Offensive content

Watched South Park tonite. One of the most offensive things I've ever seen. I laughed my ass off.

Inane chatter

hmm, what to say...

First, some advice to bloggers in my family. "Write every day." And do it as a blog entry. Do NOT reply to a comment. Add a blog entry thru your dashboard. Try to be emotionally honest. You're writing for yourself. It doesn't matter what anyone reading your blog thinks. If you do that, you'll get lots more good feedback than bad.

Second, vote republican. I know many of you think Bush is stupid, self involved and a bad leader. I disagree, that said, what is your other choice? Do you really think Ralph Nader would do a better job?

Third, I like being unemployed better than working, but the pay sux. I met a homeless dude in Bellevue last week. When I asked why are you in the street? His answer was, "Two bad divorces man". He said he sleeps a tent up in Fall City. That's like a 45 minute to 1 hour commute to Bellevue, everyday, to panhandle. He actually called it "earning" money. "I earn $6 to $20 a day." (emphasis is mine) The guy is college educated, he graduated from U of Wash after his NCAA basketball career ended, and spent 20 years with one company. He's well read, the guy said he reads like 7 newspapers a day, cause he's bored. He did not seem like a substance abuser, he commutes to work everyday. He's well spoken. Where else do you meet this kind of high class homelessness? Bellevue. Wotta town.

end chatter.

9-11

Went out and saw "Fahrenheit 9/11" tonite, then came home and watched "Reno 911" on TV for balance. Michael Moore is a funny guy, and the movie is exceptionally well made. This may be his best film. This movie was passionate and urgent. His message is clear and his direction to the viewer concise.

All that said, I'm voting for Bush.

Progress

Neighbor finally fixed the fence, that the maple tree knocked down. I had to prompt him by making my own half-assed repairs. I really suck at being handy.

Got back from Sacramento today. We flew down on Thursday for a family get-together, mostly just a fish fry. Saw almost all the surviving brothers and sisters. In general a reasonably depressing affair. Usually the wake is for the survivors to reaffirm life and to bond a little closer knowing that their community is one smaller, to pay respect for the departed, and to remember the departed fondly or otherwise. We did some of that, but we also got to take stock and call roll of the survivors, and I am sad to report that some of the family is not faring at all well. Also our daughter (dawter or dottir) for better or worse grew up little this weekend too. It was a little like finding out about the easter bunny or santa claus, prolly necessary, but something you'd wait to do if at all possible.

The Oregon coast is nice. Lots of sandy beaches and route 101 is chock full o'Paul Bunyans.

We had no pets at week start and remain at zero.

No outside food or drink allowed

I notice that my wife and I seem to see a fair number of movies for entertainment these days. I also realized that we absolutely engage in the MOST juvenile behavior. I don't know if it's the price of movies and snacks, or the need to try to get a good deal, or just because we're such fat lazy slobs, but we always do this same silly juvenile thing. We sneak food into the theatre.

We NEED to go by the Target and purchase Sour Patch Candies and Peanut M&M's. Then we hide them on our persons, and we "sneak" them into the movies with us. We still buy our soda at the concession stand ($400 per cup, but free refills!) and my wife can't watch a film without popcorn, so we're still spending big dollars, even for a matinee. But we NEED to sneak that candy in. No outside food or drink my ass.

invasion of the bee girls

watched part of this fabulous 70's flick this evening. It has everything. Hot young chicks get naked, touch and kiss each other. I watched it with the sound off. The only way to go. Dialog probably destroys this movie.

500

Griffey Jr did it. But it sure seems strange to celebrate it this late. It seems like yesterday we were talking about his shot at 700, now, 650 is in question. You just can't plan for injury I guess.

dodgeball

Wife and I went to see "Dodgeball" today. Cracked me up.

Mostly just tried not to move too much today, hot again. Never thought I'd say this, but I miss the big maple tree next door. It really does make a difference in the heat level in the house. I'm hoping for cooler temps this PM. Need to go to work tomorrow.

worn out

The heat has gotten to me. Went jet-skiing late this am, which always wipes me out, but spent the afternoon snoozing in the shade. Thermometer on my deck says it's 90+ out here. It's hot!

Prolly shouldn't say this

Still dealing with family issues. As always the onset of tragedy brings out the best and the worst in folks. I want to share the stories I hear, but I am always afraid of giving away what my wife might consider too personal. Mostly I want to write it down, so that I don't forget.

Lets see...

