!

2008-11-13T16:38:00.006-06:00

If you watch this video, you may die of cuteness overload.

You have been warned.

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

Confessions of an 8 Year old Liberal.

2008-11-13T08:35:00.012-06:00

From the mouths of babes . . . .

My niece, (8 years old) wrote the following paper for school. She is obviously being raised right.

(with clickable goodness)

The text, slightly edited for spelling clarity:

If I Were President

If I were President, I would make it free to go to the hospital and I would stop people from polluting and I would help the poor. I would also help the people that don’t have any clothes or food or toys, and if children don’t have enough money to go to school I’d let them go for free. I would make it where people that rode motorcycles would have to wear their helmets. I would make it were they can’t cut down rainforest. I would make it were people couldn’t smoke. I would lower gas prices and tell people to recycle. I would help the animals that need help and that’s what I would do if I were President.

What do you think folks?
She has my vote.

Let The Carnage Continue

2008-11-07T06:48:00.006-06:00

The Freepers want to boycott Fox.

Bwahahahahahahaha

They Eat Their Own, Don'cha Know . . .

2008-11-05T18:53:00.007-06:00

Priceless . . . The McCain camp is already throwing Palin to the sharks.

Stay tuned guys, I have a feeling the feeding frenzy has hardly begun.

NEWSWEEK has also learned that Palin's shopping spree at high-end department stores was more extensive than previously reported. While publicly supporting Palin, McCain's top advisers privately fumed at what they regarded as her outrageous profligacy. One senior aide said that Nicolle Wallace had told Palin to buy three suits for the convention and hire a stylist. But instead, the vice presidential nominee began buying for herself and her family—clothes and accessories from top stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. According to two knowledgeable sources, a vast majority of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who was shocked when he got the bill. Palin also used low-level staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards. The McCain campaign found out last week when the aides sought reimbursement. One aide estimated that she spent "tens of thousands" more than the reported $150,000, and that $20,000 to $40,000 went to buy clothes for her husband. Some articles of clothing have apparently been lost. An angry aide characterized the shopping spree as "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast," and said the truth will eventually come out when the Republican Party audits its books.

Ahhh, Schadenfreude.

Well Done America, Well Done

2008-11-05T06:26:00.010-06:00

I'm still too numb to think clearly, (and exhausted, I was up very, very late) so here are a few images and random thoughts.

The diversity in the crowd in Chicago was a beautiful thing to see. The look of joy and hope on those faces of so many colors and, even more importantly, so many backgrounds, gives me hope. Hope for an America that values every citizen.

When I saw this on my TV screen, this is when my own tears started. This is the second time this man has brought tears to my eyes. His Democratic Convention address in 1988 did it, and then when I saw those tears streaming down his face last night, my own started. I don't always agree with him, and he has some problems, but he has been fighting not for this night, but for the opportunity this night represents, for most of his life. Thank you, Mr. Jackson, you deserve those tears. Hope is alive.

What a beautiful first family. I'm so proud for the world to see America tonight.

Hope is a beautiful thing.

Finally, It's Today

2008-11-04T04:42:00.011-06:00

We somehow have made it to election day.

Good thing, I'm not sure I could have lasted much longer. I haven't really had a good night's sleep since Friday. The stress and anxiety are killing me.

The ugliness of this campaign has shocked even a jaded cynic like myself. The Rev. Wright ads were plastered all over prime time last night on at least two major networks. The willingness of the Republican party to look America in the eye and lie may someday be their undoing.

I wish that were already true, but as long as there is hatred and bigotry in this country, the Republican party will be there to exploit it.

Please go vote.

Vote straight ticket D. Give the party of lies and hate a clear message that this country is ready to care for all of it's citizens, no matter what color they happen to be or what tax bracket they happen to fall into. Tell the thieves and criminals that have been overseeing the most massive redistribution of wealth since the gilded age that Haliburton and Blackwater can no longer siphon money out of the treasury at will.

Defend the constitution, defend the environment, defend a woman's right to make her own health decisions.

Give Barack Obama a clear and resounding mandate for change.

Yes, we can.

. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .

OK - This was going to be a serious post, but I just couldn't resist . . . . . .

If you need a voting guide, see below:

And then, there is this.

Sarah Makes Me Smile

2008-11-01T12:27:00.008-05:00

No, not that one.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Sarah Haskins?

It's true.

She totally rocks Brave Sir Robin's world.

Her Target Women series is just absolutely adorable. I can't decide which one is my favorite, so I'd suggest watching them all.

You do know Sarah Haskins, right?

OK here is one of my favorites, but you really owe it to yourself to watch them all.

OK, or maybe it's this one:

Rest In Peace Stud Terkel

2008-10-31T17:04:00.007-05:00

Studs Terkel has passed away at the age of 96.

I always enjoyed him on the radio. He was often on NPR, and I always found him to be fasinating. He could tell a story that would keep me glued to the radio, unwilling to leave my car until he was finished.

He also shares my birthday.

Rest in peace old friend, you deserve it.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T16:42:00.006-05:00

Arrghh!!!

Who says pirates can't kill you with cuteness?

Well?

2008-10-29T20:44:00.006-05:00

Did You watch Obama's 30 minute program?

I confess, I teared up a little.

I want this so bad. He is what this country needs, and has needed. It's a damn shame Bush's deficit and fucked up economy will take away what could have been spent on a true progressive agenda.

America may just survive.

Go vote.

Still Undecided?

2008-10-29T10:48:00.004-05:00

This may be one of the best political ads I've ever seen. It is short, it is simple, and it makes a great point.

Go Vote.

Happy Birthday Alfred Matthew Yankovic

2008-10-23T16:21:00.007-05:00

Yes, Weird Al turns 49 today. There was a time years ago, that I found him humorous. He came into his own at exactly the time MTV did, which was really the perfect forum for his brand of humor.

