Critical Mass

FYI

2011-12-02T01:04:00.002-05:00

I am KILLING IT on my 5K training program!

25 days down, 143 to go!

2011: A Partial Reading List

2011-11-17T22:28:00.003-05:00

I have enough books on hand to last the rest of the year, so here are at least some of the books that I moved through this year.

See A Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody by Bob Mould
1861: The Civil War Awakening by Adam Goodheart
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet: A Novel by David Mitchell
London's Sinful Secret: The Bawdy History and Very Public Passions of London's Georgian Age by Dan Cruickshank
The Three Roads by Ross MacDonald
The Ferguson Affair by Ross MacDonald
Blue City by Ross MacDonald
The Killer by Tom Wood
Dark Borders: Film Noir and American Citizenship by Jonathan Auerbach
The Inner Circle by Brad Meltzer
The Limehouse Text by Will Thomas
The Black Hand by Will Thomas
The Hellfire Conspiracy by Will Thomas
The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps, Otto Penzler, ed.
A Gun for Sale by Graham Greene
Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
A Red Death by Walter Mosley
White Butterfly by Walter Mosley
Known to Evil by Walter Mosley
Native American Son: The Life and Sporting Legend of Jim Thorpe by Kate Buford
Say It With Bullets by Richard Powell
Bloody Crimes: The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln and the Chase for Jefferson Davis by James Swanson
Home is the Sailor by Day Keene
Night Walker by Donald Hamilton
Atlantic: A Vast Ocean of a Million Stories by Simon Winchester
One Lonely Night by Mickey Spillane
The Big Kill by Mickey Spillane
Kiss Me, Deadly by Mickey Spillane
I, The Jury by Mickey Spillane
My Gun is Quick by Mickey Spillane
Vengeance is Mine by Mickey Spillane

I've been busy...

2011-11-17T22:21:00.001-05:00

...busy enough to shut this thing down? Maybe. We'll see.

What he said.

2011-08-20T00:40:00.001-04:00

A Pict Song

Rome never looks where she treads,
Always her heavy hooves fall
On our stomachs, our hearts or our heads;
And Rome never heeds when we bawl.
Her sentries pass on – that is all,
And we gather behind them in hordes,
And plot to reconquer the Wall,
With only our tongues for our swords.

We are the Little Folk – we!
Too little to love or to hate.
Leave us alone and you'll see
How we can drag down the Great!
We are the worm in the wood!
We are the rot in the root!
We are the germ in the blood!
We are the thorn in the foot!

Mistletoe killing an oak –
Rats gnawing cables in two –
Moths making holes in a cloak –
How they must love what they do!
Yes – and we Little Folk too,
We are as busy as they –
Working our works out of view –
Watch, and you'll see it some day!

No indeed! We are not strong,
But we know Peoples that are.
Yes, and we'll guide them along,
To smash and destroy you in War!
We shall be slaves just the same?
Yes, we have always been slaves,
But you – you will die of the shame,
And then we shall dance on your graves!

– Rudyard Kipling

I've just about had enough.

2011-08-20T00:20:00.002-04:00

Between what now passes for "political discourse" and the general, "IF YOU TRY TO REASON WITH ME I'M JUST GOING TO YELL EVEN LOUDER!!!" attitude of the general public on any and every issue, political or otherwise, I'm ashamed of and disappointed in all of us.

No longer is this the country my grandfather fought for or the country my grandmother emigrated to.

Normally I'd want to do my part to fix this, but I think we've already gone past the tipping point.

Right now, however, I just want to pack my bags and leave.

So, before I depart, here's a short list of what drove me out:

Phony Christians
Not-so-thinly-veiled racism
Anti-intellectualism
Economic discrimination
Willful ignorance of history
People who don't know the difference between "socialism" and "fascism" calling other people "socialists" and "fascists"
Anyone whose background isn't Lakota, Seminole, Abenaki, etc. daring to speak about "illegal immigrants"
Hate

I'm a day late with this...

2011-07-05T00:03:00.002-04:00

...okay, maybe more like five minutes late, but here it is anyway.

"The only part of conduct of any one, for which he is amenable to society, is that which concerns others. In the part, which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign."

-On Liberty by John Stuart Mill

Just as importantly, no social body has a right to coerce or restrict the individual unless the individual causes harm to others- the individual's own physical or moral harm is not justification for constriction of their liberty.*

In other words, while a person's behavior or beliefs might be objectionable to you, you do not have the right to infringe upon them. You have the right to be morally outraged, you have the right voice your outrage, but you do not have the right to "coerce or restrict."

*This is known as the "Harm Principle"

Is it too much to ask...

2011-06-15T19:10:00.002-04:00

...for Woody Allen to stop making movies?

No?

Alright, maybe we can compromise- can we at least ban people from having fawning conversations about his movies in public?

And while we're at it, no more Bob Dylan albums, okay?

Thanks.

Coming Full Circle

2011-05-31T00:28:00.000-04:00

I think I'm becoming interested in the Civil War again- it only took 30+ years for that to happen.

Spin it ANY way you like, but...

2011-05-31T00:27:00.001-04:00

...nobody smokes "occasionally."

You either do, or you don't.

One more reason why I have the best dad in the world.

2011-05-15T23:37:00.002-04:00

My Dad, who has been living with Parkinson's Disease (and the problems that go with it) for well over a decade, has been in a rehabilitation center (and before that, the hospital) for over a month.

Today our family went to see him so that he could be part of a belated Mother's Day celebration for my Mom and my sister in-law and my brother's birthday (which is this this Tuesday) celebration.

My only goal for the visit was to make my Dad happy- as usual, he was one step ahead of me.

The minute he saw me he held eye-contact with me, put one of his hands over the same area on his body where I just had surgery and gave me a "thumbs up" gesture with his other hand-

He wanted to make sure that I was okay.

With a Dad like that, how could I not be?

I'm long overdue for a rant...

2011-05-11T02:14:00.003-04:00

I was reading a news article today about a speech President Obama gave in Texas about immigration and it got me to thinking about something that's been on my mind for a long time.

Let me begin by saying I'm no expert and I'm sure that there are things I'm overlooking, but at the same time, I'm no dope. I'm pretty pragmatic, I know my history (how rare is that becoming!?), I have a finely-tuned B.S. detector, and I'm fairly good and finding solutions to tricky problems- not ones that fix everything, but ones that fix most of the big things.

First of all, I think the whole idea that illegal immigration is a serious problem is, to my mind, a "straw man" used by people who have other agendas and that some- maybe most- of those agendas are pretty nasty.

Second, and speaking of straw men, the idea that illegal immigrants are not taking anybody's jobs is a crock. If there were current U.S. citizens who were willing to do these same jobs they wouldn't be available for illegal immigrants to take them- would they? I know, I know, people don't take these jobs because they don't pay enough, but that's still a choice not to take the job- the job still exits. If you don't want to pick vegetables in the Salinas Valley because the work is too hard and the pay is too low, that's fine, don't. But you can't then complain that people from Mexico or Central America or the Philippines or wherever, "take our jobs"- especially while you're chowing down on your organic micro-green salad.

