Lefty's Hounds

Bill Hilton and Jamcast

2011-07-02T10:17:00.001-05:00

I want to give some quick praise to a site authored (or co-authored) by a fellow named Bill Hilton. He has a very impressive You Tube video collection of piano mentoring. I hope he doesn't mind the mentoring tag because its where I go to get a shot of "hey, this is something you can do, relax!". I must say he is pretty diligent about keeping fresh content moving on to the site as well uploading frequently - the video above was uploaded this week. Oddly enough, Bill is silent in this one, using annotations.

I haven't watched nearly all of the videos there, but what I've seen Bill puts good thought into his effort. He has a concept to get across, and demonstrates from a basic idea, and then moves to more pianistic ideas, giving explanations that are clean, uncluttered, and that make you think its something you can do and use. And, Bill offers a nice laugh here and there so as to keep your attention fresh and receptive.

Bill also has a book for sale, which I haven't bought yet, sorry Bill. I have a lot of other stuff to work through, but I hope to do so at some point. He will make a sales pitch near the end of some of the videos. Nothing pushy, and hey, the video was free.

Also - look at Jamcast - his blog. Not updated as frequently as his You Tube site.

I think Bill is over in Wales. Coincidentally, my favorite author currently is Jasper Fforde and is also from Wales.

Good stuff, Bill and thanks from Austin TX.

Piano and Summer Vacation

2011-07-02T09:44:00.001-05:00

The Sad Piano awaits.

Summer has arrived and with it a vacation or so, which does not lend itself to keeping up with piano goals. Spent about two weeks away from home due in part to a death in the family and then a week off to travel. Meanwhile back at work, responsibilities there backed up so upon returning I have been pretty busy trying to move things along. That has combined with my daughter's summer volleyball league and various other activities to diminish a lot of piano time.

I have had a few nights of just 5 to 10 minutes of something, a time or two with nearly an hour, but nothing on a consistent basis. That can be discouraging. I have acquired a keyboard tho that should enable me to play, very quietly or over headphones, without disturbing everyone in the house.

My philosophy to piano is not surprisingly much like my approach to golf. I look for successes to rally around, that provide something to focus on and try to build on. On occasion something will sound musical, and surprising, and I try to replicate that success.

I am also working on memorizing Joplin's "Palm Leaf Rag". I selected it because it has 3 sections instead of 4, so voila 25% less to cram in. Its coming along, slowly. And by the way, a very nice composition by Joplin with some quirky neat sounding passages.

Onward. Listening to my Vince Guaraldi station on Pandora. Like golf, I at least think I learn something from listening and watching the greats, whether it translates into practice, we'll see.

Piano Woes

2011-05-29T12:07:00.000-05:00

Last week was not a good week for advancing my cause in piano playing. I know this is a building process, one brick at a time a city the size of Rome, but I would like to get some good momentum before coasting.

Two days with nothing, then one night with about 20 to 30 minutes stumbling about, three days off, then another night of 30 minutes or so of bumbling. No sense of progress.

As far as getting instruction, I found a book at our library that focuses on exactly what I am interested in. Maybe. How To Play From A Fake Book by Blake Neely (keyboard edition). So far it is the Dr. Suess of chords. Tunes include Yankee Doodle, Bear Over The Mountain, Yellow Rose Of Texas, Battle Hymn Of The Republic, etc. But these are no gimme's. Come Back To Sorrento was no picnic. The focus is chords. Covered are majors, minors, inversions, 7ths, alterations such as diminished and augmented chords, 6ths, maj 7ths. The left hand is not given too much to do. Block chords mostly, an alternating bass sometimes, a walking bass line between chords. I will work all the way thru it, or as much as possible before I have to turn it back into the library. Altho it doesn't look like it gets checked out much, and I can probably get it any time needed.

I have found some videos by a fellow named Bill Hilton that appear to be good. I will watch a few before describing them.

But for now, the only way to learn to read music is to read a lot of it, often, on a consistent basis, and use various stuff. Keep moving and don't fall backwards.

Notes To Self

2011-05-20T13:45:00.000-05:00

Even with total dedication to daily practice and playing to improve my piano, not much is going to happen unless some sort of instruction is involved. Much like my younger brother learning Spanish, I don't want to spend a bunch of money, or any if I don't have to, so lessons are out for now. Where do I get the info, teaching, or feedback I need to learn?

I have started watching and listening to other pianists play trying to see if I can figure out some bit of technique. For example our church has a jazz pianist playing each Sunday that I've come to know. At a recent retirement party for one of the church staff he played (in combo with a saxophonist) for about an hour. I found a chair behind and to his left to observe and learn. First off his was a remarkable feat of piano playing since during most of it a dozen or more children were playing nearby and batting balloons all around him. But he carried on unaffected and marvelously.

So what did I learn? I saw lots of left handed work that was at times simple, at times complicated, chromatic runs, fingers sliding, steady fluid tempo, and great improvisation. Through it all, melody is the most important element. In short a professional using the tool of his trade.

If this were golf, I have a few thousand practice shots to hit at the practice range.

Learning to play from "Fake Books"

2011-05-18T22:33:00.000-05:00

One of my two big piano playing goals is to be able to play from a Fake Book. This is music with simply the melody, usually on a treble clef, chords above - the pianist has to provide his own accompanyment. There's really no other way to learn how to do this other than sitting down and doing it. I have started with a collection of Beatles songs in a paperback. I know the melodies, and they are written in the key that the song is performed in. So these are not boiled down, in the key of C, big note arrangements.

Not so easy either. I enjoyed tinkering with For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite, and there are some rather tricky chords in it. Still, I can only manage blocking the chords in the left hand now.

Sightreading the melody is not such a piece of cake either, and finding the proper finger on each note is not happening with any great ease. This needs a lot of work. I forget what fingers are on what notes, look down to find out, then look back up and can't find where on the page I am playing from.

Nothing smooth, but, a few moments musical! Its like cracking a big drive on the golf course or sinking a long putt, something that makes sense, and the whole reason for doing this exercise seems worthwhile.

Piano Redux, Again

2011-05-17T17:23:00.000-05:00

Looming in a room next to our kitchen is my upright piano. I bought it shortly after my 33rd birthday, nearly 19 years ago. I still have the urge to learn to play it. Unfortunately, other things tend to take up my time, and the piano sits largely unused. So now once again, for some reason I can't explain, I find that I want to improve my playing.

There are two simple goals I have set out for myself this time. 1) learn/memorize some short pieces that I like, maybe some I have played before and need to rework, plus new stuff; and 2) learn to play songs from "lead sheets". Its this second goal that I am most interested in.

I am going to plan, analyze, or otherwise think about my methods, successes, and failures here to keep me motivated. I want to stay with it, make progress, and improve. Even tho I am 51, soon to be 52 years of age, this is a skill I have long wanted to attain, and think I can do.

Reading? When? Where?

2010-01-20T21:48:00.005-06:00

Not a lot myself. I try but fail. People often talk about books they are reading, or books they've read. When does this reading occur? And where?

