Took the online Jeopardy quiz tonight. I know a few questions were missed but I feel good about it over all. Just because I feel confident does not mean I'll get the call. Watch this space.
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
The year of the ignore
Been quite the year of not being able to get things done. I swear I have shown people a stack of money, said can you do this reasonable and legal thing for me, and I get a slack jawed stare, or no response.
The latest involves my wife and I submitting a shit ton of paperwork and other documents that were demanded of us. Now that said paperwork is in their hands, nothing. Despite asking where we are in the process there has not been word back.
I'm of mind to go to the company facebook page and make sarcastic commentary on all their postings of motivational quotes.
The Vietnam War doc is turning into an eighteen hour edition of the Big Chill. It's quite informative and the use of the North Vietnamese soldiers is a side I had no idea about. The music is a bit too obvious and heavy handed for my taste.
Maybe by the time this documentary reaches its conclusion, we'll get a call back. Or we'll take our business elsewhere, as has been done more than a few times this year.
The latest involves my wife and I submitting a shit ton of paperwork and other documents that were demanded of us. Now that said paperwork is in their hands, nothing. Despite asking where we are in the process there has not been word back.
I'm of mind to go to the company facebook page and make sarcastic commentary on all their postings of motivational quotes.
The Vietnam War doc is turning into an eighteen hour edition of the Big Chill. It's quite informative and the use of the North Vietnamese soldiers is a side I had no idea about. The music is a bit too obvious and heavy handed for my taste.
Maybe by the time this documentary reaches its conclusion, we'll get a call back. Or we'll take our business elsewhere, as has been done more than a few times this year.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
The Bad Trevor Noah Blues
The Bad Trevor Noah Blues
Court jesters should be funny
That’s how we want them to be
Now they should never tell a joke
that is offensive to me
I saw the man who got that job
said something bad about a Jew
Not a joke that’s never been said
but it was disappointing to me and you
I saw the man who got that job
said something bad about a girl
Not a joke that’s never been said
but it made people want to hurl
If we’re going to hold our comics
to be authentic and with pure soul
We’re going to look a long long time
for a funnyman to fill that hole
Court jesters should be funny
That’s how we want them to be
Now they should never tell a joke
that is offensive to me
I saw the man who got that job
said something bad about a Jew
Not a joke that’s never been said
but it was disappointing to me and you
I saw the man who got that job
said something bad about a girl
Not a joke that’s never been said
but it made people want to hurl
If we’re going to hold our comics
to be authentic and with pure soul
We’re going to look a long long time
for a funnyman to fill that hole
Sunday, March 15, 2015
An update of sorts
This morning's coffee is an odd blend of Peruvian (of which there was not enough to make a whole cup) and Costa Rican (which is a very underrated country for coffee). Paired with one of the many world class pastries from Pistachia Vera, I'm off to a good start on a late winter Sunday.
It's been a long wait for spring. There are going to be a few more days of fits and starts this week, but it looks like the sub zero temperatures that highlighted this miserable Central Ohio winter have gone away for another year. This is not a guarantee, if it's five below on April 2nd, do not come here and blame me. I've already been yelled at one time too many for missing things this week.
My son's caregiver of the last two summers has agreed to come back. This is very good news as they have a familiar rapport. She's really good with him and well worth her salary. The peace of mind this gives all of us is profound. This enables my wife and I to be able to take a vacation to Scotland in June. Not going to be able to catch any soccer matches as the season is over but I'm very interested in seeing how late the sun goes down since we are there on the solstice, and my birthday. I'm thinking these three months are going to go as quickly as the first three months have gone. It's the Ides of March already!
Thinking of playing around with form poetry for awhile. Maybe there's some writing discipline (which has been missing for a long time now) in crafting work that way. Maybe I'll get back to work with a template instead of a prompt. It really cannot get any worse that is has been. A couple of hot new pieces at my Dayton feature in May will go a long way to boost my ego a bit.
I might be hate watching The Fall. I like the acting, and it's great to see Gillian Anderson in a meaty role. It's a damn shame the scripts are so cliched and predictable. If I can call a plot twist, there's something wrong. I did not mind The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. There were too many uncomfortable racist jokes though. I did not like the main character, but the casting of the rest of the ensemble (Carol Kane is wonderful) and cameos were excellent. It's supposed to be renewed. I wish programmers could get into the mind set that too much of something is not necessarily the best idea and know when to end a series on a high note then stop. I'm mostly talking about Broadchurch here! It's all about the money though, I'm not that stupid. If there's a profit to be made there will be people riding that horse until it drops, then using every part for sustenance until it's completely vanished. Such is the world. Thanks for reading.
