From The Desk Of DaBahbs

Blog Every Day!

2010-03-01T23:08:00.001-08:00

Eventually, I will…

Gotta fill my brain with interesting things first, methinks.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Traffic!!!

2010-02-14T07:30:00.001-08:00

This is the 101 freeway at 6 PM ON A SATURDAY. Traffic was like this since 3 PM on all the major Los Angeles freeways.

Many, many moons ago, the only time you encountered traffic jams like this was during the traditional "rush hour." But as the years progressed, weekend traffic has become a permanent snarl. About the only good time to drive on a freeway during the weekend is between 3 and 5 AM.

I want a transporter.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Unusual Book Titles

2010-02-12T09:01:00.000-08:00

From my Top 10 calendar. I searched for a handful on Amazon and they are legit.

1. 101 Users for an Old Farm Tractor.
2. 101 Super Users for Tampon Applicators
3. Across Europe by Kangaroo
4. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
5. Be Bold with Bananas
6. Bimbos of the Death Sun
7. Devil's Cloth: A History of Stripes
8. Fancy Coffins to Make Yourself
9. The Flat-Footed Flies of Europe
10. The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs.

I know it's only February, but that's no reason to start your Christmas shopping really, really early.

Saints

2010-02-07T21:57:00.000-08:00

Congratulations New Orleans Saints on your Super Bowl victory.

That said, I've not watched football since L.A. lost their football team what seems like a million years ago.

McTHIS McDonalds

2010-02-05T22:55:00.001-08:00

Almost every morning, around 6 AM, I go chant for an hour at our local community center. Sometimes, when I'm done, I'll pick up some kind of fast food breakfast for everyone.

Last Saturday, I was planning to swing by McDonalds to get everyone Egg McMuffins. However, I wasn't really feeling the artificial fast food experience.

So I decided to attempt an Egg McMuffin of my own. It's the hit of the household - I don't think any of us could eat a real McMuffin ever again.

And now, lucky, lucky you, I shall share the recipe:

Watchu need:
• An English muffin (sourdough)
• An egg
• A couple slices of bacon (not ham)
• A slice of cheddar cheese (not american)
• Mayo
• Milk or Half & Half
• Butter

Watchu do:
1. Beat the egg with a fork. Mix in a couple tablespoons of milk.
2. Toast the muffin
3. Cook the bacon
4. Put the egg on the bottom half of the muffin.
5. Tear bacon in half and layer on top of egg.
6. Put cheese slice on pan for a few seconds until cheese starts to melt. Lay cheese on top of bacon.
7. Spread some mayo on top half of muffin and stack on cheese to complete sandwich.
8. Eat.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

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Nursery Rhymes

2010-02-03T18:29:00.000-08:00

(from my Top 10 calendar [not David Letterman...]):

The 10: Morbid Origins of Nursery Rhymes

(the only one I knew from this list is "Ring Around the Rosie" -- I love fun facts. Don't you?)

1. Humpty Dumpty: Cannon used in the Siege of Colchester during the English Civil War. Humpty had a great fall after enemy fire and couldn't be put back together.

2. Jack and Jill: King Louis XVI, who was beheaded, followed by Marie Antoinette (who came tumbling after).

3. Ring Around The Rosie: The Black Death, killing 25 million in the fourteenth century. The ring is a rash; posies are petals to ward off the plague. Falling down? Obvious.

4. Little Jack Horner: Sixteenth-century steward who betrayed the Bishop of Glastonbury.

5. Baa Baa Black Sheep: A thirteenth-century wool tax -- one-third to local lord/master; one-third to the church/dame; and one-third to the farmer, or "little boy", who lived down the lane.

6. Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary: "Bloody Mary," who tortured and beheaded non-Catholics via the Pretty Maids or guillotines!

7. Jack Sprat: King Charles I; when parliament "left him lean" by not financing his war on Spain, the Queen imposed a war tax.

8. Georgie Porgie: The hated courtier George Villiers (1592-1628), lover to both King James I and the Queen of France.

9. Jack Be Nimble: Sixteenth-century English pirate, Black Jack, notorious for eluding authorities.

10. Mary Had a Little Lamb: Mary had a little lamb! Period. Note: Bostonian Sarah Hale's words were the first recorded by Thomas Edison on his phonograph.

Lost!!

2010-02-02T05:49:00.001-08:00

It has been eight (EIGHT) months since Juliette detonated a hydrogen bomb at the end of season five.

Eight. Long. Months.

Season six premieres tonight. I'm going to watch it on a big screen with about 40 fellow Losties.

Oooooooh!!!

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Mac Snack Wrap

2010-01-31T10:23:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not referring to something else Apple just introduced along with the iPad. I'm referring to McDonald's latest little cheap, snacky creation.

Basically, it's all the components of a Big Mac, except for the bun, rolled up in a small tortilla. Intriguing? Indeed. Tasty? Very. Imagine a Big Mac that's not so "heavy", weighed down by all the bread. The tortilla doesn't get in the way - it really serves it's job of keeping the innards from falling all over the place.

It also allows the Mac's tastes to finally shine through. The sauce seems tangier. The meat a little more pronounced. Everything else has more flavor.

The other great thing is it's a LOT cheaper than the standard Big Mac.

Well… now I'm hungry. I always do that to myself.

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Blogging With The iPhone

2010-01-31T10:19:00.000-08:00

As the signature below will attest, I can now easily blog mobile-style… as long as I'm stationary. I wouldn't suggest doing this while driving a car.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Appreciation

2010-01-28T22:24:00.000-08:00

It's only a short post tonight as I'm working.

The appreciation part is... I'm working from home.

I appreciate that technology is at a point where I can work from home as need be when some late night demands kick in. No need to drive down to the office. I can get what I need done, but be comfortable at home!

Okay. Back to work.

Apple. Why Do You Want To Make Me Penniless?

2010-01-27T14:28:00.000-08:00

iPad.

aka iPhone on Steroids.

I want one. Well.. I think I want one. I'll need to go to the Apple Store once they have them in stock and play with one. I have an iPhone. I love my iPhone. It's become like a third hand. It's definitely one of those "how did I live without this" kind of devices.

But, sometimes, the iPhone is just too small when using certain apps (games, eBook readers, web surfing).

I have been wanting a MacBook but, as my wife reminds me, we already have several computers in the house and I find I would most likely use the MacBook to surf the web, play games, read books... and not really use it the way a laptop is supposed to be used.

The iPad appears to be the solution to that MacBook jones. Everything I would do on a laptop, with the cool touch-screen features, but much, much cheaper. And it would run all the apps currently on my iPhone. Sweet.

Now... I just need to play with it to make a final decision.

Let's Try This Again, Shall We

2010-01-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

Gonna post to this darned blog *COUGH... dusty* every day. Even if it's just a short, rambling message. Even if it's to demonstrate my uncanny ability to spell words such as "cupcake", "millet", and "rabbit."

It's a great outlet for all the constipated thoughts jammed in one's brain.

My brain already has enough stuff in it that isn't really helping things so this blog represents the virtual toilet bowl of my (to borrow George Carlin's phrase) "brain droppings."

Right now I'm watching "The Closer." Isn't that an awesome police show? I respect any show that's not afraid to venture in many stylistic directions. Sometimes extremely funny, sometimes loaded with pathos, sometimes full of solid drama, it features one of the best currently working TV ensembles. I like that many TV shows are now airing their first run episodes during the long summer hiatus the four major networks take.

In one week, though, my crack arrives. Lost. Season Six. Craaaack. CRACK. Gonna go to a season six premier party at a coffee bar in Eagle Rock. Should be loads of fun!

