Thursday, July 29, 2004

Maybe it's me, but...

Maybe it's me, but the CNN review of "The Village" isn't glowing.  And yet, CNN says it's his best movie ever - even better than the Sixth Sense.

As back up, they say this:

The real revelation is Shyamalan's growth as a storyteller, advancing from a modern Rod Serling specializing in "Twilight Zone" zingers to a mythmaker invoking the restrained passion of the Bronte sisters and the puritanical inhibitions of Nathaniel Hawthorne.
 
That doesn't sound glowing to me.  That sounds... hum, how should one say it... DULL.  Restrained and puritanical.  Oh yea, let me rush out and see that bad boy.  FYI - not that it is required for a movie to be good, but it helps - puritanical and restrained doesn't say hot, sweaty  and shirtless Joaquin to me.


Wednesday, July 28, 2004

What a great way to start the day...

So, this morning I am on a conference call.  On this call, I have to give status on a European project, for which the UK is the lead business.  This has been a two year project, cost millions of dollars and has been cause for European managers to threaten, cajole and berate us to complete it on time.  Well we are two months early.  It is ready to roll.

Europe in general, and the UK in particular, decided that they don't have the time to test it.  They are going to move it out a year.  On to a new software platform.  So, thanx everyone for working overtime, for testing in the US and India, for facing the wrath of developers every day as we make them bust their pick to get this done - but ... "whoops".  Sure, they told us that 1/1/2005 was a hard date.  A drop dead date.   A date they couldn't move because they would face huge penalties.  A my-oh-my we have to make it date.

Now... not so much.

They are killing me!

And, Ann Coulter is driving the level of communication in this country up a notch (as per usual).  She has described democrats as "Spawn of Satan".  I wonder why the USA Today spiked her column.

Tuesday, July 27, 2004

Two Things

1. I miss Bill.  If you didn't see Bill Clinton's speech - well you missed a great, rousing wonderful speech.  He brought a tear to my eye.  That damn 25th admendment.

2.  My good friend Joc and her husband (pictured below) were the witnesses and stood up for a US gay couple in Rochester (NY) as they went to Toronto to get married.  Joc - a Canuck - said that everyone was great to them.  The customs officers at the border, when they found out why the 4 of them were there, gave them little Canadian lapel pins.  The hotel upgraded their rooms.  The restaurant gave them free deserts, and drinks.  Even the Canadian Justice of the Peace helped one of the boys get through the ceremony as he teared up and had a hard time speaking.

As you can see, Joc looked great.  And ... well... kudos to you and Canada....



Monday, July 26, 2004

Back in Town

So, we are back in town.  I have had a little jet-lag and haven't been the exact life to the party - but I think that is to be expected.

We saw "The Bourne Supremecy" yesterday at the ArcLight.  It was fun and fast - however the chase through Moscow left me a little quesy.

The posse is back from ProvinceTown.  It sounds like they had great fun.  Once they get back, I always wish I had gone.  Well, except last year when I did go and everyone seems to have more fun there than me.  But I went through the pictures and it does look like a good time.

Friday, July 23, 2004

And so we say good-bye to beautiful Asia

Here I sit, on the last leg of my Asian adventure.  The meetings today were fine, albeit not particularly needed.  But, they felt better that I showed my mug here so that is good.

It has been a first class food adventure.  A really good business trip.  And - almost wholey- a boondoogel.  But, if they are going to pay me to go play the good corporate camper more power to them.

Apparently we are the first people to have been to Indonesia from our group in years.  I am the highest they have had from our team ever (imagine that).  I kind of freaked out the workers when we changed for dinner and the mall.  I went from business suit to jeans and my new very hip multicolor blue party shirt.  It is just a step toned down from lepord skin.  I looked great and the guys from Indonesia lossened up.

I am not saying much about the Philippenes.  Not much to say really. They are very European business in that they don't have a lot of money and are not looking to expand.

Okay - I am boring even me.  I fly home soon (and Eddie you were right about the time - I will be home late).

Thursday, July 22, 2004

I am sure that somewhere

I am sure that somewhere in the world you can find a ruder group of people than Japanese and Taiwanese vacationers at a 5 star free breakfast bar.  I hope I never see that place.

The buffet, by the way, was horrible.  Only the dim sum and pollo adobe was edible (Philippines is a weird mix of cultures).

After the 28th person pushed in front of me and mumbled "I'm sorry." I lost it.  I said, "No you're not."  They gave me a little double take and let me through.