I find it slightly ironic that he still makes his living making fun of contemporary music, and I no longer enjoy him. How is that ironic you ask? The reason I no longer enjoy him is because I'm so freaking old I don't recognize any of the song he is parodying!

That's right, he hasn't become irrelevant, I have.

I realize many of you may not be a fan of his. I understand that. At the risk of falling into gender stereotypes, I get the feeling he is more popular among males than females. I imagine his demographic is the same as Mad Magazine's.

Love him or hate him, it's hard to deny his cleverness, and his longevity.

This is, I think, his Magnum Opus.

(Geek warning - There is a high level of Geek required to appreciate this song) -

Sorry, embedding is blocked, you'll have to click here.

I Voted Today!!!!

2008-10-21T12:50:00.006-05:00

Early voting is open in Texas, and I voted today.

It didn't take very long, I only had to make one mark.

Sending Out an S.O.S.

2008-10-17T13:33:00.008-05:00

I've always considered song lyrics to be a particularly difficult type of poetry. If I could be a poet, I think I'd want to be a troubadour in the vein of Lyle Lovett or Townes Van Zandt. Yes, poets, both of them, to be sure. With song writing, not only does the poem have to speak to the audience, it has to fit within the frame work of the melody, not to mention the bridge. It is a skill I stand in awe of. That is not to say that only the singer/songwriter model of a lyricist is a poet, on the contrary, poetry can be found in every genre of music no matter whether it is to one's taste or not.

Hmm, funny how these blog posts work - that paragraph really didn't have anything to do with what I sat down to write about, but as I always tend to say - "that's another post", and then never get back to it, I think I'll expand a bit on that idea.

Yes, I suck at this stream of consciousness thing - So sue me.

Take Eminem for example. though you may revile his music, or him personally, and though his lyrics may be misogynistic and homophobic, the man is truly a wordsmith. Do I aspire to write his kind of poetry? Certainly not, but he is a poet.

It was through a song lyric that I first heard of Aphrodite. I looked her up in the library (no Internet back in those days), so I could better understand a particular song that was a favorite in my hard rocking adolescent days. I still look back amazed at how naive I was at 13. I can assure you, my children are far more worldly than I ever was.

So where am I going with this? I sat down to write about how this blog and blogging are a life line to me, and I suspect to many others, connecting isolated souls to like minded people. What made me think of this, was a song that came on while I was doing housework. More on that in a moment.

It may appear that I'm changing the subject again, but bear with me, someday I hope to have an amazing skill at tying seemingly disconnected ideas together into a beautiful post, but sadly, I am not there yet.

Do you remember a radio show called In The Studio With Redbeard? It apparently still comes on but I haven't heard it in years. The song I heard a while ago reminded me vividly of an episode of that show I heard many, many years ago. If you're unfamiliar with the show, Redbeard, the host takes the audience behind the scenes of a famous album and talks about when and how it was made, and interviews the artists, producers, etc... Great show, btw.

This particular episode was on The Police's 3rd studio album, Zenyatta Mondatta. During the interview portion, Steward Copeland called Sting the king of the three minute pop ditty, and noted that Sting considered it a high calling indeed. I think I'd agree with that sentiment on both counts. Yes, Sting can be pompous, and even pretentious, but come on - who else is going to work Nabokov into a pop song? A funny aside - during the same interview, Copeland said of Sting:

Sting is probably the person whom fame has changed the least, he was swaggering and cocky when he didn't have a dime to his name.

I love that.

So, back to the original post. As I'm cleaning house with the Satellite radio going, I'm thinking that I've really been neglecting my blog, and at the same time, not spending much time on other sites either. Most of my comments of late have been quick little one liners. I miss the ongoing conversations that comment strings can become. I was thinking to myself that it has been ages since I've sat down and just started writing whatever's on my mind. I miss it. I miss all of you, both here, and at your own little corner of the web.

As I'm think that, the live acoustic version of Message In A Bottle came on. As the final verse came on, I stopped folding the towel, and I just marveled at Sting's words. It gave me a little chill as he sang:

Walked out this morning, don't believe what I saw
Hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone at being alone
Hundred billion castaways, looking for a home
Ill send an s.o.s. to the world
Ill send an s.o.s. to the world . . . . . . .

I thought to myself, that is exactly what blogging is, little messages, floating out on the vast ocean of the Internet, hoping to be plucked out of the water and to find a home. Who says pop music can't be poetry? Not me.

Here is a video of the same version of the song, it is most likely the exact same performance. It is from the Secret Policeman's Other Ball, and yes, I have the LP. Oh, and can one help but notice how young and beautiful he was back then?

Yeah, that's poetry.

Wow, This Is Big . .

2008-10-13T06:29:00.006-05:00

Did you see this?

Paul Krugman has been awarded the Nobel prize in Economics.

Hmm, I guess Phil Gramm wasn't on the short list.

The Candidates, in Pictures

2008-10-09T20:04:00.004-05:00

Via Christine

All You Need to Know

Way too funny!!

And The Nobel Goes To . . .

2008-10-09T08:06:00.006-05:00

French novelist Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio.

What do you think?

I have no opinion, because I've never read anything he has written. I suppose that's because my reading habits are too isolated and insular.

Wev.

This Is What's Wrong

2008-10-06T12:41:00.007-05:00

Fucking Pigs at the trough, that's what unfettered capitalism has given us.

In a display of greed that is positively Enron-esque, Lehman Brother's paid out millions in executive bonuses, even as they were negotiating with the Bush administration for a bail out.

Again I ask, why aren't we rioting in the street?

Things That Make Me Happy

2008-10-05T17:54:00.007-05:00

This is just absolutely full of win.

It's only 3:32 long, trust me, you can spare 3 minutes. I dare you to watch this without smiling. Go ahead, I'll bet you can't.

UPDATE** - I just watched this for like the 9th time, I just noticed this - Watch when the bass line comes in (at about :41), the camera focuses in on what must be the only black person in the audience. WTF??? Are you kidding me?

Also, make sure you watch it all, the vocals are the best part!

