12/8/11
11/28/11
Living the High Line
Have you been yet? it's a retired raised train track in Manhattan that's now a walkway with plantings and people-watching. We had a family outing there on Sunday...check it out -- O is almost as tall as Grandma.
11/9/11
Craziness
The unspeakable awfulness is over at penn state and jerry sandusky will no doubt die in jail so it seems almost trivial to make a fuss over what happens to Joe Paterno now. That said, how on earth do the psu trustees allow him to coach another hour for their school? it makes no sense at all. Paterno says he regrets not doing more and will spend the rest of his days doing more to help this cause, but just after we see if we can get to the gator bowl? it's totally nuts. I have to believe the trustees will right this before Saturday....this just in from Julie...trustees releasing a statement at 10.
11/2/11
Close call
Halloween's a pretty big deal here at 68 Cleveland. When the snow started falling Saturday and the power went out just after half-time of the Husker game, it looked like the best we might be able to hope for was face down snow-worms.
But against all odds, our power came back Monday morning, the snow melted, and Zombie Punk Rockers roamed the streets.
But against all odds, our power came back Monday morning, the snow melted, and Zombie Punk Rockers roamed the streets.
10/27/11
Summer of 2011
With the first freezing slush this afternoon signalling the end of summer, it's time to flash back to slightly warmer times in Acadia National Park in early September.
atop Cadillac Mountain
on the rocks steps from the Atlantic
at the campsite
atop Cadillac Mountain
on the rocks steps from the Atlantic
at the campsite
10/16/11
where have these Bears been hibernating?
the Bears look very sharp so far in the first half of their Sunday night matchup with the vikes.
our cable went out this morning ('high winds' says Comcast...), which I took as a sign that I should spare myself the angst of potential back-to-back nationally-televised Bears' stinkers. But then I found the game streaming live on NBC.com, which I took as a sign that the first sign was a bluff.
our cable went out this morning ('high winds' says Comcast...), which I took as a sign that I should spare myself the angst of potential back-to-back nationally-televised Bears' stinkers. But then I found the game streaming live on NBC.com, which I took as a sign that the first sign was a bluff.
9/29/11
O's' moxie sinks sox
wow that was a wild night of baseball...I went to bed at 10:30 after the announcers were speculating that the O's-sox rain delay might turn into a postponement. But then I saw that the rays were heading into the bottom of the 9th only down 1 run to the yankees so I went back down to catch that finale. Then the O's' - sox came out of rain delay. I won't recount the details that are more eloquently described elsewhere but I do want to give a special shout out to the lady in the orange O's bucket hat sitting just over the shoulder of left-handed batters who held up a bright orange home-made sign the *entire game* that read "Spoiler Alert."
9/28/11
Yale philosophy major sinks O's
In truth, the O's were sunk quite a while ago but let's ignore that for now.
To sum it up: pre-season, the O's manager made the observation that the red sox take all this credit for success related to 'Moneyball' methodology but in fact spend a ton of money. This rankled the fragile sox and the O's manager was forced into a pseudo-apology. The season started and the sox fell flat on their faces; much hand-wringing took place, but they eventually righted their ship and went on a tear. Red sox nation spent July and August planning for October baseball. Then, the sox fell on their faces again, going 7-19 (so far) in September, putting them on the brink of statistically the worst falling-out-of-the-playoffs collapse in the history of a 138 year old sport.
Last night, on the shoulders of only the 3rd Yale-drafted professional player since 1965 and certainly the only Yale philosophy major to ever play professional baseball, the sox beat the O's 8-7 to stay in the playoff race. Rather than ponder his navel, rookie catcher Lavarnway hit 2 home runs and caught the swift Adam Jones stealing.
So it all comes down to tonight! (unless the sox and rays both win, in which case it all comes down to a 1-game playoff btw sox/rays). September O's' baseball: Catch the Magic!
To sum it up: pre-season, the O's manager made the observation that the red sox take all this credit for success related to 'Moneyball' methodology but in fact spend a ton of money. This rankled the fragile sox and the O's manager was forced into a pseudo-apology. The season started and the sox fell flat on their faces; much hand-wringing took place, but they eventually righted their ship and went on a tear. Red sox nation spent July and August planning for October baseball. Then, the sox fell on their faces again, going 7-19 (so far) in September, putting them on the brink of statistically the worst falling-out-of-the-playoffs collapse in the history of a 138 year old sport.
Last night, on the shoulders of only the 3rd Yale-drafted professional player since 1965 and certainly the only Yale philosophy major to ever play professional baseball, the sox beat the O's 8-7 to stay in the playoff race. Rather than ponder his navel, rookie catcher Lavarnway hit 2 home runs and caught the swift Adam Jones stealing.
So it all comes down to tonight! (unless the sox and rays both win, in which case it all comes down to a 1-game playoff btw sox/rays). September O's' baseball: Catch the Magic!
9/11/11
E-mail Fail
Julie got this email intended for a different JP in Ohio:
"Hello fellow biker chicks!
How 'bout Saturday, the 17th for our girls night out sleep over while the "Wild Hogs" are out of town!
Chili in the "crotch" pot, plenty of adult beverages and a bonfire, weather permitting.
Will this work for everyone?"