It's been a long wait for spring. There are going to be a few more days of fits and starts this week, but it looks like the sub zero temperatures that highlighted this miserable Central Ohio winter have gone away for another year. This is not a guarantee, if it's five below on April 2nd, do not come here and blame me. I've already been yelled at one time too many for missing things this week.
My son's caregiver of the last two summers has agreed to come back. This is very good news as they have a familiar rapport. She's really good with him and well worth her salary. The peace of mind this gives all of us is profound. This enables my wife and I to be able to take a vacation to Scotland in June. Not going to be able to catch any soccer matches as the season is over but I'm very interested in seeing how late the sun goes down since we are there on the solstice, and my birthday. I'm thinking these three months are going to go as quickly as the first three months have gone. It's the Ides of March already!
Thinking of playing around with form poetry for awhile. Maybe there's some writing discipline (which has been missing for a long time now) in crafting work that way. Maybe I'll get back to work with a template instead of a prompt. It really cannot get any worse that is has been. A couple of hot new pieces at my Dayton feature in May will go a long way to boost my ego a bit.
I might be hate watching The Fall. I like the acting, and it's great to see Gillian Anderson in a meaty role. It's a damn shame the scripts are so cliched and predictable. If I can call a plot twist, there's something wrong. I did not mind The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. There were too many uncomfortable racist jokes though. I did not like the main character, but the casting of the rest of the ensemble (Carol Kane is wonderful) and cameos were excellent. It's supposed to be renewed. I wish programmers could get into the mind set that too much of something is not necessarily the best idea and know when to end a series on a high note then stop. I'm mostly talking about Broadchurch here! It's all about the money though, I'm not that stupid. If there's a profit to be made there will be people riding that horse until it drops, then using every part for sustenance until it's completely vanished. Such is the world. Thanks for reading.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
More on Shakespeare and Autism
This segment aired on the local PBS show Broad and High this week. It's about the Shakespeare and Autism Project that Kelly Hunter wrote about in her book.
You can see my son on the lower left, in the audience
I wrote about the performance of this show in this post back in July 2014.
You can see my son on the lower left, in the audience
I wrote about the performance of this show in this post back in July 2014.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
The first time
For the last 28 years on his last taping before Christmas, David Letterman has had Darlene Love on as his musical guest and she has performed Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). This was from the first year, 1986.
Letterman is retiring next year and tomorrow night will be the last time Love will perform the song on television, so she claims.
It is a yearly tradition that will be missed. Is Jay Thomas going to throw a meatball on the studio tree?
Letterman is retiring next year and tomorrow night will be the last time Love will perform the song on television, so she claims.
It is a yearly tradition that will be missed. Is Jay Thomas going to throw a meatball on the studio tree?
Monday, April 28, 2014
Catching up with the shows from abroad
Thanks to the sufficient processing power of the new MacBook Pro, I am now able to enjoy using Chromecast without the screen going into fits and starts.
Got caught up with A Trip to Italy on the BBC iPlayer. Once again, Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan are on the road under the guise of being food reviewers. We see the food, we get to guess the bill, but we never hear if they liked it. Instead, like the first series, we hear Michael Caine impressions and the pair singing along to Alanis Morrissette while driving in a rented Mini through the Italian countryside. It's a fine way to spend a half hour and chuckle throughout, although the premise is starting to wear thin. I understand that, thankfully, there will be no third series. That's what I like about British television, they know how and when to end a show.
Also invested time in the long running quiz show Mastermind. It make Jeopardy look like a kids show. Contestants are grilled for two minutes by the host in two rounds. The first round is a subject the contestant chooses, the second on general knowledge. The questions, be they about Scottish lighthouses or Italy's role in World War One are tough, and the contestants can be visibly terrified. The show is based on the creator's experience during World War Two, when he was interrogated, while sitting in a chair under a single spotlight, by the gestapo.
So there was a great tension in the air when Clive Dunning of Stockton chose the life and poetry of Philip Larkin and won the Mastermind title. Dunning looked like he was about to vomit at the end of the program.
And what does the winner get, nothing but a lovely glass bowl, bragging rights, and the people's ovation and fame forever. Well done!