Death in the Family

My brother-in-law passed today. He was a relatively young man, in his mid to late 40s. I guess hard livin' was more than the years could account. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones says in the first one, "It ain't the years, it's the mileage." Certainly true in this case.

I find myself more sad than I thought I would be. I certainly wasn't close to Charles, although he was my wife's favorite. I have probably spent all of about 20 hours of my life with the man. I only know him as the drug abusing street person of the 10 years. He was never mean-spirited or dangerous around me, but he always had a hand out. To my wife he was the older brother that looked out for her when the other siblings picked on her, that took her with him on his paper route, that gave her positive attention when the rest of the world didn't care.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family (My wife's sister, and the other 2 brothers) keep calling with minute by minute updates. This is getting very stressful. I suspect we'll be in California early next week to help finish this chapter, but today is just kinda sad.

politial foo-fa-raw

"drunkard wants another drink of wine like a politician wants a vote,
i don't want much-a-nuthin at all, so I think I'll have another toke" -- Charlie Daniels

That's about right. All this political bickering so that I can once again cast my vote for a candidate I don't really believe in. I'll be voting for Bush, because there is not another alternative, but I don't like it. This election is gonna drive me to drinkin, paraphrasing commander cody.

black tuesday

Rumors are flying about my former employer, Classmates Online. Seems that they have decided to "trim excess staff". I don't know whether to celebrate my defection just ahead of the huntsman's axe, or to mourn my friends left behind. I think I'll do a little of both. Is this what they call survivors guilt?

sunday with the wife

was sick all day saturday, so I spent all of sunday doing stuff with the wife. I have NOTHING interesting to report. It's just like Chris Rock says, "married and bored or single and lonely" What a choice.

Maybe I'll do a Walter Mitty kinda thing and invent a far more interesting life to report here. I'll start with me. In my walter mitty life, I'm six foot three, two hundred ten pounds, mustache (that's an awful big mustache), and I have a full head of beautiful hair, and no gray!

Stepford Wives

Went and saw Stepford Wives tonite. Told my wife that's what I want. "Bring me another beer in the third inning honey." I like the concept. Speaking of which, turns out, I forgot my parents anniversary. #39. Damn. Sorry. Happy belated anniversary mom and dad.

Spoke to my brother tonite, he tells me mom and dad now have 16 cats on the farm. Wow. I guess they really do need that much cat food. Just doing some quick math, 16 cats, assume 6 are suitable females, assume 3 surviving kittens per litter, that's 18 more cats by christmas, an by the same logic 45 more in the spring. That means for mom nad dad's 40th anniversary, we can have over 75 cats! What a great gift!

sanctimonious boolshit

that's what my wife said. I asked her if she saw any of the Reagan funeral. I told her I particularly liked the riderless horse with boot backwards and the symbolism of a warrior that will ride no more. and my wife said "quit your sanctimonious boolshit".

Wow.

On another note. One of my friends, who is NOT a Reagan supporter, said that he was very effected by the funeral. He said it was because of the kinship he feels as a veteran toward the commander in chief, a warrior. Hmmm.

The same friend was once again traumatized at the airport today. During the funeral he went to the airport on an errand, and dropped his parking ticket into the trash by mistake. When he reached into the trash can to retrieve his ticket, a voice behind him said, "What are you doing?" My friend was detained for half an hour answering the policeman's questions. I imagine my crazy/dangerous looking friend, who has a poor attitude toward the police, playing in the trash can outside the terminal at seatac. I think he was lucky not to get shot.

dead pool

Ray Charles, Ron Reagan. Who's next? I see Von Furstenburg, the designer, croaked yesterday. Not sure he counts. The estate won't release details, another mysterious death.

Reagan's funeral yet continues and tonight, when the sun sets on the west coast it will all be over. I wonder if Ray Charles' funeral will be nearly as ornate. It's arguable Ray is more well known. He advertised for a major soft drink company. Bob Dole's the only politician about whom I can say the same. I know I enjoy Ray's music more than Ron's movies. Have I made a tallest man in smallville comparison?

Liberal radio update: They are spinning over the Reagan funeral. Of course Limbaugh is on a track to set a record for maudlin. Gaaahh. I want my hate-speak radio back! Insult somebody. Thank goodness for the O'Reilly-Franken war.

time to write about work

With a new company, working on consulting to Microsoft with the target markets of Japan, China, and Asia et al. Working with a technology that is not new, but simply never really made an impact in the US 5 years ago, when everyone first placed their bets. trying to leverage that technology with another microsoft technology that MS hopes will enhance their Asian sales numbers thru the roof. This will be challenging fun stuff.

