Yup, exactly how I feel...

How my friend is rescuing the economy

One of my coworkers is in California this week with his family.  They are enjoying the sun (that he was sure to tell me about, oh, maybe 437 times last week -- not that I was counting) and hanging out at Disneyland.

I'm thinking being the smart guy he is, he's probably using his well earned "economic stimulus package" check from earlier this year to help fund his vacation and kick start the flailing economy in the US (as well as abroad).  To help track this, I wrote down the DOW at the close last week (8497.31) and for Disney stock (DIS - 21.08).  We'll see what it is at the end of the week (I'll post an update).  I'm sure it'll have to be higher based on the Churros alone that he'll be buying.

So here's to you MW and Minky.  Go and rescue our economy!  (You can't do any worse than the President, Congress, Lehman Bros., AIG, WaMu,...)

"Hello, White Rabbit"

Hey, did you miss out on your chance to own K.I.T.T.?

No problem!  You can still hear him give you directions to wherever you want to go with your very own Knight Rider GPS!  You can even have him greet you by name (provided you have one of the 300 prerecorded names).  Somehow I kinda doubt "White Rabbit" is in his database, but I can always dream.

Hey, maybe I can fix him up with Gertrude, my GPS.  (Full name, Gertrude Penelope Smith -- my kids named her.)  I think she can be a little bossy sometimes, but I'll bet they get along just fine...

UPDATE:  And if you're really considering this little guy, here's a review to help you out.  I personally prefer Garmin (which I own) and Magellan over Mio, but that's up to you. 

Rest in Peace, Michael

I just found out that author Michael Crichton passed away on November 5.

I, along with millions of others, really enjoyed his books -- and even the movies from his books.

The Andromeda Strain remains one of my favorite SciFi movies.  Jurassic Park was one of those books I couldn't put down -- literally.  I was visiting my mom in California and I started reading the book on the short flight out.  After finishing my work on the farm for the day, I settled into bed with the book and didn't put it down until I finished it at 3am!  I don't do that with many books.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree,

How lonely is your ornament.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree,

You look imported from the Orient...

Ahh... takes me back to my youth (and when there was only a handful of Christmas shows).  A Charlie Brown Christmas is definitely one of my faves, but I also have fond memories of Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

Which ones are your favorites?

Goodbye, Mother...

Such a sad thing. Something that was such a big part of my college life has bit the dust. While studying late at night (well, when I did study anyway, which wasn't often) Mother's Cookies kept me company and helped keep me awake!  Almost as sad as when I found out I lost another late night companion -- Naugles' Macho Combo Burrito.  Ah well.  Such is... progress????

All I can say is...

Woo-hoo!

World's biggest spam operator shut down

Yeah, right. A rocker w/ a PhD. Tell me another good one...

No, really!  To show that not every rocker is all bang and no head, Queen's Brian May completed his doctoral thesis in astrophysics and is now a Ph.D.  Way to go, Brian!  Now go and write a song explaining e=mc². :)

"It was a dark and stormy night..."

So begins the novel Paul Clifford by Edward George Earl Bulwer-Lytton.  As most of you probably know, this line is used by Snoopy as he hunches over his typewriter (typewriter? What's that??) writing his great Beagle novel.  The opening sentence has also come to signify... ummm... let's just say, not very good writing.

There's even a contest called the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest where entrants submit an opening sentence to a non-existent novel.  The winner for 2008?  Here it is, in all its... glory.

"Theirs was a New York love, a checkered taxi ride burning rubber, and like the city their passion was open 24/7, steam rising from their bodies like slick streets exhaling warm, moist, white breath through manhole covers stamped 'Forged by DeLaney Bros., Piscataway, N.J.'"

I love it.  I just wish the author would have written the rest of the novel!

Some firsts for me!

I have a couple of "firsts" to post about today. Actually, make that three firsts...

First first is this is the first post of July. :)

Next first is that I ran in my first organized race ever this morning for the Fourth of July! Yes, it was "only" a 5K, and no, it wasn't my best effort, but I got to run with my daughter Jelly Bean and that's what made it really special.

Final first for this post is that earlier this week, I played my first round (well, half-round -- 9 holes) of golf on a "real" golf course ever! I must say, I now know why people get so addicted to it. And much like running or skiing, it's not really about beating those you are with, but getting better and doing your best. Believe me, I've got a ways to improve, but I do have to say I improved a bit over the "course" of the afternoon. I started out shooting a 24 on my first three holes (par 11) (yikes!), but I ended up with par-par-bogey on my last three holes. Pretty good improvement if I do say so myself. Now, how am I going to convince Alisonwonderland to buy me a set of clubs... :)