Got caught up with A Trip to Italy on the BBC iPlayer. Once again, Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan are on the road under the guise of being food reviewers. We see the food, we get to guess the bill, but we never hear if they liked it. Instead, like the first series, we hear Michael Caine impressions and the pair singing along to Alanis Morrissette while driving in a rented Mini through the Italian countryside. It's a fine way to spend a half hour and chuckle throughout, although the premise is starting to wear thin. I understand that, thankfully, there will be no third series. That's what I like about British television, they know how and when to end a show.
Also invested time in the long running quiz show Mastermind. It make Jeopardy look like a kids show. Contestants are grilled for two minutes by the host in two rounds. The first round is a subject the contestant chooses, the second on general knowledge. The questions, be they about Scottish lighthouses or Italy's role in World War One are tough, and the contestants can be visibly terrified. The show is based on the creator's experience during World War Two, when he was interrogated, while sitting in a chair under a single spotlight, by the gestapo.
So there was a great tension in the air when Clive Dunning of Stockton chose the life and poetry of Philip Larkin and won the Mastermind title. Dunning looked like he was about to vomit at the end of the program.
And what does the winner get, nothing but a lovely glass bowl, bragging rights, and the people's ovation and fame forever. Well done!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Live stuff, Sherlock
Went to bed later than usual last night, watched the Saints beat the Eagles on a last second kick. Woke up at 6:30 unable to go back to sleep. My whole rest cycle is a mess.
If it was not for live sports, I'd probably get rid of cable entirely and stick with the internet and Roku and other streaming programming.
There was a life changer added to my browser this week when something called a Hola Extension was added to my arsenal. It allows the user to easily use a VPN, virtual private network, and use a server from another location to use websites that are blocked from your location.
So we've been watching some programming from the BBC this week on the laptop.
Now, what if there was a device that would allow you to send the screen from your laptop to your HDTV?
Well there is. Yesterday we got Chromecast, a little gizmo that plugs into your television's HDMI port. One of the things it does is allows you to stream a tab from your Google Chrome browser to your set. It also has a few apps, such as Youtube and Netflix that allows you to use your laptop or mobile device as a remote to send signals to your television. I was worried about the amount of space it would take. If there was enough room on the side of my set.
Not really an issue. It's also powered by the USB port in the television. I do have to unplug the Roku as there's only one HDMI port in my set, but this is a first world problem.
I am not a fan of watching long shows or movies on my laptop, so this device is a fine addition to my entertainment needs. I love my Roku, though Chromecast once I start really figuring it out is going to be a well used media tool.
If I knew what I know now, I may have picked Chromecast first
If it was not for live sports, I'd probably get rid of cable entirely and stick with the internet and Roku and other streaming programming.
There was a life changer added to my browser this week when something called a Hola Extension was added to my arsenal. It allows the user to easily use a VPN, virtual private network, and use a server from another location to use websites that are blocked from your location.
So we've been watching some programming from the BBC this week on the laptop.
Now, what if there was a device that would allow you to send the screen from your laptop to your HDTV?
Well there is. Yesterday we got Chromecast, a little gizmo that plugs into your television's HDMI port. One of the things it does is allows you to stream a tab from your Google Chrome browser to your set. It also has a few apps, such as Youtube and Netflix that allows you to use your laptop or mobile device as a remote to send signals to your television. I was worried about the amount of space it would take. If there was enough room on the side of my set.
Not really an issue. It's also powered by the USB port in the television. I do have to unplug the Roku as there's only one HDMI port in my set, but this is a first world problem.
I am not a fan of watching long shows or movies on my laptop, so this device is a fine addition to my entertainment needs. I love my Roku, though Chromecast once I start really figuring it out is going to be a well used media tool.
If I knew what I know now, I may have picked Chromecast first
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Big screens and small
After bringing Netflix into the home, I thought I would watch more films than last year. That was not the case, but I still managed just over one a week, which is ok. I did not binge watch anything but the last season of the Thick of It.
So I saw some movies, liked some of them. Some were better than others.