That, my dear friends is the key.  Be a bastard.  I was the mean 6 foot blond amoung the sea of of short nasty little men and women.  Thereafter, when ever I was shoved, pushed, stepped on (twice mind you) and elbowed, the tin-y "I'm sorry" would follow.  Then the big ugly blond ape, would loudly say, "You aren 't sorry.  Don't do it."

Finally the bond apeman was left alone.  I am sure that all of the people at the buffet went back to Lilliput and had great stories to tell as they careen around in their little clown cars in their little clown cities, all the while screaming, "sorry".

Time for Scooter to go home.

Back in my day

So I am in Manila. Here is the weird ass thing... I was in Manila in the Navy (my 4 weeks of active duty) in 1977. Now I am in the position of saying, "you know in '77, things were very different".

It sucks, but it is true. The city has changed mightly. The airport and hte roads haven't changed, but there are about 20 times more cars than there used to be. There are tall buidlings and gigantic malls. And there are police everywhere. Back in my day, it was safe to walk the streets here (back in my day, Marcos was the dictator and people he didn't like disappeared, but that is something different).

So, here is the wierd thing. I am back in Manila 27 years later, I don't feel any different, but it is a different world. And, right this freakin' minute, The Simple Life with Paris Hilton is on the TV set. Progress? I think it not.

I head home tomorrow (which will be my Friday night).

Wednesday, July 21, 2004

Stuck in Aeroporta Jakarta with a Dial Up

So, we got in the Jakarta airport way too early (our flight leaves at 7:25 - we go there at 5:25 and through immigration and check in in 10 minutes).  So I am using the business center computer.  It was going really slow - but I think I fixed it.  I found where you slip the hamster a little food through the slot and it has picked up pace a bit.

I have the travel day from hell today.  I am going from Jakarta to Manila today.  This should be easy.  It is about a 3 hour flight from Jakarta to Manila.

Of course I am on Cathy Pacfic and, therefore must go through Hong Kong.  Well that it 1 hour (ish) in the Hong Kong airport and 1 and 1/2 hour flight.  Puls the flight to Hon Kong adds an extra hour of travel time (as Hong Kong is north of Manila, and will require some back tracking).

And yet, even that would be acceptable - but no - not enough.  I have to travel to Hong Kong via Singapore, which is to the West of both Jakarta AND Hong Kong, so it adds a little more back tracking and another hour layover.

Oh well.  I'm off.

Jakarta

The Indonesian business is not what I expected.  They totally have their act together.  They now their positioning (and why they are positioned that way).  The head guys understand both what they want and don't want to do with the business.  I was very impressed.

I am staying in the financial district / diplomatic district.  It is primarily wealthy.  It is kind of weird that at every stop (the hotel, the bank development building, the mall - everything) you have to go through a metal detector and the car is searched.  Very Colombia in the 1980s.  It isn't for kidnapping, but for bombings (so far so good.  I leave tomorrow morning at 7:30).  There haven't been demonstrations or anything so far.

We finished early and the ladies wanted to go shopping - and I had to go with them.  Then it turned out there was a NEXT in both malls we went to...  Suffice it to say I bought more than the ladies did.

Dinner tonight was great.  Very spicy in a unique way.  Not curry or Chinese but really really good.  I got some sauce mixes at the supermarket tonight.

The city has a lot of Facist architecture and sculpture.  They were ruled for a long tim e by a strong man / dictator and he built some very facist things.  This is a picture of my hotel, with the sculpture he built in the front.   Jakarta is changing fast though.  This is a picture towards the area of my hotel.  And the air looks just like that.

I have to go to the airport at 5AM so I am not staying up late.

I hope everyone is doing well.  Rumor has it the evil Fienbergs racked up one more PTown biking incident.  After last year's "I wasn't racing - stop your whining" charmfest with the Fienbergs, this year's topped it.  Whereas I stopped racing and cursed them and their little short legs of steel - little Ron apparently was actually winning.  Gavin got annoyed, smack Ron's back tire as he was being passed, and Ron took a tumble.  Don't get on the wrong side of Gavin in PTown.  He is mean as spit there ("all our friends get along great" my ass).

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

Spoke too soon

Okay, I spoke too soon on the food front.  Last night's dinner was "shanghai style".  I have no great desire to eat it again.
 
It started with "drunken pigeon".  Of course he was drunk, he was plucked, slightly boiled, cut up and served to us.  He stared at me through-out the appitiser course.  It creeped me out.  I switched from beer to Manhattens because of the little bald bird head.  yuck.  I won't even go into the fish.
 