For me its usually late at night, before sleeping, and my Pavlovian response is sleep usually within about 5 minutes of finding the page I left off on, remembering what's going on, and then zzzzz .... This doesn't lend itself to actually finishing books or much involvement in the story.

So the answer must be not lying down to read, and reading earlier in the evening or day. But that's when other stuff is going on.

And I've got stuff I want to get to.

Isn't it ironic

2009-11-16T21:29:00.002-06:00

How convenient. With nationalized healthcare just around the corner a new study comes out advising that women begin mammogram testing much later in life, and less frequent testing.

http://us.mobile.reuters.com/m/FullArticle/p.rdt/CHLT/nhealthNews_uUSTRE5AF5OS20091116

Undoubtedly this study will be used to ration healthcare. I suspect a rash of similar studies to support cutting corners and treatments. While some may actually have merit it will be difficult to tell - simply because I don't trust the government with healthcare decisions. Leave those choices to doctors and their patients.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod Touch. -

Nothing to see here

2009-11-15T22:00:00.002-06:00

Facebook has sapped all my strength, and I barely use it. Blogging is hard work. I have nothing in the bag anymore. What is lefty that hasn't been said?

Occams Razor or What I Learned From The Simpsons

2009-08-25T17:55:00.005-05:00

... or subtitled What I Learned While Watching the Simpsons.

Occam's Razor: from Wikipedia

To straightforwardly summarize the principle as it is most commonly understood, “The simplest explanation for a phenomenon is most likely the correct explanation."

Until I saw this episode of the Simpsons, I had no idea of what Occam's Razor is.

A New Push To Play God From Washington

2009-08-25T09:34:00.005-05:00

Beautiful article by Thomas Sowell ...

A New Push To Play God From Washington

Shared via AddThis

I have also begun reading Mark Levin's "Liberty and Tyranny". Need to make quick work of it tho, since its from the library and there's another HOLD on it.

Obviously Presbyterians

2009-07-24T10:40:00.002-05:00

And they thought my idea of an Uncle Sam theme (groomsmen in red, white, and blue tuxes, and groom in US suit) for my wedding was over top. I don't think this would've played well 26 years ago in a Baptist church in Sulphur LA.

Don't Call Them Dummies

2009-07-17T08:22:00.002-05:00

Ventriloquists take offense at the word "dummies."

The performers brought their dummies along for the trip too."[They're] wooden Americans. They don't call them dummies," Ferrese said.

Probably from Native American Pine trees.

That had to sting

2009-07-06T09:07:00.002-05:00

Ouch! Anthony Kim's drive on 18 gets a bad bounce. I saw this live and it made me laugh then as it does now.

Tea Party July 3, 2009 Austin, TX

2009-07-03T23:23:00.003-05:00

Another Tea Party here in Austin this morning and I managed to get out and attend again. This time out among the oaks in Zilker Park. The shade provided some relief from the heat, but not much. Still quite a few Austinites showed for the event. I went with my friend Philo who posts his pictures here, and here.

Another friendly crowd - pleasant, enthusiastic, and cordial. Several speakers, most with genuine passion about the political dilemmas we find ourselves in today. Joe The Plumber was the keynote speaker.

As a Conservative, I think I feel like the Generals who play the Harlem Globetrotters night after night, and get beat routinely. We play sound ball, by the rules, and compete fairly. All for naught as the 'trotters have the razzle dazzle, get all the calls, go behind the official's backs, make lots of noise, have the press is behind them, and don't forget the bucket of confetti thrown on the crowd - a good show, but nothing of real substance.

Shelbyville

2009-06-29T10:42:00.004-05:00

In Shelbyville, they fight with Cheetos. Maybe its because they married their cousins?? Perhaps they should throw Turnipos at each other.

Froot Loops

2009-06-12T08:34:00.001-05:00

I watched my son Tory fill a stainless steel quart size mixing bowl with Froot Loops, pour in about a pint of milk just to float those things around, and then wolf them down - all at 10:30PM last night. Why? B/C he's hungry. And he wonders how he can't sleep at night.

Defensive Driving

2009-06-05T17:29:00.001-05:00

There's 6 hours of my life I won't get back. A major part of last Saturday was spent in a stupor watching VHS tapes, and listening to a memorized presentation of defensive driving info. I kept thinking of Homer Simpson laughing, "Its funny because its not me."

Two memorable impressions from the day:

I won't feel the urge to eat at a buffet style restaurant any time soon - maybe a Souper Salad, but not a Golden Corral type. The class was in a separate room in a buffet eatery. Its not the food that failed, altho the food wasn't memorable either. Unfortunately it was the other people eating there. How to say this?? Most of the other folks were over what you would call recommended weight. And by a wide margin. I myself could lose 15 pounds or so and I could use some major conditioning, but I looked positively skinny in comparison. My appetite vanished before eating (except for a piece of apple pie) and when I did eat, it was not much. I really have sympathy for people in an obese condition - however it appears resignation and apathy has set it in for them.

I sat in the back row next to the wall on the left side of the room. To my right was a taxi driver from Austin who didn't speak English very well, it appeared a mid-eastern language was probably his native language. This was fortuitous since I didn't have to talk to anyone as a result! At the end of the class everyone has to take a test and get at least 70% of the answers correct. All day the instructor pointed out exactly what was on the test. Right before the test was handed out, the instructor read aloud every question and the multiple choice answers and then the correct answer. Every question. The tests were then handed out. I blasted through mine and sat around for a few minutes before we graded the test. We were asked to exchange with the person next to us so I exchanged with the taxi driver. At a glance I could tell he'd only answered about 5 questions of the 20. I waved to the instructor to wait - my guy's test had a "few" unanswered questions. He waved me off and told me to grade my own paper (I made a 100!) and to give the taxi driver his paper back. As we are checking answers the taxi driver is answering the unanswered questions. He managed to pass with an 80. Somehow he missed 4 while the answers are being given.

Class over and I walk out into the parking lot to be picked up by my wife to go home. The taxi driver offers me a free ride home in his cab. Think, think, think. Ah, no thanks.

Homer in Defensive Driving - if it were only this funny.

Unusual Chess Game

2009-06-03T13:05:00.000-05:00

From Susan Polgar's blog, Chess Daily News and Information comes this link to an unusual chess game.

When Grackles Attack

2009-06-02T18:01:00.000-05:00

They came by close enough for me to notice the noise of flapping wings the first time. I heard a bunch of grackles making a racket up on some nearby powerlines. The second pass I saw them coming and ducked out of the way. There were about 6 grackles sitting on the powerlines looking at me and squawking. I stopped walking and stared up at them, when about 4 of the 6 launched and dove at me a third time. About halfway, I started flailing my arms at them in frantic waves which caused the birds to pull up and fly off before reaching me. I quickly jogged away before another attack. All this on my lunch time walk of about two miles. Unfortunately there were no telephone booths for me to jump into for relative safety.

This reminds me of an Eastern Kingbird that nested out behind the 18th green of Mallard Cove Golf Course (my hometown course) back in the day. The bird would fly at golfers who had happened to get beneath its tree. We watched from the clubhouse as group after group came in and did battle with the Kingbird. Comedy.