It's A Trap!

2008-10-01T04:59:00.007-05:00

Sigh

A couple of you have noticed that I've been avoiding politics lately. To tell you the truth, I'm still a little bit dazed and disillusioned over the primary nastiness. I'm even more disgusted that we aren't up by double digits at this point.

Make no mistake, if Barack Obama were named Barry Oliver, had the exact same credentials and a bit less pigment, we would have a 30 point lead in every poll. (But that rant is another post)

Today, let's talk Sarah Palin. Because, you know, by gosh she just hasn't been in the news much lately.

I think we need to be very, very cautious, This entire ordeal with her has the stink of a Karl Rove October Surprise to it. Let's face it, she is not ready to be President, and even if she were, FSM help us.

However, when every morning I see a new conservative pundit tell the world she is unprepared and, well, shall we euphemistically say, intellectually incurious, (Who does that sound like? - YIKES!), I think we are being set up. We are all aware of the phrase, "the soft bigotry of low expectations." The bar for her performance in the debate is being set so low, that if she goes up there and pronounces her name right, pundits will say she exceeded expectations, is a fast learner, and shows that she is capable of tackling any job in the face of adversity, etc..... ad nauseum .

Don't be fooled friends.

To anyone who tries to tell you she appointed herself well, ask them to imagine what a Palin presidency would look like.

I just threw up a little in my mouth when I typed that.

She's the worst of Bush mixed with the worst of Cheney. Think the last 8 years on steroids, with lipstick.

Is It Autumn Yet?

2008-09-30T18:11:00.020-05:00

Have I told you that Autumn is my favorite season?

It is, you know.

Yes, Spring is wonderful, and if I lived in the Northern confines of these United States, I'm sure I would look forward to Spring and relish it for the rebirth that it brings. But lets face it. I live in South Texas. Winter here is rarely harsh, and never long. There are many years were it never falls below freezing. In fact, on more than one occasion I have successfully planted a vegetable garden in January. Spring is nice, but it's not that big a deal down here. Besides, Spring is short, and to me it has always been the harbinger of the blast furnace that is summer. I'll take Autumn, thank you very much.

Autumn in South Texas doesn't have the color of New England, or the rush of the harvest, rather, it is the time when the humid, overbearing heat of Summer gives way to dryer, crisper air. Granted, in early Autumn it can still be hot, but a 91 degree afternoon is a lot more bearable if you had a crisp 65 degree morning to go with it. The yards green back up after their late August wilt, fall gardens deliver tomatoes and peppers, and the farmers market starts to fill with winter squash.

Well, of course that means it's time for a hearty chili, right? Yes, it will be at least 2 months before there is even an outside chance of frost on the grass, but just knowing that the days are getting shorter and (relatively) cooler makes me reach for the soup pot. I assure you, it will get a workout between now and Easter.

The following recipe is roughly translated from a recipe I found on the Internet several years back. It was supposed to be a knock off of Wendy's chili. It's not really, but the boys love it, and it is much healthier than the Texas style chili I also make. But that's another post . . .

3 Bean Chili

2 lbs. fresh ground chuck
1 46oz. can of tomato juice
1 10 oz. can tomato puree
1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed*
1 large onion (at least 2 c.), chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely minced
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 c finely minced carrot
Beef Broth (about two or three cups, see below)
2 Tab. Ketchup
1/2 cup chili powder, divided
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (I use fresh, 3 cloves minced – see directions below)
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. sugar (yes, it needs it – shush!)
cayenne pepper to taste

In a pan, brown the ground chuck, season well with salt, pepper, half of the chili powder, and half of the cumin. When it is starting to brown, add half of the onion, half of the pepper, half of the garlic, and all of the celery and carrot. Slowly sauté until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Transfer the beef into the chili pot with a slotted spoon, leaving most of the fat behind. There should be very little liquid, just clear red fat. Add the rest of the seasoning, and the ketchup to the pot. Add beef broth until just covered. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes. This step is essential if you use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. After it has simmered for 20 minutes, add the puree, the crushed tomatoes, the rest of the vegetables, and half of the can of tomato juice. Cover and bring to a bare simmer for 45 minutes. Add the beans and as much tomato juice as needed to bring it to the consistency you would like. It should be substantial, but a bit soupy. Simmer for another 30 minutes.

*I use Ranch Style Beans, undrained in place of pinto beans, but they are probably not available if you don’t live in Texas.

This is great with cornbread.

I stand In Awe

2008-09-26T23:13:00.006-05:00

Atonement, the film.

Totally.

Fucking.

Brilliant.

. . . . .That is all.

Oh, and I want to have sex in a stogy British Library, but then, who doesn't?

I Got Nothing

2008-09-26T09:53:00.007-05:00

I'm going to skip the cross country meet tomorrow for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because I'm going to drive to Houston and see Scottie. Then, instead of driving to Houston on Sunday, I can stay home and clean my filthy house, attack the pile of laundry from hell, and actually cook a meal. Second, my allergies are in full swing and spending 4+ hours outside in a field would insure me a miserable 3 or 4 days of itching, swollen eyes, mucus-ie lungs and nose, and headaches. Oh, don't worry, I'll have those anyway, but not quit as severe if I stay indoors. Thirdly, (OK - I know I said a couple of reasons, but I didn't wake up prepared to do math), the boys don't have anywhere to be on Sunday, and we can spend a day together at home for the first time since mid-August.

So where's my head these days?

McCain is a bigger douche than I ever imagined, and believe me when I say I have a huge imagination.

I am still missing Rene' a lot. It is only a couple of weeks away from one year since I ended the relationship, and I still miss her. I've seen her several times this week, and it still hurts. I still get (quite literally) weak in the knees when I see her. If there is a silver lining to all the bullshit in my life right now, it's that I simply don't have time to be overwhelmed with Rene' induced depression. Doesn't mean it's not there, mocking me from my sub-conscious, but the immediacy of the Scottie crisis and having to fit it all in between work, kids, and household responsibilities is keeping it from crushing me as it has in the past.