I have to go, they have called my flight to Jakarta.  I will say that last night we went to Flix at the Pennisula, which was very cool and hoity toity - but way too Anglo-pick-up scene.  Both straight and gay (really) but all ex-pats KIDS (like  early 20s).  And I got yelled at for taking a picture.
 
More later, kisses to all (espically you Eddie)

Monday, July 19, 2004

Notes from the Far East

1. I don't know if you saw it, but my Eddie said Spiderman 2 was good, but too long.  This is my Eddies' comments for most movies lately.  I tend to agree with him.  Most movies can be done in 90 minutes or so.  Just because the Lord of the Rings movies flew by at 3 hours, doesn't mean everything will.
 
2. I saw 50 First Dates again on the plane here.  It is sweet, but I forgot that after 13 hours in the air, I am an emotional mess - so I was crying through the whole thing.  Wuss.
 
3. Funny enough, the Chinese food in Hong Kong is kick ass good.  Woa!  Dinner last night was very China Grill, neuvo hip - but excellent.  And today.  Dimsum for 11 that made you weep.  Tonight we are going across the bay to dinner and the view.
 
4.  The meetings - going well.  I move on tomorrow to Indonesia.  Most of the folks are staying here for a week to complete the requirements junk.
 
5. I was told that there are real opportunities to grow your career in China - but in Shanghai.  Hong Kong is already a little "last wave", but is handling it well.  There is a huge established expat community here.
 
Okay - that's all for now.  I love you honey.
ps- if someone wants to drop a line I am at my scooterm@email.com account.

Sunday, July 18, 2004

Here in Hong Kong

Well, I arrived in Hong Kong this morning (if this morning is Sunday morning where you are).  The flight was a 14 hour direct flight from LAX to Hong Kong (nice) that left at 1:50 AM (not nice!).
 
It was 82 and humid when we landed at 6AM so you can imagine how great I look.  I was going to sleep, but that didn't work out.  Plus it turns out that I only wore 1 button up  short sleeve shirt.  Well that is screwed.  I sweat like a tiger in the t-shirts so I wanted to go buy a couple more button up shirts. 
 
Not easy.  First, button up short sleeve shirts are not all the rage here.  The stores that have them are very upscale, and I am not paying a ton.  The stores that have them cheap are Chinese and I am bigger than and extra large in Hong Kong.
 
Who came to my rescue?  Marks and Sparks - that's who.  There is a Marks and Spencer right up the road with real sizes, real cheap.
 
How's Hong Kong I hear you ask.  Hummmmm....
 
It is very cutting edge circa 1985.  I think Shang-hai has passed it by.  However, there is a lot of money here.  Most people speak English and I do like it.  It has a lot more history than Singapore.  I look right out on the Bank of China building - which is very cool.
 
Anyway, it is nice here.  I am going up to my room for a little lie down before dinner.
 
I love you honey.


Friday, July 16, 2004

Well Raj is an Alternate

Being an alternate is better than nuttin'.  Raj (our mascot of the month) was announced as an alternate member of the US Team.  Blaine Wilson who just turned 30, made the team.  So good for him.  And good for Raj.

Fry Martha Fry

Now, I don't really care about Martha Stewart. I think she has -how do you say in American - "bolted the pooch?". But I don't hate her or anything.

But I heard her comments to the media this morning. Not the canned version, but our radios cut over live as both Ed and I happened to be driving to work. To get the live feed was amazing. She was nearly suffocated. The media has forced her company to fire 200 people. Real living people that did no harm to anyone (hello - Martha? I believe the media didn't get insider info and lie about it). She ended with thanx for the 170,000 emails from people who told her what she meant to them. She wanted to thank those people. She wanted to tell those people she loves them back. She asked them to subscribe to her magazeine. Swear!

There is a white washed version on CNN.

May I also say that if you have time read this. It is searing. http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?pt=TqpbUhQ%2FgtL9SmIvpLHkfw%3D%3D

Thursday, July 15, 2004

"Mickey Learns A Lesson"

So outside of Gavin and Mickey’s bedroom window is a tree. It is one of those trees that drop those little orange (Kumquat) inedible fruits. The tree is wedged between their house and the neighbor’s house, and there isn’t a lot of access.

Well, as happens when fruit drops the ground and rots, the area is now frequented by “visitors” (read vermin). So Mickey and Gavin have a problem. Rats.