Clearing Out The Cobwebs

2009-03-07T21:36:00.001-08:00

I am so proud that I've kept up with blogging every day. Problem is -- I'm not sure which days those are.

So, let's get caught up in the lightning round:

- Lost Season 5 is BEYOND nuts. Nuts. Nuts, I tells ya.
- Fringe is a great TV show.
- This was a much better holiday season. No ending up in the hospital with pneumonia.
- Speaking of Lost, we're going to Hawaii in May for not one, not two, but almost three weeks. A few days of total chill-down on Maui, then time with the family on Oahu. Why Lost? Gonna drive around Oahu and find more filming locations. Plus, Daniel Dae Kim (Jin) just opened a burger restaurant that sounds crazy - The Counter.
- This month marks 17 years at Disney. Seventeen years. I'm old. But happy. But old.
- My favorite browser is now Google Chrome. Simple, sleek, and fast.
- I'm an iPhone junkie. If I were to misplace it, I would curl up into a fetal position and rock back and forth.
- Barack Obama is the bestest President ever. It's time for the Republicans to break out of their bad habits and decide they like America.
- We'll get through this economic minefield. It won't be easy. It won't be quick. But we'll get through it. Let's make sure to support and encourage those who have fallen victim.

Okay. That's enough! See you in six moths. Hehehehe.

Is It November 4th Yet?

2008-10-15T07:51:00.001-07:00

Tonight's the final presidential debate.

Or what I like to call "The final nail in Mr. McCain's presidential bid coffin".

It's about time for us to put Mr. McCain's increasingly nasty and schizophrenic campaign to bed.

Vee Pee

2008-10-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight's the VP debate.

I'm more excited about this one than all three of the Presidential debates combined.

Hilarity should definitely ensue.

What Am I Listening To Today?

2008-09-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

Just because I can and just because I'm odd, I am going to list what music I'm listening to throughout today. I probably won't do this tomorrow as I will have lost interest in doing this by the end of today!

I have my iPod on album shuffle, so I get a random album that plays all the way through.

I'll update this post as a new album comes up.

So go pop some popcorn and plunk yourself down in front of the computer screen. It's a lot more fun than $700 billion failed bailouts and 700 point drops in the stock market!

1. Bright Eyes - "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning"
2. Adam & The Ants - "Kings of the Wild Frontier"
3. Moby - "Play"
4. Radiohead - "In Rainbows"
5. Pink Floyd - "Ummagumma"
6. The Beatles - "Anthology I"

The Last Two Safe Banks In America

2008-09-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

Introducing

Bank of Under the Mattress

and

First National Cookie Jar

All assets secure (as long as you put money in them and don't lose them somewhere).

(Hey! Where's MY $700 billion bail-out??)

"Is Stevie Wonder A Soka Gakkai Member"

2008-09-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

I have that Sitemeter thingie attached to my blog because I'm curious about who happens across my site.

In most cases, if someone hits my site from a Google search (e.g. you search for "The Beatles" and I happen to have a Beatles post, my post will show up in the search results), Sitemeter will show the Google query the person used.

This post's title was a Google search query a few days ago that directed the user to a page I posted about our recent big bus trip to San Francisco.

So...

To answer the question: No. Stevie Wonder is not an SGI member.

However, another very talented musician and master of the piano is a member - Herbie Hancock.

So there you go!

Fringe!

2008-09-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

Oh, yeah!

TV's merchant of crack, J.J. Abrams, has me hooked on another crazy, spooky, engrossing hour of TV: "Fringe".

I was a major X-Files fan back in the day and haven't had a good X-Filesish fix in a long time (sorry, kids, "I Want To Believe" was VERY disappointing).

"Fringe"'s pilot last night had everything a growing TV sci-fi geek needs for healthy bones and a shiny coat - mysterious conspiracies, melting people, mind melding, the FBI. Mmmmm. Tasty.

It makes the long, long, looong wait between seasons of "Lost" much more bearable.

Vacation Photos!

2008-09-02T07:27:00.001-07:00

Just got back last night from a three-day jaunt to Northern California (San Jose, Berkeley, and Sacramento).

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Well, here's 24,000 words worth.

(Disclaimer: My wife took the professional pictures with the good camera. These shots are from my iPhone that I occasionally uploaded to MobileMe)

(Note: I was amazed that after flying an hour north, we were still in California. This is a BIG state!)

Holy Joker, Batman!

2008-08-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

Quick, quick, quick (work hours are for working, not blogging...)

Finally (FINALLY) saw "The Dark Knight" last night (knight?).

All the critics and pundits who said Heath Ledger should get a posthumous Oscar nomination were absolutely right! (kright?)

The whole movie was awesome, but Ledger was astounding.

Obama

2008-08-27T16:18:00.001-07:00

My boy Barack Obama will officially get the Democratic Presidential nomination tonight!

Is it November yet???

This is the first time since Bill Clinton's first term in office that I've been excited for an election.

It's time to purge the last eight years out of our system!

Good Feeling

2008-08-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Ya ever had to accomplish one of those big, multi-day tasks that, once you complete it, your brain refuses to acknowledge that you completed it?

So you spend every few hours thinking "Oh, man, I gotta do... wait. I did and I don't have do it anymore".

That brief feeling of euphoria is great! It's like waking up thinking you have to go to work only to realize it's Saturday.

Finally finished clearing out our storage facility on Saturday after several weeks of getting stuff out. Now, every time I think I need to get more stuff out of storage this week, I get that euphoric feeling when I realize I don't have to!

Yay!

What The Kids Will Be Clamoring For This Christmas

2008-08-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

Experience the look of joy in your favorite child's eyes as they help Jesus Christ...

...and his sidekicks, the Racing Nuns,...

...battle the feline force of Evil: the Crazy Cat Lady!

Merry Christmas, indeed!

(and No! I did not purchase these... I ain't that crazy)

It's Official!

2008-08-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

Michael Phelps has officially won more Gold medals in the Olympics than me.

As of this post, he has 11.

So far, I have 0. In fact, I've never played in an Olympics. In fact, my only encounter with the Olympics was going to the rowing competition back in 1984 in the L.A. games.

Good job, Michael!

Aloha, Part II

2008-08-08T11:55:00.001-07:00

Here's another Hawaiian word with disparate meanings (from my Hawaiian-Word-A-Day calendar):

MU'UMU'U

The definition I've always known is "loose gown".

But my calendar also defines it as "amputee" or "cut off, amputated".

Discuss.

And by the way, it's pronounced "moo-oo moo-oo", not "moo moo". Cows say "moo moo", not loose gowns.

UPDATE: It's good being married to a Hawaiian. My calendar is sorta correct.

Mu'umu'u (with the okina) means "loose gown".

Muumuu (without the okina and pronounced "moo moo") means "amputee".

This just proves, boys n' girls, that punctuation does count.

Palate Cleanser

2008-08-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

Now that we've all had a full-course meal of crazy, let's wash it all down with...

KITTIES!

PUPPIES!

RAINBOWS!

and UNICORNS!

Ahhhhh. Don't we all feel better now? It's like taking Pepto-Bismol for the brain.

Crazy

2008-07-31T14:52:00.001-07:00

I am never ceased to be amazed at what people are capable of doing when they snap.

Warning: It's a gruesome story. Read at your own discretion.

Bus passenger beheaded seat mate, witness says

Now I need to go find something a lot more "feel good" to post...

...And How Was YOUR Tuesday?

2008-07-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Mine was fun.