I finished Atonement this week, and now I'm dying to see the film. Yes, I loved it. I started Midnight's Children yesterday. It's too early to tell, but I think it might be alright. I confess, I was a little afraid of it. Have any of you read it? Or read any Rushdie for that matter?

The boys are good - Cross Country, Football, and the Fall Play are keeping us very, very busy.

Here's a little music to get you ready for the weekend - can this song really be 12 years old already? Shit, I consider this some of my "newer" music. I gotta get out more.

What's happening around here . . . ..

2008-09-24T09:29:00.009-05:00

Sorry to keep you dangling all this time – between trips to Houston and trying to keep the house and the boys in order and on schedule, I’m spread a little thin.

Scottie is showing limited improvement. He is showing (very) small amounts of responsiveness. He is still on antibiotics for secondary infections. He is breathing on his own (through the trache), with only a little added oxygen to give him a boost.

My biggest fear is that he will stay exactly as he is – alive, probably conscious of his situation and his surrounding, but unable to interact with them. That makes any pending decisions impossibly difficult, as if they weren’t already. His neurologist says he is not progressing as rapidly as she would expect to see at this stage. That being said, it’s wonderful to see those bright blue eyes of his open, even if it is for only a couple of minutes at a time.

On the home front –

Homecoming is this week, and we are all engrossed in Mums and plans for the event.

Yawn.

OK – I know, it’s a big deal to the boys, but it just seems frivolous to me right now.

In order to run this Blog like the McBush campaign, I will now hope to distract you from the lack of substance here by providing a bit of fluff. Here are a few pictures from our evacuation weekend.

Brave Sir Robin needs to quit wearing the same shirt every time someone snaps his picture.

This is where we had lunch Saturday, The Gristmill River Restaurant, in Gruene.

Yes, beer is served by the bucket.

Inside Gruene Hall, (the oldest dance hall in Texas), Dylan won a bet by finding Leon Russel on the wall.

I met this lovely young lady, a local, in the hall as well.

I hope to visit you all soon, I'm trying.

Good News!!

2008-09-17T09:56:00.007-05:00

Finally! Something good to report.

Yesterday, Scottie opened his eyes for a brief time. He was able to follow his daughter across the room with his eyes, and squeeze his ex wife's hand.

I'm trying hard not to be too excited about this, but it's hard not to be. This is the first sign at all of responsiveness since the accident. That's 19 days.

I'm going to head that way in just a little while. The parking lot at the hospital re-opened yesterday, but fuel is still a major issue. I will top off my tank before I leave, and I should be able to make it most of the way back before needing to refuel.

While this is an encouraging development, we are by no means out of the water on this one.

Thank you all again. My meager ability with words is totally inadequate to express my thanks for the support I've received from the blogosphere.

I'll report back soon.

Meanwhile - Here are the boys Saturday in front of Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas.

Happy Birthday Rene'

2008-09-16T08:40:00.004-05:00

Today is Rene's birthday. It will be the first one in three years we haven't spent together.

Happy birthday Rene' - I wish for you peace, and that you'll find whatever it is you're so desperately looking for.

Post Evacuation Blues . . .

2008-09-15T18:39:00.007-05:00

I'm back home.

Port Lavaca was spared the brunt of the storm, but friends in Houston were not so lucky.

I worked today, for only the second time since the 28th of August. I spent most of the day putting my office back together from the hurricane preparations.

On top of everything else, I've had a wicked chest cold for about a week.

Scottie has progressed physically to the point where he is out of I.C.U. He has still shown no signs of responsiveness.

We wait.

Evacuation Ike - Postcard from the road . . .

2008-09-11T21:57:00.007-05:00

I'll try to have some pictures tomorrow - I have to find where I packed the cable -

The boys and I are in Seguin. It is actually very, very nice. We are in a large rented house on the lake, with a boat dock, three levels of terrace, and HD TV's.

I'd rather be in the hospital with my baby brother. His Trache has taken, and the hospital has put up it's flood walls, and prepared to ride out the storm, which has shifted slightly in that direction.

I love you guys, take care.

k

Update . . .

2008-09-10T10:44:00.006-05:00

I found a connection here at the hospital.

Scottie is not well, at all.

We are going to trache him today, and prepare ourselves and the girls for the reality that he is gone.

Meanwhile, I am under mandatory evacuation starting tomorrow because Ike is heading straight towards my house. The kids are with Dave and Lisa, but I am going to have to get clothes, computers, pictures, etc.... packed and ready.

It just never seems to get any easier, does it?

I'll try to stay in touch, but it may be a few days.

Things Like This don't Happen To Me . . .

2008-09-07T12:55:00.006-05:00

. . . . Until they do.

Last Friday, August 29th, my brother was in a motorcycle accident. He sustained massive head trauma. He has been in the N.T.I.C.U. at Herman Memorial Hospital in Houston since that time.

Yesterday, his doctor told us that if he hasn't come out of the coma by Thursday, the family needs to be prepared to either accept along term care solution - i.e. feeding tube and tracheal ventilator, or to disconnect all life support.

I can't imagine anyone ever expects to be put into this position.

How does one decide what to do? Neither choice is appealing.

He has two daughters, 17 and 15.

Anyway, that's where I've been. The kindness shown throughout the blogosphere has been overwhelming.

Thank You all.

The One Where I Say Thank You

2008-08-21T16:49:00.006-05:00

Thank you.

I didn't start this blog to bleed my heart out over a love gone wrong. I didn't start it to prop myself up emotionally, but you guys have certainly done that.

I'm better today. I had to take the boys to get books and schedules and school ID's yesterday, so I took the afternoon off. After my errands, I went home and did laundry, and housework. It was the best day I've had in about three weeks.

I enjoyed the housework. The sheer luxury of scrubbing my sink and doing laundry in the middle of the afternoon was very satisfying. I cooked a "weekend meal", then watched TV with the boys. It felt normal. That in itself is a victory.

