My band practice was canceled for this evening, so I now have 2 hours of time I didn't think I had...so you get some of my ramblings for the week :)
Erin and I have attempted to see "Avatar 3D" twice now and have been pre-empted by various things. We intend to see it Saturday night with friends who are visiting from Nebraska...I've probably just jinxed it!
Work has been as busy as I can remember in years, and even though it's a little stressful, I think I actually like it this way - when I have to manage 5 things at once, fix defects, solve problems, talk to people...this morning I was actually REALLY looking forward to getting in and tackling the day. I guess this must mean I'm in the right career.
Haiti...wow. It's hard to believe a country could be as utterly devastated as they are by a natural disaster. If you haven't already made a donation to one of the funds, please consider doing so - Red Cross, UNICEF, and there are several others.
I'm super-excited about handbells this week. We've had some problems getting the kids groups going this year - common themes we hear are kids are over-committed (they are!), families don't get enough time together (they don't!). So I had an idea and I'm happy to say it worked great - I invited parents to join in and play bells with their kids. The response has been FANTASTIC! The kids love it, and are readily teaching their parents how to play, all the techniques, and of course when they miss a note or do something wrong :) It was SO exciting to have a full group of 11 people playing last night - so much fun!
While I haven't been too excited about TV coming up this spring, I am looking forward to "Glee" - I've heard rumors of Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez being on the show. Speaking of Lady Gaga, I love her music! "Bad Romance" is now playing all the time at our house. I have seen some interviews with her now, and she is intelligent, creative, and IMHO very talented. I hope we get to see her show sometime.
I've decided I'm just done with politics for awhile (maybe forever) - how the Democratic party could lose a senate seat they've had for over 5 decades in the bluest state in the union is amazing. How they haven't really done much of anything with a year of having the president and super-majorities in both houses of congress is inexcusable - to me the whole system now just moves from election to election, nothing of substance actually gets done because everyone is constantly campaigning for the next election. Happening on both sides. Sorry to be so negative...but our system is broken :(
But back on the bright side...I have my two precious little kitties, my family, and my wonderful man. To borrow a phrase commonly used by friend Michael on his blog, "life is good".
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
My Kittehs
My kitties are my two little best buddies. They're there to see me off in the morning when I go to work, and there waiting for me when I get home. They love to hop up on my desk while I'm on the computer and head-butt my hands while I'm typing, step on the keys, and stand in front of the monitor when they don't get attention :) They nuzzle up next to me on the couch when I'm watching a football game. They love running around the game room and hiding behind the TVs when we're playing video games. They love to "lead" me downstairs in the morning when it's feeding time. They love to show me that yes, they know how to use the litter box (thank goodness!). They love their favorite toys - the sparkly green ball that leaves little sparkly strands all over the house, the squeaky mice, the feathers, and the plastic ring-pull milk caps when we open up a new carton. They love to jump up onto things - high up things - even things they know they're not supposed to - but mostly they're just curious or want to be up where the "grown-ups" are. And they love to to be in bed with us at night - sometimes quietly at the foot of the bed, sometimes under the covers, and occasionally stepping on our faces :)
But mostly, all they really ever want is someone to love them. Some people say that pets love us simply because we feed them and give them a place to live. But I don't really believe that - they have their own little personalities and they love to play, they love to be around us whether it's feeding time or not. And I believe that on whatever level a cat is capable, they love us like we love them.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Honks, Squeaks, Scratchs, and Booms
Saturday I once again volunteered (well we do get paid a little bit, but I'd probably do it for free!) for the Rochester Orchestra's "Honk, Squeak, Scratch, Boom" program, provided to 4th and 5th graders to come to the civic center and try out instruments before they start band the next year. They come and register, pay a small fee, and get 5 tickets and can choose any 5 instruments to come and try out. Each instrument room has several "pros" who sit down with the kid, show them how to put the instrument together, how to hold it, where to put their fingers, and finally how to play. There is a morning and an afternoon session, so kids could do up to 10 if they paid for both sessions.