Nothing breaks up the monotony of the daily grind like a 5.4 earthquake.

Shook my office building pretty hard. Made it feel like we were floating on water. Fortunately, nobody got hurt. The only damage was a metal rod that broke free from the ceiling and impaled (IMPALED!) a folding table at the front of the building.

The good news? California didn't fall into the ocean.

Best Bathroom Icons Ever

2008-07-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

You know the traditional symbols for Men's and Women's bathrooms, right?

(for those of you with bathroom amnesia)

Legoland did those symbols one better:

Now that's more accurate.

I love any place with a great sense of humor.

Justice. Is. Served. (I Think...)

2008-07-25T11:53:00.001-07:00

So I'm driving to the bank yesterday. Just as I'm about to pull into the driveway, I see a police office walking towards the driveway. So I stop to let him pass.

Some punk in a black Mercedes behind me honks his horn and recklessly whips into the adjacent lane to pass me.

The officer stops and stares (and I mean STARES) at the Mercedes. Then he resumes walking as he reaches for the radio pinned to his shoulder.

Unfortunately I had to pull into the driveway (so as not to block anymore traffic), so I didn't see how it played out. But I'm sure the Mercedes' license plate was reported to the police.

Justice served!

HA HA HA HA HA! That made me feel good!

The Siiiiiimpsooons

2008-07-21T22:13:00.000-07:00

The final theme park last week with our nephew (who is now safely back home in Hawaii) was Universal Studios.

I haven't been there in years, which is ironic, given that of all the theme parks in Southern California, it's the closest. It's literally ten minutes away by car. When we drive to the main thoroughfare near our house, you can see the "Waterworld" show pyrotechnics at the other end of the street.

However, the ride I was looking forward to was The Simpson's Ride, which just opened a few weeks ago.

This ride is crazy! It's a motion-simulator-based ride, where your "car" rocks and moves in relation to the screen. And what a screen! The entire room is the screen, so you feel completely immersed into Springfield. The plot is simple: Sideshow Bob (voiced, as in the TV series, by Kelsey Grammar) tries to destroy the Simpsons (and you) on the ride.

The ride is full of Simpson's characters and is a total hoot. I can't wait to ride it again.

One warning, however. If you're sensitive to motion sickness, this ride will totally mess you up. So be warned.

Some photos of the ride's exterior:

You enter the ride through Krusty's mouth.

There was also a Kwik-E-Mart

You could take pictures with The Simpsons.

The ride's sign.

The ride was full of traditional Simpsons snarkiness.

The Official Site

Wall-E

2008-07-15T21:46:00.001-07:00

One more thing: Go see Wall-E.

Absolutely wonderful.

Pixar can do no wrong.

Busy. Busy. Busy.

2008-07-15T21:41:00.001-07:00

Whooo.

This has been a busy, but fun, week. This is the last week with the nephew. This past weekend was full of fun times in San Diego (Legoland *, the San Diego Zoo **, and Sea World).

Tomorrow is Disneyland/California Adventure for the third time and Thursday is Universal Studios (I'm looking forward to trying out the Simpsons Ride).

However, I'm noticing that whirlwind weekends at 40 are much more tiring than whirlwind weekend at 20!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Legoland has an entire replica of the Las Vegas strip done in Legos. I have pictures and, when I have the time, I'll post them.

** I also have some incredible pictures of the baby Panda. Again... once time becomes available!

The Joker Toy

2008-07-09T21:40:00.001-07:00

I came across a commercial for some fast food joint the other night (can't remember where though. Getting too old to remember things.) and they were promoting their special "The Dark Knight" kids meal promotion that came with either a Batman toy or a Joker toy.

I'm sorry, but the Joker toy was creepy. It hewed very closely to Heath Ledger's bedraggled, psychotic looking Joker, but in toy form.

I would think this toy would give some of our more sensitive youth nightmares...

This is the Joker made for toys.

This is the Joker made for $30/hr therapy sessions.

Mmmm. Minty AND Lemony

2008-07-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

Ugh. I have a nasty cough again.

Last time I had this cough, it flared up into bronchitis, then a delightful six day stay in the hospital with pneumonia.

Needless to say, I'm being a lot more cautious this time.

However, I've popped so many Lemon-Mint Ricolas that everything's now starting taste minty-lemony. It's like being trapped in a bottle of Sprite...

Blecch.

4th Of July, Disney Style

2008-07-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

We spent the 4th of July with our nephew at Disney's California Adventure.

A splendid time was had by all including watching a special fireworks presentation. Instead of the regular Disney-themed fireworks, we were presented with red, white, and blue fireworks. What was particularly amazing were fireworks that exploded in the shapes of stars, smiley faces, boxes, and pentagons.

Unfortunately, the show had to stop early because the wind started picking up and Disney didn't want to risk embers drifting into the nearby neighborhoods. Especially since California is a statewide tinderbox right now.

One of the biggest treats was getting to go on the new ride "Toy Story Mania". This is now officially the most addictive ride at the Disneyland Resort (sorry, Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters).

Needless to say, I was too busy shooting targets to take pictures on the ride, but here's some posters and the ride's entrance:

STEVIE WONDER!!

2008-07-08T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hey, guess where me and my wife were last night??

Watching Stevie Wonder at the Hollywood Bowl!! Practically in the front row. The legendary Stevie Wonder! Almost three hours of one classic song after another (plus one new song currently in the works).

I've been to the Hollywood Bowl several times and this was the first time I have ever seen every single person on their feet dancing to songs like "Sir Duke" and "Superstition".

Some pictures from my "yes, I know it doesn't have a flash or a zoom lens" iPhone (some were taken off a nearby video screen):

Stevie and his family at the beginning of the show.

Stevie and his daughter Aisha. She's was the inspiration for the song "Isn't She Lovely" when she was born. Trippy experience to see him serenade his daughter, who is now an adult, with the song.

Stevie and one of his sons singing a duet. His son sounds just like him at that age. Again... trippy.

One long shot of the stage. The band consisted of Stevie (obviously), a trumpet player, a sax player, three percussionists, two keyboardists (other than Stevie), two guitars, one bassist, three backup singers, and a full orchestra.

Happy 4th Of July!

2008-07-03T15:38:00.001-07:00

Happy Fourth of July!

Even if you don't celebrate where you live, have a happy day anyway.

Drink a beer.

Barbeque something.

Shoot off a firework.

Intro To Hawaiian Food

2008-07-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

We picked our eight year old nephew up at the airport this morning. He's going to stay with us for a couple of weeks and we're going to hit practically every theme park Southern California has to offer.

In addition to the usual travel stuff, his parents packed some awesome Lau Laus. Best on the islands.

What is Lau Lau?

Let Wikipedia enlighten you.

Good eatin'.

Gay Marriage - Week Two

2008-06-30T23:16:00.000-07:00

It's been two weeks since California permitted gay couples to legally marry.

Let's have a reality check, shall we?

- Has California fallen into the ocean? Nope.
- Has fire and brimstone fallen from the sky? Nope. (California is always this hot during the Summer)
- Have hetero marriages disintegrated and the divorce rate shot up to 100% as the very sanctity of marriage is compromised? Uh. No. I'm still very happily married to my wife.

So have gay marriages destroyed civilization?

No?

That's what I thought.

We should spend less time protesting gay marriage and more time protesting intolerance.

Required Listening

2008-06-30T23:09:00.001-07:00

While I cleaned the kitchen tonight, I stole borrowed my wife's Sounddock to listen to my iPod.

I randomly flipped through a few albums and landed on Sufjan Stevens' "Illinois", the second of his (overly ambitious) project to record an album for each of the 50 states.