Stanley Cup on TV

2009-06-01T17:45:00.004-05:00

The finals for the Stanley Cup is on, and has been on TV the past two nights by NBC. The first two games were in Detroit as the Red Wings are playing the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Detroit is one of the USA cities hit hardest by the recession. Motor City - home of most American car makers. Yet - the automaker sponsoring the Cup TV coverage is HONDA. I guess the bailout, and now bankruptcy for GM doesn't allow for product promotion. And the Honda cars look good too - except those eco-friendly cars, yuck.

As I watched the crowd in Detroit I couldn't help thinking that greater than 1 of 10 of those fans is out of work, except that tickets prices are so high that I doubt anyone there doesn't have a job. At least they aren't watching the Detroit NFL Lions (0 - 16 ) last season.

BTW The Red Wings look awesome. Its impossible not to notice how they control the puck, control the opposition physically, and control shots that reach their goalie Osgood so that he can make sound saves.

Song of the Week

2009-05-22T08:25:00.002-05:00

I heard Ray Davies perform a rousing solo acoustic version of "Sunny Afternoon" over internet radio early this week and the tune has lodged itself in my brain. The song takes on an "Atlas Shrugged" attitude (like I have read that monster) - lazing on a sunny afternoon.

And how did Davies know ....

" Save Me! Save Me! Save me from this squeeeeeeze,
Big Bad Obama is trying to break me .... "

and ...

Help me, help me, help me sail away
Or give me two good reasons why I oughta stay
'Cause I love to live so pleasantly
Live this life of luxury
Lazin' on a sunny afternoon
In the summertime
In the summertime
In the summertime

Two corpulent gin-soaked trollops

2009-05-21T08:38:00.002-05:00

Mark Steyn blasts a visual analysis of the financial state of New York and California.

Not to be too gloomy, but the country feels like it's seizing up. It's as if California and New York have burst their bodices like two corpulent gin-soaked trollops and rolled over the fruited plain to rub bellies at the Mississippi. If you're underneath, it's not going to be fun.

Ouch. That's a visual I could do without.

Handwritten letters fading

2009-05-06T17:15:00.003-05:00

Written a letter lately? Me neither. I wasn't much of a letter writer in the past. Fewer and fewer are opting to communicate with pen and paper apparently. Writing a letter is hard work. Emails are easy and fast. Letters have a much greater probability of lasting a long time, emails not so much and even less for text messages.

I admire the Permanence of letters. Due to some remodeling around the house, I had to move some stuff out of closets, and found an old letter written to my wife and I from my spouse's grandmother. Her hand was far from smooth, but was legible. The letter did not contain news of daily life around her house but applauded our recent marriage and offered her advice to us for life. Its likely the only thing we have from her.

On an episode of TV show MASH, Hawkeye is writing a long letter to his father. There were a lot of letters written and received in that series. There is a huge thick book of letters written by CS Lewis - but somebody valued and kept all those letters, and then rounded them up. As the above article cites, Napoleon's letters to Josephine are still around and still pretty steamy. Much is made of John Adams' letters to Abigail, and hers to him. There is great value in these items.

Letters are meant to communicate very important thoughts and feelings. There is a lasting connection between sender and the receiver. Here is a blog post by someone celebrating the receipt of a handwritten letter, altho he somehow can't return the favor and write back, but instead settles for a phone call - he admits he is no longer in the habit and considers himself a victim of email ease. Greeting card companies now exist to relieve the tension of writing or saying just the right thing I suppose.

Go create some hand written memories - somewhere, either as letters or grocery lists. It will give someone warm memories when they remodel the house.

PS Another lamenting the loss of the habit of writing. (from the year 2000, so this erosion has be ongoing for some time.)

Flee, fly, and The Flu

2009-04-27T09:38:00.002-05:00

The Houston Chronicle put up a map regarding the Swine Flu. Following the Dept Of Homeland Security's recommendations, I am going to wash my hands.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates at Aggie Muster

2009-04-23T10:05:00.000-05:00

Defense Secretary Dr. Robert Gates at Aggie Muster on 4/21/9. Its the Spirit of Aggieland. Awesome.

http://bit.ly/UAjXO

Nice use of the local daily

2009-04-22T15:26:00.003-05:00

I knew the Austin paper could be used for something.

http://www.austinkleon.com/2009/04/21/offing/

Happy Birthday Tory!

2009-04-16T14:00:00.003-05:00

How did I forget this? 18 years today. Born with a smile on his face and didn't cry until some mean nurse provoked him. Celebrations will have to be late tonight as I have two meetings to go to after work tonight.

Austin Tax Day Tea Party

2009-04-16T10:26:00.004-05:00

Some photos from yesterday's event here in Austin. My first protest ever. I didn't know how to chant, or sing protest songs, or march. But it was fun. Lots of pleasant people concerned about the future of the United States. Philo was kind enough to give me a ride to and from the Capitol.

The Texas State Capitol Building radiates history and tradition.

My NPR Name

2009-04-14T12:43:00.003-05:00

If I were an NPR reporter, what would be my name? Lianablog asks this question and comes up with a formula for the answer.

In fact, we’ve often wondered what it would be like to be one of them. A Nina Totenberg or a Renita Jablonski. A David Kestenbaum or a Lakshmi Singh. Even (on our most ambitious days) a Cherry Glaser or a Sylvia Poggioli. So finally, after years of Fresh Air sign-off ambitions, we came up with a system for creating our own NPR Names. Here’s how it works: You take your middle initial and insert it somewhere into your first name. Then you add on the smallest foreign town you’ve ever visited.

So I guess that makes me Martt Matamoras, or Martt Montreal. I have not travelled much abroad. Since some people aren't aware that New Mexico is a US state, maybe one of their small towns would pass. Martt Hobbs, NPR news.

Mmm ...

2009-04-09T14:28:00.001-05:00

Mmmm ... Reese's PB cup,bite size. If only they weren't wrapped up in the pastel foil. The price you pay for Easter candy.

Crossword clues on Jeopardy!

2009-04-03T12:31:00.002-05:00

Crossword fun on Jeopardy! Theme composed by Brendan Emmit Quigley. I scored 3 of 5, but missed on Groucho Marx as well. And I hit the pause button to give myself a moment to think - lots more than those folks in the game had. Pretty impressive stuff for sure.

CBS Radio Mystery Theater

2009-03-31T18:09:00.004-05:00

Watching an old Twilight Zone episode, I heard some background music which jarred loose a memory. The memory being that of driving from Bryan TX to Lake Charles LA in the evening, somewhere between Conroe and Orange TX and hearing the CBS Radio Mystery Theater on the AM radio.

At night, over that stretch of state highway 105 and IH35, it is radio no man's land. Except on one trip I tuned in the show on some distant station not knowing what it was. The signal faded in for about 3 or 4 minutes, and then static and noise would creep in for a minute or so (hopefully during the commercials) and then the cycle repeated. Everyone else in the car was a bit irritated at the coming and going of the reception but I stuck with it. Blame for my affection of radio can now be laid at the feet of this radio show.

