Wants New

She needs a new adorable haircut and a new girl to do it.

She needs to figure out how to redo Liam's floor this summer. Even though I know  how to do it.

She needs a new house with more space because her closet is full of too many clothes and photos.

She doesn't want to go to the party tonight because she doesn't have anything to wear.

She needs her Mom to help her decide what to wear.

She needs new boots. Wants a $300 pair. But would accept a $150 pair.

She needs to wax her hands because they are so dry from chemicals and taking care of kids this week.

She needs a different outfit because the black one won't work in this cold weather.

She doesn't want to go to my favorite non-smoking bar. Even though she doesn't have any cigarettes.

She doesn't want to watch anything up front. Especially not a show about building cars.

...that's all,  for today.

Perchance To Dream

Two days blend into one when you spend most of the night wide awake. Squinting at the blackberry. Counting down the hours until you absolutely MUST get out of bed. At least it went by quickly.

My day consisted of nausea flavored with a splitting headache. At some point I come out of this gray cloud of semi-sleep and I'm standing in the Uniform Control restroom, at work. Don't really remember getting dressed or driving. But I'm standing at work, wondering if I went already or if I'm waiting to pee.

Wrapped up Friday with a few beers and some nummy Indian food at the Clay Oven. And I still can't sleep. Don't even feel the urge. So I just type and hope it brings me closer to sleep. Perchance to dream.

Combat & Training

Must be approaching a year since Conficker broke out. And I'm still in the trenches with it. Every day. New solutions. Yet new infections. Spanning the WAN. Some rouge somewhere out there re-infecting my systems. Fortunately, just low end stuff. Nothing serious. Still. Time consuming. Cumbersome. And embarrassing for a computer guy to struggle in this tarpit for so long. Looking to the day we crawl out of the muck. And move on with our lives.

On a positive note, found my way back to the gym for a second time. Abs. Forearms. Cardio. 2.5 mile run. Almost 400 calories. My foot held together. Though I couldn't keep the same pace I set a month ago. It will come back. In time. I'll get there. Hopefully without pain.

Funny how we (or at least I) spent decades ignoring our health at the price of profit. And then we spend years of sweat, toil, and money trying to reclaim what we so gladly abandoned. Which always leads to my current regret: not caring about my health until my late 30s. I could have, should have, started sooner. And how different would my life have been? What could I have accomplished for myself?

I just hope I can teach the kids to learn from my mistakes. Show them the errors of my ways. Help them break the cycle. And lead the healthy life I never lead. That would make me proud. Actually, prouder. They're already my greatest accomplishments. I just want them to be even greater.

The Whole Fence

She let the dog run around the yard this morning. A few minutes later, the dog disappeared. All too briefly. Before long, Meg heard a scratching at the front door. It was the dog. She'd gotten through a gap in the fence. Ran around the side. Wanted in through the front door. Much rejoicing.

Instead of fixing the hole, she wants to replace it. The whole fence.  Um. Yeah.

A Comeback

Trying to get back into the habits of productivity. Versus slackitivity. A pinched nerve in my back sidelined me for a couple of weeks. I rapidly became a Man-Sized Sloth. Stayed up too late. Ate wrong. Moped around the house.

So, I finally made it back to the gym today. Chest and biceps. A mile on the treadmill. Felt good. Like meeting an old friend. A sweaty, smelly old friend. Who leaves you hurting the next day and regretting you hung out in the first place.

On a good note, I'm still at 199lbs, even after full two weeks of slack. Gives me hope I can shed another fourteen pounds by the time we hit San Destin beach in May.

On a bad note, Nurse Cindy thinks may I be rocking a stress fraction on my left foot. Something painful is happening with that bad boy. Doesn't hurt when I run. But afterwards... feels like somebody pulled a ice-coated titanium carving knife out of the freezer and wedged between the tiny bones of my foot. Fortunately it only does that every time I put my weight on it.

However, I don't have time to decipher the mystery of my ailing foot. Between work, projects, the gym, and the family, I'm constantly quoting Alice's White Rabbit: Oh my ears and whiskers, how late it's getting!

He's off to his rabbit hole. I'm off to bed. Perchance to dream.

That pesky gall bladder.

Bad news: Just before lunch, a migraine crept behind her eyes.

Good news: The tests of her gall bladder came back without any negative results. The little villain gets to stay. For now.

On Healthcare Reform

America wants to wave a magic wand and magically be able to do several extremely difficult feats:

1. Cover "everyone." Unfortunately  though we've turned into a country where a significant percentage of the population does not want to spend "their money" on "those people" who just want "something for nothing." The people who want it call it "universal healthcare." The people who don't call it, "socialism."
   
2. Provide more options. Which could mean less time in the ER to some folks. Or quicker access to more specialists for other people.
   
3. Provide cheaper options. Everyone wants to pay less.

Here's how I look at covering everyone: sick Americans hurt everyone at some level. If we're less productive that we already are, we're worth less. And some sick folks have this nasty ability to make OTHER Americans sick. We should fix everyone. It is better for all of us. Oh, oh! "They" shouldn't get my tax dollars. "They" are getting too many "free rides." And it is just another step toward "socialism." If we're going to abolish all forms of social programs, we're going to have to take it beyond socialized medicine. We're going to have to remove other programs like... the police... the post office... our roads... the fire department... the Army... the Navy... the Airforce... the Marines. All of those are social programs And every American benefits from them. 

As for money, that's a joke. As a country, we spend more money per person to get less medical coverage than any other country on Earth. We're spend 15% of our GDP on health care. We spend 5% on "defense." And healthcare-related deaths are far and away the #1 killer in America.

And here's a real crazy idea: Be a healthy country! Promote healthy eating habits. Promote healthy activity. Promote pro-active medical habits.We got a cigarette smoking POTUS with cholesterol issues. Let's start there. How about our leader shows us that personal healthcare starts with personal responsibility? Maybe then we'll see costs and lines go down. 