This is one of the best albums of the past several years.

Recommended listening.

Wipeout!

2008-06-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

Watched one of the silliest, looniest game shows ever last night.

It's called "Wipeout!" and involves people in various stages of fitness attempting to navigate a series of crazy obstacle courses for a chance to win $50,000. What makes it all the more entertaining is John Henson's overly snarky commentaries.

Full details here: Link (ABC)

I'm never ceased to be amazed at what people will do for money. Of course, all those winnings will probably go towards filling up their gas tanks!

Around The State In A Day

2008-06-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

Had a really cool adventure on Saturday.

The religious organization I belong to, SGI (Soka Gakkai International), sent a bunch of us to San Francisco for a big kickoff meeting. We left L.A. at 11 PM Friday night, spent the day in San Francisco, then were back in L.A. by 11 PM Saturday night.

That means in a 24 hour period, we were on a bus for 14 of those hours. It takes approximately seven hours to get from L.A. to S.F. (driving at legal speeds, mind you).

We arrived at the San Francisco Community Center around 6:30 AM, where we could freshen up and have something to eat. Then they sent us to the Golden Gate Bridge for a group photo. Normally, you think one would be a little annoyed when half the bridge was enshrouded in fog, but it seemed appropriate for San Francisco. After that, it was across the bay to Oakland for the big meeting (which was both wonderful and inspirational), followed by a looooong one mile walk to a park for lunch and jazz music. Then it was back on the bus.

An absolutely wonderful, if wirlwindish, experience!

The San Francisco Culture Center

The Golden Gate Bridge

The meeting -- they gave us T-Shirts with a Harley Davidson-esque logo. Very cool.

Freeze Frame

2008-06-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

So you're watching "So You Think You Can Dance" on the DVR.

So you get a phone call.

So you pause the DVR.

So you end up with the following frozen picture on the TV.

CREEEPEE

Hands Free For You And For Me

2008-06-26T22:26:00.000-07:00

On July 1st, California implements a statewide law requiring drivers to use some kind of hands free device while driving if they need to use their cell phone. It can be one of those Lt. Uhura Bluetooth devices in the ear, a Bluetooth-enabled speaker box (that's what we're using), or even the cellphone's speaker. Basically, anything OTHER than holding the cellphone to their ear.

Even better, drivers 18 years and under can't use their cellphone while driving AT ALL, hands free device or not.

No longer will I be behind a car that's weaving dangerously in their lane only to discover they're not drunk. They're yakking away on their cellphone.

The first offense is $20. Next offense is $50. It continues getting more expensive.

I now find myself next to cars where the driver is on the cellphone and thinking "that's a ticket." I would love to know much money law enforcement rakes in during the first month.

Aloha

2008-06-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

My wife gave me a Hawaiian-Word-A-Day calendar for Christmas so that I could pick up some Hawaiian words (and not sound so haole when we visit family).

I've discovered over these past months that some Hawaiian words have multiple meanings. Obviously, the most common and well-known one is "Aloha", which can mean hello and goodbye among other things.

However, today's word has some very diverse meanings. Can you find the correlation between all the meanings, 'cuz I sure can't.

The word: PE'A.

It can mean: 1) cross, 2) sail of canoe, 3) boundary and (here's the kicker) 4) to menstruate.

Know-it-all status to anyone who can correlate all four meanings...

Headline Of The Day

2008-06-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

D.L. Hughley on Obama: `He's like a tall Urkel dude'

Link to Article.

George Carlin

2008-06-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

George Carlin died a few days ago.

In my opinion, he was one of the funniest comics working the circuit. He could brilliantly point out the absurdities of every day life.

In his honor, here is a YouTube link to his classic "Seven Words You Can't Say On Television" (NSFW - the language IS salty) *

Link

* Interestingly, some of the words aren't so shocking anymore...

How Hot Was It?

2008-06-23T17:51:00.001-07:00

This is from my car's AC controls at 6:30 PM Friday.

Yes. It was 111 degrees Fahrenheit (43.9 degrees Celcius) at 6:30 PM. 6:30. P.M. (That's evening time... when things are supposed to cool down).

After driving around for a few minutes, it cooled down to a relatively frosty 106 degrees.

That just ain't right.

iPhone Picture Time!

2008-06-18T22:15:00.000-07:00

They've been marinating on my phone for months. Time to take 'em out of the broiler, season them with some comments and serve 'em up hot n' fresh.

Pictures from the iPhone.

In NO PARTICULAR ORDER!! WOOOT!

Kung Fu Panda! (from our local movie theater lobby)

A REAL Panda! (from the San Diego Zoo)

A real BABY Panda! (also from the San Diego Zoo)

Mmmmm. Heartburn.

How animals cool down on a hot day - birdy division.

How animals cool down on a hot day - squirrel division.

Lions, lions, and baby lions, oh my! (from the San Diego Wild Animal Park)

The Hollywood sign (taken from Hollywood & Highland)

The Hollywood Bowl (the little ant playing on stage is Elvis Costello. The iPhone doesn't exactly have a zoom lens)

Laundry cat!!

Mommy and baby Raccoons (a couple of blocks from our apartment)

Posted at the Santa Clarita, California Metrolink station. Commute to work at your own peril.

Ouch! (posted on the parking gate of a nearby apartment complex)

Posted in a bathroom stall. I can understand the first request, but the second? EEEW.

Who's been a Mouseketeer for over 15 years?? (16 years, 3 months to be exact).

That's it!

Thanks for playing!

The Good Ol' Days

2008-06-17T22:08:00.001-07:00

I was looking over some of my previous posts (because there are SOOOOOOO many of them!*) and noticed way back in April that I incredulously declared that gas was $3.61 a gallon.

I would KILL for $3.61 a gallon. Gas in lovely, downtown Burbank is now averaging $4.55 a gallon. I am very grateful that I only work five minutes by car from my house.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* See? You CAN convey facetiousness over the Internet.

One More Post

2008-06-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

Another post full of what George Carlin calls "Brain Droppings":

- Indiana Jones was good. Total cinematic comfort food. Still, a little disconcerting that 1/2 the audience wasn't born when Raider of the Lost Ark was in the theaters.
- Good movies to rent: "Michael Clayton", "Zodiak", "Cloverfield"
- Newer, cheaper, faster iPhone coming out. Guess my wife is getting THIS one.
- Finally got my 15 year service award. I put a picture of it up only Facebook page.
- The Lost finale was in.sane. Now I have to wait until next January for Season 5.
- Saw The Police and Elvis Costello at the Hollywood Bowl. Even Sting's dad played. Oh, wait, that WAS Sting sporting a full (and graying) beard.
- Speaking of the Hollywood Bowl, gonna go see Stevie Wonder there in July.

Okay. That's enough for now.

iPhone Post

2008-06-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

I'm posting something using my iPhone because I'm nerdy like that.

Happy Birthday!

2008-04-08T23:05:00.000-07:00

Hey, guess what else April 8th is?

My Wife's Birthday!!

Happy Birthday!!

'Sup?

2008-04-08T22:40:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog.

Sorry I've been ignoring you lately. My brain is chock-full of posts, but the calendar isn't chock-full of time. Plus I suffer from a bad case of "post-nesia". My posts are beautifully composed, full of flowery prose and profound ideas... until I sit in front of the computer. Then I forget everything I was thinking of and can only sputter out "Uh... how ya doin'? How 'bout that weather?"

So here I sit writing about how I can't think of anything to post because... I can't think of anything to post.