Like you probably, I was most struck by the "crotch" pot reference, which generated an unfortunate image in my mind. I sometimes refer to it as the 'crackpot' for no good reason, so I will go with that explanation for peace of mind.
"Hello fellow biker chicks!
How 'bout Saturday, the 17th for our girls night out sleep over while the "Wild Hogs" are out of town!
Chili in the "crotch" pot, plenty of adult beverages and a bonfire, weather permitting.
Will this work for everyone?"
Like you probably, I was most struck by the "crotch" pot reference, which generated an unfortunate image in my mind. I sometimes refer to it as the 'crackpot' for no good reason, so I will go with that explanation for peace of mind.
8/30/11
Let there be light
the power is back on at 68 Cleveland Road after nearly 72 hours. would have been less painful had I not deadbolted the side door to the garage, thus trapping my car behind the electric garage door. (no I don't have a key to the deadbolt and yes I locked it from the inside)
I drank our milk all 3 days and will continue to do so.
My showering schedule was not affected, despite rumors to the contrary.
O has been at Grandma Liz' and the start of school has been delayed by a day.
I drank our milk all 3 days and will continue to do so.
My showering schedule was not affected, despite rumors to the contrary.
O has been at Grandma Liz' and the start of school has been delayed by a day.
8/25/11
Think of the children...
Are you concerned about the environment? Would you be more concerned about it if you saw a billboard on I-95 featuring multicultural children picking up trash on a beach? Of course you would. What if one of the kids had a delightful pseudo-double chin just like his daddy? That's right...open the check book...
8/17/11
Red Hawk Fort
Owen just finished his 2 weeks at Common Ground, the camp where last year's heat wave forced O to spend a fair bit of time in the well-shaded chicken area hanging out with Muffin Top. Early reports this year indicated that 'fort-building,' which I feared might be a euphemism for 'sitting in the shade,' was O's activity of choice.
this pic doesn't do it justice, but turns out the Red Hawk Fort (of which O was apparently the leader) was quite the architectural feat.
this pic doesn't do it justice, but turns out the Red Hawk Fort (of which O was apparently the leader) was quite the architectural feat.
8/12/11
collision course
If I'm not careful, my next in-theater experience could be 'Glee-3D.' Here's an excerpt from Peter Travers' review:
"The movie plays like an evangelical prayer meeting, though I'd hold the hallelujahs. The characters we came to admire as vulnerable misfits hit the stage like visiting royalty and with a nonstop perkiness that makes the Von Trapps look like manic-depressives."
"The movie plays like an evangelical prayer meeting, though I'd hold the hallelujahs. The characters we came to admire as vulnerable misfits hit the stage like visiting royalty and with a nonstop perkiness that makes the Von Trapps look like manic-depressives."
8/11/11
In Memoriam
I didn't know Dr. Kirchner but wish I had after reading his obituary.
In Memoriam: John A. Kirchner
March 27, 1915 – July 31, 2011
John A. Kirchner, M.D., a world-renowned physician-scientist who served as chief of the Section of Otolaryngology at Yale School of Medicine for 30 years, died peacefully on July 31 at Yale-New Haven Hospital after a brief illness. He was 96.
Dr. Kirchner was a skilled surgeon and prolific researcher, with particular expertise in the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the larynx and pharynx, and the surgical treatment of laryngeal cancers.
Born on March 27, 1915, in Waynesboro, Pa., Dr. Kirchner grew up in Lancaster, Pa. After graduating from high school he hitchhiked across the country, foreshadowing his lifelong love of travel. (Among his many adventures, he spent a week in jail in Tennessee after being arrested for hopping a freight train.)
Dr. Kirchner received his M.D. at the University of Virginia in 1940, completing an internship at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, La., in 1941. During World War II, he was a medical officer of the 314th Regiment, 79th Infantry Division, of the United States Army, and was part of the landing force at Utah Beach in Normandy, France, in the days following the D-Day invasion.
At one point Dr. Kirchner's medical unit, hidden under trees at the edge of a field, was mistakenly strafed by American planes. To warn the pilots, Kirchner got into an ambulance marked with a Red Cross and drove it into the center of the field as the planes came around for another pass. For this and other meritorious actions, Kirchner was awarded the Bronze Star and four campaign medals.
From 1945 to 1950, Dr. Kirchner was an otolaryngology resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he met and soon married Aline Legault, a French-Canadian student in Johns Hopkins' Department of Art as Applied to Medicine. He came to Yale in 1951, and was chief of the Department of Surgery's Section of Otolaryngology for the next 30 years. He was named professor emeritus of surgery (otolaryngology) in 1985. For those who trained under him, he was known as "the Boss," but he was never bossy. His many trainees looked to him for guidance and continued to do so until his death.
His research, including histopathological studies of more than 400 laryngectomy specimens he collected, has been published in 200 reports in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters. In addition, Dr. Kirchner was a contributing editor to the Year Book of the Ear, Nose & Throat from 1969 to 1975 and edited the books Vocal Fold Histopathology: A Symposium (1986) and Atlas on the Surgical Anatomy of Laryngeal Cancer (1998). After his retirement from practice in 1985, Dr. Kirchner made numerous appearances at New Haven schools to speak about the health hazards of tobacco.