1) It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
2) The Conversation
3) Blazing Saddles
4) Tiny Furniture
5) Charley Varrick
6) Amour
7) Ruby Sparks
8) Two Days in New York
9) Monty Python & the Holy Grail
10) The Muppet Movie (1979)
11) Dial M for Murder
12) I Know Where I'm Going
13) Yo-Yo (1965)
14) Beasts of the Southern Wild
15) A Fond Kiss
16) Submarine
17) The Philadelphia Story
18) Iron Man 3
19) Dumbo
20) Jiro Dreams of Sushi
21) Laughter in Hell
22) The Little Giant
23) Fever Pitch (1997)
24) Hobo With A Shotgun
25) Spaceballs
26) The Lavender Hill Mob
27) Frances Ha
28) Before Midnight
29) The Princess Bride
30) World War Z
31) Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me
32) The Magnificent Seven
33) The Palm Beach Story
34) Red 2
35) Bonnie & Clyde
36) Silver Linings Playbook
37) Slam
38) The Little American (1917)
39) Planes
40) The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
41) The Man in the White Suit
42) This is Spinal Tap
43) Europe '51
44) The World's End
45) Blue Jasmine
46) Star Trek Into Darkness
47) Rollerball
48) 12 Years a Slave
49) Somm
50) My Name is Nobody
51) An Adventure in Space and Time
52) Gamera (MST-3K)
53) Pod People (MST 3K)
54) The Punk Singer
55) The Decoy Bride
56) Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
57) Robin Hood (1973)
58) Kings of Pastry
59) American Hustle
60) The Shop Around the Corner
61) Love Actually
So I saw some movies, liked some of them. Some were better than others.
1) It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
2) The Conversation
3) Blazing Saddles
4) Tiny Furniture
5) Charley Varrick
6) Amour
7) Ruby Sparks
8) Two Days in New York
9) Monty Python & the Holy Grail
10) The Muppet Movie (1979)
11) Dial M for Murder
12) I Know Where I'm Going
13) Yo-Yo (1965)
14) Beasts of the Southern Wild
15) A Fond Kiss
16) Submarine
17) The Philadelphia Story
18) Iron Man 3
19) Dumbo
20) Jiro Dreams of Sushi
21) Laughter in Hell
22) The Little Giant
23) Fever Pitch (1997)
24) Hobo With A Shotgun
25) Spaceballs
26) The Lavender Hill Mob
27) Frances Ha
28) Before Midnight
29) The Princess Bride
30) World War Z
31) Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me
32) The Magnificent Seven
33) The Palm Beach Story
34) Red 2
35) Bonnie & Clyde
36) Silver Linings Playbook
37) Slam
38) The Little American (1917)
39) Planes
40) The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
41) The Man in the White Suit
42) This is Spinal Tap
43) Europe '51
44) The World's End
45) Blue Jasmine
46) Star Trek Into Darkness
47) Rollerball
48) 12 Years a Slave
49) Somm
50) My Name is Nobody
51) An Adventure in Space and Time
52) Gamera (MST-3K)
53) Pod People (MST 3K)
54) The Punk Singer
55) The Decoy Bride
56) Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
57) Robin Hood (1973)
58) Kings of Pastry
59) American Hustle
60) The Shop Around the Corner
61) Love Actually
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Finally, rest
This is the first morning in quite some time that I have been able to sleep in past nine o'clock.
Been quite the busy time since my return from Fayetteville. In addition to work there was an Arts Fest meeting, open mic, movie night and other assorted doctor's appointments for my son.
The new one (fourth this year) has recommended in-patient therapy, possibly in Indiana. Six years ago he was approved for in-patient therapy, but at the last minute the insurance company reneged in the claim, saying that food was not considered medically necessary.
It's taken six years to get back to this point, where would he be if the claim had originally been approved?
If he needed lap band surgery or had a substance abuse problem, zoom, right in and covered, but this eating disorder thing, I guess that's hard to justify to a bean counter.
As for FMLA and Indiana, we'll see what this place's track record is first before investing 4-6 weeks of time and lost income.
In other news we bought a new TV on Friday night. After all the research and people who said we MUST have a 42" (or larger!) we got a 32" and that is quite sufficient for what we need and the size of the living room.. Had to call the cable company for them to set up the cable box, but that was the only problem. It looks fine, watched the baseball game Friday night and was impressed. I can see the numbers on the screen and The Who at the London Coliseum looked great.
Also read Pete Townshend's new book in which he is sexually confused, drinks, is sexually confused, writes great songs, has sex with groupies, drinks, has sex with his wife, is sexually confused, drinks, does cocaine, has sex with groupies, drinks, stops doing drugs, drinks, has sex with groupies...
Yeah, could have been better, you bet.
Been quite the busy time since my return from Fayetteville. In addition to work there was an Arts Fest meeting, open mic, movie night and other assorted doctor's appointments for my son.