I guess some random thoughts will do:

- Jason Castro covered Bruddah Iz's version of "Over The Rainbow" on tonight's American Idol. Woooot for Hawaii!

- Ancient bands from Atlanta are kickin' some sonic butt right now. Both R.E.M.'s "Accelerate" and The B-52's "Funplex" are two of the best albums of 2008. My jaw dropped when, while reading a small blurb about "Funplex" in People, they noted that the median age of the band is 55. 55!. The whippersnappers over in R.E.M. are almost 50.

- Speaking of the walking (or singing) dead, the soundtrack for the Rolling Stones' new documentary, "Shine A Light", is also awesome which is amazing since the combined ages of all four members is about 100 years past death.

- The Pregnant Man. I love how the media is trying to promote this story as some kind of genetic miracle. A guy is pregnant!!! How can this be??? Are we entering some real age of X-Men? Uh. No. Repeat after me: Tran-sex-u-al. The "he" used to be a "she". And he/she still has the she plumbing. What we're actually witnessing is the world's first openly hermaphrodite individual. He/She's (It's?) appearance on Oprah was rife with TMIs. Don't mention "intercourse" around my wife.

- For the first time in many years I'm looking forward to seeing some movies...in a movie theatre! - Indiana Jones, James Bond, Star Trek (oh wait, that's next year now), Wall-E (gotta support the home team).

- Gasoline is up to $3.60+ a gallon. I'm about thiiiiiis close to tying a leash around my car and walking it to work.

- Yay! Lost still has five more episodes. I would have dropped to the floor and thrown a tantrum hissy fit rivaling any pissed-off three year old had "Meet Kevin Johnson" been the season finale.

There. Blog updated. Balance in the world is restored.

Oh. My. God.

2008-03-15T00:33:00.000-07:00

You just can't make this stuff up:

John Denver karaoke sparks Thai killing spree

iGeek

2008-02-24T23:32:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I got an iPhone.

Niiiiice. I mean NIIIIIICE. This phone is awesome. I spent last night loading on a whole pile of webapps from Apple, including ones to find cheap gas and report any traffic problems (which we used to great effect today when we hit some heavy traffic on the 101).

This is not a phone. It's the holy grail of geeky, nerdy devices. It's one of those rare "how did I live without this?" devices.

I'm in iHeaven right now.

Some Good Listening

2008-02-14T23:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted anything about recent music purchases for awhile, so why not now...

Sheryl Crow - Detours

Best album in awhile. It's no accident that pairing up with Bill Bottrell would make this album sound similar to Tuesday Night Music Club. That's a good thing.

Jack Johnson - Sleep Through The Static

Lenny Kravitz - It's Time For A Love Revolution

One comment fits both: If you liked their previous albums, you'll like these. Both are artists that have shown absolutely no growth from their first album to their newest -- each one sounds like a continuation of the previous one. Good thing is both are very talented artists and their cadre of albums are all top notch.

Vampire Weekend

Still digesting this one, but "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" is one of the best songs this year so far.

Happy Valentines Day

2008-02-14T23:27:00.000-08:00

Hey, all!

Happy Valentines Day!!

I have two words for you: Dr. Phil.

(Huh? You ask...)

More to come...

I'll Take "Duh" For $1,000 Alex

2008-02-04T15:01:00.001-08:00

So, the following is only being discovered NOW? Study finds U.S. music awash in booze and drugs

Speaking of "Duh", I tried out for Jeopardy. The initial test is an online quiz where you're given 50 questions with 15 seconds to answer each question. 15 seconds is not a lot of time. I know I don't have a chance of moving forward. Questions I knew the answer to under normal circumstances (i.e. had more than 15 seconds to answer), became strange, foreign, bizarre questions with answers that eluded me. By the end of the quiz, which took no more than 13 minutes, left me tired and disoriented.

You'd be able to tell me if I made it on the show -- I would be the one with the "deer caught in headlights" stare, answering "What is pudding?" to every question.

Well, Hello There Blog

2008-01-27T01:04:00.000-08:00

Let's catch up on a dark and stormy night...

Wow, so many celebrity deaths these past few weeks -- some sad, some tragic -- Heath Ledger, Brad Renfro, Suzanne Pleshette.

This election year is rockin' the house. Obama wins. Clinton wins. Obama wins. I'm still for Obama, but I feel we're in a win-win-win situation with the Dems. I'll be equally happy if Clinton or Edwards wins. Just as long as we get a four year break from a hideously corrupt government.

Saw not one, not two, but three tapings of Dr. Phil in one day. That was fun!

Almost totally back up to speed from my bronchitis - pneumonia - bronchitis experience. My voice is almost (allllmost) back to normal and my coughing has decreased considerably. I've managing to start working full days again and come home to cook (I love cooking). Next up - doing some housework.

Lost premiers this coming Thursday. BOOYAH!

Me and my wife are taking the on-line challenge for Jeopardy this week to see if we have at least the minimum amount of brainpower to answers questions about Potent Potables (maybe) and The Bible (not a chance).

Where's That Elmers?

2008-01-07T18:16:00.000-08:00

Well, apparently, humanity's resolution not to do silly things in 2008 has already broken...

Mexican boy glues self to bed to avoid school

Happy 2008

2008-01-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's been awhile since I last blogged. Instead of blogging, I thought December would be better served by getting a nasty case of bronchitis that quickly spiraled into pneumonia and a 6 day stay in the hospital. Fortunately, I got out the day before Christmas and have been getting better ever since!

So, it's 2008! Aren't you excited it's 2008?

You know what's great about 2008? A little sumpin' sumpin' in November called the Presidential Elections! Eight years of neverending abuse of the country is coming to an end. And my boy, Barack, has already won one caucus (Iowa) and is the front runner in New Hampshire. I've not felt this much hope for our country since Bill Clinton first ran for President.

Let's hope this means 2009 brings about the beginning of the end of our travesties in Iraq and the safe return of our troops.

2008 also brings a fresh Summer Olympics. Of course, I don't watch a single event. I'm one of those "watch the opening ceremonies, watch the closing ceremonies, keep up with the medal counts in the paper" kind of people. But still, here's to the Olympics being safe and successful. If atheletes from around the world can play and co-exist peacefully, why can't governments?

The end of this month finally brings Season 4 of Lost. Of course, the writers strike has cut the season in half. But even a little taste is better than no taste at all.

Here's wishing your 2008 turns out to the be the best year you ever had!

And Where Are YOU Staying, Part II

2007-11-27T19:31:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm posting a small blog entry from the Maile Treehouse that I mentioned a few posts back.

Let's just say it's even more incredible than the website gives it credit for.

Pictures to come...

Let's Do The Timewarp Again...

2007-11-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

Ugh. Can't stand the Daylight Savings / Standard Time shift.

It's like making your own jet lag without having to travel. Who says Hiro from "Heroes" is the only one who can time travel? I can do it twice a year!

That extra hour of sleep is pointless if you end up spending the next several days trying to get your internal clock to readjust. It's now 7 PM... oh, 6 PM. It's 8 PM... oh, no, it's 7 PM.

Welcome To Hollywood

2007-11-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

I've always found it surreal to be affected by Hollywood issues in a greater way than those who don't live in Los Angeles.

For example, a golden rule here is to never, ever drive through Hollywood on Oscar night. I made this mistake once. Because the Oscars are held at the Kodak theatre, the city takes over Highland Blvd from Hollywood Blvd to Santa Monica Blvd (Santa who? Hollywhat? Go look up the streets on Google Maps) and turns it into the world's largest limo parking lot. Adds hours to your travel time.