I don't remember that show, or much of the others I might have heard on other nights later. The draw to them must be the sci-fi, Twilight Zone -light nature of the stories, the sound effects, dialogue, and E.G. Marshall putting in his two bits introducing the acts and pointing out the chilling irony of the proceedings. It was fun for an hour or so.

Recently I located a website that has mp3 files of some of the shows - not nearly all 1399 episodes but a decent collection. The first few sound like they were taped right off the air. News casts from the top of the hour are included - news of Nixon and Watergate, sports reports with ABA basketball scores. Budweiser "when you say Bud, you've said it all" ads, Special K cereal, and PSAs from the broadcast are left in. Its a mini time capsule. They also had that late night sound of AM radio - the station is tuned in, but there is another station or a whistle or light static bleeding over the reception, threatening to wash out the dialogue so you have to listen closely.

Another I listened to had Kim Hunter voicing one of the main characters. She portrayed one of my favorite movie characters - Zira, the chimpanzee scientist who helped Charlton Heston in Planet Of The Apes - one of my favorite all time movies.

Not all the episodes are radio gold. Probably most are just average fare, maybe laughable. I don't mind too much. Its fun - a good memory.

Four Years of blog

2009-03-20T22:46:00.004-05:00

First post published this month four years ago. One of my first posts was about my mazda biting the dirt on 3/7/5. I almost did too. Gas price on that day was $1.89 per the big gas sign on the interstate. I now work across the street from that station and see that gas price sign everyday. It rang the bell at $3.99 - I don't think it crossed over the $4.

I still remember that wreck clearly. I felt like I escaped two crashes that morning. I have lost the photos an insurance sales agent took for me. He worked for the company that insured my house and took the pictures for me.

Converter box coupon!

2009-03-20T22:13:00.002-05:00

Yahoo! Got my coupon in the mail today for my analog to digital converter box. Government bailing me out - finally.

DVD Diplomacy

2009-03-08T16:02:00.003-05:00

Nothing has made me laugh out loud lately as much as Obama's gaffe in giving dvd's to England's Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The kicker of course to the whole story is that the dvd's won't play in England because they are the wrong format for their players. HAR HAR!

The coinage of the phrase "DVD Diplomacy" is spot on. Well done to the first to say it and I will echo as often as possible. It will be difficult to outdo this bit of incompetent bungling, but I am sure Obama and his sidekick Biden have something up their sleeves.

Michelle Obama does her part (from the same link):

Not to be out done in tastelessness by her husband, Michelle got into the act, too. Mrs. Brown came bearing two outfits for the Obama girls from Topshop, one of Britain’s trendiest and expensive women’s wear retail outlets.

In return, Michelle apparently had a staffer run down to the White House gift shop and grab two toy Marine One helicopter models for the Brown’s boys.

Class all the way, huh?

All Texas Ranger on steroids team

2009-02-10T17:38:00.003-06:00

Bob Sturm has this quoted for the All Texas Ranger team on steroids:

The disturbing list of Rangers who have been caught in the web of PED according to Sherrington …

CF Gary Matthews Jr. Mitchell Report
C Pudge Rodriguez Teammate allegation
SS Alex Rodriguez Media report
RF Juan Gonzalez Teammate allegation
1B Rafael Palmeiro Tested positive
3B Ken Caminiti Acknowledged
DH David Segui Acknowledged
2B Randy Velarde Mitchell Report
LF Chad Allen Mitchell Report

I put Jose Canseco in LF, I think, over Chad Allen…

Pretty disappointing to see Pudge on that list.

Reality check

2009-02-10T12:27:00.000-06:00

Razor takes us on a reality check. I wasn't that shocked about A-Rod. He was a Texas Ranger afterall, and was one when known steroid users Juan Gonzalez and Raphael Palmeiro were on the bench with him.

I'll throw computer animated TV shows on the pile Razor has started. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy them any less tho.

Simpsons Season 4

2009-01-29T17:05:00.000-06:00

I have been making my way through my Simpsons dvd's. I started at Season 1 Disk 1 Episode 1 and have progressed episode by episode, sometimes rather slowly, to Season 4 Disk 4. I have got to say it doesn't get much better than Disk 3 of Season 4.

Here are the episodes:

Homer's Triple Bypass

Marge vs. the Monorail

Selma's Choice

Brother From the Same Planet

I Love Lisa

Duffless

The weaker one in the bunch is "Brother From The Same Planet", but Homer redeems himself by naming constellations for his little brother Pepe ("Well, that one's Jerry, the cowboy. And that big dipper-looking thing is Alan, the cowboy")

And Principal Skinner has a toupee?? From the blackboard of "Brother ..." "The Principal's toupee is not a frisbee"

So - In the picture above, any characters you cannot name?

Year Of The Ox

2009-01-25T16:02:00.005-06:00

Tomorrow is the Chinese New Year and it will be the Year Of The Ox. Nearby, Austin has a shopping center - The Chinatown Center - which has scheduled its big party for next weekend January 31, 2009 and February 1, 2009.

You would have thought they would check to make sure the Super Bowl wasn't a conflict.

Annually there are huge crowds, parades, food, and music at this soiree. Sunday night will have some grand fireworks. Since its close to the house we see the display at night from a distance but this year we'll head on over to see what's going on both during the day and at night. Unless I forget.

Year of the Ox. Likenesses of John Entwistle or Paul Bunyon's Babe are encouraged.

Meant to be

2009-01-19T08:41:00.001-06:00

As I learned from this past Sunday's NY Times crossword ...

OBAMA is in

GODBLESSAMERICA

Like it was meant to be.

Happy Birthday, Kasey

2009-01-16T17:02:00.000-06:00

She turns 9 years old today. Getting a bit grizzled, a bit salt and peppery. A good dog though.

Further than you think

2009-01-08T21:55:00.002-06:00

How far might you push someone else's grocery cart before you discovered it wasn't yours?

The "Wizard Of Id" gets it right

2009-01-06T10:05:00.000-06:00

Coincidence? I think not.

2008-12-25T09:00:00.002-06:00

Late night Christmas Eve, I was driving to our church to pick up Tory. I had my mp3 player plugged in and set on random play. As I was about to exit the freeway, Carry On Wayward Son came on. Merging onto the access road I saw the light up ahead was already red, of course, and so I stopped behind a car already waiting. Then I looked at the license plate of that car and saw it was from Kansas.

Crossword constructor starts a blog

2008-12-15T14:31:00.000-06:00

Brendan Emmitt Quigley has begun a blog on crossword puzzles and construction of them. His puzzles are usually fun to work on and are full of modern references. Good insights into his process of putting puzzles together. There is a pledge to post at least 3 puzzles a week, and in pdf so as to make them easy to print.

Snow In Austin

2008-12-11T12:11:00.000-06:00

I need to record this somewhere. Snow fell here in Austin on 12/9/8. Late in the evening around 11 PM after a bit of sleeting, flakes of snow began blowing all around the house. A bit wet, and it didn't accumulate whatsoever, except maybe on the roof of the house and cars. But it sure did look nice and peaceful, especially being illuminated by the Christmas lights on the house.

