Monday, October 31, 2005
I'm too old to trick or treat, too young to die.
We had a surprisingly light crowd this year, just over a hundred Pirates, Witches, Mass Murderers, and several "I have no idea what you are supposed to be." Kyle was a Toy. Sherriff Woody. Ryan was a defender of the galaxy, a Jedi Knight.
CATastrophe
Unfortunately the critics, ergo Ryan and Kyle were quite unimpressed. Apparently if it's not a fiendish visage from the bowls of perdition, these tikes are uninterested. Oh well maybe next year I can find a pattern of Martha Stewart in prison....now that's scary.
Happy All Hallows Eve
Sunday, October 30, 2005
The Women of Oz
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Spooktacular
Knoxville, TN - Halls High School - It is said that in the late 1970's a young girl was having a fight with her boyfriend at the top of the stairs by the office when he pushed her and she fell to the bottom of the stairs. He left her to bleed to death. When the boyfriend got nervous, he went back to where he had left her and she wasn't there. No one knew where the girl had went. She was filed under "missing persons" and no one ever found her. One year later on the day of her murder, the boyfriend was on his way home from a party when he was stabbed and killed and left for dead. No weapon was ever recovered nor was anyone ever convicted. It is said that it was his high school girlfriend that came back from the dead to avenge her murder.I went to Central High, but Halls is just down the road. Scary.
Supposedly, many strange things happened in that stairwell that caused the school board to close it up. The doors are locked and it now leads to nowhere cause it has been built up at the top. There are many boxes of storage in there and no student is to be allowed in there at anytime. At night it has been reported that janitors can hear arguing, and sometimes you may even hear something falling down them.
BOO!
Friday, October 28, 2005
Z is for Zorro!
I love Zorro. He's like a Spanish Batman with his sword, whip, stirrups, and mask. Tornado, his powerful black stallion is of course the "Batmobile." The sequel was as charming as the first. Catherine and Antonio have great screen chemistry even though early in the film their characters are in conflict with one another. In this film, instead of Anthony Hopkins, Mr. and Mrs. Zorro have a mischievous little boy, Joaquin (Adrian Alonso). He provides some comic relief, but I think Zorro's horse stole the best comedic bit parts. (pardon the pun). The film runs a little long, but with all the excellent sword fights, action stunts, and energetic performances, it is worth it! I will have to rent the first one and watch it again.
I snuck some chocolate into the theater. Is that like downloading music from the Internet? Anyway I got it all over my shirt. Serves me right.
Check out The Legend of Zorro!
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
A Bright Yellow House
As a combat engineer in the 48th Brigade, Spc. Mathew Gibbs would scout patrol routes in a hulking armored vehicle the Army calls a "buffalo," designed to sniff out bombs before they kill other troops.On August 2, the 21-year-old factory worker called his wife and family in the rural, southwest Georgia town of Ambrose. He'd been assigned to a new duty, manning checkpoints.
The next day, a suicide bomber detonated a car loaded with explosives at the checkpoint Gibbs was guarding with two other soldiers.
The Fleetwood mobile home factory in Alma, where Gibbs worked building interior walls, stopped its fast-paced production line for a moment of silence.
Rae Gibbs asked her husband's fellow soldiers to tell all they knew. "They all assured me they didn't even know what was coming and didn't know what hit them."
Before he deployed, Gibbs planned to move his wife and daughters, ages 5 and 3, to a small house on his in-laws' farm. He had the restoration plans drawn up. He'd even picked the color -- bright yellow.
"He should have gotten to college like he planned. He should have gotten to watch his daughters grow up," said Lee Carver, Gibbs' mother-in-law. "He should have gotten to paint that house yellow."
I wish I were rich. His daughter's are close to my son's ages. I'd make sure they had the chance to go to college. And I'd paint that house yellow.
Broken Dreams
Run over by the wheel of misfortune,
Squeezed by the thumbscrews of conformity,
Stretched on the rack of religion,
Skewered by the blunt lance of self censorship,
Burnt by the coals of higher education,
Devoured by the tumor of technology,
Seared by the corrupt breath of politics,
Served up on the platter of social injustice,
Sucked in by the illusions of the media,
Crunched in the jaws of corporate greed.
We all have broken dreams.