The new one (fourth this year) has recommended in-patient therapy, possibly in Indiana. Six years ago he was approved for in-patient therapy, but at the last minute the insurance company reneged in the claim, saying that food was not considered medically necessary.
It's taken six years to get back to this point, where would he be if the claim had originally been approved?
If he needed lap band surgery or had a substance abuse problem, zoom, right in and covered, but this eating disorder thing, I guess that's hard to justify to a bean counter.
As for FMLA and Indiana, we'll see what this place's track record is first before investing 4-6 weeks of time and lost income.
In other news we bought a new TV on Friday night. After all the research and people who said we MUST have a 42" (or larger!) we got a 32" and that is quite sufficient for what we need and the size of the living room.. Had to call the cable company for them to set up the cable box, but that was the only problem. It looks fine, watched the baseball game Friday night and was impressed. I can see the numbers on the screen and The Who at the London Coliseum looked great.
Also read Pete Townshend's new book in which he is sexually confused, drinks, is sexually confused, writes great songs, has sex with groupies, drinks, has sex with his wife, is sexually confused, drinks, does cocaine, has sex with groupies, drinks, stops doing drugs, drinks, has sex with groupies...
Yeah, could have been better, you bet.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Windfell
Despite my lack of production in other areas, I got our taxes finished this weekend. For the first time since my divorce I was able to claim my son and therefore received a modest refund. Not a major windfall by any means, but enough to pay for the car insurance and a tea kettle that does not leak.
My wife received some good news, she is now an official permanent resident of the U.S. Her new Green Card came in the mail on Friday and we do not have to worry about anything immigration related for another ten years.
Mere words cannot express my disdain for the above character. I give my son his iPad, he immediately finds videos of her, and watches them over and over. The learned helplessness is overwhelming. The annoying meter, breaks the meter. I know, it's something he gets, but you have not lived until you have heard the words "Bridge, rocks, tall mountain" shouted at 3AM. Try it sometime.
My wife received some good news, she is now an official permanent resident of the U.S. Her new Green Card came in the mail on Friday and we do not have to worry about anything immigration related for another ten years.
Mere words cannot express my disdain for the above character. I give my son his iPad, he immediately finds videos of her, and watches them over and over. The learned helplessness is overwhelming. The annoying meter, breaks the meter. I know, it's something he gets, but you have not lived until you have heard the words "Bridge, rocks, tall mountain" shouted at 3AM. Try it sometime.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Slept through Celtic failure
What's exciting? Well, we bought a new dryer that gets delivered tomorrow. The motor died on on it last week. Thought about repairing it, but remembered the toilet tragedy. It's at least eight years old, and hiring a repairman would be cost close enough to buying a new one. So that's what we decided.
We headed up to the Bills Backers bar in Dublin to watch the Bills lose on a late field goal yesterday. Part one of Ken Burns' Prohibition started last night and runs through Tuesday.
But the dryer.
Fluffy towels again!
We headed up to the Bills Backers bar in Dublin to watch the Bills lose on a late field goal yesterday. Part one of Ken Burns' Prohibition started last night and runs through Tuesday.
But the dryer.
Fluffy towels again!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Hello, Glad to Have You Aboard~
Woke up with this in my head. Another proof of a happier life through television.
Oh it can core a apple!
In other news Elton John is 64.
One of the greats. First single I bought was Crocodile Rock.
Oh it can core a apple!
In other news Elton John is 64.
One of the greats. First single I bought was Crocodile Rock.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
This is How You Sell a Car
Sure, Corinthian Leather does not exist, but Montalban makes you beleive!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
No Reservations
Sent this to Michael Ruhlman after he ripped on Columbus during Anthony Bourdain's show last night.
Dear Michael,
After watching your appearance on No Reservations last night I have to let you know how uninformed you are about the wide variety of restaurants that are available in Columbus.
Columbus is not the "Land of Applebees" but a growing field of independent chefs who are using locally sourced foods to create spectacular dining. From Alana's to Latitude 41 to dessert at Jeni's Ice Cream - this city's dining establishments are earning the respect of many publications, including Gourmet Magazine, Food and Wine and the New York Times.
Where have you been? When you looked around at Kihachi, what were you looking for? A group of people eating McDonald's take out? For whatever reasons, I expected better from you.
Columbus is right down the road from where you live. Have you ever spend any length of time here experiencing the culinary culture? I know you have been invited by several people to come and eat here. Please take advantage of their generous invitations and you will change you mind about what Columbus has to offer.