Krackers the cat escaped into the backyard, and ran under the nearby bushes getting fairly muddy. Samantha had to retrieve him.

I can't remember any snow here in Austin this time of year over the past 24 years.

The Bailout

2008-12-05T15:55:00.001-06:00

Spencer Tracey is the Congress. Sid Caesar, Jonathan Winters, Mickey Rooney, et al, are the auto industry, big banking, etc wanting the big cash. The big cash in the briefcase belongs to the American taxpayer of course, taken from them but that's a different analogy. The suitcase busting open and the cash being scattered into the wind is the accountability of the bureaucrats in this whole bailout mess. Finally, I liken the firetruck's attempt at the rescue to what's needed eventually get the economy back on sound footing - a few unpleasant things will have to happen and fail, but then the hospilization and curing begins. No pain, no gain.

PS How'd they get away with Rochester landing in Abe Lincoln's lap? And that's Sterling Holloway as the fireman who ascends the ladder. The briefcase full of cash is a great MacGuffin.

Long sleeves

2008-12-04T14:54:00.002-06:00

Long sleeved shirts. Who can tolerate them? The cuffs always seem to be getting damp in some way and then feel uncomfortable.

Movie Buzz

2008-12-02T12:20:00.001-06:00

Dinner table talk provided the following questions last night. What movies:
A. Might you never watch again and be happy about it?
B. Watch any time it comes on? Not that they are great, but that you'd watch.

There are simply too many A's to list. Any of the Tolkien movies make the list, even tho we own them.

I would watch Raiders Of The Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, Jaws, Dr Strangelove, Planet Of The Apes (with Heston of course), and Yellow Submarine, without fail. Others on the edge - 7 Faces Of Dr Lao, Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder), Young Frankenstein, Sean Connery's movies as James Bond, and Rope (cool Hitchcock flick).

There is probably a lot more I couldn't turn away from.

Fred Thompson explains it

2008-12-02T12:15:00.001-06:00

Nice going Fred. I wish he or someone had been a little louder when all the bailout mess began.

He may be the only one.

2008-11-24T15:53:00.002-06:00

Neil Young Archives

2008-11-24T08:42:00.000-06:00

The long fabled archives may finally be ready. $432 bucks for Blue Ray!! I am a fan, but not that big of a fan.

Thanksgiving Turkey Means Breaking A Few Eggs

2008-11-21T17:10:00.002-06:00

What a "shock"! If you are going to eat turkey for Thanksgiving, you have to kill a few turkeys. Sarah Palin is interviewed in front of some turkey-farmer preparing a few birds for shipping and hilarity ensues.

My grandfather, who ran a dairy farm for years, raised calves for beef as well. One calf my brothers and I played with when we were kids and affectionately named Bruno. However, one dinner during a visit to my grandparents house my grandfather asked us if we recognized Bruno as he was being served for dinner. Forks collectively dropped and hit plates.

Limerick Day 14

2008-11-14T20:08:00.000-06:00

I was enjoying some popcorn last night
When in the middle of one of my bites
A small piece of kernel
Caused problems eternal
Getting wedged between my pearly whites.

Limerick Day 13

2008-11-13T12:42:00.001-06:00

This morning I awoke at 6:01
And considered going out and taking a run
My heart wasn't in it
Slept 50 more minutes
Jogging has never seemed that much fun.

Neil Young - Happy Birthday

2008-11-12T22:51:00.001-06:00

Neil at his best.

Limerick Day 11

2008-11-11T23:44:00.000-06:00

The razor sliced into my lip
From my chin, blood starts to drip
After thirty years
Nicks are real fears
My talent at shaving is zip

Starbucks Fun

2008-11-10T21:57:00.000-06:00

Razor is having fun at Starbucks.

I will try the "Gretzky" alias my next trip.

Limericks Day 10

2008-11-10T19:11:00.001-06:00

Who would think that at the end of the day
Fairly unique phrases don't get that much play
With all due respect
I personally object
Its a nightmare finding pleasing things to say.

Will Shortz on The Simpsons

2008-11-09T13:05:00.003-06:00

Will Shortz and Merl Reagle will be on The Simpsons next week. I haven't been watching the new episodes for a long time but will check this one out. Reagle has constructed Simpson packed puzzles for next Sunday as well.

Limerick Day 6

2008-11-06T19:14:00.003-06:00

What is the best way to go
Many of us really don't know
Inner peace is a snap
Visit Google Maps
And get from Pflugerville to Waco

Limerick Day 5

2008-11-05T19:00:00.001-06:00

The national election has closed
The ballot boxes disposed
Obama has won
(His experience be none)
Republicans collectively got hosed.

Limerick Day 4

2008-11-04T10:35:00.001-06:00

A limerick a day is quite daunting
In my brain the task is haunting
I know that I'm not
Writing a lot
Its worthy ideas I am wanting.

A bit of a stretch. Writing about writing. But I don't have any mulligans.

Limerick Day 3

2008-11-03T10:20:00.000-06:00

Gas prices are finally abating
Its something we've all been awaiting
A solution was needed
Cause our pressure receded
The car's tires simply needed inflating.

Limerick Day 2

2008-11-02T10:00:00.001-06:00

In the Express checkout line I stand
With 10 items or less in hand
Ahead of me I see
A lady with twenty
Hey! "Go to the other lines," I demand!

I wish I could do this, but I never do.

Limerick Day 1

2008-11-01T10:00:00.001-05:00

On the day after Halloween
Samantha will then be fourteen
A wonderful daughter
and joy to her father
Happy Birthday to the silly-ness queen.

Limericks

2008-10-29T19:14:00.001-05:00

Somehow last night limericks came up in casual conversation. A "brief statement of faith" is required as part of my officer training to the church session. I told Tory I should serve mine up in the form of a limerick. It probably hasn't been done before so I might be seen as an innovator or a visionary.

November is National Write A Novel In A Month month. I don't think I can do that. But I bet I can write a limerick each day of November. I shall give it a go. I put the over under a about 5 days.

It won't be enough to write limericks though. Much like Chopin reinvented the scherzo, prelude, and etude, I shall attempt to elevate the limerick to a new poetic artform. Limericks have typically been on the bawdy, off color side - I will have none of that! IE the following will not appear ....

The once was a man named Glass
Whose [insert male reproductive organs here] were made of brass
If he rubbed them together
During bad weather
Lightning would shoot out of his arse.

None of that!

I may slip in a haiku or two.

The Times They Are A Changing

2008-10-23T17:15:00.000-05:00

The New York Times has been rated as an extremely risky debtor. Maybe the government should step in and take ownership of this and like newspapers in a bailout effort. Aren't we all in favor of a state run news agency, well, outside of NPR? As long as WILLz keeps the crosswords coming.

A Big Government is going to need a big press.

Re-Obama-fication

2008-10-21T17:29:00.003-05:00

I can see by the Big Board we've got a Negative Nelly in Sector 2. Prepare for some re-Obama-fication.

Poor Joe The Plumber. Ask a simple question and find yourself a candidate for the Gulag.