-TJ Taroo
Sunday, October 23, 2005
The Paradoxical Commandments
Written By Kent M. Keith in 1968
Saturday, October 22, 2005
DOOM
The film makers altered the story line from the game a little. In the game you are fighting demons from hell. The monsters in the movie are just scientists that have been gennetically mutated. And so we are missing some of the original horrors like towering cyberdemons and flame-tossing imps. The main scientist is named Dr. Carmack which is a nod to the creator of DOOM and a co-founder of ID Software, John Carmack.
Another small let down was the weapons. The sarge finds the BFG (Big Freaking* Gun) but it is hardly used. *Insert colorful metaphor. Karl Urban, who played Eomer in Lord of the Rings, did a great job too.
Overall I enjoyed the film, the first person perspective segment at the end of the movie was great.
If you liked DOOM, you'll like the flick. Check it out.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Bears, Deer, and Spiders
Unfortunately the only wildlife we saw was a large wolf spider. We did stop at the visitors center where we saw a stuffed bear and deer.
See ya in the woods.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
I hate networks.
Oh well, my problems pale compared to Katrina victims and people in the path of Wilma.
Tomorrow Lyn, Ryan, and I are going to go for a hike to Laurel Falls, in the Smoky Moutains. He is out of school, so we took the day off. He has been begging us to take him hiking. If you never hear from me again. Start searching at the Falls. I won't be lost, I'll be passed out from the hike. I'm so not in shape.
Fortunately it is a short hike. The paramedics should be able to reach me quickly.
Remember, you're never lost if you don't care where you are.
Earl is Back
It's nice to see a big star like that come back and do some small screen stuff. In Earl, Giovanni plays an ex-con long time friend of Earl's who can't stop stealing. Jaime Pressly was also back as Earl's ex, Joy. Comedy is her calling, she makes the show.
I also watched the special features on Disk 2 of the deluxe edition of Batman Begins. All I can say is; when I win the lottery, I'm buying a Bat Mobile.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
I'm Batman!
Surprisingly Keaton pulled it off rather well. In fact in my opinion he was the best Batman of the series of Batman films. The ones after Batman Returns were almost as campy as the TV show.
So I was a little skeptical when I heard they (Hollywood) was starting a new set of Batman movies with Batman Begins starring Christian Bale. I again was pleasantly surprised. The new movie was awesome. It was dark, focused, and a decent story. Gary Oldman did a good job as Jim Gordon, same with Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, Jedi Knight Liam Neeson was excellent as the arch villian, Ra's Al Ghul, and kudos to Michael Caine as Alfred. Katie Holmes was the only character that I thought was miss cast.
Batman Begins is out on DVD today. Buy it!
Sunday, October 16, 2005
Pumpkin Patch
Kyle found one that had a lovely shade of green. After finding a gourdgeous pumpkin, Kyle rode a large white horse. It was tethered with two smaller ponies, but Kyle told the man he wanted to ride the big horse.
Ryan wants to carve the pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern today. We told him he had to wait till closer to Halloween.
Cya.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Bomb, James Bomb
Very disappointing. Especilly since Pierce Brosnan was still willing to carry on in the role. Well I hope the new guy bombs at the theater. Then maybe they will listen to me! Will I go see the new movie when it comes out? Oh yeah.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Yard Work Stinks!
I hate yard work. I don't have a green thumb. I'm a geek, a gear head, a nerd... ok maybe not a nerd. But I know I don't like gardening. I can stand in the shade doing nothing and I start to sweat like my uncle Andy in church. So I am drenched when I get out in the sun and do something.
I tried to keep the yard up when we first moved in. I seeded, aerated, fertilized, and limed the yard. But the weeds came, the earth is red clay, and sometimes I just couldn't spend the money on grass and weeds. So the yard is what the yard is and at least I can say I tried something today.
Au revoir
Google it!
Google is just exploding with all kinds of cool sites and products! Are they on the way to becoming the next "evil tech empire" like Microsoft? I don't know but for now their stuff is really cool and really free! You should be using it. You can personalize your own Google Home Page, by adding content and even dynamically dragging it around the page.
You should also sign up for a free Gmail account. Your Google home page will display any new messages in your inbox. Picasa is awesome for organizing your digital pictures and touching them up. Google Earth is mind boggling satellite imagery of the planet with spatial data overlays. Google maps for great directions. Hate pop-ups? Their toolbar does the job. Below is a list of Google Sites and Products. The products you install on your personal computer.
Sites:
Touchy Feely Show
The main focus was on Hurley, and I love that character, he's a hoot.
We finally get to see the rest of the passengers for flight 815 and that they have been hiding in one of the other bunkers. And that Roses' husband, Bernard is in fact alive. Good Show!