I'll take any victory, no matter how mundane it may seem.

It has been a tough summer for me.

I am hopeful that the fall will be better for me. I know I'm not out of the woods yet on this one.

I promise I'll try to get back to regular on this blog. I haven't exactly been much of a commenter lately either. When I get like this I tend to pull back into my shell. I don't feel like I have anything worthy to say, so I don't say it. I'll try to be more diligent.

Have you ever noticed that when you're in the state that I've been in lately that every song lyric seems to fit your situation to a tee? I do.

No, I'm Not Going To . . .

2008-08-20T08:39:00.006-05:00

But this is where my head is . . . .

Thanks for sticking with me guys. I don't think I could do this by myself.

btw - Boy, do these lyrics hit the nail on the head.

I Suck (Again, Still?)

2008-08-19T15:16:00.008-05:00

I saw her about an hour ago.

I had to leave work to run Clinton to football practice, and on the way back to the office, there she was, at her daughter's school gym, standing by her car, a mere 30 feet or so from me as I drove by. Our eyes locked.

She looked hurt, and beautiful.

I need a Xanex. Seriously, I'm fucked up. I miss her so much I'm paralyzed.

But I can't do it again.

God help me I can't.

Goodbye Chef . . . Isaac Hayes, R.I.P.

2008-08-11T07:36:00.010-05:00

Isaac Hayes has died at 65.

That is young. Very, very young.

Oh, and lest we forget - He won an Oscar and a Grammy with this song.

And where can I get a pair of those boots?

Goodbye Isaac, you were one smooth MF'er

The World Is Full Of Stupid People

2008-07-27T09:51:00.008-05:00

I'll admit it.

I'm not the best speller in the world.

In fact, I'm not even as good as I used to be, because spell check has made me lazy and I know, if need be, I can correct myself. However, if I'm writing something by hand, I check words I'm not sure of before I proceed. I'm not stupid, I'm just a poor speller.

So, if I were a tattoo artist, I'd keep a Webster's handy. You know, just in case.

Goodbye Dolly

2008-07-24T06:44:00.008-05:00

Click For Better Detail

Dolly missed us by a good bit yesterday. She went in well South of here, just above the Texas/Mexican border. As far as these things go, that was a much better place than just below the border, because the surge up the Rio Grande might have cause a devastating levee failure. (Sound familiar?)

It came in as a category II storm, so today we will start seeing reports of the damage it caused, which could be pretty severe in a small area.

Here - We really didn't receive all that much rain yesterday. Most of the day we were in between the major bands of rain. It started raining in earnest about 7:00 or so last night, and as I write this ( 6:30 AM) it is still raining. We were under tornado watch all day yesterday, but I didn't hear of any. All in all, we were spared, and got some much need rain in the bargain. Hell, I'd settle for a few days of heavy cloud cover to break the heat.

Thanks to all of you who showed concern.

Hello Dolly!

2008-07-21T14:59:00.006-05:00

Oh, I forgot to tell you - I've got this to worry about. (Click to see detail)

Sorry about the quick and sloppy photoshop, I'm at work and very busy.

Work Sucks

2008-07-21T14:22:00.004-05:00

I want to quit.

But I can't.

That's all I have to say right now.

Seriously, WTF????

2008-07-20T10:39:00.009-05:00

OK, trust me. Just trust me. I can't get this to embed, so go see it. Then come back and read my comments. The video is about 2:18.

It is here.

OK

W.
T.
F.
??????

Does Eric Cartman know about this shit?

Hello?

Earth calling.

It would be one thing if it were in a controlled environment, like a salt water tank, or hell, even a netted-off cove or something with trained dolphins, but FSM on a pogo stick, these people are giving birth IN THE FREAKING OCEAN WITH WILD ANIMALS. I love that this father of the year candidate is assured that, if something does go wrong, he's sure the dolphins will take care of it.

OK, this next take is a bit graphic in nature. I'm a Dad. I've witnessed the birth of all four of my children. There are a lot of fluids and, yes, blood that is part of the process. So let's think for just a minute. Is there any reason you wouldn't want to put a bunch of blood into warm coastal waters??? Hmm, . . . what might that possibly attract? Hmm?

Whoo!!!!!

2008-07-20T09:00:00.007-05:00

I go pick up the kids today. They have been visiting their Mom for a couple of weeks. I am WAY past ready to have them home.

Here's to hoping I can take off a couple of days and enjoy them before we get into the hassle of back to school prep. It's pretty close.

Meanwhile, here's something to enjoy, and by all means, please do. The film was very, very disappointing to me when it came out, but it's growing on me, and this song was done very, very well. It translated to film beautifully.

I'm Going To See It Anyway. . . . .

2008-07-19T13:39:00.007-05:00

Rarely have I enjoyed a film review that trashes a film I want to see, (and hope to love), as much as I enjoyed this one.

I knew I was going to love this bad review when I read:

The musical numbers look like they were choreographed by Corky St. Clair

I mean, after that, she's just daring me to see it anyway, right?

Well, I am an unabashed fan of musicals, be they on stage or forever embedded in celluloid.

So, have any of you seen it yet? Bee liked it. I'll bet I do to.

I Miss 8 Tracks

2008-07-18T16:56:00.006-05:00

I know, I know.

I'm dating myself with this one.

Do you remember 8-tracks? If you're over the age of 40, you should. If you're over 44, you probably had some, or at least your parents or siblings did.

I loved 8-tracks. I loved vinyl as well, and I had both, but there was something so appealing about putting in a tape and letting it play on and on and on. Those of you who have only had music on CD or ipod can't understand the thrill of that concept. During the heyday of the 8-track, cassette decks weren't self repeating, which meant you had to turn the tape over to hear the other side. Same thing with an LP. 8-tracks on the other hand, would play all night long without any attention. Of course, sometimes the tape would start to squeal a little (over tensioned - goes with the technology of the mobius strip), and you would have to pull it out and slap it on your leg a few times to loosen it up. How many of you had a little book of matches in your car to wedge under the tape when it started to drag? (If you smiled at that memory you are old btw.)