I look forward to learning the Japanese way of doing business, thinking, and working.
I only hope MS is too.

Hired a couple of kids today, hoping to build a laboratory. Guess I haven't said too much here, MS tends to be very secretive about their plans.

My dad started a blog today. I'm not sure he gets blogging yet. I know I don't.

Goodbye Ron

Ronald Reagan finally left us, after years of being decimated by Alzheimers.

I, of course, deeply mourn the passing of the president for whom I cast my first actual vote. I was taken aback by a comment made by an friend on Saturday. When we saw that Reagan had died, my friend actually celebrated.

This behavior according to another friend of mine, points out a difference between liberal and conservative idealism. I would never celebrate the death of even the most heinous liberal party boss. In fact, I'm certain that hanging out with Bill Clinton, would be a pretty good time. But to actually wish death on a person, because you disagree with their ideas... Somehow, you are not allowed to disagree with these people. They are not interested in an exchange of ideas, because if you disagree, you must die. They cannot seem to understand that you can disagree with an idea and still like the person or have other ideas where you do agree. I don't get it.

Thank you Ronald Reagan. Rest in peace.

Trip to Vegas

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Very tired. Got in late last night as flight was delayed by 2 hours coming home. Was ridcilously hot down there. Must've been way over 100 degrees. I actually have blisters on the bottom of my feet. ouch.

The ladies had a good trip I think. They seemed to really enjoy just having run of the amusement park at Circus-Circus and spent a bunch of time at the pool. They also really liked shopping in the expensive casino's that have the upscale shops (Gucci, et al).

Didn't get creamed gambling, but didn't do well either. Needless to say, gambling losses relative to shopping and amusement park losses were insignificant. At least I was able to spend some quality time with my wife.

Back at work today. I'll post something about President Reagan's passing later today.

missed one

Wow, I was beginning to think I had been banned from posting. I couldn't get my blog editor to work yesterday.

Off to Vegas tomorrow night. I do not think I will not post again until Monday night. I do not wanna tote the laptop this weekend.

Interviewed 2 college kids today. I just can't recall what it was like to be that green.

listening to air america radio today

Oh my god. Today:

Randi Rhodes: Under Bush we will continue to deregulate media. Under Kerry we will not see more regulation, but certainly not more. So therefore, "one guy will end up owning all the radio stations. It will be state sponsored media. ... They are not for a free press."

My commentary: I stand by my initial reaction to Randi. She has all the right facts, and somehow draws these totally bizarre conclusions. How can you contend that deregulation leads to government controlled media?

RR: "Republicans do not get that this is a difficult place to live, but we love it anyway."

me: I suppose it's easier to live in a country where finding food is number one priority. You don't have to worry about silly things like pleasure and anjoying life. I sure hope that we can live in a place like Iraq where the daily struggle to live takes top priority. What is she saying? How is the USA a difficult place to live? You can literally ignore the government and live a fine life. You only NEED to pay taxes. And even that can be skirted, providing you are willing to live your life at a certain economic level.

When Air America Radio folds, I think I'm gonna miss that brand of nonsense more than anything else.

-- SARCASM MODE ON --
I get tired of only hearing intelligent well thought out opinoins on the radio. I need more knee-jerk reactionary responses to non-crimes and the untenable thought that we (us citizens) should be allowed to decide for ourselves how to spend our money. Plase tax me more! I sure hope that the government regulates more industries. I just don't think that US companies understand that a company exists only to employ people and give any profits to social causes. Companies have no business trying to make a profit for the investors and owners that build these businesses and pay salaries to people based on the sweat of their own brow and/or putting their own personal wealth at risk.
-- SARCASM MODE OFF --

I will not miss the incessant "look how smart we are" commentary. I will not miss the impugning of my political views as "mean." Name calling and unsubstantiated rumor are much better than discussion. And I still don't get the entertainment factor of only taking calls from people that agree with you. When did unbridled agreement become a spectator event? Or is this just because to argue with them will result in a conversation about feelings? i.e. not a productive discussion, how can you argue with how someone feels? Bad radio.

Also today RR was also claiming that ratings for WLIB were good to excellent. That may be. Remember tho, WLIB is LOCAL. Air America needs national market share. Otherwise how will they reach the unwashed masses in fly-over country?

Clowns.