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Earl let me down last night
I’m outta here.
How to pay for college?
I look over our budget and see that we tend to live a few dollars beyond our means every month. I make it up twice a year with a tax refund and a bonus check from TVA. My only hope is that I have put some money in an After-Tax 401k plan that I may be able to tap when he's ready. Also with TN having a lottery, there are some HOPE scholarships he may qualify for. I'm not counting on it but maybe he will have better grades and ACT scores than I did. He will have to get a part-time job to help out with incidental costs like books and transportation. Finally he can apply for financial aide. School Loans. So that's my plan and I'm sticking to it.
Sure there's the 529 section savings plan but again, unless there is suddenly an ice rink in Hell and I get promoted to a manager postion here at TVA .... there's no extra money. Kyle, I have three words for you; SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS. Good luck son.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Unleash the Hounds!
She does home health physical therapy and so goes to people's homes all over the county. So she has this one bed bound patient who has a younger dog and an older dog. She usually lets the younger dog out into the yard for the patient. The younger dog is a large puppy and likes to nip and tug at your pants.
Well the dog nipped my wife tearing her pants and slightly breaking the skin. So I am guessing the doctor will want to give her a tetnus shot to be safe.
Bad dog! Bad dog!
Monday, October 10, 2005
Dungeons and Dragons II
It was fun to watch. The sequel was no Lord of the Rings, but it did seem to capture the feel of the table top game. A party of adventures are summoned to save the land from impending certain doom. They even referenced a few of the old school modules in the film. They also had a few more special effects than the first movie. They were cheesy, but I appreciated the attempt. While the gamers will be the movies' toughest critics, it was after all made for them.
Violent Movie
*Spoilers*
The movie sets the stage for a family man, Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) living the American Dream in a quite mid-west town. Until two murdering thugs cross his path and he is forced to deal with them. The incident garners regional if not national attention and the plot thickens as Tom's past comes back to haunt him. A side story in the film involves his son who is dealing with his own violence at school. It doesn't overpower the main plot and blends nicely. Tom's wife also has to deal with her husband's past and she is forced to accept him for it or reject him. I was only disappointed with the final scene. There was no dialog, just body language and gestures that show Tom's son and daughter accepting him back into the fold and we are left with Tom and his wife looking at each other. Did she finally accept him or not? You decide.
Columbus Day
So I will slip off to the movies and see A History of Violence. Then I need to run to Lowes and get some winterizer for my yard. Why you ask? Because the commercial on TV promised a rich lush green lawn this spring if I use their product. They wouldn't lie. Would they?
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Wise Man
Where did I put that lotto ticket?
Dawg gone it!
The weather has finally turned a little "Fall" like. I like a few days of overcast skies and steady rain. Feels cozy.
I hope to salvage this weekend with a government holiday on Monday. Columbus Day. Historically, Columbus was not the first to discover America, nor was he the first European to land at America. He was the first to exploit, kill, and enslave the Arawak Indians of Haiti. Three cheers for history!
Arrivederci.
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Who let the Dawgs out?
I didn't get to see A History of Violence yesterday. Kyle's daycare called saying he was sick. I picked him up and he seemed fine. He had complained of a tummy ache. I think he just had gas. Now I have it.
Oh well it's a federal holiday Monday, (I love my job [sometimes]), perhaps I'll make it to the movies then.
Take Care!
Friday, October 07, 2005
The Italian Job
Mom returns from
I hope she brought me back Sabrina Ferilli or Isabella Rossellini or Téa Leoni. Hey what's wrong with a souvenir?
Speaking of Téa Leoni, she will be starring next to Jim Carrey in the remake of the 1977 film, Fun with Dick and Jane. (don't click on that unless you have high speed internet)
I am now off to Wally World to buy the things we can't live without. The necessities of life. Mountain Dew for example. And of course the sticky little gooey gummies that my kids consume each night during the latest Power Rangers show before going to bed. Of course they brush their little teeth first.
Asta La Pasta.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Into the Blue
There is also a brief appearance of James Frain, the ugly British man who played Paul Raines, the separated husband of Jack Bauer's lover Audrey Heller Raines in 24. Follow that? It was way too soon to see that guy again.
This Friday I plan to see A History of Violence. Starring our favorite ranger, Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn in Lord of the Rings. Hopefully this will be better than Hidalgo.
W00T! I've been bloggin for a week now. Nobody is reading my Blog, but I'm havin fun. And that's all that matters. Right?