Among the numerous awards and honors bestowed on Dr. Kirchner are the Harris P. Mosher Award from the Triological Society (1958); the Casselberry Award (1966), Newcomb Award (1969), and deRoaldes Award (1985) from the American Laryngological Association; and the Semon Medal from the University of London (1981).
Dr. Kirchner served as president of leading organizations in otolaryngology, including the American Society for Head and Neck Surgery, the American Laryngological Association, the American Rhinological and Otological Society, and the American Head and Neck Society.
Dr. Kirchner pursued a variety of interests throughout his life. He was an enthusiastic organic gardener, crabber, and fisherman, and a talented musician who played guitar, accordion, and piano. Fluent in several languages, he was often invited to give lectures and teach courses abroad. In his mid-50s he became interested in mountain climbing and traveled to Europe several times to scale the Alps.
All who knew Dr. Kirchner were inspired by his enthusiasm, his humor, his adventurous spirit, and his active, ongoing interest in everyone and everything. He had a lifelong love of learning and continued to take adult-education courses well into his 80s. Ever the alert physician, on the eve of his 95th birthday he performed the Heimlich maneuver on a dinner companion when he saw that she was choking. "Don't ever think you've out-lived your usefulness," she told him.
In Memoriam: John A. Kirchner
March 27, 1915 – July 31, 2011
John A. Kirchner, M.D., a world-renowned physician-scientist who served as chief of the Section of Otolaryngology at Yale School of Medicine for 30 years, died peacefully on July 31 at Yale-New Haven Hospital after a brief illness. He was 96.
Dr. Kirchner was a skilled surgeon and prolific researcher, with particular expertise in the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the larynx and pharynx, and the surgical treatment of laryngeal cancers.
Born on March 27, 1915, in Waynesboro, Pa., Dr. Kirchner grew up in Lancaster, Pa. After graduating from high school he hitchhiked across the country, foreshadowing his lifelong love of travel. (Among his many adventures, he spent a week in jail in Tennessee after being arrested for hopping a freight train.)
Dr. Kirchner received his M.D. at the University of Virginia in 1940, completing an internship at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, La., in 1941. During World War II, he was a medical officer of the 314th Regiment, 79th Infantry Division, of the United States Army, and was part of the landing force at Utah Beach in Normandy, France, in the days following the D-Day invasion.
At one point Dr. Kirchner's medical unit, hidden under trees at the edge of a field, was mistakenly strafed by American planes. To warn the pilots, Kirchner got into an ambulance marked with a Red Cross and drove it into the center of the field as the planes came around for another pass. For this and other meritorious actions, Kirchner was awarded the Bronze Star and four campaign medals.
From 1945 to 1950, Dr. Kirchner was an otolaryngology resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he met and soon married Aline Legault, a French-Canadian student in Johns Hopkins' Department of Art as Applied to Medicine. He came to Yale in 1951, and was chief of the Department of Surgery's Section of Otolaryngology for the next 30 years. He was named professor emeritus of surgery (otolaryngology) in 1985. For those who trained under him, he was known as "the Boss," but he was never bossy. His many trainees looked to him for guidance and continued to do so until his death.
His research, including histopathological studies of more than 400 laryngectomy specimens he collected, has been published in 200 reports in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters. In addition, Dr. Kirchner was a contributing editor to the Year Book of the Ear, Nose & Throat from 1969 to 1975 and edited the books Vocal Fold Histopathology: A Symposium (1986) and Atlas on the Surgical Anatomy of Laryngeal Cancer (1998). After his retirement from practice in 1985, Dr. Kirchner made numerous appearances at New Haven schools to speak about the health hazards of tobacco.
Among the numerous awards and honors bestowed on Dr. Kirchner are the Harris P. Mosher Award from the Triological Society (1958); the Casselberry Award (1966), Newcomb Award (1969), and deRoaldes Award (1985) from the American Laryngological Association; and the Semon Medal from the University of London (1981).
Dr. Kirchner served as president of leading organizations in otolaryngology, including the American Society for Head and Neck Surgery, the American Laryngological Association, the American Rhinological and Otological Society, and the American Head and Neck Society.
Dr. Kirchner pursued a variety of interests throughout his life. He was an enthusiastic organic gardener, crabber, and fisherman, and a talented musician who played guitar, accordion, and piano. Fluent in several languages, he was often invited to give lectures and teach courses abroad. In his mid-50s he became interested in mountain climbing and traveled to Europe several times to scale the Alps.
All who knew Dr. Kirchner were inspired by his enthusiasm, his humor, his adventurous spirit, and his active, ongoing interest in everyone and everything. He had a lifelong love of learning and continued to take adult-education courses well into his 80s. Ever the alert physician, on the eve of his 95th birthday he performed the Heimlich maneuver on a dinner companion when he saw that she was choking. "Don't ever think you've out-lived your usefulness," she told him.
7/25/11
7/24/11
Down on the Farm
Owen got in touch with his agrarian roots last week during a visit to the family farm in central Illinois. Pictured here is O getting pointers on driving the tractor from great great Uncle Bill.