Her Abs

She decided to do some kind of home workout today. "Kinda ran," and did some sit ups with Liam on her feet. As a result, she's walking around rubbing an odd muscle on her right thigh and cursing the aging process. All because, she "kinda ran" and did ten crunches?

Coastal Snow

It has been 13 or 14 years since it has snowed on the MS Gulf Coast. Today, it was on everyone's mind. Just before lunch, sleet started drifting through. The weather alerts arrived shortly thereafter. Then schools started closing. And now, it is raining.

Seems like all the conditions and all the inhabitants are in alignment for some of the white stuff. Hopefully we'll wake up tomorrow and find an inch or so of coastal snow.

Got The Buzz

Crrrrrap. A new application to draw my dwindling supply of attention. Not only is it a damn Social Media app. Not only is it super freakin' easy to use. But, Sweet Jeebus Christos save me, it is from Google.

Google Buzz, to be exact. According to them, I'm supposed to "Share updates, photos, videos, and more. Start conversations about the things you find interesting." 

Of course it is The Big G's direct frontal assault on Facebook and Twitter. The victor claiming dominion over the online lives of hundreds of millions of people. Fortunately for them, FB and Twitter have a huge following and the wind at their back. Unfortunately, we're talking about Google. Ask Microsoft and Yahoo what that is like.

I'm actually ready to give up Facebook. It's cumbersome. Spammy. Insecure. And rapidly devolving as a useful application.

Here's why I like Buzz better:

• It is Google. I already spend the bulk of my online activity inside of Google's applications. 
• It is Google. They're secure. They're opening their code. I actually TRUST them.
• Buzz isn't Facebook. I can't stand all the cruft and ads and blatant commercialism.
• Buzz isn't Facebook. They retain all your information indefinitely and use it however they see fit. They are insecure.I know pllllenty of people who have had their accounts hacked. They aren't interested in security or privacy. They are interested in getting as much information from as many people as possible and using it to generate revenue. 
• Buzz integrates into my Gmail.
• Facebook won't stop changing their interface.

Anyway, I hope Buzz wins the battle. But it faces an uphill battle to win NEW users, and overcome the momentum its opponents have built over the years. Fortunately, they've done it before. I hope they do it again.

On The Half Shell.

A brief excursion with my beloved. Couple of drinks at my new favorite Gulfport hangout: Watson's. Such a cool place. Love the architecture. Love the furniture. All around great, comfy place. And, by some act of my dark computer gods, it is non-smoking. So completely dig it.

After a round, we had dinner on the Half Shell. Great, great design and decor. Good service. Started with a couple of salads. Nummy. Huge servings and nicely made. One of the best "side salads" I've had in a long time. Main dishes came along in the form of seafood-stuff portabella mushrooms (for my bride) and a medium rare ribeye por moi. Cindy enjoyed hers. I enjoyed mine, though I did touch it up with a side of their "voodoo sauce." Good service. Good atmosphere. A surprise birthday party with girls from Atlanta to liven up the night. And a nice, meal between two tired adults.

Didn't have second drinks. Didn't have dessert. But compared notes on parenting on the way home. Then called it an early night. All of us watching Chef Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares on the sofa before parting ways to search for sleep. We all survived. Nice way to end the week.

Cancelled

Was supposed to fly to Washington D.C. tomorrow. Been looking forward to it for a while. A computer security event. Would have been my first trip. Seen our capital. Check out the Masonic symbols. Souvenirs for the kids. Typing geek tourist agenda. But nature reared its ugly head. Conjured up a "severe winter storm" this morning. Threatens to drop 12 - 24 inches of snow on the area. Businesses shutting down. The mayor advising everyone to brace for impact. Such events are usually NOT conducive to a pleasant travel experience.

So we cancelled. No D.C. for me. Bummed, now. But it is what it is.

Maybe some other time.

These Days

Here is what passes as my life these days: I wake up at 6:30A to try to help Cindy with the kids. (She usually has them fed, then I have to stay on them to get dressed, fix their hair, brush their teeth, make their beds, and get their gear ready for school.) If I slept the night before, I go to the gym. If I didn't, I crash on the sofa for an hour. Then off to the shop.

We're super short staffed at work. The days seem to last 16hrs. And we work 10 days a week. Today, it seemed non-stop from the moment I arrived (working on SQL requirements) to the moment I left (Citrix issues.) If I slept the night before, I'll go home to give Cindy a break from the kids. (She usually goes to see her Mom.) If I didn't, I work out.

When I get home, I'll usually have a shake for dinner and then spend time with the kids. Recently I've been encouraging them to tell me POSITIVE things about school and their day. Then I say POSITIVE things about them. After we talk about our day, We try to watch something informative, like MythBusters or something we've DVRed. Though American Idol pops up, too. No cartoons. No drama.

By 8P, Cindy and Meg are usually asleep. By 8:30P, Liam's in bed, though not always asleep.

I spend a couple of hours writing, catching up on email, and trying to work on projects. Sometimes I'll watch a movie I missed at the theaters. Sometimes I'll watch Hulu or the DVR.  By midnight, I'm usually numb.

I have to read myself to sleep. On a good night, it takes 15 minutes. On a bad night, two hours. Or more. I average about 6 hours per night. Though it isn't uncommon to only get 3 or 4.

Then we start all over at 6:30A.

That's how I roll these days.

Anger Management

Another round of torture in the gym today. Back and biceps. Been trying to change things as of late. Different exercises. Different weights. I like to think it is working. Feeling much stronger. Much healthier. And it is a cheap, effective form of anger management.

Been fighting an odd battle with regret recently. I'm approaching forty and I'm in semi-decent shape for the first time in my life. I lift more than ever. I train longer. My back doesn't hurt. I can actually run for thirty minutes without collapsing. And I realize I spent the better part of twenty years not doing anything physically challenging. I thought I couldn't do it. Never really tried. And became a lethargic, uncoordinated computer dork.

All these feelings of regret and lost-potential burn behind my eyes. I should have done more. Should have tried harder. Should have wasted less time. Made something more of myself. Done more with my father. Maybe tried sports. Maybe accomplished something real, not digital. Something significant and lasting.