I'm listening to my ipod right now, and I'm listening to an album I first owned on 8-track. To this day, I still expect to hear the click in the middle of La Fiesta when it changes tracks.

Are there albums you still remember as strictly an "8-track album? Along with the previously mentioned Maynard Ferguson, there are several I remember from high school that were constant companions in the car; Journey : Evolution comes to mind. Remember how there was no break between Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' and City Of The Angels? It's not the same hearing it on CD. REO Speedwagon's High Infidelity is another one I remember as an 8-track.

Supposedly, Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits (1988) was the last major label release on 8-track. I had let them go by then and moved on to CD's. I pretty much skipped cassettes altogether. I kept buying vinyl until CD's came out, and taped them myself for the car. The last 8-track I ever bought was Bob Dylan's Slow Train Coming.

My kids have never owned a tape or an LP of any kind. They look at my LP collection as something from the dinosaur age. I wonder, will their kids look at today's ipods with the same bemusement?

Yeah, probably.

More Things That Make Me Happy

2008-07-18T15:04:00.006-05:00

This Interview makes me happy, and this quote in particular:

AVC: When does being opinionated and having ideas become being high-maintenance?

MG: [Laughs.] Yeah, that's interesting. Well, I think it depends on what you're defending. If you're defending something artistic and something that you believe is really important to the work that you're doing, and you're able to listen and you're able to be wrong, then I don't really see how that can be a problem. But if you're defending your right to have an assistant and a big trailer, then of course that's a problem right away. Some people would probably disagree with that and say you need what you need to work, but I need very little to work, because I learned how to make movies on tiny movies. It's all kind of easy for me.

In case you're wondering, I do think that's a sexist question, but she answers it with class.

The fact that she replaced Katie Cruise in this film doesn't just make me happy, it makes me ecstatic.

Who in Hollywood has more class than this lady? Classy and talented.

Oh, and yes, she's a Democrat.

I think I'm in love.

Rough Weekend

2008-07-15T09:46:00.005-05:00

Where do I start?

My sister came to town. I went to see her at her friends. You shouldn't have to take a Xanax before you visit your family.

I'm just sayin'. . .

Sunday, an innocent afternoon boating trip turned potentially fatal. Everyone is fine, but it could have ended much, much worse than it did.

I took the day off yesterday to recover.

I Knew It.

2008-07-10T16:40:00.011-05:00

See Bob, I told you so.
Your results:
You are An Expendable Character(Redshirt)

Click here to take the "Which Star Trek character am I?" quiz...

Things That Make Me Happy

2008-07-10T15:58:00.006-05:00

This post made me guffaw out loud at my desk. (It's short - go read it, I'll wait.)

Well? Did you guffaw? Or gasp?

btw - Is there a more perfect word to describe a sound than gaffaw? Very underused word in my opinion.

Things I Love

2008-07-10T10:52:00.008-05:00

Bob Geldof

Read it all.

He's talking about the UK, but everything he says applies in the USA, and then some.

Still today, 800 years later, Magna Carta resonates: "To no man will we deny, To no man will we delay, Justice and Right." Is that not grand, worthy of your vote? Is habeas corpus to be traduced in one sad moment of political expediency? Do we not clearly deny and delay Justice and Right when we imprison a person for 42 days without charge?
What existential threat do we face greater than those of the past 800 years? What great terror exists today that not civil war, not world war, nor recent other terrorisms could make our forefathers change the fundamental basis of this state? What is so dangerous that our oldest statutes could be upended for such a ha'p'orth of momentary panic?
What terrorises the terrorists is our civilisation. What those unthinking fools of fundamentalism fear most are the freedoms our representatives now strip away. This "war on terror" is against Islamist forces that reject the Enlightenment.
How can we ever succeed, if we side with our opponents in rejecting those ideals? Every moment we are spied on by the invisible watchers, every time we are monitored, every time we are logged on databanks, they win. And every time we accept it, we lose.

What's not to love?
Oh yeah, and he did this too.

Like I said, what's not to love?

I Don't Get It

2008-07-10T07:03:00.008-05:00

Is there something you don't "get"? I don't mean quantum physics, or the meaning of life - I mean is there something the rest of the world just goes nuts over, that you just don't get.

Of course there are the obvious things like taste in music and such, but that isn't necessarily what I mean. I'm not a fan of Hip Hop, or most of what I call chuga-chuga-chuga music, but I can see how some of it has a catchy tune or hook line, and I understand that one generation will rarely enjoy the music of the next generation.

That being said, I am going to talk about a musician.

I don't get Justin Timberlake.

I don't think he's attractive. I mean, even as a straight guy, I can see that Brad Pitt is attractive. I get it. I even get why some girls dig Matthew McConaughey. Well, girls who don't care about hygiene anyway. But I just don't see that whole Justin thing. Talent? Musical taste aside, the dude can't sing. I mean, really, he can't sing.

I don't get it.

While I'm ranting about musicians. . . .

Marilyn Manson -

Musical abilities (or not) aside. This dude pulls some serious A-list talent for girl friends. WTF?? I understand that some girls are groupies. Fine. I don't get that either, but that's another post. Look at this list:

Dita Von Teese

Rose McGowen

Evan Rachel Wood (That hurts my feelings, seriously!)

But these girls could probably have any rock star they wanted if that's what they are into. Seriously - Ewww. I don't get that.

Just To Let You Know . . . . . .

2008-07-09T08:25:00.007-05:00

Yes, I'm still here. No, I'm not doing that.

My 4th of July was very, very nice. D&L had a party at the bayhouse and it couldn't have been any nicer. We had a much needed thunderstorm roll through that morning, and it remained cloudy most of the day. The weather was substantially cooler than normal for this time of year, and the clouds rolled away just in time for sunset and fireworks. There were upwards of about 70 people or so by my count and there was BBQ, boating, fireworks and a wonderfully diverse group of people. I had a chance to see a few people I haven't seen in a long time. It was nice.