7/17/11
Orioles update
June 10th -- the O's shut out the Rays 7-0, bringing them just shy of the .500 mark at 30-31. Considering they had already suffered an 8-game losing streak earlier in the year, this seemed like cause for celebration.
today, July 17th -- the O's are 38-54, meaning they went 8-23 over the past 31 games, including a 9-game skid that spanned the All-Star break, including the brutal 4-game sweep at the hands of the red sux leading into the break.
What is the anatomy of an 8-23 stretch? For a young team without an over-abundance of talent, 10 straight road games against three of the hottest teams: Braves, Rangers, r-sux is the biggest factor. Also, not having a shut-down starter to trot out there every 5th game means the losing tends to pick up momentum after a while.
The goal at this point is to not *totally* go in the tank, proving to Prince Fielder or other marquee free agents that the Orioles have some fight. Back-to-back wins over the Indians and re-signing JJ Hardy are steps in the right direction. Boston comes to town tomorrow...
today, July 17th -- the O's are 38-54, meaning they went 8-23 over the past 31 games, including a 9-game skid that spanned the All-Star break, including the brutal 4-game sweep at the hands of the red sux leading into the break.
What is the anatomy of an 8-23 stretch? For a young team without an over-abundance of talent, 10 straight road games against three of the hottest teams: Braves, Rangers, r-sux is the biggest factor. Also, not having a shut-down starter to trot out there every 5th game means the losing tends to pick up momentum after a while.
The goal at this point is to not *totally* go in the tank, proving to Prince Fielder or other marquee free agents that the Orioles have some fight. Back-to-back wins over the Indians and re-signing JJ Hardy are steps in the right direction. Boston comes to town tomorrow...
7/16/11
look what was happening in the 70s...
I heard this song on Sirius the other day and remember being creeped out by it as a 6 year old. Time has not blunted its creepiness. I'm guessing this was the peak of the quaalude era based on the glassy-eyed stares of the band members.
7/5/11
At Da Movies
Cyrus -- definitely worth a netflix. Jonah Hill like you've never seen him before. John C. Reilly ugly but compelling. 3 stars and at 89 minutes, can still start at 9:30.
Cars 2 -- hmmm... I'll leave this one to Owen: he loved it. But claims not to have liked Cars even though he owned 2 copies and watched it 30 times. Other things Owen will implausibly deny: that he's ever sleeping and that he went in the bathroom and trimmed his bangs with our scissors. Hmmm, O, then whose blond hair is this in the sink?? we'll never know...
Cedar Rapids -- another 3-star, 89 minute film with John C. Reilly. You will *love* him as Deansie. Ed Helms goes a little over the top and the near-ending gets a little goofy but you will enjoy Hangover meets Fargo.
Cars 2 -- hmmm... I'll leave this one to Owen: he loved it. But claims not to have liked Cars even though he owned 2 copies and watched it 30 times. Other things Owen will implausibly deny: that he's ever sleeping and that he went in the bathroom and trimmed his bangs with our scissors. Hmmm, O, then whose blond hair is this in the sink?? we'll never know...
Cedar Rapids -- another 3-star, 89 minute film with John C. Reilly. You will *love* him as Deansie. Ed Helms goes a little over the top and the near-ending gets a little goofy but you will enjoy Hangover meets Fargo.
6/20/11
Westvill E. Coyote
I decided to pass by home on my way from YNHH to WHHC last Thursday, only to spot the Notorious W.E.C. (Westvill E. Coyote) prowling our very own Cleveland Road. He looks to be a teen, which of course makes him even more unpredictable. Unconfirmed reports: an animal control officer either tried to lure him with a turkey sandwich or -- Owen's hypothesis -- threw the turkey sandwich at him as a threat. He also was apparently spotted on top of a building downtown? This building may be part of a construction site where more people are throwing food at him.
6/13/11
6/7/11
Will's guide to keeping your weiner out of the gossip pages
(1) Do NOT under any circumstance photograph your weiner.
(2) If, for some foolish reason, you violate rule #1, do NOT, under any circumstance, transmit pics of your weiner via text, email, internet, etc. If you feel compelled to show friends, family, dates, passersby the picture of your weiner, do so only on the device with which it was taken. Then destroy it (the picture).
(3) Do NOT make movies featuring your small weiner (I'm looking at you ... very quickly and then turning away...Ken Jeong)
(2) If, for some foolish reason, you violate rule #1, do NOT, under any circumstance, transmit pics of your weiner via text, email, internet, etc. If you feel compelled to show friends, family, dates, passersby the picture of your weiner, do so only on the device with which it was taken. Then destroy it (the picture).
(3) Do NOT make movies featuring your small weiner (I'm looking at you ... very quickly and then turning away...Ken Jeong)
6/6/11
Stay Classy, Mom
Julie, O and I were riding back in the car after our training bike ride Saturday (what are we training for and why do we drive a car to go biking?..stay tuned...), when I heard the opening strains of AC/DC on the radio. Now, AC/DC is a perfectly acceptable classic rock band that cranked out some monster hard rock hits, but between keeping her motor clean, dirty deeds done dirt cheap and hells bells, changing the station with 9 year olds present when AC/DC comes on is standard practice in my car. But we were in Julie's car and she said No, don't change it. Ladies and gentlemen, in lieu of state approved sex ed, WPLR and Julie bring you AC/DC's Big Balls:
I'm ever upper class high society
God's gift to ballroom notoriety
I always fill my ballroom
The event is never small
The social pages say I've got
The biggest balls of all
CHORUS:
I've got big balls
I've got big balls
And they're such big balls
Dirty big balls
And he's got big balls
And she's got big balls
But we've got the biggest balls of them all
And my balls are always bouncing
My ballroom always full
And everybody comes and comes again
If your name is on the guest list
No one can take you higher
Everybody says I've got
Great balls of fire
CHORUS
Some balls are held for charity
And some for fancy dress
But when they're held for pleasure
They're the balls that I like best
My balls are always bouncing
To the left and to the right
It's my belief that my big balls
Should be held every night
CHORUS
And I'm just itching to tell you about them
Oh we had such wonderful fun
Seafood cocktail, crabs, crayfish...