So I exhaust myself. Lift until I'm numb. Make up for those lost days. I never thought I'd bench more than my weight. I never thought I'd leg press more than five hundred pounds. But I can. And I do. Finding undiscovered pieces of myself along the way. Finding new limits, and breaking through them. It took almost forty years, but I finally feel alive. And in those moments, I am happy. Happy.

Where Does The Time Go

I blink. Two months pass. Holidays slip by. Valentine's Day approaches. Meg's birthday around the corner.

I spent January posting on my non-profit site. Trying to find contributors to help with the work load. Also finding other local folks focusing on sustainability. They're emerging from wilderness one by one.

Spun up the Beetle with Roger and visited some schools. Still putting a few final touches on The Lightning Bug. Antique tag just arrived. About to get the rear-view mirror installed. And then the radio.

My life is measured in small victories.

Randomness

Bunches of thoughts going through my head. With little, if any, coherent order. Was trying to find a theme for the post. But it is all randomness behind my eyes. Like puddles in today's rain.

• Where did 2009 go? It is almost gone and it doesn't seem to have even started. 
• Put up our Christmas tree yesterday, Usually try to do it on Mom's birthday. But she came over early and we pulled out the decorations.
• Went to Ocean Spring's with Cindy, yesterday. After my workout. Had $80 worth of tapas and drinks. And bought another $80 worth hand-made jewelry from my cohort Tracy. Nice items. Nice food. Strong drinks. We had fun. The price tag seemed about right. 
• Funky weather as of late. Low 30s one day. Snowed just north of us. Rain this morning. Then twenty degrees warmer as I came home. Supposed to be approaching 70 soon.
• Things are much better with the kids. Much calmer around the house. And we're able to have fun together most weekends. Good to be past the chaos in the wake of Liam's unexpected surgery last year. I think we're all saner.
• Trying to get the Beetle wrapped up. Finalizing the brakes now. Rear view mirror. Car computer. A few last touches. And we're done done done.
• Need to get some projects under way on the house. Kitchen. Or bathroom. Or additions. Been too inactive lately. But we're leery of doing anything expensive in these troublesome times. Hopefully the economy gets some stability. We'll feel safer to start something new. I'm growing anxious in the meanwhile.

All in all, good days. I hope they continue to get better. We all do.

In The Gym

Been having success in the gym as of late. Worked chest and triceps today. Two great records to report. For my fourh and final set on the bench machine, I pressed 240lbs, six times. And on my last set on the machine fly machine, I hit 190lbs, ten times. Both are weights I've never hit before. Never. They aren't world records. But for me, they're personal milestones that I never thought I could hit. Even before I blew my shoulder out, I maxed at 220lbs. And now I'm able to do more. It's very empowering to know that I'm pushing through my self-imposed limits. To reach new levels.

On a different note, I think perhaps I'm over-training some days. At some point I think, "Do I tough it out? Try to fight through it? Or take it easy?" One side says, "You're not a kid any more. You should take it slow." And then my other side says, "You took it easy for 30 years, dude. Wake up!"

And I'm gaining weight, again. Even though my waistline is shrinking. Probably muscle gain. I hope it is muscle. I was down to 201 for a couple of weeks. Now I'm up to 205. Maybe I need to switch off the heavy weights. Focus on the cardio. Or maybe those "spin" classes.

Anyway, I'm so happy to be back in the gym. And I'm feeling great. Not the slightest bit of hint of trouble from my shoulder. And my energy levels are through the roof. Just a shame that I had to get serious in my late thirties. Hopefully I can get the kids to see the error of my ways. And they can avoid my decades of sloth and stupidity. Only time will tell.

Damaged

A brief interlude from the complaints about myself to complain about the soiled, damaged hobo that America has become.

First, I'd like to dwell on the fact that the "stock market" it up, all the banking Executives on Wall Street are gleefully looking forward to record-breaking bonuses measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars, and the current White House administration is claiming: the worst is over, the recession is over, and happy days are here again.

In the meanwhile, US unemployment, no matter how you measure it, U3, U6 or SGS, has gone up about 100% in the last 20 months, and 60% in the past year alone.One in five Americans is unemployed or underemployed. One in eight families are on food stamps. Over one hundred thousand households are filing for bankruptcy every month. And one in eight families can not afford to pay their mortgage this month.

And yet, our leaders, our President, and everyone in the financial system is telling us the recession is over? And they're able to say it with a straight face?

Second, I'd like to elaborate on the current administration's false notion that we can achieve and maintain some kind of "recovery." Recover to a society that spends 110% of its annual income? Recover to a society that spends $600/ft on a flimsy McHouse that's made as cheaply and quickly as possible? Recover to a system where a painter making $30,000 per year can buy a half million dollar house, fill it with 60" plasma screens, and park three Escalades out front that he uses to buy cheeseburgers, glazed donuts, and 90oz Super Sized jugs of Coke for each meal?

For the record, we've depleted all of our cheap, clean, easy-to-reach natural resources. We've all-but-destroyed our manufacturing base. Our national infrastructure is on life support. We continue to reward Big Business for out-sourcing our Knowledge Based Businesses. We continue to encourage Big Business to avoid paying taxes that our local and federal governments desperately need just to stay afloat.

So please, explain to me in simple, easy-to-follow terms, what our recovered society is going to look like, and how can we possible get there, from here? Get sock puppets if you have them, because I don't see how anything short of the Second Coming is going to do anything other keep our heads above the dark waters.

Third, I'm curious to know why our national media outlets continue to distract us from the real issues. Tiger Woods wrecking his Cadillac doesn't affect the national debt that has a rocket on its ass and is diving straight up into the stratosphere where only our children will be able to find it. Two reality TV shysters sneaking into a White House dinner (where they could have BOUGHT a ticket) does nothing to bring our tired troops home or reconcile the two TRILLION dollars we've airlifted over to Iraq in order to find some sneaky WMD that have elluded us since 2004. And why are do we blindly accept the idea that a new "surge" of 30,000 troops (at a cost of close to $1M/year per person, or $30,000,000,000/year for the "surge,") in A'Stan will work when every report says that we should empower the local tribes, enlist Afghans eager to fight the bad guys, don't force them to support a corrupt central government or bow to foreign forces - and keep picking off Al Qaeda with Special Operations troops and drones.