Auf Wiedersehen.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Sick Day
I'm planning on giving my old Pentium II to the church if I can get it cleaned up. Ryan doesn't need a PC yet. He'll probably get the one I am using now and then I will of course upgrade.
I got an invite to the UT game Saturday at 3:30 vs the Georgia Dawgs. I apologize in advance. Since I get to go to the game, they'll mostly likely get the numbers knocked right off their jerseys.
My name is Earl was funny as usual last night and if you are lucky enough to see it in High Definition (HDTV), there was an "Easter Egg" for the "High Def" viewers.
Well lets wander to the mall for lunch.
CYA.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Too much TV?
Jim, had come over the other night and was kind enough to lift him up in the air to make a basket. Jim's two feet taller than me. I can barely get the boy up there. Thanks Jim.
But he was satisfied to get his own goal out there and he directed me to place it right next to mine. Fun was had by all.
My Name is Earl comes on tonight, that's a funny show, I don't care who you are. I heard that people watch eight hours of TV a week on average. Doesn't sound like it but that's a lot of TV. At least with DVR and Tivo we are watching less commercials. That's good right?
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO–Jonathan Hargrove, a Colorado Springs-area peeping Tom, expressed exasperation Tuesday, when a fifth consecutive victim did nothing more with her evening than watch hours of television. "I thought peering in on strangers would be more, I don't know, exciting," said the 44-year-old Hargrove, speaking from his hydrangea-bush hiding place. "I guess I somehow expected other people's lives to be more sexy or interesting than mine." Hargrove did note, however, that Big Brother 6 is "really starting to heat up."
Chow.
Monday, October 03, 2005
Groan....it's Monday
I listen to Marc and Kim in the morning on Star 102.1 FM on the way in. They are pretty funny and they like LOST too. Check out their LOST blog here.
Well, no TV tonight that I can think of. Oh wait, scratch that. Monday Night Football is on. I like to follow the TITANS, but that's about it for me. I'll shoot some hoops with Ryan and then frag people on the internet in an online game of HALO.
Adios.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Thank God it's NOT Monday
It's a mixed bag for me, for Sunday heralds the coming of Monday. Monday means returning to the headache factory, the salt mines, the cubicle farm where one finds row after row of boxes filled with human compost. The fluorescent lights overhead suck the life force out of you right through your eyes.
It wasn't always like this for me. I used to look forward to going to work. I enjoyed it. And I thank God for my job, I really do. I get a decent computer, with a large monitor, internet access, and I get to make cool maps. The pay and benefits and my co-workers are very good as well. Then why do I dread Monday? My wife used to say I should be doing cart wheels in the morning when I get up because I get to go to such a job. Over the years though, I have seen any chances to advance diminish. I don't care how good the job is, everyone has a need to feel like they are appreciated for their hard work and years of service by being rewarded with opportunities to take on more responsibilities and greater challenges. These have been few and far between.
In addition, for whatever reason, our workload and projects have dried up with no new endeavors on the horizon. So our group begins to wither. When this happens in an organization and comes to the attention of upper management, rather than try and save the dying appendage, it is usually ... Pruned.
So that's why I hate Mondays. There are small groups of people in favor of restructuring the weeks as we know them. They propose a six day week with each day having twenty-eight hours. The day they would eliminate? Monday. Oh yeah, they have my vote.
At least the VOLS won again, and the movie I saw, Serenity was very good, if you like sci-fi action flicks with a dash of horror and a splash of humor thrown in.
Well I will do what I always do and try to make this excellent weekend last all week till the next one.
Toodles.
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Go VOLS!
He giggles as if to say "Not any more dood!" He dashes out of the room and down the hall to his waiting cereal bowl. I roll over hoping not to see him for another 30 minutes. Yeah right. With in seconds he returns with a sticky cereal marshmallow in his hand and offers it to me. "No thank you," I reply. "You eat it." He giggles again and pops the packed, processed sugar into his mouth. I only feed my kids the best.
Ryan is at a friend's house and they will be bringing him to the soccer field at 2:00. I mention to Lyn that that will be in the middle of the UT vs Ole Miss game. She suggests that I stay home with Kyle (who will be napping at that time) and watch the game. She will go to the soccer game.
Now I'm not the biggest UT fan out there, but I like to watch the most unpredictable team in the SEC and I'd like to see what craziness they do especially after their miracle win over LSU.
Well that's my day in a nutshell.
Go VOLS!