Saturday and Sunday, I was a bit under the weather. Sunday, I did manage to watch that epic Wimbledon battle. I was pulling for Federer, but my hat is off to Nadal. To be that good on clay and on grass is beyond impressive.

Yesterday after work, I went to the grocery store, and I felt really, really old. The in-store music was early-mid eighties new wave.

In the grocery store.

I was out of high school when those songs were popular and now they are deemed unobtrusive enough to be background music in a grocery store. The Clash, the Police, the Motels, the Romantics, the Talking Heads for Christ's sake!! I enjoyed the music, so I guess I'm officially in their target demographic.

I wish I could remember all of the songs they played, but I remember this one was playing as I walked out of the door. It was always a favorite, but I'm not sure I'd call it New Wave. I know he wouldn't.

Is he really rocking a mullet? Shit, I am old. I remember thinking how cool his hair looked in that video.

Have a great humpday.

I know Someone Like That

2008-07-03T11:09:00.006-05:00

Interesting reading to be sure.

I don't know if articles like this should reassure me or make me feel even more stupid. Caroline Presno has obviously dealt with this type before.

To whit: (emphasis mine)

When I advise women and men about how to avoid someone with sociopathic tendencies, I tell them don't expect a monster; instead expect someone oozing with charm. Yet, underneath the heat and charisma are cold thoughts and actions devoid of empathy. Impulsivity, thrill-seeking, and constant boredom are characteristic.

Relationships are used as stepping stones to get them where they want to go. They have an uncanny ability to push someone to the brink, but then suck them back into the relationship again. It's drama, and they love it.

Boy, it's like she was there.

Maybe This Is Why I Work So Hard

2008-07-03T09:05:00.008-05:00

This was on Writer's Almanac this morning and it really spoke to me.

The Rider

by Naomi Shihab Nye

A boy told me
if he roller-skated fast enough
his loneliness couldn't catch up to him,
the best reason I ever heard
for trying to be a champion.
What I wonder tonight
pedaling hard down King William Street
is if it translates to bicycles.
A victory! To leave your loneliness
panting behind you on some street corner
while you float free into a cloud of sudden azaleas,
pink petals that have never felt loneliness,
no matter how slowly they fell.

Wonderful poet. I was introduced to her a few months ago, and I just can't get enough of her.

Long Live Pappa

2008-07-02T09:47:00.007-05:00

47 years ago today, Ernest Hemingway took his life.

He had suffered from depression for several years, and had undergone Electroshock therapy as a treatment. The treatment took away his memory, and ultimately, left him more depressed than before. He killed himself with a shotgun blast to the head. In what surely must have been a genetic condition, his father, 2 of his siblings, and his grand-daughter also committed suicide.

It always saddens me to think of such a lion of a man being undone by his own mind. He lived his life with what I would consider the very definition of “gusto”. He was a man who spent his life in dangerous and exciting places, and duly recorded the human drama that played out in that quickened world of war and adventure. We men of today are soft. I have no allusions that I would have lasted very long in his world. Many consider him misogynistic. Certainly, his writings are full of protagonists who aren’t exactly icons of feminist enlightenment, but at the same time he doesn’t romanticize those traits. His characters were flawed, and he portrayed them as such.

As I’ve alluded to before, Hemingway will always be special to me. Last fall, Rene’ and I read his entire work together, every bit of it, from the short stories, to the play, to the non-fiction, to the poetry, and of course, the novels. His writing has been described as sparse, but I think efficient is a better word. He managed to convey in his short declarative sentences the emotion, the feeling, the very sense of the place he was writing about. More than any other writer, he gave me a feeling that I knew the place he was writing about. Be it Spain, Africa, Italy, France, or his beloved Florida Keys, he captured the essence of what those places must have been like to me.

His world is gone now. The Festival of San Fermín still goes on, but it has become a squalid tourist attraction, over taken by drunken, well to do Americans, guide books in hand, checking off yet another item from the tattered copy of 1000 places to see before you die. Gone are the humble bars of Key West, home to local fishermen and men on the edges of the law, replaced by chain restaurants and theme bars, resplendent with spring breakers and girls gone wild. He and his world may be physically gone, but they will forever live in my mind, and in the minds of millions of others thanks to his writings.

That is immortality.

Not bad for a guy who killed himself before I was even born. Thank you Pappa, thank you for keeping that world alive for all of us.

Little Girls Grow Up

2008-06-23T08:12:00.009-05:00

Friday was the Summer Solstice. Summer has started and Autumn will follow and before we have time to blink, the holiday season will upon us and a new year will come.

I know this is ridiculously close to a cliche', but the older I get, the faster those seasons seem to pass. Children that were little kids what seems like yesterday are driving cars and discussing college plans.

The passing of time can't be held back.

I've been a single Dad for 5 years. Dylan and Clinton were both in grade school when we started this thing, next year they will both be in high school. Zoe was 2 years old. She will turn 8 in just a couple of months.

I wish there was a way to bottle up these years and keep them safe on a shelf, to be taken out and treasured from time to time. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to pull out these years later, when we have the time to sit and savor them? Instead, I rush from project to project, weekend to weekend, trying to squeeze out a bit of relaxation and enjoyment between dinners and laundry, and track practices.

I need to remember that life isn't about the destination, it's about the journey.

I took this picture of Zoe and Molly this weekend.

When I downloaded it, my mind immediately flashed back to a picture of these same two girls that was taken 5 years ago. I wasn't sure where it was, but I found it on a back up disk this morning. When I compared the two pictures, I wept.

It goes so fast.

Enjoy everyday dear readers. Savor the moment. I'm going to try and take my own advice.

Is This a Good Thing?

2008-06-21T11:33:00.008-05:00

Hmm . . .

I don't know how I should feel about this.