Thankfully we have another Joe. The Biden. Both Joes have a knack for telling the truth about the Democrats and Obama. Can't have that tho.

Apparently The Biden has been pulled back into the tall grass and is probably getting some needed re-Obama-fication himself.

Senator Government

2008-10-15T22:31:00.002-05:00

McCain refers to Obama tonight in the debate as Senator Government! How screamingly accurate. He should call him that at every chance until the election.

I thought McCain brought great eloquence and passion with his remarks about being adoptive parents himself with his wife Cindy. He followed with the defense of the unborn. Very well spoken and honest. Obama just filibustered and spun - nowhere near the middle ground - not to be trusted, especially with the Supreme Court.

A good job by McCain.

Librarian's Patron Saint

2008-09-29T17:19:00.002-05:00

My mom, being a retired librarian, might appreciate knowing who the patron saint of librarians is. I didn't know, but I am not a librarian. But as an avid user of libraries anywhere I wouldn't mind an invite to a feast for St. Jerome.

Spirit Of AggieLand

2008-09-29T08:49:00.003-05:00

Samantha and I went over to College Station for the A and M v. Army football game on the last weekend of September. It was an 11:30 a.m. kickoff so we had to leave Austin early. We got our tickets from some friends here and met them at Rudy's BBQ in Round Rock. After a few breakfast tacos we drove over to AggieLand.

We arrived in plenty of time. In fact I had to walk back to the car twice forgetting once the camera and then our notepaper with phone numbers and such of the people we were to meet over the day. Our seats were 3 rows up from the field, behind the north end zone. Actually a great place to see all the events of the day, but most of the football we saw on the jumbo-tron.

We were in our seats in plenty of time for the National Anthem, Texas Our Texas, The Spirit of AggieLand, and the Aggie War Hymm. Sam and I sawed the horns off with 80,000 plus other Aggies there. It was awesome to see the entire statium, and it was nearly full, all sawing and singing.

It was "Armed Forces Appreciation Day" so there was a helicopter flyover and four paratroopers dropped into Kyle Field before the start. The Aggie band played all of the military marches from each branch of service, and the Singing Cadets sang America.

After the game we went and took our pictures on the 50 yard line and in the end zones. Next we walked across the campus visiting some old favorites of mine, my old dorm, the All Faiths Chapel where my parents were married 50 years ago. Then we met some fraternity buddies I haven't seen in over 25 years and they were cooking fajitas, so we had a few bites to eat and visited. Next we walked thru the Bonfire Memorial and the headed back to our car and left campus.

We headed into Bryan to visit my cousin Susan and her dad my uncle Bubba. A nice visit of about 30 minutes and then we started our drive back to Austin.

Sam and I had a grand time.

Banana skin usefullness

2008-09-26T10:26:00.004-05:00

Next time you slip up on a banana skin, you might want to hesitate before picking it up. You never know where its been.

Apparently, hockey announcers don't have much to do in the off season.

Razor - go guest host on the Hardline or something. Geesh.

An old fable in a new bottle

2008-09-26T10:08:00.004-05:00

Michelle Malkin spins a nifty yarn.

"Barack Cicada" had me laughing. I see cicada shells all over the back yard, the bugs shedding their skin, talking of change, but still the same old pests they were before.

I need early voting to get here asap so I can cast my ballot and be done with it.

Alkali Ike

2008-09-10T17:10:00.002-05:00

Looks like Hurricane Ike may blow through Austin TX, and may be a CAT 2 when it arrives. It is predicted to get into town Saturday morning (9/13/8). I don't think we've had a storm system like this in my time here, almost 25 years. I can remember working long ago at the City Services oil refinery in Sulphur LA over 2 summers and having to prepare for approaching hurricanes - tying down scaffolding, moving barrels of stuff into storage, and other securing of loose items. All of that work usually meant spending the next week untying all those things.

So far in Austin, football games are being rescheduled, including the game between UT and Arkansas (not official yet, but likely). Gas prices are creeping up in anticipation of people on the Texas coast evacuating here.

The hurricane should make for an interesting weekend.

Obama voted YES on Bridge To Nowhere, Biden too

2008-09-09T12:45:00.005-05:00

Barack Obama is trying to make hay about Sarah Palin being for the Bridge To Nowhere before being against it. Apparently he and Joe Biden were for the Bridge instead of diverting those funds to hurricane relief in New Orleans. Hilarity ensued.

I think I am going to side with Alaska's Governor Palin on this one. As a fellow blogger asks, where is the bridge now, and who is responsible for stopping it. Palin.

Sarah Palin

2008-08-29T13:18:00.003-05:00

What a relief. I think I now look forward to voting for John McCain instead of having to vote for him. Sarah Palin is actually giving me hope McCain can win.

As an added bonus, Sarah Palin will be groomed for the presidential job when McCain's run is over.

A very nice choice for veep.

Ice, Ice baby

2008-08-20T07:50:00.002-05:00

Here is someone blogging about a hot topic at our house. Ice cubes to drink ratio in a glass.

Here are the comments I left there ...

Ice to drink ratio is dependent on 3 variables: the temperature of the drink being cooled, the size of the ice cubes, and the drink glass size. As an example - freshly brewed tea is hot, but I need a drink. I have a large glass. If my wife has made ice (we use trays) the ice will be small, a whole tray will be used, and the ice will melt almost completely away, and I'll have no more left to cool it down further. If I filled the ice tray the cubes will likely be twice the size and I will use half as much initially. After melting I will still have some ice left to cool the drink to the desired temp, and a much more pleasing drink, provided I use the right amount of sweetener.

I also recommend using a straw. You can put the end in the drink right next to or in between the ice cubes and the drink will be colder. Its also easier to drink ice tea from a straw while in the car.

The straw is a key component as well. Potential drink stirrer, and it helps identify your glass from among similar drinks.

Theft!

2008-08-07T17:20:00.000-05:00

Evan's car was broken into overnight. His stereo was taken and there's a bit of damage to the rear passenger door and window. Also an acoustic guitar was taken out of the trunk - the one Uncle John had a long time ago - sorry about that J. The car was parked on the street which is probably a mistake but its been parked there often with no incident. I guess we played those odds too long.

Not much to do at this point except call the police and have the car repaired.The back passenger window was broken in. Once inside all doors can be unlocked and there is a trunk release just inside front driver door. It is ironic the very day I wax poetic about the neighbors not getting vandalized, we get hit instead.

I blame it on fake hurricane Eduordo. We got nothing here - except a serious allergy headache. If maybe some serious rain had blown in our car might've been left alone.

I told Evan to try Homer's strategy by claiming there was a Picasso in the back seat too.

Documentary recommendations

2008-08-06T17:40:00.000-05:00

Bob Sturm over at The Ticket and Bob's Blog likes documentaries. He has embedded trailers for most of his recommendations.

Bad Radio's host tends to like a bit of quirkiness in documentaries. I am not a big fan of SuperSize Me or any of Michael Moore's work. I tend to favor those films that are well edited, and are good humored. I don't like films that are out to make fun of the people they portray.