Third, and here's another phony argument, "the country is too crowded!!" Really? Take a look at the map at the top of this post. Granted, the "empty space" might not be "prime real estate," but there's plenty of it and our history is all about the pioneer spirit, exploring, adapting, making something out of nothing- right?

Fourth, "but what will they eat!?" "We don't have the resources!!" 40% of the food produced in the U.S. is thrown away- 40%!! Thrown away!! Seriously, you can look it up!!

Fifth, and I'm starting to feel like I've collected enough straw to fill a barn, there is the complaint that illegal immigrants "live off the state/rest of us" because they don't pay taxes. Except that they do! In the states that have them, they pay sales tax, property tax, excise tax, etc., and they would pay state/federal income taxes too if they weren't afraid of being deported for being here illegally! Think about this: I grew up in New Hampshire which has no sales or income tax, if I had stayed there for the rest of my life and rented an abode rather than buying one the entire time there is a good chance that I would pay less in state and federal taxes than an illegal immigrant in most states.

Sixth, there was no federal law regulating immigration into what is now the United States until 1875 (Chy Lung v. Freeman is the relevant case- if you're interested). This brings up two points. 1) That free immigration to the "U.S."- it couldn't be "illegal" if there was no law!- worked just fine from c.1600-1875. The only "bad immigration" that took place during this period was slavery and some forms of indentured servitude- and those types are wrong whether they were legal or not. 2) Almost every U.S. immigration law, regardless of how it has been "presented" to the public since 1875 has had as its basis- first explicitly, now implicitly- racism, regionalism, religious bias, or some other despicable notion. Is this, by any measurement, progress? Is it even moral?

Finally, and most importantly to me, I truly believe that the single thing that makes this country so wonderful is that we receive a constant infusion of people who want to be here. People who will leave everyone and everything they know behind to be here. People who will risk their lives to get here. All of these people provide- welcome or not- a kick in the ass to so-called "natives" who have become complacent. Some of these people will live real-life Horatio Alger stories, some will be deadbeats and a drain on society, but the vast, VAST majority will simply be sold citizens who make a positive contribution to American society. Those are pretty good odds and the net result is a more vibrant and productive society. Mull this over the next time you're stuffing a taco, bahn mi, or slice of pizza into your face.

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

That's a pretty good description of my ancestors- probably yours too. Maybe we should remember that and try a little harder to live up to those words.

Why am I not shocked?

2011-05-04T00:18:00.002-04:00

Since I've been out of work due to my surgery only one person has contacted me- and that was my boss wanting to know when I'd be back at work.

As for the other people I work with...really? Not a call? Text? Email? Facebook message?

Okay then.

Not dead, just resting.

2011-04-12T23:50:00.000-04:00

A lot going on- not much of it good.

Welcome!

2011-01-27T16:41:00.001-05:00

It seems kind of fitting that I'm a couple of days late with a post welcoming somebody who was, herself, two days late in arriving...

So, welcome aboard niece 2.0, also known as Sophie Elizabeth!!

No, I didn't forget, I'm just lazy!

2011-01-27T16:26:00.002-05:00

Okay, fine, I should have done this a month ago...here are the results of my Christmas prognostications- a mixed bag at best.

Four books by Ross MacDonald, all will be available at Amazon starting on Dec. 7: “Blue City,” “Meet Me at the Morgue,” “The Three Roads,” and “The Ferguson Affair.”

100%: I won't get them all, but I'll get at least one.

Actually, I did get them all. 1-o.

Peerless 76950 2-in-1 Shower System (Chrome)

20%: There's always a chance, but it's a little pricey, non-essential, and frankly, who wants to be the person who buys somebody a shower head for Christmas?

I got it...but didn't think I would. 1-1

Magic Chef .9 Cubic Foot Microwave Oven in Red (MCD990R)

50%: I'm hedging on this one. Mom's been good about stuff like this in the last few years (the George Foreman grill from last year being a good example.) so it's "possible," but perhaps not "probable."

I hedged this one and didn't get it. I think that's a "loss." 1-2

Indoor/Outdoor Digital Thermometer

100%: Of all the things on the list this year, this is the lock. Not expensive, practical, and easy to "farm out" to a relative or friend who has no idea what to get me.

Yup. 2-2.

“Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood” for PS3

50%: This one is tough I've been right and wrong about PS3 games in the past. What I do know is that if I do get it my brother will be the one who buys it for me.

Waffled towards the "negative" on this one and didn't get it. 3-2.

PlayStation “Move” Starter Bundle

65%: Two weeks ago I would have said maybe 30%, but my Mom asked me some questions about it at Thanksgiving, so I'm inclined to think she might make it happen.

I'm not going to say that my mom "played me" on this one, but she might have! 3-3.

Gift Certificates to any of the following: EMS, REI, Old Navy, Borders, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IKEA, Marshall's/TJMaxx, iTunes, or Target.

100%: I'll get at least one from Amazon and I WILL NOT get one from IKEA- Mom had a bad experience with them last year.

Winner! 4-3.

“The African Queen” BluRay Disc.

70%: I feel pretty good about this one- it's the only movie on my list and I always seem to get a movie from somebody.

Loo-zer. 4-4.

Post-It notes in assorted colors/sizes.

100%: Lock.

I got almost too many of them, not sure they will all get used before next Christmas. 5-4.

Room credits for the cruise.

75%: I not only think I'll get these, I'm going to say that I'll get them from at least two people.

Yup! 6-4

Roadpro 12V, 2 Outlet Platinum Series Fused Cigarette Lighter Adapter.

100%: Cheap and practical, another gift that is easily farmed out.

I'm on a roll...7-4!

“Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul” (CD)

100%: My spies tell me it was already purchased.

Not a hard prediction given what I knew. 8-4.

Pure Komachi 2 Series 8” Bread Knife (Orange)

50%: I split the difference because I'm sure I'll get a bread knife but I'm not confident that I'll get this one- even though it's under $10!

Go mom! 9-4.

Salomon XT S-Lab 3 Sneakers (size 10)

0%: Not a chance in hell- too expensive- but you've got to take a chance, right?

Is it fair to count this as a "win" when I was so sure? Oh well. 10-4.

Iomega eGo 1TB USB 2.0 FireWire 800 Desktop External Hard Drive, Mac Edition - 34794

15%: This is another one that I probably won't get, but if I do, my brother will be responsible.

Nope. 11-4

11-4 is pretty good (or even 10-5 if I don't get the benefit of the doubt on the video game), but I could have done even better if I hadn't forgotten one important thing: just prior to writing my list my parents surprised me with a ticket for a Caribbean cruise! If I'd taken that into account with my predictions I would have given myself MUCH lower odds on all of the more expensive items- which, as you can see, I did not get.