Sincerely,
Me
Edited 9:45 AM
Michael Ruhlman just send me an apologetic email. Said he did not know how the show was edited and that he hates malls around interstates, and that is probably what he was referring to. Also said he has not spent enough time in Columbus to form an opinion and that he meant no offense.
I respect that.
That felt much better than spouting off and doing nothing about it. Problem. Reasonable complaint. Positive response. Group hug.
Dear Michael,
After watching your appearance on No Reservations last night I have to let you know how uninformed you are about the wide variety of restaurants that are available in Columbus.
Columbus is not the "Land of Applebees" but a growing field of independent chefs who are using locally sourced foods to create spectacular dining. From Alana's to Latitude 41 to dessert at Jeni's Ice Cream - this city's dining establishments are earning the respect of many publications, including Gourmet Magazine, Food and Wine and the New York Times.
Where have you been? When you looked around at Kihachi, what were you looking for? A group of people eating McDonald's take out? For whatever reasons, I expected better from you.
Columbus is right down the road from where you live. Have you ever spend any length of time here experiencing the culinary culture? I know you have been invited by several people to come and eat here. Please take advantage of their generous invitations and you will change you mind about what Columbus has to offer.
Sincerely,
Me
Edited 9:45 AM
Michael Ruhlman just send me an apologetic email. Said he did not know how the show was edited and that he hates malls around interstates, and that is probably what he was referring to. Also said he has not spent enough time in Columbus to form an opinion and that he meant no offense.
I respect that.
That felt much better than spouting off and doing nothing about it. Problem. Reasonable complaint. Positive response. Group hug.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Cese Fabergas Changed the Complexion of the Match
Yesterday was my parents 39th wedding anniversary. Mom was in the hospital earlier this month so I'm happy she was home for it. The frustration continues, being so far away from them. Airfare is ridiculous right now, and for the foreseeable future.
Just did the math, had I stayed married the first time, the end of this month would have marked twenty five years. A tarnished hunk of silver for sure.
I was asked Friday what I'd do if my first wife showed up at the radio reunion in October. I honestly did not have a good answer. She's the one who tried to interfere in my second marriage. Called me a sociopath after lying to my face. She's very bitter. This is not the time for bon mots.
My son has been making improvement in the pool. He's been going underwater on his own. Swimming along, putting his head under, very cute. I'll post video when I get time to upload it.
Fun night of music and poetry on Saturday at a friend's place. They have a cool music room in their house. Piano and drums, people were playing some very pleasant blues. A bunch of us read a few poems. I ended up playing Words of Love to an empty room. Then we got home in time to watch Doctor Who. We follow on BBC America so we're still two weeks behind everyone who watches on the torrents.
The World Cup has ended. Kudos to South Africa for putting up a great event. No love for vuvuzelas and even less love for FIFA and some wretched officiating. Much love to Spain for finally winning the whole thing. I called it! Cese set up the goal!
EPL starts next month. Celtic are playing Man U. on Friday in Toronto. I should be going to a Crew game on Wednesday night. Good things are happening for my wife at her job. It's a busy life.
Just did the math, had I stayed married the first time, the end of this month would have marked twenty five years. A tarnished hunk of silver for sure.
I was asked Friday what I'd do if my first wife showed up at the radio reunion in October. I honestly did not have a good answer. She's the one who tried to interfere in my second marriage. Called me a sociopath after lying to my face. She's very bitter. This is not the time for bon mots.
My son has been making improvement in the pool. He's been going underwater on his own. Swimming along, putting his head under, very cute. I'll post video when I get time to upload it.
Fun night of music and poetry on Saturday at a friend's place. They have a cool music room in their house. Piano and drums, people were playing some very pleasant blues. A bunch of us read a few poems. I ended up playing Words of Love to an empty room. Then we got home in time to watch Doctor Who. We follow on BBC America so we're still two weeks behind everyone who watches on the torrents.
The World Cup has ended. Kudos to South Africa for putting up a great event. No love for vuvuzelas and even less love for FIFA and some wretched officiating. Much love to Spain for finally winning the whole thing. I called it! Cese set up the goal!
EPL starts next month. Celtic are playing Man U. on Friday in Toronto. I should be going to a Crew game on Wednesday night. Good things are happening for my wife at her job. It's a busy life.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Lawn is Mowed for Another Week
Last night America said goodbye to Jack Bauer, on the small screen at least. It was a fitting ending to a season that had more than it's share of outrageous moments. Jack pulling a SIM card out of a Russian assassin's stomach to name but one. Jack exits as he did for several seasons, on the run, like Richard Kimble.