Right now the writers are on strike. Again, while I'm affected like the rest of you by having to watch reruns of Letterman and Leno and brace for the fact that the current TV season may get drastically shorter, it's bizarre to see the picket lines. I'm within a five minute drive of NBC, Disney, and Warner Brothers.

I work at a studio. Yesterday, we got a memo from studio security informing us to make the necessary extra accommodations when trying to enter and exit the studio since there will be strikers outside. Again, surreal.

Surreal. Surreal. Surreal. And I love every minute of it!

And Where Are YOU Staying?

2007-10-30T18:20:00.000-07:00

We're going to Hawaii in three weeks (from the date of this post).

Most of the time will be spent with friends and family on Oahu. However we're going to take a three-day jaunt to the Big Island.

Wanna see where we're staying?

Of COURSE you do.

It's called The Maile Tree House.

Aren't you feeling relaxed just looking at it? I know I am....ZZZZZZZZZZ

So Post Something Already

2007-10-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

Wow, I haven't posted anything in almost a month.

There. I posted something.

Things that are good right now:

- It's October. Summer is officially dead and buried. If we get a 100+ degree day this month, that means earth has shifted closer to the sun and we're all toast.
- It's my birthday this month.
- I'm going to Hawaii next month.
- It's all new stuff on TV again. New Heroes. New Supernatural. New Lost... oh, not 'til February. Best NEW new show? Reaper.

Hope all is good for you!

Big Zach Attack

2007-09-10T18:36:00.001-07:00

Was it me or did Zach's nomination speech on Sunday sound like a little kid who never got picked for the team or asked to go to parties and was the one who always ended up eating lunch alone at school.

Zack, would you like some bitter cheese to go with the bitter wine made from your bitter grapes?

I'm not sure if I want you representin' Burbank anymore.

Also, while Dick has made for a Summer of good television, he's living in Delusionland if he thinks he can win. His abrasive game playing pretty much sealed his fate in the game. If he's in the final two (and there's a very good chance he might be), there's no way anybody on the jury would dispassionately think "Well, he did play a good game. He deserves my vote." Instead, the jury will vote by emotion, boiling the vote down to "I will vote for anybody other than Dick."

Indiana Jones

2007-09-10T18:31:00.001-07:00

Next year's new Indiana Jones movie now has a title:

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Ooooooh.

Yeah, yeah. I know Indy (Harrison Ford) is getting a little long in the tooth, but with Spielberg behind the wheel and the fact that Ford could kick the crap out of whippersnappers half his age, this looks to be some good fixins next year.

Those Aren't Cramps...

2007-09-10T16:04:00.000-07:00

Woman has 23 needles in body

Ouch!

I'm glad all my Grandmother did was buy me clothes at Christmas.

New iPods!

2007-09-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

This past Wednesday, Apple announced new ways to liberate me from my money: New iPods!

First was the iPod Touch -- an iPhone without the phone. Same cool touch-screen interface, including WiFi connectivity and the Safari browser. I have no interest in this one. Why? The two storage capacity options were 8 GB and 16 GB models. I currently have an 80 GB iPod and have loaded almost 50 GB of music on it already.

Second was the new Nano. Looks like the baby brother to the regular iPod. Again, not enough storage room.

Now came the one that made me go "oooooh". The revised (and renamed) iPod Classic. In two delicious options of 80 GB (been there. done that) and 160 GB. 40,000 SONGS. 160 GB. Whoa. Plus a new interface with album cover flows and other fancy stuff.

I'm sure you're thinking, "Dude. You already have an 80 GB that's not filled up. Why do you need another iPod?". Because it's fancy and it has 160 GB of storage space! I would transfer all my music from the 80 GB to the 160 GB, then use the 80 GB to back up all my Mobile Fidelity CDs (90% of which are loooong out of print) -- that way I can listen to the music without risking losing the CDs. Some of those CDs are now well over $200 on eBay to replace.

First, though, I think I'll get an iPhone -- especially now that Apple shaved $200 off the 8 GB model (the 4 GB has been discontinued). And, hey, somebody's 40th birthday is coming up. And, hey, my wife reads these posts. Hmmm. Hint. Hint.

It's Official: Los Angeles To Be Renamed Los Fuegos

2007-09-02T22:59:00.000-07:00

(Psst. Los Fuegos means "The Fires".)

The past week, Los Angeles has been freezing. Frigid. Cold. Icy.

How cold?

105 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT COLD.

It has been so hot that within five minutes of going outside, your will to live has melted away, leaving you a wasted, useless wreck the rest of the day.

Usually, Labor Day is a great three-day weekend to get out, barbeque, have fun, and bid adieu to Summer. This year it's a three-day weekend to cower near the air conditioner, barbeque (using an oven), barbeque (yourself. Not food), and watch small children and the elderly burst into flames when they step outside.

It. Is. Miserable.

Right now, it is 11:04 PM Pacific Daylight Time and Burbank is a brisk 91 DEGREES. Where's my jacket?? (Straightjacket, that is).

Big Brother Mayhem

2007-09-02T22:29:00.001-07:00

Lots of stuff to cover...

First off: So long Amber. The house will be a lot dryer without you. I actually found a picture of the jury house Amber's going to:

(Yes, I know it closed in 1997, but you get the point).

Seriously, Amber needs help. Anybody who cries at the thought of crying is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. If she doesn't get some help, she is going to end up snapping, tracking down the other houseguests, and "evicting" them in some brutal and inhuman ways.

You know who I feel really, really bad for? Dustin. He's now stuck in the jury house with Jen and Amber -- the two looniest ladies in Big Brother 8. Suicide watch, anyone?

Is it me, or does everybody think Eric is the biggest dweeb on TV right now? I've been watching "Big Brother After Dark" on Showtime and he's starting to grate on my nerves. Is it to late to choose a new America's Player? Everytime he talks to Jessica, he exhibits every dweeby, geeky never-seen-a-girl-naked tic in the book. The nervous laughter. The odd faces. If Jessica were to flash her breasts at him, he'd go fetal and join Amber at the special "jury house". Have you noticed sometimes when Eric talks to Jessica, Jessica has that far-away look on her face?

"I'm sorry Jessica, but it is illogical for a Vulcan to fall in love with a human."

Dick. Stop spitting. That has to be the single most disgusting nervous habit I've ever seen. Ick.

The Grinch Who Stole Big Brother 8

2007-08-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen!

I present:

"Dr. Seuss's Dick Donato!"

YouTube Link

Lost Without Lost

2007-08-24T23:16:00.000-07:00

It's almost September. Time for the new TV season.

Except Season 4 of Lost doesn't debut until February.

THHHHPPPPT.

(Well, at least "Heroes" will fill the gap).

While I'm on the topic of TV, here's my "Must See TV" list:

Lost - Crack TV at its finest.
Heroes - Fun. Period.
The Closer - The single best ensemble on TV where the characters are NOT on an island. No other show so deftly balances humor and drama like this one.
The First 48 - Wanna see how REAL homicide detectives work? Engrossing.
Best Week Ever - Swiftly exposing just how silly and stupid the entertainment industry is. Hysterical stuff.

Buh-Bye, Jen. Like, Whatever.

2007-08-24T22:26:00.000-07:00

So, Big Brother 8 bid a less-than-fond adieu to this season's resident crackpot, Jen.

She brought an unparalled level of egotism to the house. Clothes labelled with every variation of "Jen" - "Jensa Member", "Jenius", "Jenocide". Crying real tears over her picture on the houseguest wall. Alienating all the other houseguests right off-the-bat by talking about nothing but herself.