Still, that's a nice problem to have!

2010: A Partial Reading List

2010-12-31T23:15:00.007-05:00

As usual this list probably isn't "complete," but I'm sure it's fairly close. This year I've put my favorite books in red and added a few words about them.

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

For some reason I read a great a bunch of books set in Spain (Barcelona in most cases) this year and they were good for the most part. This one was far and away the best - it was a book about books- how could it not be good?!

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Cathedral of the Sea: A Novel by Ildefonso Falcones
The Moving Target by Ross MacDonald
Money Shot by Christa Faust
A Touch of Death by Charles Williams
The Gutter and the Grave by Ed McBain
Little Girl Lost by Richard Aleas
Songs of Innocence by Richard Aleas

I don't know what my expectations where when I started the first of these two books, but I was really impressed by the end of it- great writing and a central character who was really compelling. I was pleasantly surprised when the second book featured the same character.

The Last Match by David Dodge
The Girl Hunters by Mickey Spillane
The Snake by Mickey Spillane
The Twisted Thing by Mickey Spillane
Some Danger Involved: A Novel by Will Thomas

A historical detective novel set in 19th century London and written by somebody whose a huge Sherlock Holmes fan? Yes, please! The writing is not on the level of David Liss or Caleb Carr, but the storytelling is engaging enough that I've already ordered three of his other books (see below).

2666 by Roberto Bolano

I have two things to say about this book. First, I'm proud of myself for getting through it. Like some of Italo Calvino and Umberto Eco's books it was hard work. Rewarding, but hard work. Second, when a book-snobby acquaintance (certainly not a "friend") recommended it to me in her normal high-handed manner I was able to smile and say, overly politely, "Thanks, but I've already read it."

Heyday by Kurt Andersen

There's very little, book-wise, that's more rewarding than taking a flier on a $5.00 discounted book at Barnes & Noble and having it turn out to be a great read- which this was. Sadly, it appears that he's only written one other similar novel.

The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Art of Noir by Eddie Muller
A Touch of Death by Charles Williams
The Corpse Wore Pasties by Johnny Porkpie
Somebody Owes Me Money by Donald E. Westlake
Memory by Donald E. Westlake

A truly compelling read with an ending that was absolutely uncompromising. I was almost mad at the author for the ending, but once I calmed down I realized it really couldn't have ended any other way.

361 by Donald E. Westlake
Nobody's Angel by Jack Clark
Murder is My Business by Brett Halliday
Baby Moll by John Farris
Fifty-to-One by Charles Ardai
Black Angel by Cornell Woolrich
Top of the Heap by Erle Stanley Gardner
Fade to Blonde by Max Phillips
No House Limit by Steve Fisher
Kill Now, Pay Later by Robert Terrall
Slide by Ken Bruen and Jason Starr
The Girl with the Long Green Heart by Lawrence Block
Lucky at Cards by Lawrence Block
Branded Woman by Wade Miller
Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook by Anthony Bourdain

I liked it. My brother in-law (the chef) liked it. And he likes the Stooges and the Ramones. 'nuff said.

I'm actively reading...

To Kingdom Come by Will Thomas
Meet Me at the Morgue by Ross MacDonald

I'm still pecking away at...

Europe by Norman Davies
The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco

An Epiphany

2010-12-10T20:46:00.001-05:00

I've realized why nobody listens to me: there are no consequences.

That may have to change.

Once and for all.

2010-12-07T20:52:00.003-05:00

I know this makes people think, I don't know- that I'm a robot, that I was raised by a Luddites*, or that I suffered some sort of trauma(s) as a youngster, but...

1. Despite being a very early reader (before I started kindergarten) I did not like children's books as a child (or now for that matter). Please stop asking me if I read "The Aventures of Honker and Pinball in the Land of Candy and Unicorns," or whatever- I didn't. Would you like know what I read? Here's an instructive anecdote..

The scene: The gift shop at historic Gettysburg Battlefield as my grandmother puts a book on the checkout counter c. 1975.

Clerk: "And who is this for?"

Gram: "It's for him." Pointing down to me (though not too far, she was only 5'0" tall)

Clerk: "Oh. You know this is not a children's book, don't you?"

Gram: "I do, but it's the one he wanted."

Clerk: "I think he's going to have a hard time with it..."

Gram: "I don't think so- why don't you ask him a few questions about Gettysburg- or the Civil War in general?"

I'll stop here and summarize by saying the clerk got "pwn3d." (That's what the kids say, right?)

(A very similar scene took place at the Museum of Science in Boston around the same time, but involving a book about dinosaurs that had more text than pictures.)

2. I don't like holiday TV specials- regardless of the holiday. The only reason I've seen any of them is because my younger siblings always wanted to watch them and we only had one television when we were young so I was left with no choice. What's that? "What about A Christmas Story, surely you liked that!?" Nope, not at all. You'd need a gun or a lot of money to watch it again.

Thanks for letting me clear that up. Now let's talk about something interesting!

*this could be partially true- Thanks, Dad! ;)

The worst "season" in New England

2010-12-07T09:12:00.002-05:00

It's right now, that time after all the leaves have fallen, it's become bitterly cold, and there's no snow on the ground.

"Bleak" is the word that comes to mind.

I thought of this while driving this morning and seeing a few stray snowflakes in the air and that made me think that all it would take was a thick carpet of fresh snow to make this one of the best seasons of the year.

And the scales fell from my eyes...

2010-12-07T09:11:00.001-05:00

I realized this morning that I work with one of the least sincere people I have ever met.

The Christmas Betting Line

2010-12-03T23:39:00.002-05:00

That's right, it's the fourth annual Christmas List odds!

Last year was my best so far: 5 correct predictions, 2 incorrect predictions, and one "push."

One change this year: instead of doing proper "odds," I'm going to go with percentages- anything above 50% means I think I'll get it, anything lower than 50% means I don't think I'll get it.

So here's this year's list and my predictions:

Four books by Ross MacDonald, all will be available at Amazon starting on Dec. 7: “Blue City,” “Meet Me at the Morgue,” “The Three Roads,” and “The Ferguson Affair.”

100%: I won't get them all, but I'll get at least one.

Peerless 76950 2-in-1 Shower System (Chrome)

20%: There's always a chance, but it's a little pricey, non-essential, and frankly, who wants to be the person who buys somebody a shower head for Christmas?

Magic Chef .9 Cubic Foot Microwave Oven in Red (MCD990R)

Indoor/Outdoor Digital Thermometer

100%: Of all the things on the list this year, this is the lock. Not expensive, practical, and easy to "farm out" to a relative or friend who has no idea what to get me.

“Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood” for PS3

50%: This one is tough I've been right and wrong about PS3 games in the past. What I do know is that if I do get it my brother will be the one who buys it for me.