I'm thinking King Of Kong is next on the radar screen. Thanks Bob.

Salmon

2008-08-06T17:32:00.000-05:00

Our neighbors across the street had to take down an ash tree in their front yard. Instead of cutting the tree all the way to ground level, they decided to have some salmon cut out of the trunk. After leaving about 8 feet of trunk above ground, a chainsaw artist came and over 2 and a half days cut the fish out of the wood.

Every car passing by stops to take a look or take pictures. I hope it doesn't get vandalized.

Camina

2008-07-29T18:12:00.002-05:00

First Neil Young song I have ever heard covered in a different language. Crazy Notes and "Camina", Neil's "Walk On" from On The Beach.

Beauty And The Beast

2008-07-20T19:19:00.004-05:00

Here are some photos taken at a performance of Beauty And The Beast we attended Friday night the 18th, at Zilker Hillside Theater, with some of Samantha's classmates. We saw the show with my brother Dave, Joan, Sydney, and Ben earlier in the summer, but it was enjoyable again. As you can see, Gaston is a sight. Performed outdoors at night, not too hot, a little breezy - good times. Oh, and cold root beers and orange crushes. Girls had fun.

Safe driving?

2008-07-03T15:30:00.000-05:00

It isn't in Austin, and it doesn't look good for the rest of Texas either. New York Times has a story on the safest places to drive. There is a separate paragraph with some major Texas cities mentioned.

Drivers in the Texas cities of Houston, San Antonio and Dallas are 24 percent to 28 percent more likely to have accidents compared to national averages.

More info from an AllState link in that story. Austin not mentioned anywhere, but the local radio reports Austin does not have a good record.

And Evan and Tory wonder why I charge them for insurance. Amusing chart in the AllState page shows driving stats for Generation Y, and even for the safest cities, the numbers of years between accidents are remarkably low, meaning greater accidents for the younger drivers.

On the Left

2008-06-23T14:36:00.002-05:00

Marginal Revolution presents the political greatness of being left handed. Of those listed I am not so sure I relish sharing left handed kinship with, except for Ronald Reagan.

Simpsons Overanalysis

2008-06-20T12:10:00.001-05:00

I am a big fan of the Simpsons, and have the first 9 seasons on dvd. Over the past many years I have often been disappointed in the recent seasons and how the Simpsons aren't funny anymore, not even the Halloween episodes. Whenever I watch now, it will be something off one of my dvd's and not primetime.

Here's a link to link that takes a thorough look at all this. I think Brad Bird was key.

These Are A Few Of My 100 Things

2008-06-18T09:29:00.003-05:00

Time Magazine has an article about living with only 100 things. That is a pretty tall order. Depends on what your definition of "thing" is. Does a set of golf clubs, tees, balls, cart, and bag all count as one thing. I sure hope so. One of the participants is quoted addressing this problem.

Cait Simmons, 27, a waitress in Chicago, takes a different approach. Although she has pared down her footwear collection from 35 to 20 pairs, she says, "All my shoes count as one item."

I am pretty partial to my stuff, and probably irrationally attached to several items I hold dear, particularly an afgan knitted for me by my grandmother, and my grandfather's old wooden creaky rocking chair. This article looks and smells like self-loathing freedom haters to me. As long as you are not consumed by possessing things, or them possessing you, I say what's the problem?

Einsteins

2008-06-17T17:30:00.000-05:00

Tory has started the summer session here at Austin Community College. His class is a MW evening class from 5:30 pm to 7:10. The campus is fairly close but we want Tory to get home on the bus, its only 50 cents. Yesterday he gets on the wrong bus and ends up at a transit station north of our house and further away than ACC. Plus he had to get off since it was the end of the line, and had no money to get on another to get back home. I had to go get him.

After picking him up I needed to get a few items at Walmart. Tory and I go in and get our needed items. As we're getting ready to check out I discover I don't have my wallet, and can't pay. Luckily I have $19.75 in my pocket. So we put back most of what was in the basket. The final item, a big bag of chips, didn't make the cut. Why, oh why, did we need that aluminum foil?

Dinner was served just after 9 and there were some grumpy diners.

Father's Day and Golf

2008-06-17T17:10:00.000-05:00

A pretty good Father's Day this year. Bagels and coffee with friends after church. Back home for a light lunch, a 30 minute nap, a glass of iced tea, and out to Morris Williams GC for a round of golf.

I teed off at 3:15, and the club house thermometer showed 98 degrees. Whew. The heat was somewhat mitigated by light breezes, and I tried to walk a good bit in the shades of trees. Promptly double bogeyed first hole.

I played the first 11 holes as a single, and waited not once to hit. I caught the fellow in front of me at the 12th tee and we played the remaining 7 together waiting occasionally on the twosome in front of us, and they did not appear to be to serious about golf hitting 2 or 3 shots from nearly every place. The entire round was just over 3 hours, a land speed record for me at this course. Overall score was 82 going 42 - 40 on the nines.

The problem with playing solo is no one sees your greatness. My greatness this day was off the tee. I was hitting some of my best drives ever. Unfortunately this greatness was offset by poor play from the fairway and on the green. The main theme of the day seemed to be having the ball below my feet on a thin lie. Also many times I'd be a full to half wedge away from the green and fail to get the ball on the green, often missing badly. Putting is also very unreliable. I hit all four par 3's in regulation, and had 11 putts. I did finally get on the birdie quest on the 11th hole, a par 5 sinking a 2 footer.

After teeing off at #5, I saw very bright blue bluebird. The feral parrots appear to have been run off as I neither saw nor heard any all day.

Later that night a family game of Scrabble. Tory passed off "nuke", which scored him about 6 points. "Thugs" and "jail" were in the same line together, and "ozone" made everyone giddy. Sean won this tense competition.

Popcorn bargain

2008-06-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

Going to the movies? Consider the medium sized popcorn in a bag. (from Portfolio.com)

JK Rowling at Harvard

2008-06-05T16:11:00.002-05:00

JK Rowling gave the commencement address at Harvard today. Our family has enjoyed her books so I was interested in what she had to say, and Jo (all her friends call her Jo) did not disappoint.

The site might add video of her address later.

Walking, Part 2

2008-05-20T10:03:00.002-05:00

Its quickly getting too hot for some lunchtime walks of 40 to 45 minutes as summer approaches. On a recent walk, among all the other trash that is along the roadside was a Scratch-off lottery ticket. Of course it was a loser, and yes I checked, but I had to ask myself what if it had been a winner. And what if it had been a big winner. When is someone obligated to find the owner of a lost, but valuable item?

People find money occasionally here and there of nominal amounts to their good fortune. There are stories of cab drivers finding jewelry or huge amounts of cash left behind in their cars and ultimately finding the owner.

So, would I need to find the owner of a lost winning lottery ticket? And its a big winner. How would I do that? Perhaps a CraigsList ad - "If you've lost a $25 million dollar lottery ticket, please email me with the date and numbers, and where you lost it, and its yours."

Or perhaps I decide to cash it in. I can't find a scenario where I could be in trouble (my greatest fear in all this, accused of theft of some sort!) and would then be the winner. Clear conscious? Nothing a few hundred rounds of golf couldn't cure I hope.