I'm ever upper class high society
God's gift to ballroom notoriety
I always fill my ballroom
The event is never small
The social pages say I've got
The biggest balls of all
CHORUS:
I've got big balls
I've got big balls
And they're such big balls
Dirty big balls
And he's got big balls
And she's got big balls
But we've got the biggest balls of them all
And my balls are always bouncing
My ballroom always full
And everybody comes and comes again
If your name is on the guest list
No one can take you higher
Everybody says I've got
Great balls of fire
CHORUS
Some balls are held for charity
And some for fancy dress
But when they're held for pleasure
They're the balls that I like best
My balls are always bouncing
To the left and to the right
It's my belief that my big balls
Should be held every night
CHORUS
And I'm just itching to tell you about them
Oh we had such wonderful fun
Seafood cocktail, crabs, crayfish...
5/23/11
I was told to look menacing...
but instead it looks like I'm smelling poop.
This is a still from the upcoming third-year resident skit featuring cameos by me and Steve. I haven't seen it yet...
This is a still from the upcoming third-year resident skit featuring cameos by me and Steve. I haven't seen it yet...
5/19/11
DMV couldn't break me and other Wednesday highlights
It got really close. I got to the "eye-rolling and swearing under my breath" stage but kept it together in the end.
Owen discovered mid-day yesterday that he had worn 2 pairs of underwear to school. He was so tired in the morning that he reports putting one pair on top of the other. I'm pretty sure that's never happened to me.
Then, at the VA, I met a lovely couple. The man was 94, the woman maybe a little younger. They ballroom dance and play tennis. The woman repeatedly told me the dancing was "very vigorous" til I finally had to say "oh, very vigorous!" since "oh, I see" hadn't completed the conversational exchange to her satisfaction.
Owen discovered mid-day yesterday that he had worn 2 pairs of underwear to school. He was so tired in the morning that he reports putting one pair on top of the other. I'm pretty sure that's never happened to me.
Then, at the VA, I met a lovely couple. The man was 94, the woman maybe a little younger. They ballroom dance and play tennis. The woman repeatedly told me the dancing was "very vigorous" til I finally had to say "oh, very vigorous!" since "oh, I see" hadn't completed the conversational exchange to her satisfaction.
5/10/11
Taunted by Teens
Why do teens taunt me? Wait...don't answer that.
They must smell fear, and everyone knows I fear teens. I once went to Krauzer's instead of Dairy Queen because there was a pack of teens at the DQ. If you don't know what Krauzer's is, suffice it to say they don't sell blizzards and peanut buster parfaits.
Anyway, I was getting in my car, trying to look unassuming, when some teens must've spotted me trying a little too hard and one of them shouted out the bus window, "Hey -- how many degrees you got?" Going with my first instinct -- which is a bad idea 50% of the time, it's just impossible to predict which 50% -- I said "2." Then, teen said, "Keep up the good work... one day you'll be as smart as me." Was that really taunting? Taunting can only be judged by the tauntee and I'll definitely say he was trying to taunt me.
This ranks well below teens shouting at me as I was jogging, "Run, Forrest, Run!" and the time a teen (OK, he was a preteen) threw a milkshake on my car for no good reason prompting me to chase him down the cobblestone streets of Manayunk in borrowed boots.
They must smell fear, and everyone knows I fear teens. I once went to Krauzer's instead of Dairy Queen because there was a pack of teens at the DQ. If you don't know what Krauzer's is, suffice it to say they don't sell blizzards and peanut buster parfaits.
Anyway, I was getting in my car, trying to look unassuming, when some teens must've spotted me trying a little too hard and one of them shouted out the bus window, "Hey -- how many degrees you got?" Going with my first instinct -- which is a bad idea 50% of the time, it's just impossible to predict which 50% -- I said "2." Then, teen said, "Keep up the good work... one day you'll be as smart as me." Was that really taunting? Taunting can only be judged by the tauntee and I'll definitely say he was trying to taunt me.
This ranks well below teens shouting at me as I was jogging, "Run, Forrest, Run!" and the time a teen (OK, he was a preteen) threw a milkshake on my car for no good reason prompting me to chase him down the cobblestone streets of Manayunk in borrowed boots.
4/24/11
Florida Fun
Wow -- there were a lot of people headed south last Saturday. We arrived safely and it was a week of glorious sunshine.