We're all damaged. Mentally. Physically. Spiritually. Our nation teeters on the edge of the abyss. But our leaders tell us the recession is over. Our President says we trust him, we can all get better cars, better houses, free health care, and a free college education. And our corporate-controlled media companies tell us to smile and ignore the men behind the curtain.

Wake up. Wake up! WAKE UP!

Yargh, Day Two!

Still a big bunch of meh behind my eyes. YARGH! Day two. I don't know what the hell happened to my motivation. Or my mental energy levels. But I'm dragging ass horribly. Trying to psyche myself up. Find some kind of second gear and go from there.

Got this plan to bang out a couple of lingering issues. Going to try and make some progress on them each day until they're complete: One, consolidate a couple of old 401K accounts into my current provider. Dos, knock out an old car payment and consolidate my bills into one new car note for the Lightning Bug. Trois, refinance the house at a lower, fixed rate while the lower fixed rates are still good. If I can bang all three of those out, it will put a nice dent on my monthly bills and be a large burden off my mind.

Fortunately, I'm still motivated enough to get into the gym. Hit it hard, tonight. Back and biceps. Then a 30 min run that cut off 400 calories. Ended up sweating like a cold beer in August. Completely soaking my shirt. And helping my mood in the process.

Going to weigh in on Friday. Praying I'm closer to 200 than 205. Started around 217! And have gone as low as 201. Before Thanksgiving assaulted my waistline.

I need to bring the thunder. But there's no spark in sight. Have to find my inspiration, again. Maybe if I invoke her with an ancient prayer:

Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy. The man of constant sorrow!

Who else in the 21st century harkens back to Homer? I'm such a loser. Constant sorrow, indeed.

Ho Hum

My motivation is currently Missing In Action. Nothing during the day. Nothing at night. Fortunately I'm still inclined to go to the gym. But otherwise all that has my attention are movies and books. Not writing, and not working on side projects that need my attention. It is all just: Ho hum. Quite an unusual mental low for me.

Had a massage today. That seemed to help. But not much. Have to find some inspiration. Get back on track.Find my mojo again.It is out there. Somewhere.

MOVIE: Against The Dark

Once, when I was a young cook in a seafood restaurant, I spilled four hundred degree cooking oil all over my right foot. The dead flesh came off in ribbons. Which nurses has to briskly scrub it off, without any form of painkillers, until only healthy flesh remained.

Watching Steven Seagal's Against The Dark was even more painful than having my skin boiled off. I'll continue to carry scars for years from both wounds.

The movie is about a couple of black-garbed hunters (led by a bad-philosophy-rambling Seagal) that prance around boldly killing pseudo-zombies while angst-ridden teen survives struggle to survive the unexplained outbreak that has befallen their city.

The plot was ungodly trite, lacking anything even remotely original. The writing would have to aspire to be amateurish. Dialog and acting took turns proving which could be more juvenile, mediocre, and disappointing. Even the fight scenes were laughably pathetic. By laughing I mean, "It is funny that anything can be this craptacular and still be taken seriously by anyone involved in its production or release."

I could only stomach fourteen minutes of it before uncontrolled palsy-like shaking affected my hands and blue spots appeared in my peripheral vision.

I'm sad to say there are no redeeming features about Against The Dark. The fact that somebody took the time and spent money to create this mongrel turd of a movie speaks volumes about the state of Hollywood. Fortunately, it appears to have been a direct-to-DVD production and no theaters had to be sanitized after showing it. Unfortunately Blockbuster has a couple of copies stinking up its shelves. I've petitioned them to send all copies to Gitmo, to replace waterboarding.

MOVIE: Boondock Saints

With the release of V2.0 pending this week, I thought I'd mention how much I enjoyed the original Boondock Saints. Not surprisingly, most folks missed the first one. Didn't make too many prime-time airings on SpikeTV. And the theatrical release probably lost money. However, it is something of a cult classic with a big underground following.

The movie takes place in the bowels of Boston. Lots of colorful accents to be found. The action revolves around the adventures of the Irish meatpacking brothers Murphy and Connor McManus and their quest to rid the world of crime and violence by killing all their local criminals. Along the way, they're joined by a colorful, opera-admiring detective (masterfully played by Willem Dafoe!) and the villainous fossil Ill Duce (in the form of Billy Connolly.)

The Boondock Saints is an extremely violent, bloody, profanity-filled flick. Folks sensitive to such elements should avoid it at all costs. I, however, loved it. Fairly original plot with unexpected twists. Unique writing and fantastic dialog (though most of that credit is due to the excellent use of vulgarities.) Enjoyed the action. LOVED every scene with Willem Dafoe. I even memorized the prayer and chanted it for a couple of weeks after I first saw it.

Fans of Pulp Fiction or Snatch will enjoy this. Younger couples who like to party would probably enjoy this. Kids should NOT be allowed within viewing distance. And it is well worth a rent. Can probably even be bought at Walmart for $5 in the Value Bin.

MOVIE: All The King's Men

Based on a 1946 Pulitzer-winning novel by Robert Penn Warren, and spearheaded by drawling Scamitician James Carville, All The King's Men had a big list of star-caliber actors and a lot of hype buzzing around it. Unfortunately I don't think it lived up to much (if any) of its promise. And it paled next to the novel.


The acting was impressive, especially Sean Penn's portrail of Willie Stark. Jude Law did a good job, too, but he was too pretty and needed to get his face messed up a bit. I also enjoyed the dialog. But the pacing often dragged. The plot could have shown more depth. And the conclusion could have been something other than underwhelming.


Don't think any couples would find it an interesting date flick. Kids won't dig it. But I think it would make for a nice rental on a slow night, especially if you can find it in the $2 bin at Blockbuster.