PlayStation “Move” Starter Bundle

65%: Two weeks ago I would have said maybe 30%, but my Mom asked me some questions about it at Thanksgiving, so I'm inclined to think she might make it happen.

Gift Certificates to any of the following: EMS, REI, Old Navy, Borders, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IKEA, Marshall's/TJMaxx, iTunes, or Target.

100%: I'll get at least one from Amazon and I WILL NOT get one from IKEA- Mom had a bad experience with them last year.

“The African Queen” BluRay Disc.

70%: I feel pretty good about this one- it's the only movie on my list and I always seem to get a movie from somebody.

Post-It notes in assorted colors/sizes.

100%: Lock.

Room credits for the cruise.

75%: I not only think I'll get these, I'm going to say that I'll get them from at least two people.

Roadpro 12V, 2 Outlet Platinum Series Fused Cigarette Lighter Adapter.

100%: Cheap and practical, another gift that is easily farmed out.

“Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul” (CD)

100%: My spies tell me it was already purchased.

Pure Komachi 2 Series 8” Bread Knife (Orange)

50%: I split the difference because I'm sure I'll get a bread knife but I'm not confident that I'll get this one- even though it's under $10!

Salomon XT S-Lab 3 Sneakers (size 10)

0%: Not a chance in hell- too expensive- but you've got to take a chance, right?

Iomega eGo 1TB USB 2.0 FireWire 800 Desktop External Hard Drive, Mac Edition - 34794

15%: This is another one that I probably won't get, but if I do, my brother will be responsible.

I'll be back in three weeks with the results!

Avatar

2010-12-03T01:07:00.001-05:00

I finally got around to getting it from Netflix and I have two things to say about it:

1. I honestly can't remember the last time I saw a movie this bad.

2. I can't remember the last time a movie was so bad that I didn't bother to finish it.

I'm going to bed.

You're killing me people, KILLING ME!

2010-12-01T12:22:00.003-05:00

I am trying to sell a few items on Craigslist and doing well- I've sold two of the four items and gotten what I feel to be a fair price for them. There is, however, a slight problem...

On two different occasions I've been contacted by interested parties who, after I suggested places to meet and make the exchange, sent me an email that went something like this-

"Oh, you live in Shelbyville, Connecticut? I thought you lived in Shelbyville, Rhode Island!"

Okay, here's how it works on Craigslist: When you search for an item in the "classifieds" section it returns the results for your local Craigslist, then below that- and CLEARLY LABLED- it shows you similar items from bordering/nearby Craigslist localities.

In short, learn to READ!

I'll probably do this at some point.

2010-11-29T23:06:00.002-05:00

Longer ago than I'd care to remember at this point I made a cross-country drive (CT to AZ and back) by myself and I really enjoyed it and I'd like to do it again.

The next time, though, I'd like to do as much of the driving as possible at night.*

America just looks different at night and I'd love to see things like the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains by moonlight and small towns and big cities by streetlight.

That looks much more sappy in print than it sounds in my head, but I think it would be really interesting and maybe even a little bit dangerous.

*not the PA Turnpike, though, that was hellish.

Seriously?

2010-11-29T23:04:00.002-05:00

Vegan Smoking Woman was wearing leather today.

Were I not so busy having a horrible work day today I might have engaged her in conversation about this.

She got lucky.

Quoth the Vegan...

2010-11-28T14:39:00.001-05:00

"If you cared at all about your body or the environment you'd stop eating meat."

I'm not inclined in this "direction" to begin with, so it should come as any surprise to the person who said this to me that I have no plans to heed her words.

It probably didn't help that she was smoking a cigarette while she was saying this to me.

Well, THAT was uncalled for!!

2010-11-27T00:02:00.003-05:00

...nothing like finding out only a few days in advance that you're going to be running in a 5K on Thanksgiving morning!

It's bad enough that I hadn't trained- at all!- for the race, but I was also nursing two injuries left over from soccer this summer/fall.

I didn't stop during the race and I did finish, but my time was a joke.

I guess the saving grace is that it made my family and friends happy that I took part, and I'll try to remember that as I limp around for the next few days...or weeks.

Hopefully I'll be healed up in time from my surgery (shooting for midwinter) that I'll actually be ready for next year's race.

We'll see.

A Question

2010-11-18T23:53:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I really don't like talking on the phone. I'm not sure why. Other than my family there is exactly one person that I will talk to at length on the phone- one. I talk to that person maybe three or four times a year. I'd rather talk to somebody in person, send an email, or- gasp!- write somebody a letter!

Clearly, however, all of these things put me in a very, very small minority and that's just fine with me, but it leaves me with a question.

When I see all of these people out in public on their cellphones all the time, who are they talking to and what the hell are they talking about!?

Quote of the Day

2010-10-20T00:41:00.002-04:00

Today's quote comes from former Scottish international footballer Gordon Strachan:

Reporter: "Gordon, can we have a quick word please?"

Strachan: "Velocity" [walks off]

I know your secret identity!

2010-10-14T09:06:00.002-04:00

Dear Anonymous Commenter,

It took me a little while, but once I figured out how you found my blog I knew it was you!

So, Abby, let me be perfectly clear about a few things:

1. You are a horrible person. Maybe now that your "inside" and "outside" match you will learn that you have to be nice to people. Guess what? No matter how beautiful you are (were!) it doesn't really help when people can't stand being in the same room with you.

2. Your sunglasses are ugly, but what made you look like a jackass was the fact that when I ran into you the other day it was raining!

3. Am I bitter? Sure. Mainly because I ignored what everyone told me about you and entered into a relationship with you anyway (see, no "s"). So, sure, I'll take some of the blame.

Have fun in Austin, I won't be visiting.

I would prefer not to.

2010-10-13T23:57:00.001-04:00

I think Bartleby the Scrivener may be my hero.

Is it wrong?

2010-10-13T11:26:00.002-04:00

To become giddily happy upon learning that an ex who treated you badly has gained a prodigious amount of weight? I mean, dozens and dozens of pounds?

Well, if that's wrong I don't want to be right.

Oh, and the sunglasses make you look like a preppy jackass.

Wait, that was redundant.

A Brief Reminder

2010-09-06T23:10:00.005-04:00

Folks, if I may borrow a line from George Constanza, "We're living in a society!!"