Narcissus, we found you a girlfriend.

She tried to come off as not caring about whatever happened. Yet she struck me as one of those people whose so insecure and full of anger that the only way they know how to deal with it is to swallow the anger and brush it off with a forced smile and lots of "whatever". The underlying cauldron of anger finally leaked out when Dick (who was merciless to Jen the entire show) started blowing smoke in her face. The expression of rage, hate, pain, and anger was scary.

She made me fear for the boyfriend that dares break up with her. "Fatal Attraction" anyone?

I half-expect her to hide in the bushes outside the Big Brother house, armed with a rifle, picking off one evicted houseguest after another while Julie Chen cowers behind the couch.

Of course you're thinking Amber would be the one to snap. But Amber doesn't bottle her emotions. She cries when she thinks about her daughter. She cries when someone says something mean. She cries because the katsup is in the fridge. She cries when she thinks about crying. When you're always venting your emotions, you're probably not going to snap.

Instead, you're going to have visions from God that you won't get evicted that week.

Okay. Maybe she has snapped.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

2007-08-19T23:28:00.000-07:00

Big Brother 8 Quickie - Third Grade Primer Version:

See Dick Get Nominated.
See Dick Piss Everyone In The House Off To Save His Daughter.
See Dick Win Power Of Veto.

See Dick Save Danielle.
See Dustin Get Nominated.
See Dustin Get Evicted.

Poor Dustin.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.

Trash-ality TV

2007-08-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

So I'm sitting here surfing the Internet while my brother-in-law watches a TV show called "American Princess". In this reality contest show, several American women compete to become a "British" princess.

In the wide realm of reality shows, this one's not too bad. To win, the women need to display grace and manners -- things befitting a princess. The women seem pretty normal, not your typical reality/contest loonies.

But it got me thinking about other reality shows. The ones that celebrate the worst in people in the name of ratings. The ones where the uglier the personality, the better TV it "apparently" makes.

Repellant shows like "My Sweet 16", which focuses on America's secret plan to create an army of Paris Hiltons - shallow, whiny, greedy, with no chance of adding anything of value to society.

Shows like "Bridezilla". Watch "Bridezilla". Understand why 1 out of every 2 married couples gets divorced.

Shows like "Flavor of Love" and "Rock of Love" that show even hookers and trailer trash deserve a chance at love and fame.

Why not do something radical? Why not take all these spoiled brats, hookers, trash, and brides of Frankenstein and put them in a reality competition where they have to earn a college degree or help the unfortunate here in America or overseas. The one who starts to think of someone other than herself wins.

And if that doesn't work, we could always do "Survivor Middle Of Nowhere", where they're all abandoned on an island. For. the. rest. of. their. lives.

Hurricanes

2007-08-14T17:55:00.000-07:00

First, the good news: Sounds like the hurricane moving towards the Big Island is quickly running out of steam and will most likely grace the southern edge of the island. So, while Kona may get some extra rain and some flooding, that's a lot less damage than what a Category 4 Hurricane could wreak.

Now, the bad news: The hurricane's name is.... ready?... FLOSSIE.

Hurricane Flossie.

That just doesn't sound right. Like naming a hurricane Bozo or Mookie. All fine names, indeed, but not for hurricanes. Hurricanes are powerful, destructive blasts of weather. They should have mean, destructive names. Hurricane Bin Laden. Hurricane Muthaf***ah. Hurricane Kissyoassgoodbye. Hurricane Bush. Got the idea?

I Googled "Flossie" and found this:

Flossie and The Singing Sisters.

Does Flossie look like somebody who could take lives and destroy towns? She looks like a nice, friendly, probably very talented singer.

Naming a hurricane Flossie makes you think that, instead of wanting to destroy your home and everything you've worked for, this hurricane wants to come over, chat, have some tea and those little cucumber sandwiches and maybe sing some gospels with you. So misleading.

Who's Cookin'?

2007-08-12T23:42:00.000-07:00

Me, that's who.

I have been taking care of cooking dinner for the past few weeks and I'm having a blast. You would think, after a busy day at work, coming home and cooking would be a tiresome torture, but it's not. I look forward to choosing a recipe, going to the store to get the fixins, then coming home and attempting to make magic.

Plus, I find it very relaxing.

Mind you, I'm still new at it. I can't improvise like the best cooks can ("Hmmm... a little more oregano.", "This is missing kidney beans"). I have to follow the recipe to the letter. But, so far, everyone has enjoyed the results. Most of the recipes are along the lines of "cut everything up, put in a pot, heat", but even that can get botched if you're not careful.

Are there any dishes I'm particularly proud of? Yep. I am very proud of two dishes that required a little bit more work, but came out great:

Tomato Bisque (goes great with grilled cheese "dippers")

and

Pork Guisantes (A Filipino pork n' peas dish. Veeeeery tasty)

The Others May Be Bad, But They Can Act

2007-08-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

I was perusing some of my old blog posts and I came across one from last year. I had posted it during the time Emmy nomination predictions were heating up and I mentioned that Michael Emerson (Ben Linus, or Henry Gale, or Benry -- you decide) from Lost deserved a nod for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

He didn't get one.

Last year, that is.

This year he did. Yay! Ironically he's up against Terry O'Quinn, whose character, Locke, is being set up as Ben's arch enemy. Hopefully, Michael Emerson won't shoot Terry in real life and leave him to die in a ditch of past Emmy nominees...

Big Brother 8

2007-07-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

More from the Big Brother front...

- I'm liking Evil Dick more and more. I appreciate anyone who has a zero BS tolerance. He's smart enough and observant enough to win this thing... if it wasn't for his abrasive manner. Unfortunately, that's going to keep landing him on the eviction block.

- Looks like the Big Brother Twist for 2007 -- sleeping with the enemy -- fizzled out pretty quickly. The first two evictions removed two of the three pairs of enemies and nary a tear was shed. The remaining pair, Dick and Danielle, seems to be steadily moving away from enemy territory and into an actual reconciliation. It was nice to watch a distraught Danielle turn to the one person she could trust - her dad. Even if neither of them wins this season, they'll be the biggest winners in the end... hopefully!

- Is it me or is this whole "America's Player" concept pretty dull? Who should Eric vote for? Snore. Who should Eric campaign against? Yawn. The only part I find remotely fun is the weekly "What practical joke should Eric play and against whom?" challenge. It's not Eric's fault the concept is dull though. He's a likable guy, though I wish he'd give the Mr. Spock/John Belushi raised eyebrow a rest when he talks to us.

- Jen proves you don't have to be blond to be a bimbo.

P.S. - I Googled "Evil Dick" to get a picture of Dick for this post. Guess who's picture came up the most? Dick Cheney. Hahahahaha.

Big Brother 8

2007-07-11T16:15:00.000-07:00

It's time again for America's Favorite Televised Fishbowl.

Big Brother is something I could never do. It has nothing to do with being televised. I can act the fool right along with the next person. However, I don't know if I could handle the crippling boredom for $500,000. And as houseguests get bumped off week-after-week and the house gets quieter and quieter, the boredom must get worse and worse.

A few observations:

- Is Les Moonves padlocking the fridge? Julie Chen is looking awfully undernourished. It might be time to place an intervention call to Sally Struthers. I'll donate my 30 cents. Pretty soon there won't be anything left to put the body glitter on.

- How 'come only three houseguests had to pair up with their enemies? I would have loved to have seen a 50/50 split. Maybe that's a hidden surprise - if an enemy gets voted out, a new enemy enters the house.

- If "America's Player" wins, do I get a cut of the winnings?