Days bleed into weeks

I blink and the days bleed into weeks. Suddenly I haven't written in almost a month. Fortunately, nothing big prevented me from posting anything. Just sheer laziness.

Hoping to pick back up on the productivity binge. Trying to knock out some major projects. Hope to keep up the activity in the gym. Made it four times last week and shooting for five times a week. Hope to continue the development of the non-profit. Doing more demos lately and almost done making The Lightning Bug street legal. And trying to spend more time with the family on the weekends. Enjoying the time with the kids while I still can.

Back to the regularly scheduled program...

Visit Tech-boy Liam

Hi people, this is Jon's son, Liam. I'm just welcoming you to visit my website at http://www.techboyliam.blogspot.com/


Thanks,
Liam

Gym and then some

Feels oh so good to return to the gym. The clunk of weights on dusty matting. An old familiar routine. Music drowning out thought. Form over function. Shoulders and legs. Trying just a little more weight. And proving to myself that I really CAN do it. But why didn't I do all this years ago? Why do I enjoy it now and not then?

Anyway, I'm down to 201lbs. Sixteen to go, and I'm at my target. Will take me four months at my current rate. But I'll get there. I'm down from a recent weight of 209. And an all-time high of 217. Eat right. Stay active. Have fun. Simple formula.

In the meanwhile, trying to wrap up the Beetle. Ordered replacement shocks for the front. Trying to find a decent conversion kit for the brake drums. Gotta wrap up some dash stuff. And then we can call it complete. And it will be on to the next adventure. Also more waiting in the wings. Part of the "have fun," portion of the show.

MOVIE: The Brothers Bloom

Six word review: I almost wizzed myself with glee.

Long worded review: "Make way, make room, for the brothers Bloom!" Possibly one of the best flicks I've caught in a year, The Brothers Bloom is a globe-trotting, superficially light-hearted comedy about two orphaned brothers who spend their entire lives drifting from one grift to another, each more elaborate and risky than the last.

Phenominal writing. Excellent acting. Great direction. Spectacular scenes. And a plot that had me fooled several times only to pleasantly surprise me at the oddest moments. Every scene was a microburst of art. Take for example the bit-parts played by the character Boom Boom. She barely had any dialog. But what she didn't say and what she did do were much more entertaining than anything they could have written for her. There's the interaction between the brothers. The circular route taken by their grifting mentor. The attempt at love. The art of death. And a deftly tangled web of lies within lies that unfolds like an origami masterpiece of acting, naration, cinematography, and deception.

Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Would make an awesome date flick. Might entertain the late teens. And is well worth the price of a rental. Anyone who hasn't seen it should put it on their short list.

6 and ohhhh. Seven Years Old. And Panini.

Long day of projects and good food and road trips and a Saints victory and the kids at a church fair and Cousin Alix's birthday party.

Six and ohhhh for the Saints. Seven years old for Alix. Meatball Panini for Jon.

A pleasant start to winter. Hope it sticks.

Fire & Friends

Cindy has her own little clique of friends. Affectionately knows as the GNO. Girls Night Out. Friends of hers from church and school and even 20+ yrs ago when she was a wee lass. Over the summer they'd go out once every week or two and have drinks and talk and do whatever women do collectively to keep themselves sane. I dunno what glue holds them together.I try not to pry.

But, anyway, the GNO decided to have a cookout along with the husbands and the children. All of us together.

We bought spinach dip. Cindy told me to be social or else.

So the kids played then danced around the bonfires and tried to film a "Bob" movie. (A creation of Liam's that starts off with the best intentions and gets tangled along the way.)

The women sipped their drinks and talked amongst themselves. Probably made plans for future nights. And tried not to look at their children mere inches from burning to death.

And the men (Computer Goon Jon, Rocket Scientist Nicky, Pastor Andy, and Coach Jimmy) sat around the grill. Nursing beers. Talking about: Mississippi college football, the Catholic church accepting Anglicans, SpaceX launching Falcon 9, and electric cars.

The kids got over tired. The women cleaned up. And I put everyone to bed. Now, Cindy's asleep. I'm typing. And memories of that fire almost keep me warm.

Try again

Let's try again. Hopefully, everyone is well. Cindy was Nurse Cindy today. Liam was an active 4th grader. Meg was burning fireball of 2nd grade activity.

And I. Well. I was a computer goon. Again.

I do a damn fine Truffle Shuffle. Makes it just that much worse.

Almost well...

Believe it or not, but I really don't like posting about negative health issues. Just seems to be a running theme for the past week.

Liam's better, but somewhat moody. Rocking his stand-up bass, though. Proud of the cool cat for that.

Cindy is somewhat better, but still (gasp) finding something to complain about. Perhaps much of it is valid (though overly dramatic) because she did get the heaves a couple of times. Mostly, she's mobile and trying to reign in the chaos.

I'm better. Ate two meals today. First time since Sunday. No real stomach issues, but still combating the fatique from the lowered diet.

Meg, however, stayed home. (I babysat and worked remote.) HER stomach was acting up. But she didn't toss anything and was sweat for me all day while I typed for hours. Hopefully she only suffered a minor assault and will return to school tomorrow.

Still a chance for a good weekend. We're crossing our fingers...

Well. Well. Well.

Good news: Nobody threw up today!

Better news: Meg received an honorable mention in her 2nd grade Book Report project. We're all proud of her and especially her ungodly-sweet attitude of, "I'm moving up in the world!" If anyone needs a does of hope and sweetness, come visit Meg for a few minutes. The girl is the light that pulls us through our dark storms.

Best News: We're all (for the most part) in good health and feeling better. Not entirely "well," but close enough to return to almost normal lives. Cindy's still lethargic. I'm still feeling something odd in my stomach. And Liam had a bit of an off day. But it is all better than we've been feeling recently. Well. Well. Well!

Hopefully, can have a good weekend and celebrate the kids' victories in some special way. Just have to make it through the rest of the week, first!