What does that mean? It means that while we don't have to like each other, if our society is going to continue to exist, we at least have to control ourselves just a wee bit. For example:

There is no reason for you to stand so close to me in the checkout at the grocery store that I can feel you breathing on the back of my neck. Seriously, no hyperbole here at all, I could feel the woman's breath. Did I mention that I was at the self-checkout line?
Speaking of the checkout line, who still writes a check at the grocery store?! Seriously, it's 2010, you can get an ATM card which deducts funds directly from your checking account! I'm sure if you send your bank a telegram they will dispatch one of these magical cards to you by the next available mail coach.
You can ride my back bumper as much as you want, it won't make the car in front of me go any faster.
Your two-footed, studs-up tackle that took out both of my legs and drew blood from one of my ankles was uncalled for in any game, but especially a pick-up soccer game. Please note that, when I was eventually able to stand up, I shook your hand and told you "don't worry about it." Just because you think you live in "Thunderdome" doesn't mean I have to join you there.
Earlier this week I went to see George Clooney's new movie, "The American." I quite enjoyed it. The consensus of those exiting the theater with me, however, included comments like, "All the good stuff was in the trailer..." and "There was barely any action!" I guess I was mistaken in thinking that it was a well-crafted, thoughtful film, that raised a lot of interesting questions that are usually lost amid the car chases and explosions.
Sitting in your beat-up van by yourself with the dome light on at 4:30am is creepy under any circumstances. Doing it in a van that is full of all of your "hoarding" materiel in the parking lot of the building from which you were evicted because of what your hoarding did to your apartment? SUPER-creepy.
The way to return from six weeks on paid administrative leave because of your bi-polar disorder is not to work a day, call-in sick the next day, then leave after half a day on your third day. Furthermore, upon returning from your time away it's pretty bad form to spend that third day talking about how excited you are to take a vacation before the end of the month. I may be taking a vacation next spring- in case you were wondering.

Again, I'm not even saying you have to be nice, just civil and, frankly, reasonably normal.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Ha!

2010-08-19T14:52:00.000-04:00

Roger Clemens has been indicted for perjury.

Serves you right you sanctimonious...

FYI

2010-08-18T20:21:00.002-04:00

Working with a genuinely mentally ill person is exhausting.

I wish her only the best in getting the help she needs, but I hope she is gone soon. And "real" help, not the kind where your psychiatrist tells you something you don't want to hear and then you "fire" her, or, when your new doctor changes your medication, deciding you don't like the change and going back to your old medication- without telling the doctor.

Going to work- always a challenge for a person as lazy as I am- has become almost unbearable.

Did This Really Have To Happen?

2010-07-29T16:26:00.002-04:00

Let me preface this by saying that I have no animosity towards any of the people below and that all of this happened after I had discovered at my first destination that I had left my wallet at home, requiring a 40 minute round trip that I hadn't planned on making. So, I might not have been in the best mood.

Today was my only day off this week and not much of one as I had numerous unavoidable tasks that I had to complete. The first of which was to fill my car with gas for a lengthy drive I have to make tomorrow afternoon.

I pulled into my usual gas station and as I was exiting the car a co-worker pulled in next to me. Luckily, he was preoccupied with his own business and, let's just say, I don't look anything like my "work self" when I am out in the real world. As we were pumping our gas a third car pulled in next to him- another co-worker. They engaged each other in conversation as I was finishing up and I escaped unscathed. Well, not really, or I wouldn't be writing about it!

Wallet now on my person, I returned to the task at hand: getting my car inspected and an oil change. While waiting for this to be done I went to a near by movie theater and caught a matinee (Inception...meh.). After the movie I walked back to retrieve my car. I hadn't even put both feet through the door before I saw another co-worker. Pleasantries were exchanged, etc..

Again, nothing against any of these people- one of them is actually very nice- but I just didn't need to be reminded about what is waiting for me tomorrow!

I'm not dead!

2010-07-05T00:10:00.001-04:00

Just busy.

I'll be back.

Whether you like it or not.

Should this happen?

2010-05-11T00:55:00.002-04:00

Almost seven hours have passed since I played soccer tonight.

Only now did I discover that at some point while playing tonight somebody stepped on my foot (I assume- I don't actually remember it happening), causing the nail on my big toe to crack almost halfway across.

Luckily, this is not the first time that something similar has happened and it only too a few minutes with my "foot injury triage kit" to fashion a binding that, while it won't save the part of the nail that was damaged, will at least keep the crack/tear from getting worse before it falls off of its own accord.

And now you know that.

No, no, no...

2010-05-02T15:34:00.002-04:00

I already loathe the Proactive commercials that pop up on television every, oh, four or five minutes, and now one of their ads features the beautiful and talented Jenna Fischer from The Office.

Sadness.

A word about existential dilemmas

2010-04-30T01:46:00.000-04:00

They suck.

Make of this what you will...

2010-04-29T21:35:00.002-04:00

You know how sometimes when you navigate to a page that has a search box on it the box will sometimes display a few of the most recent terms that you searched? Well, that just happened to me and here are the terms that it displayed-

Humphrey Bogart
Boston
Europa League
Scotland
Johnny Cash

I don't want to read too much into this list, but I wonder how much you could learn about somebody by seeing what they search for. I know that, if you showed this list to somebody as representative of me, I'd be just fine with it.

I don't get it.

2010-04-29T19:35:00.002-04:00

Why are otherwise rational adults obsessed with crown molding?

This small strip of contoured wood seems to make people blind to almost anything else.

"Sure, the house has termites, is in a high crime neighborhood, and is built on the site of an ancient graveyard, but look- crown molding!!"

If at first you don't succeed...

2010-04-24T16:48:00.003-04:00

I live, more or less, at an intersection.

Today and ice cream shop opened up in the storefront diagonally across the intersection from me.

I wish the owners the best of luck, but there's something they should know-

While this may seem like an ideal location (at a busy intersection and within about a 90 second walk of the town's waterpark/Little League park/soccer fields, here is what has preceded the ice cream shop at the same location- at least the ones that I can remember off the top of my head: a tattoo/body piercing parlor, a seasonal tax preparation service, a nail salon, a storefront church (maybe two of them, I'm not sure), a day spa (not the same as the nail salon), and a temporary staffing agency.

I'm not saying the ice cream shop is doomed to failure- I hope it isn't, actually!- but I'm not going to get too attached to it.

Feeling Powerless?

2010-04-23T01:55:00.002-04:00

Alone?

Don't.

You are neither.

"A Pict Song"

Rome never looks where she treads.
Always her heavy hooves fall,
On our stomachs, our hearts or our heads;
And Rome never heeds when we bawl.
Her sentries pass on—that is all,
And we gather behind them in hordes,
And plot to reconquer the Wall,
With only our tongues for our swords.
We are the Little Folk—we!
Too little to love or to hate.
Leave us alone and you’ll see
How we can drag down the State!
We are the worm in the wood!
We are the rot at the root!
We are the taint in the blood!
We are the thorn in the foot!

Mistletoe killing an oak—
Rats gnawing cables in two—
Moths making holes in a cloak—
How they must love what they do!
Yes—and we Little Folk too,
We are busy as they—
Working our works out of view—
Watch, and you’ll see it some day!