- The helium sucker award this season goes to Jessica. If the current voice actress for Minnie Mouse ever retires, Jessica's a shoe-in.

- Is it me, or is Joe more a caricature of a gay man than an actual gay man?

- I feel very bad for Danielle. Yes, casting her estranged Dad as her enemy makes for good television, but yikes! If I were her, I would swear Mom had an immaculate conception. In fact, I'd love the show to allow us to meet Mom, because that's gotta be where Danielle got most of her genes from.

- I watched a few minutes of Big Brother After Dark on Showtime. If you're way into people puttering around the backyard for hours at a stretch, you're gonna LOVE this broadcast!

Right now I have no favorite to win. After a few of the weaker ones get bumped off, then I'll know who I'm behind. Hopefully there's a latent Dr. Will in the house ready to start acting like a puppet-master. THAT makes for good Big Brother watching.

I'm Gonna Blog EEEEEVERY Day

2007-07-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

I'm also going to...

- Eat my weight in popcorn every day.
- Swim to the sun.
- Learn at least two dead languages in the next month.
- Sprout wings.
- Age backwards.
- Look up "committment" in the dictionary.

Gorillaaaaahz

2007-06-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

So is this what the Gorillaz meant by "Feel Good, Inc."?

Paris Is Burning

2007-06-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

Did I say "Other than her DUI for which she is obediently serving her time for" in a previous post?

My bad.

Screaming Paris Hilton sent back to jail

Do The Math, Hockey Pucks

2007-06-07T13:05:00.000-07:00

I Have An Eating Problem

2007-06-06T16:59:00.000-07:00

It's called "Cannot get food from plate to mouth".

So now my blue shirt is spattered with dark red Chili Colorado sauce. I tried my best to wash it out, but there's definitely some remnants. And I did this during lunch, so I couldn't put on a clean shirt.

Why is it that your chances of spilling food on yourself increase in direct proportion to either how white your clothes are or by the number of people who will see the spilled food on your clothes prior to you being able to change?

Melissa Etheridge

2007-06-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

I'm currently listening to Melissa Etheridge's first album, appropriately titled...

*drumroll*

"Melissa Etheridge"

And it makes me think back to the Grammy telecast a few years ago when she and Joss Stone performed a musical tribute to Janis Joplin. Melissa, recovering from breast cancer, wiped the floor with Joss and blew the roof off the dump with one of the greatest. Grammy. performances. ever.

Watch

We'll Always Have Paris

2007-06-05T18:15:00.001-07:00

Dear Nightly News,

Are we really going to have to endure 23 days of Paris Hilton jail coverage? Let me look into my crystal ball and predict your next few reports:

"Today, June 5th, Paris stayed in her cell for 23 hours and went outside for her one hour break".

"Today, June 6th, Paris stayed in her cell for 23 hours and went outside for her one hour break".

"Today, June 7th, Paris stayed in her cell for 23 hours and went outside for her one hour break".

"Today, June 8th..."

Why are people so fascinated with this girl? Think about it. Yes, she's about as smart as a brick and her day-to-day life appears to be as fulfilling as a bowl full of marshmallows. But other than partying a lot and posing for pictures, has she done anything incredibly newsworthy? Other than her DUI for which she is obediently serving her time for, she's not the slow-motion suicide attempt that Lindsey Lohan is. She isn't the white trash, hair-razing, breakdown diva that Britney Spears is. Despite the fact that she isn't exactly college degree material, people who have met her say she's very friendly and well-mannered. Aren't these social skills you want in a person?

Are we jealous because she has lots of money with none of the responsibilities? Think like the educated person you are. Is that really the life you'd want? Sure, it would be nice to have more than enough money and, at first, having zero responsibilities would be a nice break. Think of it as the ultimate vacation. But haven't you ever gone on a longer-than-normal vacation? Don't you start to go out of your mind wanting to accomplish something??

L.A. Is Crawlin' With Celebs

2007-06-04T17:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to Pinkberry¹ to get some yogurt for my wife. Guess who's standing behind me? C'mon. Guess!

Ali Larter!²

Very cool.

¹ Pinkberry is a chain of minimalist yogurt shops in L.A. They only serve two flavors: regular (looks like vanilla, but has a tart berry taste) and green tea. You can also select from a variety of toppings, including fresh fruit, chocolate chips, and some kiddie cereals (like Cap'n Crunch). Let Wikipedia guide you to enlightenment.

² Ali who? She's Nikki/Jessica on Heroes. You know... the one who can care for her kid and break someone's spine in two all at the same time.

Diving In

2007-06-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm finally joining the chorus of bloggers who, at least once in their blogging lives, shout out: "I'm going to blog something every day!!".

There's so much interesting stuff happening in the world, as well as my home town, as well as my life, that my brain is overflowing with things to write out. Plus, I just love to write. Sometimes there's nothing more satisfying than a well-constructed post (even if I, myself, am not always capable of it).

So no more of this blog-once-a-month dry spell nonsense.

There. I've blogged something for today. See you tomorrow...

Blowing Dust

2007-05-23T17:21:00.000-07:00

I have to accept I will never be one of those people who blogs every day. But an almost two month gap? That's too much.

Don't you just love coming back from a vacation, only to have a three-day weekend the following weekend? Yeah!

Tonight is the Season Finale of LOST. No new episodes until February 2008. OUCH! That's way too long between hits of crack.

Heroes' finale was pretty good. Nice to see there wasn't really a cliffhanger to be tortured over for the next three to four months.

Tonight's the end of American Idol. Who's gonna win? My money (okay... funny money) is on Jordin. She's a perfect fit for the American Idol style of music. The winner's song (the one we (in other words, not me) voted on) is "a'ight, dawg". Still sounded as bland and sappy as the previous winner's songs. I'm glad Melinda got the boot -- she's been spared the sappy, over-commercialized first album from the winner. Now she can go and have a Daughtry-esque kick-ass career.

Went to Walt Disney World for nine days. If you go, stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Enjoy the Giraffes, Zebras, Ostriches, and myriad antelope from your hotel balcony. Amazing!

'Nuff for now.

So What's The Truth, Keef?

2007-04-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

Now Keith Richards says he was joking about snorting pops with some coke.

The irony is had anyone else said they do that, we would have laughed it off as a joke. But when Keith says it, we all stop and go, "Hmm... maaaaybe...."

Vague

2007-04-04T16:51:00.000-07:00

Maybe because SO much news exists to report that properly editing every single headline is difficult, but Yahoo occasionally tosses out a headline that's totally open to misinterpretation.

Hence...

Man shot by pistol thrown in the trash

So, was the guy shot by a pistol that had been thrown in the trash or was the poor guy shot by an pistol, THEN thrown in the trash??

How Do YOU Say "EEEEEEEWWWW"?

2007-04-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

Keith Richards: "I snorted my father"

The article's posting date is today, not April 1st.

This truly proves that Keef is one of the living dead.

I Think I'll Stick With The Tree-Based Stuff

2007-03-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

Elephant Poo Poo Paper

At least now, when someone says your writing stinks, you have a cop-out excuse!

I Love People. They're Funny.

2007-03-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

From today's Rolling Stone newsletter:

CHURCH LEADERS LOSE SLEEP OVER ELTON JOHN'S JAZZ HANDS
ELTON JOHN's upcoming headlining appearance at the Plymouth Jazz Festival in the Caribbean nation of Tobago is facing protests from church leaders who worry John will influence the country's sexual orientation.

Isn't there some remote continent with padded walls, lots of quiet, and nurses who bring the red and blue pills every six hours, that we can move these people to?