The Bible has the parable of a man out walking who finds a great treasure in a field. He hides the treasure, sells all his property, then buys the field and acquires the great treasure for himself. The walking man does not tell the original owner of the treasure - maybe it was property owned by a corrupt government that acquired it threw some corrupt means, but we're not told that part of the story.

I am not sure what would happen, but I will keep searching.

Walking Part 1

2008-05-07T22:59:00.003-05:00

Since I haven't been getting much exercise at home, I decided to spend most of my lunches at work walking. I have been getting about 40 to 45 minutes in about 4 times a week. The weather has been good so far but will be too hot soon enough. I have learned a few things.

Walking near where I work is no picnic. Many of the roads have no sidewalks, and the roads turn out to be highways. I am constantly on the look out at traffic. Often I have to walk in a dried out ditch to avoid being too close to the road.

There is trash everywhere. Even where you think there might not be trash, there's trash. I have seen just about everything in the most unusual places except for the stereotypical fish skeleton. People are pigs!

Out walking by yourself is like mowing the lawn. There isn't much to do except walk and think about stuff. When I return I don't remember much of what I thought about either, much like my dreams at night.

Sea To Shining Sea - By Bike!

2008-05-07T22:24:00.002-05:00

A high school buddy of mine is riding from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic by bicycle. The trip involves 25 days of riding of about 100+ miles each day. They started with 7 straight days and then had a rest day; then 8 days more before a rest day and then finally 10 days straight to the Atlantic.

He is blogging about his ride experience and posting a few photos. The ride organizer also is posting entries and photos here .

Sounds like a great way to see the country, but as Eric writes there have been serious accidents and injuries and three riders have had heart attacks that have taken them out of the tour. Tragically one man dies in his sleep.

Rush Concert

2008-04-30T17:10:00.003-05:00

The band Rush was here in Austin and Tory, Justin (one of Tory's buddies), Evan, and I were in the crowd for the show. Tory and Justin were in the lower floor seating, and Evan and I were in the upper arena seating, but I was pleased with our view.

Rush put on a good show. Somehow these three guys have managed to avoid getting frozen in time over the past 30 years of playing together. I can imagine that having to play "Spirit Of Radio" or "Tom Sawyer" every show for, well, ever might get stale. But I believe the very talented trio manages to keep their music fresh because they love the music, they love performing it, they aren't afraid to try anything new, and they keep moving forward by composing new music.

I have to admit that when Rush launched into some of their newer songs of the most recent "Snakes and Arrows" most of the crowd had blank faces. Tory told me he wasn't exactly taken with the new music on the cd, but hearing it live was much better. I like the songs and material, but didn't find it memorable ( a bit like a Simon Cowell might say ).

Rush did not stay away from their old hits tho. They launched the show with "Limelight", a great start, and dropped in "Freewill", "Red Barchetta", "Tom Sawyer" through out. Those are the titles I remember. I am not a devoted fan of theirs and don't carry around a Rush rolodex in my head. The guy sitting next to me was sending text messages of the set list out on his cell phone all night.

A very impressive presentation of a light show, videos, pyrotechnics, and terrific musicianship made for an enjoyable night. I will admit that I slipped in some ear plugs midway through the show and didn't miss a note. Thankfully they helped me avoid that Popsicle headache that often accompany a night after a concert. I was able to sleep without any ear ringing at all.

Chupa Chups

2008-04-28T22:43:00.003-05:00

Here is a little tune that has been stuck in my head off and on over the past week. It comes from the Chupa Chups website. What is a Chupa Chup? It looks like a Tootsie Pop except it's fabrique en Mexico. I got two of them from a hotel lobby recently - a chocolate ice cream flavored and and orange cream flavored pop. The chocolate one wasn't bad, and I've been too afraid to try the orange.

The website features some flash animation depicting various pop culture scenes from recent decades. Stick around to the end, if not just to have the tune burn into your subconscious.

Golf 2008 Underway

2008-04-21T12:21:00.001-05:00

The ribbon was cut on calendar year 2008 golf season yesterday as I headed out to Morris Williams GC for a round. I went straight from the parking lot, to the pro shop, to the first tee, and promptly parred the first hole. Not a pretty par - missed green about 5 yards off the front but then chipped up to a foot of hole and tapped in for par. Promptly bogeyed the next hole missing a 3 footer for par, and double bogey on next also missing 4 footer after dumping tee shot in water. Putting was an adventure all day - since I had no warm up the club felt like a lead pipe in my hands. Lots of good shots along the way, plenty enough to inspire me to get back out. I closed with a par on 18 going 43 + 40 for an 83.

The birdie quest is still in the starting gait however and I really only had 1 good chance but missed a flat 8 footer at least 3 inches left.

At public courses, as a single golfer, I wonder about who I'll be paired with. Are they any good, or will it be a long day of looking for someone else's shot. Yesterday was good. Two guys in a cart played a scramble explaining neither of them were good enough to play alone. The other fellow was oriental, or as Hank Hill might ask "Chinese or Japanese?" He and I both walked. He tended to be extremely deliberate, ie before most every swing - feet together, club down, feet apart, practice swing, repeat each step, then move up to ball feet together, club down, feet apart, and take shot. What a time kill. I had to keep moving to prevent going unconscious at times. Thankfully he was a decent player.

Rush tickets

2008-04-17T09:10:00.005-05:00

This morning we won some tickets from a local radio startion to see Rush in Austin next week on the 23rd.

We went through a little comedy on the way. I originally made the call to the radio station and got through. I was telling Sean that I was going to get to play for the tickets when Tory walked in and overheard. He comes up to me and says "gimme the phone!" He was right - he's knows Rush better than I do, but we have to leave for school. So we pile into the car, turn off the radio, wait for the ads, and then the person ahead of us is up. All this is going on while we're driving to school, and I am fretting that the cell will give out or that we'll lose connection like on of the ads on TV. Tory hears the song clip and says "Freewill!" a split second later. After the first caller fails, I hear Tory connect and go on the air. He says, "I don't need to hear the clip, its 'Freewill'!" He wins. High fives all around in the car. Lots of banter with the radio guys ensues.

Tory is a big Rush fan, several DVD's of concerts, so we know what to expect, but he's never seen them live.

We roll up at the school just as he's finishing. His birthday was yesterday and the call screener saying to him "you should've said something!" I think he may have barely avoided a tardy today, but it was worth it.

Good times. BTW I won a Valentine Day package a little over a year ago from the same station identifying "Love Hurts" on the radio.

Now to decide who uses the tickets. Since we had 2 already, purchased as a present for Tory's birthday, Evan, Sean, and I will be stabbing each other in the back to go.

Happy Birthday Tory!

2008-04-16T09:37:00.003-05:00

Here's Tory pictured in Boot Canyon at Big Bend National Park. He'll be going to see a Rush concert next week here in Austin as part of his birthday.

This birthday is going to cost me tho because he is now 17, and no longer can be used on the Child Credit for tax purposes. I am considering billing him for the difference this year.