Owie was pumped up about/by the pool
the kids loved Universal and Disney... really...they did
Getting excited on the set of the Truman Show
Why no one messes with the dept of agriculture and consumer services
Owie was pumped up about/by the pool
the kids loved Universal and Disney... really...they did
Getting excited on the set of the Truman Show
Why no one messes with the dept of agriculture and consumer services
4/9/11
Seriously, who wouldn't want this car??
I can't say it has been an aggressive marketing campaign though. I put it online between the 2 biggest blizzards of the 21 century, then let my neighbor borrow it only to have it hit by a texting teen 2 hours later. It spent about 6 weeks in the shop because of all the other weather related crashes but it looks brand new. Unfortunately, it's currently in the garage behind a 10 foot pile of mulch. I should lower the price but then require that anyone who wants to drive it has to come spread a few loads of mulch.
One guy called *several* times; made a Sunday appointment to drive it, didn't show, called 2 days later to apologize and ask is price negotiable? Yes! just please stop calling! Two days later he called again (this is not a joke):
Michael: "Jeffrey?"
Will: [assuming Michael has been calling about lots of cars so is temporarily confused]
"Oh hey Michael."
Michael: "My dad and I have been thinking this over a lot."
Will: [mmmm, good sign, Dad may be able to front cash] "Yes... go on..."
Michael: "And we're planning to take a drive down there."
Will: [yes! that's it Michael! you've got it! See car on line, call owner, drive car, make decision!! yes Michael!!!] "Sounds great."
Michael: "And we're planning on offering you a job!"
Will: [realizing this was all too good to be true] "Michael, this is Will, the owner of the white Altima...you've called me like 6 times. I'm not Jeffrey and I don't need a job."
Michael: [pausing, no doubt blinking forcefully and rapidly] "Oh, jeez...oh...Jeffrey has a 215 number too...oh...ok...well...I'll call you soon about the Altima!"
epilogue: [in slow baritone voice over] Michael never called again about the Altima
4/2/11
the remaining 12 reasons...
12 - Luke Scott will be serviceable in LF. Much has been made of Vlad's signing forcing Luke into the field but, c-mon, he's in good shape, can run a little...would take him over Pat Burrell in left any day of the week.
11 - Derrek Lee has something left in the tank. At least compared to the utter abomination 1B was offensively for the O's last year (no HR by a first baseman til like June 12 or something crazy.)
10 - Vlad has a good deal left in the tank... at least a season's worth of gas.
9 -- Matt Wieters is not the next Joe Mauer; I think we're all back to reality on that one. But he will still be better than Varitek at his peak, and that starts this year.
8 -- The bullpen is ... dare I say it? ... SOLID. I would take it over the Rays' this year and they are defending division champs.
7 -- Zach Britton: the 23 year old lefty was rated mlb's 19th best prospect this offseason; his mlb debut is Sunday
6 -- Nick Markakis, RF -- will get some MVP votes this year. mark my words
5 -- Adam Jones, CF -- will take a major step forward under a full year of Showalter.
4 -- Brian Matusz - SP -- command of 4 pitches, smart guy...the lefty Mussina
3 -- Jeremy Guthrie - SP -- seems to be getting better with age...will live up to the #1 spot in the rotation this year
2 -- Jake Arrieta/Chris Tillman -- SPs -- young, talented, fearless
1 -- Brian Roberts is back and healthy. One of the best leadoff hitters and 2Bs of the past 10 years
11 - Derrek Lee has something left in the tank. At least compared to the utter abomination 1B was offensively for the O's last year (no HR by a first baseman til like June 12 or something crazy.)
10 - Vlad has a good deal left in the tank... at least a season's worth of gas.
9 -- Matt Wieters is not the next Joe Mauer; I think we're all back to reality on that one. But he will still be better than Varitek at his peak, and that starts this year.
8 -- The bullpen is ... dare I say it? ... SOLID. I would take it over the Rays' this year and they are defending division champs.
7 -- Zach Britton: the 23 year old lefty was rated mlb's 19th best prospect this offseason; his mlb debut is Sunday
6 -- Nick Markakis, RF -- will get some MVP votes this year. mark my words
5 -- Adam Jones, CF -- will take a major step forward under a full year of Showalter.
4 -- Brian Matusz - SP -- command of 4 pitches, smart guy...the lefty Mussina
3 -- Jeremy Guthrie - SP -- seems to be getting better with age...will live up to the #1 spot in the rotation this year
2 -- Jake Arrieta/Chris Tillman -- SPs -- young, talented, fearless
1 -- Brian Roberts is back and healthy. One of the best leadoff hitters and 2Bs of the past 10 years
4/1/11
I'm done...
After 13 consecutive losing seasons, declining fan base and dwindling cash reserves or at least an unwillingness to spend compared to the rest of the division, I'm officially declaring an end to my allegiance to the Baltimore Orioles.
ha-hah! April Fools on you, yankers fans!
19 reason why the Os will win at least 86 games this year and maybe more
reasons 13-19: Buck Showalter. There was Orioles Magic again at the end of last season. And by end, I mean the LAST THIRD. The beginning of The Buck Era started at a .597 winning clip.
Remainder of reasons to be continued... conference call coming up.
ha-hah! April Fools on you, yankers fans!