I'm always amazed at: 1) how many kids come and do this (it's great!), 2) how quickly and easily some of them get a sound out and even start playing notes, 3) how fast 2 1/2 hours goes. I estimate I helped 25 kids, and we had 4 saxophone people for the session I was at, and some were taking two kids at a time in some cases.
While I'm quite happy with the instrument I chose way back in 6th grade (won't even say how many years ago that was now!), I sure do wish we had had something like this - maybe I would have picked the same thing, but it would have been interesting to try others to see. And I'm willing to bet that some kids come in with an idea of the one they want, and find out it's totally NOT what they want by the time they leave.
Kudos to the Rochester Orchestra for putting this on every year!
(oh and watch for me in the Post Bulletin, I don't know how many pictures they took but they did take my name and took several pictures with one of the kids I was helping - so maybe I'll be "famous" :)
I'm always amazed at: 1) how many kids come and do this (it's great!), 2) how quickly and easily some of them get a sound out and even start playing notes, 3) how fast 2 1/2 hours goes. I estimate I helped 25 kids, and we had 4 saxophone people for the session I was at, and some were taking two kids at a time in some cases.
While I'm quite happy with the instrument I chose way back in 6th grade (won't even say how many years ago that was now!), I sure do wish we had had something like this - maybe I would have picked the same thing, but it would have been interesting to try others to see. And I'm willing to bet that some kids come in with an idea of the one they want, and find out it's totally NOT what they want by the time they leave.
Kudos to the Rochester Orchestra for putting this on every year!
(oh and watch for me in the Post Bulletin, I don't know how many pictures they took but they did take my name and took several pictures with one of the kids I was helping - so maybe I'll be "famous" :)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Closed
I guess Timberlodge closed two months ago. I hadn't heard. I am now convinced that I emit some sort of restaurant-distortion field that causes my favorite restaurants to close and for other restaurants to remove my favorite items from the menu.
In particular, since I've been in Rochester, the Aviary, Smiling Moose, the south Brueggers Bagels, the 37th Street Quiznos (it did eventually re-open after a few years), Mugby Junction, and now Timberlodge have all closed, and probably more I can't think of off hand. And I can't begin to make a list of all my favorites that have been removed from menus - which I'm sure everyone has happen to them, but for a picky eater like me that only likes 2 or 3 things on any given menu, it's a traumatic event.
In particular, since I've been in Rochester, the Aviary, Smiling Moose, the south Brueggers Bagels, the 37th Street Quiznos (it did eventually re-open after a few years), Mugby Junction, and now Timberlodge have all closed, and probably more I can't think of off hand. And I can't begin to make a list of all my favorites that have been removed from menus - which I'm sure everyone has happen to them, but for a picky eater like me that only likes 2 or 3 things on any given menu, it's a traumatic event.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Misc
I have decided this morning that my favorite Michael Jackson song is "Man In The Mirror".
There's no excuse for overdue library books when you can renew them online, yet I've now done this twice for a grand total of $6.00 in overdue fees :(
I hate to admit I was secretly wanting Iowa to win their bowl game last night - even though they're supposed to be Iowa State's arch rivals - I guess having midwest teams win is just a good thing to me.
"I Dream of Jeannie" is a funny show - even 40 years later (thanks Hulu).
I will not complain about the cold weather, given how bad it is all over the country (40 degrees in Miami for the bowl game last night? That's crazy). And this is Minnesota in January, it's supposed to be this way.
There's no excuse for overdue library books when you can renew them online, yet I've now done this twice for a grand total of $6.00 in overdue fees :(
I hate to admit I was secretly wanting Iowa to win their bowl game last night - even though they're supposed to be Iowa State's arch rivals - I guess having midwest teams win is just a good thing to me.
"I Dream of Jeannie" is a funny show - even 40 years later (thanks Hulu).
I will not complain about the cold weather, given how bad it is all over the country (40 degrees in Miami for the bowl game last night? That's crazy). And this is Minnesota in January, it's supposed to be this way.
Heaven
Thanks to my friend Dirk for forwarding this one - I think I had read it before, but it's still good. And I think it doesn't have to be just dogs, but any pet applies!
---
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.