No indeed! We are not strong,
But we know Peoples that are.
Yes, and we’ll guide them along,
To smash and destroy you in War!
We shall be slaves just the same?
Yes, we have always been slaves,
But you—you will die of the shame,
And then we shall dance on your graves!

We are the Little Folk—we!
Too little to love or to hate.
Leave us alone and you’ll see
How we can drag down the State!
We are the worm in the wood!
We are the rot at the root!
We are the taint in the blood!
We are the thorn in the foot!

-Rudyard Kipling

Huh.

2010-04-18T20:10:00.002-04:00

I don't know if this is an epiphany, a realization, or what you want to call it, but here's something:

-There is nothing I could ever do that would disappoint my father. He might be disappointed in my "deed," but not in "me."

-There is nothing I could ever do that would not disappoint my mother. Her expectations of me are so high that I'm not sure I could ever live up to them.

So there

Dear Laundromat People.

2010-04-08T19:47:00.002-04:00

Allow me to quote the great philosopher George Constanza:

"WE'RE LIVING IN A SOCIETY!!"

Please learn about the concept of "personal space." If I am standing still and two of you manage to come into violent contact with me it just might not be my fault.

If however, you cannot help but to flail into me, you could at least apologize for doing it.

Normally, I'd be really peeved about this, but you know what? As soon as my landlord finishes the new, free, laundry room in my building I will be rid of you and your kind.

Thank you for your time.

A Serious Question

2010-04-07T22:31:00.001-04:00

Does anyone actually drink orange soda?

Update: Humanity's Greatest Inventions

2010-03-15T22:50:00.002-04:00

It has been almost five years since I have had cause to update this post, but the time has come.

As I sat here on the couch this evening thinking about how scandalously comfortable I was I realized that the main factor was my hooded sweatshirt- the hood of which is currently cozied up to my enormous heid. Lest you think that I am a recent convert to hoddies, I can produce multiple family members who can attest to the fact that I spent most of late elementary school and early middle school wearing the same navy blue, zip-front hoodie. I wore it so often that it was referred to as my "skin." Eventually, when I simply could not squeeze my adolescent body into it any longer, it was repurposed by my mother. She sewed hundreds of yellow napkins onto it and made my little brother a Big Bird costume for Halloween. Side note: I have a great mom.

Any-who, as far as I can determined from the vast resources of the internet, the hoodie as we know it was created by Champion in the 1930s (yes, that company) for workers in refrigerated warehouses. Whatever the case, it was invented and I own at least three that I can think of off the top of my- very warm and relaxed- head.

Humanity's Greatest Inventions

1. Air Conditioning
2. Pulled Pork (all varieties)
3. Fleece
4. Flannel Sheets
5. Velcro
6. Remote controls of all kinds
7.The computer
8. The internet
9. Gore-Tex
10. Soccer
11. Baseball
12. Stereo
13. The fountain pen
14. The printing press
15. The hooded sweatshirt

Update: Me and My Shoes

2010-03-15T17:05:00.003-04:00

Normally I'd wait for a full year to pass before updating this list, but there's been quite a lot of "movement" in both directions, so I thought I'd get it up here and let you see what's been going on. As always, I'll include an obituary for those that are no longer with us.

Sneakers

Asics Gel Hyper-Speed 2 (white, lime green, and black): Only 6.6ozs each!
Asics Top Seven (navy and yellow): pretty understated for me.
Asics Top Seven (white, black reptile print, and orange): you wish you owned them.
Royal Elastics "??" (brown and green): hip, slip-on brown leather.
Converse All-Star Low Tops (Red): money.
Converse All-Star High Tops (Black): word.
Converse All-Star High Tops (Brown/Tan Leather): faux retro and lovin' it.
Converse One-Star 3/4's (Black suede): do/did I skate? BMX? Nope, I just rock.
Vans Slip-On (red, white, and blue): "Mod" symbol on the forefoot (vamp).
Zoot Ultra Tempo+: see earlier post.
Merrell Full Aproach: still waterproof but a little run down after two weeks in Scotland.
Salomon XA Pro 3D XCR (green, gray, black): As technical as they sound.
Puma Match (Red leather): with perforated Puma logo. Um, yeah.
Puma Kew (brown, orange, and gray): Cool exterior support system, almost a little "dressy."
Adidas Daroga (Grey mesh with red): sweeeeet.

Hiking

Montrail Vercors Hiking Boots: serious, serious equipment.
Nike ACG Hiking Boots: they won't die! And I mean that in a good way!
Adidas Zuperlimbs: lime green, black and safety orange...uh huh.

Soccer

Adidas AdiPure Turf: Replaced the turf shoes below.
Adidas Copa Indoors: classic.
Adidas Soccer Sandals (blue, silver, orange): comfy and convenient.
Adidas Dakkano Soccer sandals (black and tan): my dressy sandals
Valsport Furoclasses FG: silver and black.

Too beat-up to be seen in anymore, especially when...

Adidas Predator Absolion Control FG: Sure they are last year's model, but I can live with that when they are marked down by $75!

Kelme Embrujos FG: I think it translates to "magician" or "witch," either way...
Asics "Gel Duke" SG: never seen another pair in the U.S.A.
Nike Tiempo Premier SG: reliable transportation on rainy days.

Puma Aqua Cat Soccer sandals (red): the blue Adidas ones above aren't good enough to wear “out” anymore...

Shoes/Boots

Two-Tone Doc Martens (black/white): oh yes I DID!
Burgundy Wingtip Doc Martens: can be worn to work w/o losing my street cred.
Brown Nubuck Doc Martens: Work shoes that cleaned up well and will be used for “casual wear.”
Black, greasy, steel toe Doc Martens: Replaced the above as work shoes.
Buffalino Two-Tone suede (red/white): leave me speechless.
Dexter Two-Tone (black/white): dressy version...
Dexter Brown Pebble-Grain Wingtips: wore them to my HS graduation in 1987...
Dexter Cordova Wingtips: interview shoes.
Izod Generic Black Shoes: the white stitching saves them.
Black Cap-Toe Oxfords: every man needs a pair.

Other

Adidas Desmans: still wear 'em almost every damn day.

Tecnica Pac Mocs: very comfy, a steal at Sierra Designs!

L.L. Bean Main Hunting Boots: bought for function, not fashion.
Diadora Mountain Biking Shoes: not gathering quite as much dust.

A brief, crabby note.

2010-03-15T17:00:00.002-04:00

The Latin phrase is et cetera, and it means, "and other things."

It is not "ek cetra," ex cetera," or even, "et cetra."

Also, learn what per se means before you start throwing it around in my presence.