19 reason why the Os will win at least 86 games this year and maybe more
reasons 13-19: Buck Showalter. There was Orioles Magic again at the end of last season. And by end, I mean the LAST THIRD. The beginning of The Buck Era started at a .597 winning clip.
Remainder of reasons to be continued... conference call coming up.
3/31/11
since we did so well with the 00s...
ten best comedies of the 90s:
in no particular order -
There's Something About Mary
Dazed and Confused (a comedy? apparently I think so...)
The Big Lebowski
South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut
Dumb and Dumber
Swingers
Office Space
Naked Gun 2&1/2
Hot Shots
Waiting for Guffman
Sorry, no Groundhog Day on my list ... it's getting a little tricky here b/c it's easier to remember ones on other people's lists that I really did not like (Chasing Amy) than it is to differentiate between the 'I liked it but I can't remember how much' movies.
in no particular order -
There's Something About Mary
Dazed and Confused (a comedy? apparently I think so...)
The Big Lebowski
South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut
Dumb and Dumber
Swingers
Office Space
Naked Gun 2&1/2
Hot Shots
Waiting for Guffman
Sorry, no Groundhog Day on my list ... it's getting a little tricky here b/c it's easier to remember ones on other people's lists that I really did not like (Chasing Amy) than it is to differentiate between the 'I liked it but I can't remember how much' movies.
3/28/11
you da man, J Pearlman
There is ONE GUY on all of espn.com who picked this year's Final Four right....out of 5.9 million entries. His name is J Pearlman and he belongs to the strangely- named but nonetheless prophetic pool 'we're in it to win it.' There are six people in his pool...his brother Aaron Pearlman it looks like and then 4 others, one of whom has a bleeped out profanity in his title. I tried to guess their login just so I could go on their message board and read "holy sh$t, J!! ... you're winning the pool ... like in the whole freakin' country!!!...ps did you get Mom a birthday card? -- Aaron'
3/15/11
3/6/11
Comedy in the '00s
I'm over a year late on this post but a family viewing of Meet the Parents last night got me thinking that MTP probably belongs in the top 10 comedies of the '00s. DeNiro steals the show as Jack Byrnes, with the 'drive to the pharmacy' scene chock full of comedy genius:
"You see, Greg, when you yell at a dog, his tail will go between his legs and cover his genitals, his ears will go down. A dog is very easy to break, but cats make you work for their affection. They don't sell out the way dogs do."
I don't know about rank order but if we're using the simplest metric "how much did I laugh?" then Borat, Tropic Thunder, Team America: World Police, 40-year-old Virgin, Wedding Crashers, the Hangover, Old School, Napoleon Dynamite, Wet Hot American Summer might round out my top 10. This leaves off the second tier of Will Ferrell vehicles, a lot of Apatow hits and certainly some indie films I either didn't see or can't remember so help me out.
"You see, Greg, when you yell at a dog, his tail will go between his legs and cover his genitals, his ears will go down. A dog is very easy to break, but cats make you work for their affection. They don't sell out the way dogs do."
I don't know about rank order but if we're using the simplest metric "how much did I laugh?" then Borat, Tropic Thunder, Team America: World Police, 40-year-old Virgin, Wedding Crashers, the Hangover, Old School, Napoleon Dynamite, Wet Hot American Summer might round out my top 10. This leaves off the second tier of Will Ferrell vehicles, a lot of Apatow hits and certainly some indie films I either didn't see or can't remember so help me out.
2/27/11
Two hours til 9
It was a wild party Saturday... when you have two soon-to-be 9-year-olds doing the wheelbarrow walk up the stairs at 5:30 a.m., you know it's off the hook. The birthday boy at one point had on a Ben Franklin wig, a clone trooper outfit and Margi Gras beads and was belting out 'Paparazzi.' Owen and his guests all said they had a great time.
2/21/11
Passing time in Afghanistan
I was listening to NPR on my way up to work to hear which Middle Eastern/North African regime would topple today and got drawn in by a different story.
The issue was raised about whether women in combat units would be a distraction; to comment, they interviewed a woman who had been in a small unit in the middle of nowhere Afghanistan charged with intercepting enemy communication. There was a lot of downtime on this mission, so the small crew would pass the time playing games. A particular favorite was throwing rocks at each other's crotches to try to get a rock successfully through a hole in the target's pants and hit his genitals. The interviewee stated she felt included in the camaraderie when the men soldiers asked if they could 'throw rocks at my boobs.' Things *may* have crossed a line, she went on, when the guys asked repeatedly 'if they could see my boobs.'
I mean, hey, I'm not always the most productive at work -- witness my blogging during lunch -- but you could probably fashion a pretty functional checkers set out of different colored rocks if you're really that bored.
The issue was raised about whether women in combat units would be a distraction; to comment, they interviewed a woman who had been in a small unit in the middle of nowhere Afghanistan charged with intercepting enemy communication. There was a lot of downtime on this mission, so the small crew would pass the time playing games. A particular favorite was throwing rocks at each other's crotches to try to get a rock successfully through a hole in the target's pants and hit his genitals. The interviewee stated she felt included in the camaraderie when the men soldiers asked if they could 'throw rocks at my boobs.' Things *may* have crossed a line, she went on, when the guys asked repeatedly 'if they could see my boobs.'