He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'
'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered. 'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked.
Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.'The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked.
'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'
'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.'
'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog.
'There should be a bowl by the pump.'
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.
'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.
'This is Heaven,' he answered..
'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said.. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'
'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell.'
'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'
'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'
Soooo...
Sometimes, we wonder why friends keep forwarding jokes to us without writing a word. Maybe this will explain. When you are very busy, but still want to keep in touch, guess what you do? You forward jokes. When you have nothing to say, but still want to keep contact, you forward jokes. When you have something to say, but don't know what, and don't know how, you forward jokes. Also to let you know that you are still remembered, you are still important, you are still loved, you are still cared for, guess what you get? A forwarded joke.
So, next time if you get a joke, don't think that you've been sent just another forwarded joke, but that you've been thought of today and your friend on the other end of your computer wanted to send you a smile.
You are all welcome at my water bowl anytime!
Happy New Year
---
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.
He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?'
'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered. 'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' the man asked.
Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up.'The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked.
'I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets.'
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.
'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?'
'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.'
'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog.
'There should be a bowl by the pump.'
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree.
'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.
'This is Heaven,' he answered..
'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said.. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.'
'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell.'
'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?'
'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'
Soooo...
Sometimes, we wonder why friends keep forwarding jokes to us without writing a word. Maybe this will explain. When you are very busy, but still want to keep in touch, guess what you do? You forward jokes. When you have nothing to say, but still want to keep contact, you forward jokes. When you have something to say, but don't know what, and don't know how, you forward jokes. Also to let you know that you are still remembered, you are still important, you are still loved, you are still cared for, guess what you get? A forwarded joke.
So, next time if you get a joke, don't think that you've been sent just another forwarded joke, but that you've been thought of today and your friend on the other end of your computer wanted to send you a smile.
You are all welcome at my water bowl anytime!
Happy New Year
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
what's out in 2010
Normally yahoo articles are pretty "fluff" and this one kind of is, but it's still interesting to think about these things kind of fading out over the next decade:
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/108504/10-things-not-to-buy-in-2010
Land lines in particular will be interesting - I don't think they'll exactly go away completely but I think the "traditional" landline network will be gone, replaced with running phone service over cable or internet as is already happening. And I think CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray will all be gone in 10 years, there's really no need for the expense and overhead of physical media in that realm.
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/108504/10-things-not-to-buy-in-2010
Land lines in particular will be interesting - I don't think they'll exactly go away completely but I think the "traditional" landline network will be gone, replaced with running phone service over cable or internet as is already happening. And I think CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray will all be gone in 10 years, there's really no need for the expense and overhead of physical media in that realm.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Printer
I have an HP Color LaserJet 1600 printer that I bought 3 years ago. Like most electronics, I have in the back of my mind stuff I'd like to get, and then usually buy stuff on a snap, spur of the moment decision one day, usually when I'm fed up with something not working. Prior to this, I had an HP Laserjet 5 (black and white) that I bought in 1996, and had worked perfectly forever and ever, and was only now not as usable because the 4 megs (yes MEGS) of memory it had were not keeping up with today's large-scale documents. (footnote, the PC I had when I bought that printer had 8 MEGs of memory, and the video card had 1 MEG, so 4 meg was a lot then). I also had an HP Color Deskjet that I got free buying a stamp-making program quite awhile back. I hated inkjet printers from day one - ink always ran out, it was expensive, it dried out, sometimes smudged if you didn't wait long enough for it to dry, black always ran out before the rest, etc. Have NEVER liked them!!!! So one day back in Jan 2007 when I couldn't print something on either printer, I stormed over to Staples and bought a color laser (the holy grail of printers to me) for $300. To compare, my HP Laserjet 5L in 1996 was $425 :)
Anyway, to my story - when I bought the printer, I also checked out the costs of replacement toner cartridges. To my dismay I found that to replace all 4 toners (black + 3 colors) was also $300. This seemed odd to me because the printer came with all 4 cartridges and was $300. But I also knew toner lasted a long time (and it did). Yesterday though, it finally came time to replace them, and I compared again to the price of a new printer, and new printers were still $300. It is just hard me to fathom that they're giving away the printer basically "free" so you'll keep buying toner. I'm sure they make a bunch on the toner. Just another artifact of our throw-away society I guess...