Sick. Sick. Sick.

Now the pox that descended upon Liam on Friday has found me. And it isn't pleasant. I ached everywhere. Wracked with fever. And a brick sitting in the pit of my stomach all day. Aside from swapping my car for a rental (so my car could get repaired,) all I did was groan and writhe in bed all day. I pray it passes through by tomorrow. I don't want a second day of this fresh hell.

What's A Phoenix

I'm putting Meg in her own bed. (Our usual routine.) I have her in my arms and she tells me, without opening her eyes, "That's the phoenix I put in my pocket."

Cindy asked, "What's a phoenix?"

I said, "Shhh. There's one in her pocket."

Litter Patrol

Finally returned to the gym. Chest and triceps. A three week separation. Probably put on the five or six pounds that took me six weeks to shed. But it felt good. Tried to run on the treadmill. But didn't have my music. Just cannot summon the proper spirit without loud, angry tunes distracting me from the fact that I'm lumbering along like a six foot version of Winnie The Pooh who would much rather be at home, eating honey and pondering philosophy.

Another beautiful day. Mid (or low?) sixties. Lots of sun. No rain. A kiss of breeze coming in from the Gulf. Meg and Liam decided to walk around the block, picking up trash. Litter patrol. So, off we went. Bags in hand. We'd stop and check out the debris. Talk about how paper breaks down over time, but plastic and styrofoam doesn't. We'd find cans and put them in recycling bins. Nothing too nasty appeared. Surprisingly little trash, actually. An odd chew toy. A plastic Snoopy figure. A great day to wander with the kids and try to make our own little dent on the world.

Cindy went to a wedding. I stayed home. She had a good time and took her neice, Darby. I didn't want to risk a vertigo attack and disrupt the festivities. My &@$!ing ear is beginning to ring. (Insert worried sigh.)

Instead, I ordered some pizza online and we watched the online status bar slowly glide from red to green as "Max" prepared it, put in the oven, then performed a "quality check," on our pizza before letting me know it was ready for pickup. God bless the interwebs! And then I met Max. Nice kid. Told me all about the system and how they're trying to eliminate half their calls but keep their same number of orders. Gotta love technology. Because now we've determined that calling in an order is for old people.

Good luck, Max. And good luck, newlyweds. We all need it. These days.

MOVIE: The Soloist

For me, the phrase "based on a true story" is as appealing as phrases such as, "I like you, but..." and "Are you going to wear THAT?"

The Soloist is apparently one of those. It's nicely written. Politically correct. Plump with "big names." Depicts uncomfortable social situations which I'll never experience. Supposed to make me feel good. And to put a big ribbon on the top of it, everything is (you guessed it:) based on a true story. A twisted, drama-filled, and light-on-the-facts true story. But it entirely depends on your definition of "true."

Superficially, it is about a Julliard cello dude, Ayers, who (approaching the first leg of a journey to fame and success) develops lots of schizophrenia and goes from the edge of the musical spotlight to the crap-filled gutters of Los Angeles. Amazingly (sense the sarcasm?) a local emo newspaper columnist, Lopez, discovers the crazed cello dude playing a dingy three-string violin and singing Zen koans in the of a litter-strewn park. An odd friendship develops. Ayers is given a second chance, but fails. Lopez takes it personally. And then kumbaya, we all hug. Oh, Hollywood is so good and telling me what is beautiful and right in the word. Pardon me while I find an abandoned third-world leper baby to adopt and name after a greek muse. That's how inspired I am by The Soloist.


Yes, the acting is good. The pacing actually worked. I enjoyed the bulk of the dialog and was quite find of Lopez' character. But it all feels like something I've seen fifteen times already. All too familiar and predictable. Like the reanimated corpse of ten other movies which roamed the theaters hungry for praise and shiney accolades.

Possibly a good dinner & a date movie. The ladies might like it more than I did. I'm predicting bored teens and nonplussed twenty somethings. But worth a rental on a slow night. Very slow, when nothing else in your Netflix queue is available, or Blockbuster has it on special for a $2 rental.

GAME: Section 8

Section 8 had potential . Time Gate (the developers) could have struck gold with this one. Instead they settled for the bronze.What they delivered is an interesting game: fairly good graphics spoiled by a extremely over-done plot. Quick gameplay and ruined by extremely stupid AI (even at high levels of difficulty). And immersive effects invalidated by an underwhelmingly short single player campaign.

Obviously, this is one of those games like Team Fortress and Counter Strike and such that are created for Massive Multiplayer communities. Bunches of over-caffeinated teens and twenty-somethings with headsets and snappy banter playing thirty at a time until four in the morning. For them, this is probably a good diversion from World Of Warcrap or whatever else MMORPG is currently trendy. But for anti-massive multiplayers like me, Section 8 is a sad disappointment.

Given a more creative team, this game could have been GREAT. It has the graphics and the fast-twitch gameplay. But the developers barely spent any time (if any) creating a believable story line. They came up with little (if anything) unique in the realm of sci fi. And the limited plot is so bad that the word trite is actually hyperbole.

I enjoyed the four or five hours that I played it. But, just as it started to get vaguely interesting, it skidded to a halt. It was like a really bad first date. And for me, there won't be a second with Section 8. I've already deleted it. Any for anyone NOT interested in the Massive Multiplayer element, I'd say skip it.

MOVIE: Shoot Em Up

I think this movie broke a new record for me: Shortest viewing ever.

Here is what I could gleam during the three minutes and seventeen seconds that I suffered through this vommit inducer of a flop: In Shoot Em Up, some dude named Smith delivers a baby in the middle of a firefight. 

I shut the film off at that point for several reasons including: 1) The initial plot is so horribly unbelievable that there was absolutelly no chance I would be able to swallow anything that followed, 2) Within seconds it violated my simple objection to one character being able to take on hundreds of enemies with automatic weapons, 3) The protagonist didn't reload between several thousand shots, 4) It was clearly an ultra hokey modern take on a "pulp" adventure.