Books completed thus far in 2010

2010-03-15T16:46:00.003-04:00

Last year I read about three books a month, which was not bad considering a great many of them were 500+ pages, but so far this year I'm running a bit behind. Nevertheless, here's what I've finished off, not counting books that I began in 2009-

The Vikings: A History by Robert Ferguson
The Art of Noir by Eddie Muller
2066 by Roberto Bolano
Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Power by Robert Dallek
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold Story of English by John H. McWhorter
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

So, that's six books in about eight weeks- not great. Then again, there are two books here that are almost 1,000 pages long, so I'll cut myself a little slack. I'll also cut myself a little slack because since the beginning of the year there has been a lot going on in "real life" that has prevented me from reading as much as I might like (and from posting here, for that matter), the best of which is that my car was vandalized.

One note on the list so far: I bought the Zafon book because it looked "interesting enough for a plane ride" and it was cheap. Little did I suspect that it would be the best book I've read in a long time- or at least since I finished the Larsson books last year. He's written at least on other novel, and I hope many more than that!

Things I'd rather not know...

2010-03-10T13:05:00.002-05:00

...I got the news today that one of my high school classmates passed away this past weekend after a year-long battle with brain cancer, leaving behind his wife and two kids.

Like I needed any more reasons to have to confront my own mortality.

1990: Music

2010-02-27T20:42:00.002-05:00

I'm not saying that 1990 was the greatest year ever in music- 1958 probably was- but consider the following:

Repeater- Fugazi
Momma Said Knock You Out- L.L. Cool J
Flood- They Might Be Giants
Social Distortion- Social Distortion
Sex Packets- Digital Underground
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got- Sinéad O'Connor
Blue Sky Mining- Midnight Oil
Bossanova- Pixies
Hell's Ditch- The Pogues
Fear of a Black Planet- Public Enemy
Black Sheets of Rain- Bob Mould
Bona Drag- Morrissey

Not bad at all.

Really?

2010-02-25T16:47:00.001-05:00

One of the next superheroes to be featured in a "major motion picture" will be the Norse god of thunder, Thor, in 2011.

The only Scandinavian in the cast (which also includes Natalie Portmon, Rene Russo, Anthony Hopkins, and Samuel L. Jackson), Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard will play...an American.

I have no words.

C'mon people!

2010-02-24T23:45:00.003-05:00

I'm only making an issue out of this because I've come across it multiple times in the last few days:

That beautiful island nation in the South Pacific that gave us, among others, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka is called Fiji. Once again, F-I-J-I.

There may actually be somewhere called "Figi" and it may indeed be inhabited by "Figians," but I suspect that it's actually a fictitious place created by the good people at Nabisco.

Seriously, you might not own a dictionary, but if you're reading this you own a computer that's connected to the interwebs.

Try harder.

February 14th

2010-02-14T10:20:00.001-05:00

Dear Gram,

It's been four years.

I don't miss you any less.

Love,

Your Grandson

An Olympic Thought

2010-02-12T20:00:00.002-05:00

As the games open today, keep this in mind about the Olympics and about elite level sports in general. I'll use an easy example:

When the games are over, look at the statistics for the US Men's Hockey team. See that guy who played the least minutes? The "worst" guy on the team? Think about this-

He was the best player on his local youth team.
He was the best player on his high school team.
He was the best player on his college/minor league team.
He was- at least- the best American player on his professional team.
Just by making the Olympic team he is one of the best two dozen our so players in the country.

So, before you dismiss "him" as the weakest link or the bench warmer, remember that he's a better player than you, me, or anyone else we know.

IKEA!

2010-02-05T21:04:00.002-05:00

Today I finally got around to using the IKEA gift card I received for Christmas.

Needless to say, it was a pretty good day- I got everything I intended to get and a few other things as well. Here's what I cam home with-

1 Kvart clip lamp and bulb
5 Grundtal pot hooks
2 Dralla flexible cutting boards
1 Aspekt knife sharpener
1 Leksvik wall-mounted coat rack
1 Magasin folding dish rack
2 Gosa Slan pillows
1 Myskmalva duvet cover/pillow case set
1 Vila fitted sheet
1 Malou duvet cover/pillow case set

Not bad at all.

I'm not going to say that any of this "transformed" my apartment, but I filled in a lot of holes and it certainly gives me a lot of different bedding options as well as some new toys in the kitchen.

If only I had room for more furniture...

My life in capsule form

2010-01-27T19:52:00.002-05:00

Today I finally bought the two ink cartridges I need for my printer/copier/scanner. By "finally" I mean after close to a year without being able to print anything!

So, I took them out of the package, put them in, and pushed the "test" button to make sure it was working correctly after sitting idle for so long.

Out of paper.

Naturally.

An Update

2010-01-18T21:30:00.002-05:00

One of my loyal followers has asked for a brief update on my family, so here it is!

Mom: Hanging in there and holding everything together as usual. She could probably retire any time she wanted to, but for reasons that are well-understood, "work" is has been her refuge for quite a while and I don't think she's ready to let go of it- even if it means being retired.
Dad: More often than not, he's doing well. And by "well," I mean that thanks to some changes in his treatment, we've been able to turn back the clock a bit. The situation is still extremely difficult for me to deal with. But, I've been really clear about what I can and cannot "handle" and everyone has been great about it.
Brother: Well, he's been a dad for almost two years now and he couldn't be a better one. Not that I ever had any doubt about that, but his daughter is a very, very lucky little girl.
Sister: She and her husband continue to try to get their house the way they want it- that process will never end, but with each improvement, it looks even better. The restaurant and all its associated businesses (two cruise boats, catering, etc.) are doing well, especially considering the economy.
"Down Under" things are busy- babies being born, houses being purchased, etc. I think my sister is going there next summer for a visit.

In other news...

For practical and financial reasons, Camp is now jointly owned by "the kids." Basically, if Dad can live at home for another five years, it can never be seized as an asset to help pay for his care. A permanent foundation is in the near future and there is some talk of putting in at least enough electricity to make it easier for Dad to be there. A new dock, and what form it will take, is under discussion.
I drove by Gram's house on the way into Boston last fall and it was really odd to think of somebody else living there after 50 (60?) years, seeing their stuff on the porch and in the yard, etc.. Nicky's, on the other hand, is still the same and still DELICIOUS!

As for me: I'm here. More good days than bad- far more good ones if I'm honest about it. Work is fine, keeping the soccer website running is a lot of work but worth every minute of it, other than wishing I had somebody special to share all of this with, I can't complain.

I really hope this didn't sound like one of those typed out and photocopied "Year End" letters people send to their friends- I hate those!

Questions?

How did I not know this?

2010-01-14T01:37:00.002-05:00

It turns out that for four years of my life I lived with in a twenty minute drive of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Now I live two hours away.

Damn.

Seriously?!

2010-01-11T20:42:00.002-05:00

If you know me at all, you know that in certain ways I can be completely oblivious to what is going on around me while, at the same time, not missing anything in other ways.

Okay, that was horribly worded, but I hope it made sense nevertheless.

Anyway, I know the following things about my blog.

1. I know there is one person who checks it regularly.
2. I know there is one person who checks it occasionally...or at least used to.
3. I know there is another person who used check it occasionally...and may still.