My all time favorite film in the entire world is being made into a musical.

If you've been reading this page for any length of time, you know my favorite film is A Fish Called Wanda.

On the one hand, I hate it when a classic is given an update or remade. AFCW is not just a classic, it is a perfect comedy film. The plot, the various subplots, the acting, the characters; All perfect.

On the other hand, It sure worked for Spamalot and The Producers, and I love musicals.

But how do you ever replace Kevin Kliene as Otto?

Discuss please.

h/t to Petulant

They're Back!

2008-06-18T21:30:00.008-05:00

Just when you think it's safe to go into the backyard again. . . . .

They're back.

Yes, the dreaded puss caterpillar, AKA - asp, has made a reappearance at the castle grounds. I had these last year on my loquat tree. I noticed one this evening, and closer inspection revealed 7 of them. They were much tinier than last year's, but the fact that I have them two years in a row worries me. I obviously didn't get them all last year.

Ugh!

It's funny how all roads seem to lead back to Rene'. It was right after I made that post last year that she called me with hopes of reconciliation. I tried. God how I tried. We made it all the way to October.

I don't see that happening this year.

Rest In Peace, Cyd Charisse

2008-06-17T16:45:00.007-05:00

Cyd Charisse has passed away.

This is how I'll always remember her. I wish they still made films this way. Could this be any more alluring? Could she be any sexier? Yet they show nothing.

Should You Vote Republican?

2008-06-13T14:24:00.005-05:00

There are so many good ones in this clip, I can't pick a favorite.

Enjoy -

Well, OK - I think I like “I’m voting Republican because women just can’t be trusted to make decisions about their own bodies" the best.

Meanwhile, Back at the Castle . . .

2008-06-09T14:54:00.012-05:00

I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat.

Will Rogers

Whew!

I owe you lots of updates.

The convention was exhausting. Truly, truly exhausting.

It was disorganized, it was frustrating, it was expletive-inducing.

I had a great time.

Brave Sir Robin actually is engaging in the untold luxury of calling in sick today. I actually didn't wake up until 11:30 this morning. You have no idea how utterly impossible it is for me to sleep past 6:30 on most days.

A few brief observations:

It is all about back room politics and deal cutting in our State Party.

Chelsea Clinton is very pretty in person. She is charming, intelligent and classy. She was the high-light of the weekend.

It is time for new blood in our (State) Party Leadership.

Clinton supporters were, individually very nice and willing to be gracious, collectively they were petulant and acted like spoiled 4 year olds who didn't get their way.

Alternates have way more fun than Delegates.

The size of the venue and the poor lighting means the pictures will probably be awful.

Next time I'm wearing sneakers and a backpack that will will hold food and water. The schedule made it impossible to eat, or even grab a bottle of water.

Molly Ivins is revered and missed.

Obama will be our next president.

You won't see diversity like this at a Republican convention.

Convention Update

2008-06-06T13:28:00.006-05:00

I'm in Austin, I'm checked in to the Hotel, and I'm going to get credentials.

Assuming there is wifi in the Convention center, I'll try to live blog as much as I can of tonight's events.

Either way, I'll check back in later.

I'm Trying

2008-06-06T07:25:00.006-05:00

Blogger has been screwed up all morning. I've been trying to post a few pictures from last weekend, but I've tried to make the post three times.

So, while I try to figure it out, go look at this.

Talk about, *SWOON* would I love to attend that.

Am I the only one interested?

Tales Of Brave UlyssesSir Robin

" But blue is wrong . . . for roses"

Happy Birthday Edna

I Want To Be Famous . . . . . .

Famous

The "he" is always lower case . . . . .

The Traditional Light Bulb Vote Must Be Huge . . .

Yes, He's Alive . . . .

Really? . . . Cory Doctorow?

See? This is Good Stuff!!!

. . . . . . And Thanks For All The Fish . . . . . . . . .

Happy Birthday Bob!

Oh Dear

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!

I Got a Big New Love . . . . . .

Better Late Than Never?

Can Brave Sir Robin Come Out And Play?

A New Feature!

It's Almost Over

While You're Waiting . . .

Oh, Sorry, Is It 2009?

Christmas At The Castle

It Could Always Be Worse

Merry Freakin' Christmas

Remembrance Of Cookies Past

The One Where I Need To Relax

This Is A Bailout I Can Get Behind!

Laugh, Think, Cry

About Last Night . . .

Smaller packaging Sucks . . .

A Quick Update

Still Busy . . . .

No Doubt About It, This Is Good News

I'm Too Tired To Write, So I'll Post Pictures Edition . . . .

Not A Rookie, But Way Cool . . . .

Merry Christmas To Me? . . . .UPDATE!!

Scottie Update

Blogroll Call Out!!

My Plea . . .

About That Purge . . .

I'm OK . . . (physically)

Any Good Thoughts Out There?

Danger!!!

Confessions of an 8 Year old Liberal.

Let The Carnage Continue

They Eat Their Own, Don'cha Know . . .

Well Done America, Well Done

Finally, It's Today

Sarah Makes Me Smile

Rest In Peace Stud Terkel

Happy Halloween!

Well?

Still Undecided?

Happy Birthday Alfred Matthew Yankovic

I Voted Today!!!!

Sending Out an S.O.S.

Wow, This Is Big . .

The Candidates, in Pictures

And The Nobel Goes To . . .

This Is What's Wrong

Things That Make Me Happy

It's A Trap!

Is It Autumn Yet?

I stand In Awe

I Got Nothing

What's happening around here . . . ..

Good News!!

Happy Birthday Rene'

Post Evacuation Blues . . .

Evacuation Ike - Postcard from the road . . .

Update . . .

Things Like This don't Happen To Me . . .

The One Where I Say Thank You

No, I'm Not Going To . . .

I Suck (Again, Still?)

Goodbye Chef . . . Isaac Hayes, R.I.P.

The World Is Full Of Stupid People

Goodbye Dolly

Hello Dolly!

Work Sucks