There were significantly fewer cars on the road today than would be on an ordinary Monday morning rush hour. Lots of people must have the entire pre-Christmas week off of work. I know that lots of people have vacations, holidays, floating days, and the like; but it is surprising how many people seemed to have gotten this particular week off of work. I'd say that 100% of the people I know are working -at least half of- this week, but there seems to be about 75% less traffic on...
This morning as I was leaving for work, I had an excellent idea for a weblog topic. I was certain that I would remember it! I spent my entire day at a meeting, and I'd be darned if I could remember what my "hot topic" was supposed to be about. I have been spending the last few hours trying to remember what I had to say. Well... Merry New Year
Last night my wife, my boys, and I went Christmas shopping. (It was our first time out this year.) We were able to get something for everyone on our list (except one). It was a good time out. For shopping ease, I'd definitely recommend a Tuesday night in a snowstorm. (Actually it was only snowy on the way home.) Before shopping we had dinner at Bonanza. My older son LOVES that place. He can eat spaghetti there, and he's a spaghetti-eating machine. ...
This morning I was listening to the "Pat Miles Show" on Twin Cities' WCCO radio. (Maybe some of you out there were listening to it too...) As part of a weekly segment, they invited a policeman into the studio to do their "ask the cop" feature. (That's the name I gave it. I don't know what the official name of it is.) It is interesting to hear what sorts of gripes the callers have regarding the police. One complaint (which ALWAYS seems to come up) is that the police leave their cars runnin...
Today we received a package in the mail from my wife's sister. She sent satin jackets for my son and me. Daddy and baby in jacket. Baby's "Dinosaur" jacket: The back. Little baby slept through it all.
Just as I was winding down for the evening, I caught the early-middle part of the 1978 movie "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band" starring Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees. The movie caught my attention, and I ended up watching it to the end. (I even scheduled it on my DVR for the next time they play it on the Sundance Channel.) I remember the first time that I started watching the movie. I was a teenager, and the movie was on Saturday afternoon TV. I gave the movie...
Have you heard of this recent push -by some activist groups- to have the FCC require that cable and satellite companies offer their channels on an a la carte basis? The theory goes that if people only pay for the channels they watch, they'll save money. Also by selecting channels, people could supposedly limit "objectionable" material coming into their homes. (Who is it that is so appalled by the content on commercial basic cable anyways? If that stuff is too racy fo...
Today as I was checking up on my favorite baseball team, I found a link to The World Baseball Classic. The Classic is an international, sixteen-team baseball tournament beginning in Japan on March 3rd, and ending in San Diego on March 20. This baseball tournament is scheduled to include the world's top professional players representing their home countries. Looking at the teams, it seems that the favorites from their respective pools will be: Japan, the USA, Venezuela, and The Domi...
The last time the rock group Queen came to our market (as far as I know) was in 1981. Since I was only nine at the time, I couldn't really go to see them in concert. (I don't think that I was all that interested at the time either.) Once I started listening to recorded music, one of the bands that I have really wanted to see live is Queen. Of course that opportunity was sadly taken away from me in 1991, Since Freddie Mercury died, there had been rumors about the band ref...
Every once-in-a-while, a prime time television show on PBS actually seems entertaining. (I usually catch them late-night for the British shows.) Of course those seemingly "entertaining" shows always seem to coincide with pledge week. Anyway, this time the "interesting" show was a retrospective on "Fawlty Towers". Anyone watch that? The show was mildly entertaining, but it was mostly devoid of substance. They showed clips from the limited number of shows in the series, and the played co...
This time of year is fun for baseball fans. Lots of speculation on (and actualization of) trades and free agent signings. So far this winter, the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians have acquired some high-end players. Chicago has just picked up Jim Thome (ouch!), and the Indians have recently acquired starting-pitcher Paul Byrd. In order to compete in the rapidly-improving American League Central Division, the Twins really have to upgrade a few positions. Last week, the Twins fille...
I enjoy listening to "media people" talking about television. Those are my favorite segments on radio shows. Two of the shows that have been generating the most buzz on these shows are HBO's "Curb your enthusiasm", and "Da Ali G Show". Now we don't subscribe to any of the premium channels at our house, so I had never been able to watch these shows. (I am waiting until I have access to the DVDs.) This weekend however, we were treated to one of those "preview w...
After my wife and my son went to bed, I watched a bit of TV. At about the time that I was set to go to bed, my wife called me from upstairs and said that she can't get the baby to sleep. She has had a rough couple of days (two kids at home, me at work), so now I am sitting up with baby for a while. We watched two episodes of "Mary Tyler Moore." (We have one more that we can watch tonight.) He's being good in his bouncer for now, but I am sure that he'll be up for a cud...
Here are some of the last batch of photos that I downloaded from our camera. Most of the pictures of Akinori were "overexposed". I suppose that's what happens when we stand too close when we take pictures. Here's one that turned-out: Kenny likes to play around the baby's cradle, especially when the baby is in it. I laughed when I saw this picture. Kenny is experimenting with the nose cleaner. Dinosaur is getting its nose cleaned too. ...
Last night I went to my local K-mart to buy a game for my students to play at school. I brought the game into work, and put it on my desk. On the box, I noticed that there is a price tag. I was struck at how rarely one sees an actual price tag these days. With the advent of bar codes and scanners, price tags have become increasingly rare. (Strangely, as a marketing strategy, the tags on items at stores like KOHLs don't even reflect the actual price of the item for ...