How best to handle rats. Well the best way is to put a Fox Terrier in there and let Hastings kill them left and right, but Mickey and Gavin do not have a For Terrier. So they went to buy traps.

Traps come in two forms. The one we all know and love from Tom and Jerry – where the steels spring launches firepower quickly breaking the rat’s neck (which by the by is how the Fox Terrier kills a rat). Or the less unpleasant one where the rats gets stuck on the paper.

Mickey has a big heart, so he chooses the sticky paper. And they lay down sleep.

An hour later, Gavin, snores softly (“softly” being a relative term) when Mickey hears the little pitter patter pitter pat.. of a rat stuck in the paper. Mickey sighs to himself, “it is working.”

Gavin snores, Mickey listens, and the rat FREAKS OUT. The rat squeals and shrieks and jumps around. Mickey is now listening a rat nightmare, and he can’t stop it. And Gavin won’t wake up. “Does Gavin not hear it?” Mickey must wonder.

Someone hears it. A cat. Nothing brings a cat quicker than a rat in agony. So now Mickey gets to listen to a rat, freaking out, being eaten by a cat. There is much snarling, squealing and hissing, but really the odds have to go to the cat over the rat whose feet are stuck to sticky paper. So, after Mickey listens to the fight for minutes, he hears the crunch as the cat begins his snackums.

It is disgusting, but – Mickey thinks – at least it is almost over. Then the puddy tat steps on the sticky paper herself. The noise of the cat/rat fight is nothing compared to the cat FREAKING OUT. Jumping pounding herself against the wall, screaming.

Now you or I might turn to our lover and laugh. Unless your lover is Gavin, who has proceed to snore through all of this. Mickey spent most of the night wide awake, waiting for this to all happen again.

In the morning, he quickly went out to remove the sticky paper. Even the one with the half eaten rat on it.

Wednesday, July 14, 2004

From Ed - Re Ashford

Per my Eddie spaghetti, Ashford is very sore today.

(PS - If you spellcheck "Ashford" the bogger spellcheck suggests "Washboard", which if you have seen Ashford's tummy is funny.)

Funny If you have Two Minutes

Pity the poor Mass. Wedding Planner....

The most dangerous place in the world is no longer the space between Dick Cheney and an inconvenient fact. It’s between gay men and a wedding consultant.

Down Monkey! Down

It is morning here at work. At I must conquer my personnel demons. Every time I walk away, they keep pulling me back. Haunting. Taunting. Testing my will power. "Go on... all your friends are." "One time won't hurt." I hear the call, and feel the tug. I .. shall.. not.. be.. weak.

Donuts. My old nemesis....

Tuesday, July 13, 2004

One for our side

I will take the good news on FMA where I can get it.

Ed to Ashford - News Flash! You're Old!

So, because Lynnie is back east, we are watching Tru (yes I now she spells it True - she can spell it that way on her blog. To my mind, if she wanted to name a boy Truman, and names the girl Tru, well it is a moo point*).

So Tru is a Basenji - which is African for great dog when you are there, crazy maniacal destroyer of homes when you are out. So, poor Tru has to go in the crate during the day. Lynnie has a run, but we don't. Well we feel bad that she is crated all day. So when we get home we let her run around and generally hang out.

She also sleeps in the crate (this is per Lynn's instructions).

Well this morning, she and Ashford get up and start running out in the back yard. She comes in and eats while I am eating, then Ashford comes in. Then they start to play. True is running and Ashford chasing. Ashford is thrilled. This is the game he and Hastings used to play. (Hastings, by the by, is sleeping in bed with Ed during all of this.) It goes on for about 15 minutes, up the stairs, down the stairs, around the kitchen. They are having a great time. Tru is having fun. Ashford... pant pant pant... is having ... pant pant pant... a great... pant ... ti-pant-me.

Ed (from a sleeping position) hears Ashford in the other room as Tru and Ashford are wrestling. He calls out, "Honey, slow down. You're gonna have a heart attack". Ashford and Tru lay down with Ed and Hastings as I leave. Upstairs, in the garage, I can still hear Ashford trying to get his breath.

* Moo Point: (origin Friends) It doesn't make any difference. It's a cow's opinion. It's "Moo".

Monday, July 12, 2004

Enron - DeLay Soft Republican Money ? Who Knew?

Well, just another nail in the coffin of democracy as we know it. Apparently we will go quietly into the night.

Recap of the Week-End and What Friends are up to

Recap begins...