I've heard from others that they consider it a "fun movie." I didn't. I didn't think the DVD would even make a fun drink coaster. I'm offended that it will eventually be used as land fill. Maybe teenagers will dig it if they've had enough Mountain Dew. Possibly a big hit with convicted felons and other incarcerated individuals who can either get frisky with their cellmates or watch this movie. But I'm not sure who else would enjoy it.

I'd advise everyone to treat Shoot Em Up like toxic biomaterial. I washed my hands twice after handling it.

The Battle At Beauvoir

Today marked Fall Muster @ Beauvoir. (Historic estate of Jefferson Davis. (President of The Confederacy.))All able-bodied Rebel soldiers were requested to report to the battlefiend for a re-enactment just after lunch. Meg, Liam (who is feeling much better, thank-you-very-much) and I went while Cindy attended a wedding luncheon of a friend.

MOVIE: Life Is Hard In Cracktown

WARNING: This movie is not for the weak of heart. It contains graphic depictions of just about every deadly sin and may even invent some new ones. Absolutely no one should allow children or nuns to watch Life Is Hard In Cracktown. Not safe for work. Not safe for teens. Not safe for expectant mothers. Keep all of the above away. And write me and say I didn't warn you. You're officially on alert.

Life Is Hard In Cracktown is an over-lapping series of vignettes about tough characters in tough situations in a tough neck of the woods. Based on some mid-1990s short stories from writer-director Buddy Giovinazzo, I couldn't relate to much (if any) of it. But I appreciate the struggle of people to get out from under a seemingly over-whelming situation.

I don't want to go into too much detail about the actual story. It was easy to follow but hard to stomach. Especially the sub-story involving a little boy and girl close to my kids age. Very emotional stuff. Powerful. In the end, it left me even more appreciative of my life and what blessings I have.

The acting was phenominal in places. A touch over-done in others. The plot was loosely held together by the brutal realities of Cracktown but wasn't entirely believable at times. Exceptional writing. Buddy Giovinazzo did an excellent job of bringing his stories to life. And the pacing was done very nicely.

I wouldn't consider it a date movie. And (see above) the viewing audience should be limited to strictly adults with an open mind and a thick skin. But for anyone interested in a dark tour through the roughest parts of town, they won't be disappointed by renting Life Is Hard In Cracktown.

All Better But One

Susan is better. No continuation of her issues and hopefully a quick followup should take care of her. Hoping for the best. She's a tough ol' redhead, too. Probably same genes Meg has. Two generations later.

I'm better. No obvious remains of that golf ball rolling around in my side. I'm hoping whatever was lodged in there is gone for good. In theory, I'm getting back in the gym tomorrow. I've been out for three weeks, while working on the car. My last session was awesome, benched 220lbs and did 170lbs on flies.Gonna pick up slow and try to drop 10lbs between now and Xmas.

Liam however, had a bad day. Stomach virus or something. I'll save the gory details but suffice it to say Cindy cleaned up this morning and I ended up cleaning my CAR before it was all done. He was completely out of comission the entire day. Hopefully he'll be better tomorrow. Would be nice to have a normal weekend together. 

Sears Coupons for Sears.com Updated Daily on One Project Closer

I wanted to let everyone know that my good friends over at One Project Closer have started maintaining a complete list of Coupons for Sears that includes just about every online Sears.com deal on the market today.  The list frequently features coupons for 10-20% off major appliances, and every once in a while they'll have a 35% off deal.  If you're in the market for a new appliance, lawn and garden tool, or new craftsman tools, you can't go wrong stopping by One Project Closer's list first.  For the last 2 years they've been maintaining a list of places to pick up Lowes Coupons for 10% Off, so this was a natural follow-on.

Dance By The Light Of The Moon

Some days you get the bear. Some days the bear gets you. The bear and I are still deciding the outcome for today.

Started with an unusual experience. Not long after trying to go to sleep (note I said "trying") there came an odd sensation much like a golf ball rolling around in the left side of my abdomen. Fortunately, it wasn't painful. Unfortunately it was extremely uncomfortable and I kept rolling onto it. And I barely slept for long without waking and thinking, "What the hell?" Over and over, hour after hour. Fairly sleepless night. And an exhausting day to follow. If I'm lucky it is a known condition and a diverticuli has formed, which can be resolved by some simple meds. If I'm not lucky, it is something else and I'll have to go on a quest for a solution. We'll see how that goes.

My Aunt Susan went to the hospital with some problems of her own. They sent her back without much guidance and suggested she keep an eye on everything then return if the problems continue. Um... WHAT? How about finding a cause for the problems she's reporting? That's my chief beef with "modern medicine," it wants to fix the symptoms of a problem, but not the actual problem. Anyway, hopefully Susan makes a graceful recovery.

Found out that Cousin Stephanie is three months pregnant. Her first. Much rejoicing and we're all happy for her. She has a nephew that she is GREAT with and another on the way. So I think having a child of her own will be much easier now that she has some experience with babies. And I know her parents are thrilled to have another grandchild in their lives.

Both kids brought home stellar report cards. Honor roll stuff. Much better than I ever brought home. Very proud of both of them and have to figure out something special to do with them this weekend. Maybe a quick jaunt over to NOLA for the aquarium. Some treat to show them how much we appreciate their work and their efforts. Something memorable for all of us.

As I am winding down tonight, a storm rolls through the neighborhood. Cold and angry. Stirring up the trees. Knocking on the door. I step outside to see what is going on. Stars behind thin clouds. Tiny drops of rain touch my neck. I tip toe down the sidewalk. Everything still and wet between gusts of wind. Finally a taste of fall weather. Get to leave August behind. And while the house is sleeping, I dance by the light of the moon. Might as well do it while I can.

Fire Wall

Odd attempt at sleep last night. Didn't go as planned. Made for a long morning and a late start. Japanese food and solar talk for lunch. Planned for a PC recycling program afterwards. Then off to a parenting session with Cindy to get our game plan formulated. Followed by an emergency wrestling match with a firewall. Peanut butter sammich and a phone interview for an article to conclude.