Chloe faded the show to black, "Whatever just happened didn't happen. Shut it down." Now the Russians and his own government are searching for him. Good luck Jack, and thanks for the entertainment.
Poor guy could not even get any properly.
Looks like my Monday viewing will go back to Top Gear reruns.
Chloe faded the show to black, "Whatever just happened didn't happen. Shut it down." Now the Russians and his own government are searching for him. Good luck Jack, and thanks for the entertainment.
Poor guy could not even get any properly.
Looks like my Monday viewing will go back to Top Gear reruns.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
You're Scottish, Fry Something
Hope all the poems are not completely tuning you all out.
Went to the Winking Lizard for the first time today. I was not completely sold. For all the screens they had and not one was showing soccer. Come on, Spurs and Chelsea were playing and they had on cheer-leading and women's beach volleyball.
Oh, it's that kind of sports bar.
The draft beer selection was adequate, if not predictable. The bottled beer selection was a bit pricey but there were a few interesting selections. My eyeballs keyed in on a German Berliner Weisse. It's a very rare thing to see in this country so I ordered one. It's not brewed in Berlin, so it's not a true Berliner Weisse. Back in one of my previous lives I actually made a home brewed beer in that style, without having ever tried one. That's how obsessed I was. Did it all grain, if that was poetry, I would have been reading it off paper. I even went mail order for the special yeast and the lactobacillus culture that soured the beer. Yes, it was quite hardcore. Yes, I buried a few bottles in the backyard.
When we got around to trying it, well it tasted quite sour. The color was very pale. A very light beer, low in alcohol. We still had no commercial example to compare it too, it was not until that beer was long gone that a commercial version (Kindl, I think) was available for us to drink here. It was decent, sour, and we had the special syrups and unique glassware for customers. By then the business was starting to go bust and my memory gets a bit fuzzy.
Back to the Winking Lizard though. Had a decent, but not especially memorable burger. Doubt I'd go back, unless I was meeting someone there.
One thing they did have was a large, live iguana.
It's quite the sight when you exit the men's room. His name is Barley.
My Scottish Wife and I avoided the torrents and streaming websites and watched the Dr. Who premiere on BBC America, good cable viewers are we!
I'm a recent convert to the phenomenon, never watched it on PBS or wherever it was aired here in the seventies and eighties. First time I ever saw any of it was in the bar at the Hotel Belhaven in Glasgow on Christmas Day 2008. I think the barman was watching too and Emma noticed it was on and went over to watch. All I remember was some weird cheap special effects and Kylie Minogue's face taking up the whole screen.
What I have come to appreciate and respect is that the show is a huge part of British culture. It's been on for well over forty years and it's now up to the eleventh Doctor. I'll miss David Tennant in the role and regret that I did not see any of Christopher Eccleston's shows. The new guy, Matt Smith, seems well suited for the doctor and Karen Gillian is certainly an eye pleasing companion.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Steven (Coupling) Moffat does with the series.
April's been quite busy with life and writing projects. Sleep has been hard to come by, that's what I should be doing now.
Went to the Winking Lizard for the first time today. I was not completely sold. For all the screens they had and not one was showing soccer. Come on, Spurs and Chelsea were playing and they had on cheer-leading and women's beach volleyball.
Oh, it's that kind of sports bar.
The draft beer selection was adequate, if not predictable. The bottled beer selection was a bit pricey but there were a few interesting selections. My eyeballs keyed in on a German Berliner Weisse. It's a very rare thing to see in this country so I ordered one. It's not brewed in Berlin, so it's not a true Berliner Weisse. Back in one of my previous lives I actually made a home brewed beer in that style, without having ever tried one. That's how obsessed I was. Did it all grain, if that was poetry, I would have been reading it off paper. I even went mail order for the special yeast and the lactobacillus culture that soured the beer. Yes, it was quite hardcore. Yes, I buried a few bottles in the backyard.
When we got around to trying it, well it tasted quite sour. The color was very pale. A very light beer, low in alcohol. We still had no commercial example to compare it too, it was not until that beer was long gone that a commercial version (Kindl, I think) was available for us to drink here. It was decent, sour, and we had the special syrups and unique glassware for customers. By then the business was starting to go bust and my memory gets a bit fuzzy.
Back to the Winking Lizard though. Had a decent, but not especially memorable burger. Doubt I'd go back, unless I was meeting someone there.