1) Sad news first (maybe it should be last - I don't know). Lynn's mom passed away on Friday and she is back home for the services. I didn't post this for a while because it isn't the way people should find out. We did talk to most people close to Lynn, so hopefully this isn't the first time you heard.

2) We had Zela (my grand-mother) come stay in the city on Saturday and Saturday night. We drug her through the Glendale Galleria on Saturday - where she bought PJs, slippers and pants ("oh you shouldn't spend that much on me. I won't be here long enough to use these that often (and you thought my $1 a wear rule was harsh). She looked through so many of her old pictures her eyes finally gave out at 11PM. We feed her roast beef for dinner and she had a great time.

3) We finally got to use our new deck (see picture below).

4) We went to the Orange County Fair. Hard to describe. We drank (Ed- beers, me- Margaritas), and then wandered about - making purchases along the way. We got new dog tags and collars for the boys. We got new license plate frame for us (that say Wisconsin on the top and UCLA on the bottom for me - reverse for Ed - don't you want to puke) and Ed bought a bonzai tree. We watch the rides, but thought better than to go on them.

5) Gavin, Steve, Ron, Mickey and friends go to P-Town this week-end for a week. They love the place (see Ron's note via the Like At It's Peake link).

6) The Hunt girls and their grandmother are heading for a week in the Lake District. It is a beautiful place, but it's so Laura Ashley that P-Town looks like Fresno comparatively. In the pool, I have that Lisa makes it 5 1/2 hours before screaming at Nana.

7) That is mainly it for now.

Sunday, July 11, 2004

The Patio is Done

Well, the patio is done. We changed the wood. We took out the old wood and replaced it with new redwood, that was stained natural.

As for the rails. The old rails where vertical bars, that Ashford could barely fit his head through. The new rails are iron, welded together, with glass in between. It is a really cool look.

And the dogs don't fall off.

Friday, July 09, 2004

Cool TVs Being Made Again

Cool huh?


Click on the picture to go to their site.

Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!

Well, in case you missed it, Homeland Security yesterday said that Osama Bin Laden himself was orchestrating an attack on the US, aimed at the election. Or maybe the conventions in Boston or New York. Or maybe Polling Places!

But they weren't raising the terror threat alert.

Sooner or later they are going to be right about this and they can say "told you so". But a stopped watch is right twice a day - so I am not impressed yet.

Last week, in case you missed it, LA Airport was suppose to be on the lookout for middle eastern men, coming from Pakistan with unusual rope burns or bruises that could have come from a terrorist training camp. Question: Shouldn't we always be on the lookout for that.

Aside from making us all thankful that George Bush is president, and happy that Dick Cheney is sitting in a mountain when he isn't telling Democratic Senators to Go Fuck Themselves - I am not sure what the purpose of this is.

It isn't to change our daily routines.
It isn't to avoid voting.
"Stay" / "Sit" (apologies to anyone who hasn't seen Fahrenheit 9/11).

So we really don't know what, if any, warning to believe do we?

If there is no terrorist attack , then vote for Bush, because he has stopped it.
If a terrorist attack occurs, then vote for Bush, because he is a strong man of conviction.

Xanex please.

Fine then. Eye-candy for those that need a swimmer fix.

Thursday, July 08, 2004

Once Upon a Lousy Time in Mexico

Sometimes one is stunned with a movie. I wanted to watch Once Upon a Time in Mexico. So I netflix'd it, and Eddie and I watched it. This is a movie with Johnny Depp, Antonio Bandarass and Enrique Englaizes (sp?) - even Salma Hayak, how could it be bad?

Well, not easily. I have rarely seen a movie work so hard, for so long to be confusing. I mean the movie had to REALLY work at it. I think the director wanted a non-linear sotryline, which is okay. But he also seemed to want non-linear character development across multiple players. And also, why be saddled with a single or double point of view, when you can have an infinite central character in the story. You are held back only by the number of scenes in the film (and in some cases, not even by that). Plus, I get the impression that Salma Hayak might have been killed in a early movie, so there was a lot of flashback that they didn't acknowledge as flashback or dreams.

At least not in the first hour. That is when Eddie and I gave up on it.

Oh well. I think tonight we will give our poor noggins a break with Dickie Roberts, child star.

Wednesday, July 07, 2004

Bragging - UCLA Wins 4 National Championships

Just the smallest amount of bragging about my school. UCLA won 4 national championships this year. They were all for women's sports, but still. Four is more than anyone else and more than all but 2 conferences (SEC had 5 and the Big Ten had 4). Altogether, the Pac 10 won 11 NCAA championships (and that doesn't count SC's football half a title).