Anyway, to my story - when I bought the printer, I also checked out the costs of replacement toner cartridges. To my dismay I found that to replace all 4 toners (black + 3 colors) was also $300. This seemed odd to me because the printer came with all 4 cartridges and was $300. But I also knew toner lasted a long time (and it did). Yesterday though, it finally came time to replace them, and I compared again to the price of a new printer, and new printers were still $300. It is just hard me to fathom that they're giving away the printer basically "free" so you'll keep buying toner. I'm sure they make a bunch on the toner. Just another artifact of our throw-away society I guess...
Friday, January 1, 2010
PS3 Rocks
...and Hulu and things like it are the future of media. I got a PS3 a couple weeks ago after my media player finally kicked the bucket, and it's a fantastic media center device. A couple days ago cousin Andy was visiting and showed me a program called "PlayOn" which streams stuff from all sorts of sites through one of your home computers to media devices like the PS3. It has feeds for Netflix if you're a subscriber, Hulu, Amazon VOD, Youtube, CBS, and ESPN with more coming. I am amazed at how much is already on Hulu for free, and I'm sure it's only going to continue to grow.
This IS the way they're going to get us to watch commercials again. Hulu shows you a 30-second commercial before the show starts, and for a few shows you see another 30-second commercial in the middle. I can deal with a 30-second commercial for something that's free. In 5 years I can envision all our TVs, DVD players, game consoles, etc. all having this functionality built-in, and getting everything over internet media streams. I'm sure cable and satellite don't want to hear that, but it's going to happen.
This IS the way they're going to get us to watch commercials again. Hulu shows you a 30-second commercial before the show starts, and for a few shows you see another 30-second commercial in the middle. I can deal with a 30-second commercial for something that's free. In 5 years I can envision all our TVs, DVD players, game consoles, etc. all having this functionality built-in, and getting everything over internet media streams. I'm sure cable and satellite don't want to hear that, but it's going to happen.
Resolutions
I think I'll give myself 4 1/2 out of 10 on my resolutions last year - I did accomplish some things that I had on the list for a long time though.
I decided one thing I needed to do this year was make my goals even more specific. I won't list them all here, but I think this year I should at least be able to get 7 out of 10 of these (10 out of 10 would be great but some may have a limiting factor of money).
I have 3 more days off and am going to enjoy them! Today is bowl game day - not quite as cool as it used to be when pretty much ALL the bowl games were on one day, but still there are games on all day long. Both my teams played over the past 2 days - Nebraska completely dominated Arizona 33-0 on Wednesday and Iowa State managed to beat the Gophers 14-13 last night (I didn't get to see the game because it was on Versus and Comcast is evil and wants to charge DirecTV a fortune to show their channel). I did however get to go to 2 great New Year's Eve parties - thanks Shelley & Ryan, and Eric & Dale for hosting! We didn't stay much past midnight.
Happy 2010 to everyone! And remember this is NOT the first year of a new decade, the last year (since years started with 1!)
I decided one thing I needed to do this year was make my goals even more specific. I won't list them all here, but I think this year I should at least be able to get 7 out of 10 of these (10 out of 10 would be great but some may have a limiting factor of money).
I have 3 more days off and am going to enjoy them! Today is bowl game day - not quite as cool as it used to be when pretty much ALL the bowl games were on one day, but still there are games on all day long. Both my teams played over the past 2 days - Nebraska completely dominated Arizona 33-0 on Wednesday and Iowa State managed to beat the Gophers 14-13 last night (I didn't get to see the game because it was on Versus and Comcast is evil and wants to charge DirecTV a fortune to show their channel). I did however get to go to 2 great New Year's Eve parties - thanks Shelley & Ryan, and Eric & Dale for hosting! We didn't stay much past midnight.
Happy 2010 to everyone! And remember this is NOT the first year of a new decade, the last year (since years started with 1!)
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