One thing they did have was a large, live iguana.
It's quite the sight when you exit the men's room. His name is Barley.
My Scottish Wife and I avoided the torrents and streaming websites and watched the Dr. Who premiere on BBC America, good cable viewers are we!
I'm a recent convert to the phenomenon, never watched it on PBS or wherever it was aired here in the seventies and eighties. First time I ever saw any of it was in the bar at the Hotel Belhaven in Glasgow on Christmas Day 2008. I think the barman was watching too and Emma noticed it was on and went over to watch. All I remember was some weird cheap special effects and Kylie Minogue's face taking up the whole screen.
What I have come to appreciate and respect is that the show is a huge part of British culture. It's been on for well over forty years and it's now up to the eleventh Doctor. I'll miss David Tennant in the role and regret that I did not see any of Christopher Eccleston's shows. The new guy, Matt Smith, seems well suited for the doctor and Karen Gillian is certainly an eye pleasing companion.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Steven (Coupling) Moffat does with the series.
April's been quite busy with life and writing projects. Sleep has been hard to come by, that's what I should be doing now.
Monday, February 8, 2010
No More Talking Babies!
A surprisingly good Super Bowl last night. The Saints showing us that turnovers are important. The win is not going to rebuild the city, but if it makes people happy for awhile so be it.
The commercials were blah. A lot of animals were used. What's with the implied interspecies love going on? The monster.com groundhog was getting in on with a high tech fashion babe in a hot tub in the back of a limo. Creepy.
The Tebow ad was understated. Why did NOW complain about that and not the go daddy ad?
The moment Roger Daltrey opened his mouth and a rasp came out I knew the halftime show was in trouble. Can the NFL find a band where the lead singer is not 66 years old for next year's show? Please, enough British dinosaur acts, find an American one. Why not Van Halen? Give Beyonce a shot. I would not be surprised if it were Green Day.
The commercials were blah. A lot of animals were used. What's with the implied interspecies love going on? The monster.com groundhog was getting in on with a high tech fashion babe in a hot tub in the back of a limo. Creepy.
The Tebow ad was understated. Why did NOW complain about that and not the go daddy ad?
The moment Roger Daltrey opened his mouth and a rasp came out I knew the halftime show was in trouble. Can the NFL find a band where the lead singer is not 66 years old for next year's show? Please, enough British dinosaur acts, find an American one. Why not Van Halen? Give Beyonce a shot. I would not be surprised if it were Green Day.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Do You Have A Father?
I still have not seen Kate Winslet in The Reader but it would have to be a monster performance to beat that of Kristen Scott Thomas in I've Loved You So Long.
She plays Juliette, a woman who is now living with her younger sister and her family after being in prison for fifteen years. What her crime was and her motives behind it is slowly revealed throughout the film. Scott-Thomas' acting is exquisite as she explores a character who has some serious pain inside her as she slowly begins to reenter the world. The part of her sister Lea is also sensitively played by Elsa Zylberstein. It's a gut wrenching reveal that I thought was a bit over the top but it fit in with the tone of the film. See this. In French with English subtitles.
I've found a television show to watch that fits my demographic. Men of a Certain Age stars Ray Romano as a former golfer who now runs a party store. He's separated from his wife and has a bit of a gambling problem. Scott Bakula has the thankless role of playing the aging lothario. The real reason to watch is Andre Braugher who plays a man working in his father's car dealership. He's out of shape, has a bum ticker but still retains a spark of life and independence. Every scene he is in is a marvel. The show airs Monday nights at ten on TNT.
She plays Juliette, a woman who is now living with her younger sister and her family after being in prison for fifteen years. What her crime was and her motives behind it is slowly revealed throughout the film. Scott-Thomas' acting is exquisite as she explores a character who has some serious pain inside her as she slowly begins to reenter the world. The part of her sister Lea is also sensitively played by Elsa Zylberstein. It's a gut wrenching reveal that I thought was a bit over the top but it fit in with the tone of the film. See this. In French with English subtitles.
I've found a television show to watch that fits my demographic. Men of a Certain Age stars Ray Romano as a former golfer who now runs a party store. He's separated from his wife and has a bit of a gambling problem. Scott Bakula has the thankless role of playing the aging lothario. The real reason to watch is Andre Braugher who plays a man working in his father's car dealership. He's out of shape, has a bum ticker but still retains a spark of life and independence. Every scene he is in is a marvel. The show airs Monday nights at ten on TNT.
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