I mean, hey, I'm not always the most productive at work -- witness my blogging during lunch -- but you could probably fashion a pretty functional checkers set out of different colored rocks if you're really that bored.
2/8/11
When life gives you snow, make Snowasaurus
I didn't do this of course but I'm proud to say that our Westville neighbor did. We didn't want to ruin the shot w/ a human presence but he's about 6 foot tall at the top of his spine and is taking up a good chunk of a piece of land formerly known as a front lawn. Julie took me on a walk to see him in the middle of the night last week and it was well worth it.
2/5/11
Kay's erractic portrayal of men wreaking havoc with our collective psyche
We went from the Boston strangler in ad 1 to this next guy. Not only is he tolerant of his mate's deafness but is learning sign language (yet cloyingly humble about his impressive progress...you know she's put off by that...there's a subtle 'what's so hard about being deaf?' in his voice) and shelling out serious cash for jewelry. Where does this clown leave the rest of us?
2/2/11
2/1/11
Snowmaggedon turning to wintrymixmaggedon
seriously wtf? The wife and I were shoveling the roof tonight. that's not normal. But in our world, apparently it's more than normal, it's the prudent thing to do. Because ice on top of 2 feet of snow could break the roof. I don't know if that's true but there's something therapeutic about getting on the roof and shoveling... so desperate and irrational. It's like panic grocery shopping. Sure, I pass 38 places to purchase food between here and Waterbury and could walk to at least a half a dozen of those *and* I could make 27 lbs of beans and rice just with what I have in the house, but why not go in before the storm and start pushing people in line and being irritable with everyone if I have the chance?
1/25/11
Enigmatic Bears season
That NFC Championship game was a fitting end to a strange season. The Bears came in to the season picked by most to finish third (out of 4) in the NFC Central. At 6-3 they were ranked 17th (out of 32) in the espn power rankings. They went 5-2 down the stretch, won the Central, got the second seed and still didn't inspire fear in anyone, including the truly mediocre Seahawks. And then, after 2 impressive Packer drives, they stymied Aaron Rodgers and almost forced OT in the championship game with their 3rd string QB at the helm. A loss that seemed inevitable with 5 mins to go in the first qtr ended up pulse-pounding by the end.
Anyway: Steelers 27, GB 24 in OT.
Anyway: Steelers 27, GB 24 in OT.
1/18/11
kudo
use 'kudo' when someone does just one that thing isn't all that impressive and not worthy of full 'kudos.' example:
doug: hey man, I washed my car without scratching it
steve: well kudo to you Doug
doug: hey man, I washed my car without scratching it
steve: well kudo to you Doug
1/13/11
Check this out
O and other NHPS pupils got a *second* day off from school today ostensibly because the mounds of snow everywhere would make safe travel to school difficult. Yet O somehow found his way to the top of the Empire State Building, among other Manhattan locales. This guy has it figured out.
1/12/11
the forbidden dance
S. Burlington High in Vermont cancelled its Winter 'Ball' due to lack of interest. School administrators banned the popular dance style 'grinding,' known to those in my generation as 'vertical backside dry-humping,' and students responded by losing interest in attending the ball. There are huge implications to this story, not the least of which is a practically-already-written script for Footloose 2, this time featuring auto-erotic ottoman humping rather than long montages of Kevin Bacon running through warehouses doing pirouettes off hay bales.
1/11/11
Snow's picking up...
O's newly-learned superstition must be taking effect. Madison, our neighbor and carpool buddy told O that if he wants a snow day tomorrow he has to go to bed with his pj pants inside out and a spoon under his pillow, which of course he did. Cute!
Meanwhile, Dad got ready by pouring half of the remaining snow blower gas on his f ing shoes and half in the machine, then realized he forgot the f ing power cord to his laptop at work meaning he had to go buy another f ing one at radio shack for f ing $100 (but it has an f ing adapter plug for the car -- great! Driving and using my laptop is a great f ing idea!) just so he didn't have to drive to f ing Waterbury for the next 36 hours in a blizzard and will be ready to give his talk at Griffin hospital Thursday. But, rest assured he'll be turning his pj pants inside-out momentarily...
Meanwhile, Dad got ready by pouring half of the remaining snow blower gas on his f ing shoes and half in the machine, then realized he forgot the f ing power cord to his laptop at work meaning he had to go buy another f ing one at radio shack for f ing $100 (but it has an f ing adapter plug for the car -- great! Driving and using my laptop is a great f ing idea!) just so he didn't have to drive to f ing Waterbury for the next 36 hours in a blizzard and will be ready to give his talk at Griffin hospital Thursday. But, rest assured he'll be turning his pj pants inside-out momentarily...
1/3/11
Happy New Year
There's a LEGO replica of Hogwarts on our big table that O is rightfully proud of
We had a fantastic visit to Omaha which included some gingerbread house making
Sam the Cat introduced me to the Best Innocuous Office Prank of 2011 (so far). You hit control-alt-arrow key and it rotates your unsuspecting office-mate's computer screen image 90 degrees.
We had a fantastic visit to Omaha which included some gingerbread house making
Sam the Cat introduced me to the Best Innocuous Office Prank of 2011 (so far). You hit control-alt-arrow key and it rotates your unsuspecting office-mate's computer screen image 90 degrees.
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