More of the same tomorrow. All my days filled with fire. Burning to the horizon. I feel uncomfortable slowing down. I'm not used to silence. Or moments of peace. Plans to make. Hearts to break. As I slouch toward Bethlehem.

Sunken

There were boats in the bayous last night. Like row boats. Except they were sunken. Small abandoned things fishermen would use. Lumbering only partly submerged. Four years and some change in those thick Southern waters. Floating wounds. Unhealed since Katrina. How long will they drift out there? Do their owners know they are there? Or even miss them?

My forehead is almost done shedding. All new skin under the dry, ruined burns. Keep thinking that people are staring at me. Checking out the after-effects of my stupidity this weekend. I'll bring sunscreen next time.

Received an eBay package today. Craftsmen flexible, racheting wrenches. Metric ones. An eight piece set. Like Aaron has at his shop. Spooky how I covert other men's tools. And I'm jonesing for a hand-held, battery-powered "autohammer." But then I'd need something to nail. (Wow, that sounds covertly dirty. Then again, I am talking about power tools.)

Had lunch with my father and my brother, Jason. First time in almost a year since we sat together in the EDR. Dad came back for "orientation" yesterday. He's "training" with Security, today. Odd to see him wear the same kind of uniform my mother used to wear. Dad got tired of hoisting groceries. So he made a successful return to the property. Employee of the year. Fire patrol during the rebuild. Bellman briefly after re-open. Then a short stint as an engineer before the second (or third?) round of layoffs caught him. But the old man doesn't give up. And he spent more time saying "Hey!" to old friends than actually training, today. Welcome back, Pop.

Otherwise, a productive day at the office. A quiet evening with the family. And now the house is sleeping.

Where's The Weirdo

That was a long, arduous adventure. We "finished" the Lightning Bug around 0200 last Wednesday, the 7th. There are still about two dozen items on the "To Do" list, but the vast bulk of the work is done. We made it show worthy and then sent it on its merry way. I'll write about all that some other time. Probably retro-enter the updates in the coming days.

Today, my face is peeling like a dry-rotted mummy. My father returned to work at the Beau. Cindy had a new garage door installed. And I survived a storm encrusted trip to the bayous of NOLA in order to sooth an ailing firewall and jumpstart a dead server.

Good to be back.

New Things

It's like a biblical Genesis over here at Chateau McDougal. So many new things for all of us that I have trouble keeping up with them.

• Liam is rocking the stand-up bass. Totally digs it and is able to pick out notes by ear. I think he has some undeveloped musical talent that we need to try to hone. He's also getting adventurous with foods (tried ribs, pulled BBQ beef, and says he puts lettuce & a tomato on his burgers!) And we're trying out Boyscouts to see how he likes like nature vs technology.
• Cindy is giving thought to getting her Master's in nursing. She's got my support all the way. And she's experimenting with some crazy diet tricks which today included a "spinach smoothie." Not sure how far that will go, but I'm proud of her for making the attempt.
  
• Meg is Meg. A bright, searing ray of sunshine that brings me unequaled happiness each and every day. If God put a happier, dancier, singier, more vibrant and beautiful girl on this Earth, I have never met her nor do I think such an equal exists. She's got jazz and ballet this year. And she owns my heart. 
• Me? Too many projects. The Beetle is devouring me. Got the wrap lined up today. Found a NEW guy to do the AC. Seats are done. Body work is coming. Lights and mirrors are due soon. Computer arrives on Friday. And I might have a day off in late October. Thankfully, I'm feeling better, sleeping somewhat better, and eating much better. But I'm running my machinery in the red all day, every day. And I hope I don't throw a rod before I reach the finish line. I see it on the horizon. Finally.
  

Beetle Build - Brake Lights

Aaron recessed the rear brake lights on the beetle. My idea. His implementation. A match made in automotive heaven. Roger is going to wire them up so the two center lights are solid, for brakes, and the two outer lights flash, for turn signals.

First picture (click to enlarge) gives a good idea of the placement. Second picture (click to enlarge) is a closer view.

Aaron also used fiberglass compound to join all the different body parts and they'll be one smooth piece by the time he's done sanding and painting.

Love that wide, fat-bottom look!

Updates

Kids: Liam just registered an 11th grade reading level. He's in 4th grade. He was the first kid in the whole school to hit his "reading goal." Which he accomplished in two weeks. And he's currently leading everyone in the number of earned points. Meg just registered a 6th grade reading level. She's in 2nd grade.

Health: My odd Meniere's semi-attacks from a couple of weeks ago subsided. I'm fairly sure it was fallout from the wreck. My neck and shoulders were all gimped up, possibly pulling me off to one side. And my inner ear didn't like that. Been back in the gym the last couple of weeks. Shoulder is good. Cardio is improving. Down three pounds since I started. Trying to hit my fighting weight of 185. At this pace it could be November. Just in time to put it all back on for the holidays.

Work: Looks like another year of dodging bullets from the weather and The Man. Today marks my "official" four-year anniversary. No cards or pats on the back. Just another day in paradise. Those of us left are glad to have a paycheck.  Hopefully we (the collective "we") are on the road to recovery. Or at least we've hit a bottom and can cruise along at current levels without any more layoffs. We always have hopes.

Projects: I only have five weeks to finish the Beetle. So many loose threads coming together. Upholstery. Body work. Graphics. Dashboard. Trying to get a slot at Cruising The Coast. May have to formulate Plan B. Haven't had a day off in almost a month. Won't have another until late-October. I pray the juice is worth the squeeze. Else I risk a further stream of "I Told You So" from my bride. But no risk, no glory. And I'd rather burn out than fade away....

Catch Up

My, my, my. How time flies when you're up to your eyeballs in so many projects you struggle to count them all. Not to mention the kids starting school. A return to the gym. The black plague falling upon us. Hurricane season. A crapped out lawnmower. Spider bites. Addictive science fiction novels. And HD tv. You blink and two weeks streak past your tired old eyes.

Time to catch up.