So.. Go Bruins. Now if we can just get the men's football and basketball on the stick!

No more caffeine

Well, I am not allowed anymore caffeine until after tomorrow, when I have a stress test. My doctor has requested I have a stress blood test to check for blockage.

Apparently my family history (father, grandfather, great-grandfather and multiple uncles all died in their 50s after having multiple heart attacks) convince him that I was one to watch.

So tomorrow morning I go to the doctor, get shot up with radioactive junk. Have a picture taken, then run on the treadmill for 20 minutes. Then they take another picture and look for blockages.

This would all be fine, but I would like a cup of coffee! Oh well, no caffeine for 24 hours, I can handle it. If I go home and don't answer the phone!!!! Wait, there is Xanex in my desk. Ahhhhhhhhhh........

Tuesday, July 06, 2004

So What am I? Chopped Liver...

It turns out that Ed's little bro, Carson, and his lovely girlfriend, Ursula, are engaged. How did I hear about this? One of Ed's other brothers (John) sent out a family note on who won the FFRL (Family Fantasy Race League) this week. John mentioned, in passing, congrats to the happy couple, "Curse" (named before Bennifer).

You would think such a momentous occasion would prompt a phone call, or quick line. But apparently not. I think they may get stamps and envelopes as a wedding gift.

The are on each far side of the picture below.



Yeah, yeah, congrats.

Jul 6 Update
Supposedly Carson and Urs were upstate Wisconsin - and there were "no phone lines out". Later that was amended to "we didn't have your number" (411 - hello!). (Since I have never been to upstate Wisconsin, I was prepared to believe the no phone lines actually. I mean have you been to Wisconsin? Unless you go to the local cheese shop, there is almost no nightlife.)

In any case, we were appropriately informed last night via that new fangled phone thingie. So really this time, congratulations. And, apparently, Urs isn't preggers - so Eddie loses $2.50 on that bet right there.

Friday, July 02, 2004

Oh Canada

It's Happy Canada Day.

Yes, their's is two days early than ours. Even though they are younger than us (and still have the Queen for goodness sake).

But Happy Canada Day Anyway. Here is a picture of some of my favorite Canadians; Joce's family.

Snow White - As Filtered by....

If Ed was Snow White...

The handsome prince would approach Snow White, apparently dead on her bier. Dopey curled up at her feet, grumpy on the pillow next to Snow White. The handsome prince leans down and kisses Snow White gently - saying, "Time to wake up dear." Snow White would open one eye, look at him surly and mumble, "Fifteen more minutes"; and roll over and hug grumpy. Snores would follow.

If Lynn was Snow White...

The handsome prince would approach the bier, now empty. Three of the dwarfs, leaning against the bier would regard him with a wary eye. "She's in the kitchen. Take her away, she's been up for hours!"

If Ron was Snow White...

The handsome prince would approach the bier. It would be empty and he would fall to his knees and weep; overcome that he lost her. Five minutes later, Snow White would stagger in, surrounding by 5 of the 7 dwarfs (two are still out). Grumpy, a huge smile on his face and no shirt on, still bopping to the music. Happy and Doc, dragging tequila bottles behind them. Snow White, a little less white for wear, would smile big, say "Princy!!!! It's great to see you." And pass out.

I, of course, would wake like a dream and be charming from the get go.

Thursday, July 01, 2004

If this doesn't qualify ... then nothing does

True nincompoopery.

John Kerry has been charged in the Catholic Church system with hersey. Apparently anyone can do that in the catholic church.

Wow.

So - To Recap

Well, in moving blogs, you may have missed my glowing reviews of Dodgeball and Fahrenheit 9/11. You can go to the old archives to see them.

It's July 1st. And, therefore, June gloom is suppose to be gone. However, I can look out my window and plainly see that it is not gone. In fact, it is overcast here at the beach. I am not gloomy, but the weather is.

I am, on the other hand, in a fine mood. It's Thursday, I have a 3 day week-end coming up. And in two weeks I go to Hong Kong and Jakarta. I figure if I might be blown up in two weeks, I should enjoy life now.

Our deck is being worked on and it looks great. There is new redwood down and stained, and we have the start of the railings. There are welded steel frames and will have glass panels. It looks great so far (but no glass is in yet). The frame has been painted to match the house on the underside, so we are ride of both the hideous green (a bad choice one week-end on my part) and the puke beige (a hideous choice by the previous owners).