What these people have in common is that I have had some kind of relationship with them in the past/present.

What I did not know is that I have two "followers" of my blog! That's right, people I don't know who have chosen to follow my blog. Perhaps this will be enough of a boost to me to post here more frequently!

Oh, and to those two people- "HELLO!"

Dreams 2.0

2010-01-11T20:40:00.002-05:00

What's even odder- to me at least- about having dreams about the same person over and over again is that even when said person isn't in my dreams, the dreams take place in the same setting.

I have no idea what to make of that. None at all.

Dreams

2009-12-28T22:35:00.002-05:00

For the last month or so I've been having dreams much more frequently than usual.

That's fine.

The dreams have all (at least all of the ones I'm able to remember) been good ones- some "great" ones- been about the same person.

My question is, why?

What should I read into this? Anything? Nothing?

Things I wonder about...

2009-12-28T18:42:00.002-05:00

Will another movie I want to see ever be released?
When and under what circumstances should "cash value" trump "sentimental value?"
How do you "unfriend" somebody in the real world?
Does she still have the key? Has she ever thought about using it?
What should I do with my IRS refund when I get it?
Will I ever not be tired?
As I get older, shouldn't my attention span be getting longer?

There's more, I'm sure of it, I just kind of lost my train of thought...

The Christmas Betting Line Results

2009-12-27T22:48:00.002-05:00

Well, let's see how I did:

George Foreman Grill with removable plates.

I struck out on this one last year, but this year my mother has all but told me outright that she's going to get it for me, so: 100%

Winner- I've already used it twice since Christmas Day!

A subscription to Consumer Reports

I know, it's a nerdy thing to ask for...it's not expensive, somewhat practical, and easy to pawn off on somebody outside my immediate family, so: 50%.

Winner- I'll be waiting by the mailbox for the first issue to show up!

Western Mass Pioneers Season Tickets

This is one of those things I was planning to buy for myself, so I thought there was no harm in asking...just in case. Still, there a bit pricey, can't be ordered online, etc., so: 1%

Winner- I think. I didn't think I'd get it, and I didn't.

FIFA 2010 for PS3

Last year I was certain that I wasn't going to get the 2009 version, but my brother and sister in-law came through, so I'll count on that again: 75%

Loser- I was pretty confident that I'd get this, and I didn't.

New York by Eduard Rutherfurd

It's a book. People like to buy me books, so: 100%

Push- I didn't get it as a gift, but I used one of the Amazon gift cards I received to purchase it.

Socks

What?! Why pay for them myself? I asked for a specific brand in a specific color, they're cheap and easy to get, so: 100%

Winner- it's always nice when I don't have to spend my money on "necessities."

Printer Cartridges

Expensive. Boring. Didn't want to buy them myself if I didn't need to. I'm not expecting them unless my brother can find a "deal" on them, so 5%

Winner- I didn't think I'd get them, and I didn't.

IKEA Gift Card

I don't even know if they have gift cards at IKEA, so 1%

Loser- this is one that I'm happy to lose. Unfortunately it means a two hour drive to the nearest IKEA as they sell only a few of their products on line.

Well, there we are, maybe my best year yet. 5 wins, 1 push, and 2 losses.

Other cool stuff I received:

A coffee table book of film noir posters.
A new digital watch
A DVD of Blackboard Jungle
A $25 iTunes gift card
My Custom Van by Michael Ian Black
A subscription to Outside magazine

I think I'm in love...

2009-12-27T01:06:00.003-05:00

Imelda May

Looks like a pin-up girl? Check.

Sings rockabilly and blues music? Check.

Delightful Irish accent? Check.

Jeepers.

I may already have said this...

2009-12-21T22:43:00.001-05:00

...but it's worth repeating:

I really can't stand Meryl Streep.

The Christmas Betting Line

2009-12-18T00:37:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the Third Annual Christmas Betting Line Spectacular!

I've done "okay" with my prognostications the first two times, but this year could be a bit more difficult. While I did make a list for my mom- as she requires- it was also farmed out to my siblings and other family members who are far less predictable than my beloved mother. Still, I will do my best.

The only change this year is that I'm going to express the chances of receiving the gifts in question in terms of percentages.

George Foreman Grill with removable plates.

I struck out on this one last year, but this year my mother has all but told me outright that she's going to get it for me, so: 100%

A subscription to Consumer Reports

I know, it's a nerdy thing to ask for...it's not expensive, somewhat practical, and easy to pawn off on somebody outside my immediate family, so: 50%.

Western Mass Pioneers Season Tickets

This is one of those things I was planning to buy for myself, so I thought there wa no harm in asking...just in case. Still, there a bit pricey, can't be ordered online, etc., so: 1%

FIFA 2010 for PS3

Last year I was certain that I wasn't going to get the 2009 version, but my brother and sister in-law came through, so I'll count on that again: 75%

New York by Eduard Rutherfurd

It's a book. People like to buy me books, so: 100%

Socks

What?! Why pay for them myself? I asked for a specific brand in a specific color, they're cheap and easy to get, so: 100%

Printer Cartridges

Expensive. Boring. Didn't want to buy them myself if I didn't need to. I'm not expecting them unless my brother can find a "deal" on them, so 5%

IKEA Gift Card

I don't even know if they have gift cards at IKEA, so 1%

I'll be back after Christmas to let you know how I did this year.

2009: A Partial Reading List

2009-12-18T00:07:00.003-05:00

Here are the books I read during the past year and those I should have wrapped up before 2010.

Done

Death on the Cheap: The Lost B Movies of Film Noir by Arthur Lyons
The Film Noir Reader: Volume 2 edited by Alain Silver and James Ursini
Newton and the Counterfeiter: The Unkown Detective Career of the World's Greatest Scientist by Thomas Levenson
The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps edited by Otto Penzler
Fright by Cornell Woolrich
The Dead Man's Brother by Roger Zelanzy
The Cutie by Donald E. Westlake
House Dick by E. Howard Hunt
Casino Moon by Peter Blauner
Fake I.D. by Jason Starr
The Criminal by Jim Thompson
The Getaway by Jim Thompson
Roughneck by Jim Thompson
The Nothing Man by Jim Thompson
Passport to Peril by Robert B. Parker
Stop This Man by Peter Rabe
Losers Live Longer by Russell Atwood
Honey in His Mouth by Lester Dent
Quarry in the Middle by Max Allan Collins
The Galton Case by Ross MacDonald
The Blue Hammer by Ross MacDonald
The Way Some People Die by Ross MacDonald
The Ivory Grin by Ross MacDonald
The Doomsters by Ross MacDonald
The Barbarous Coast by Ross MacDonald
The Instant Enemy by Ross Mac Donald
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
Thunderstruck by Erik Larson
The Whiskey Rebels by David Liss
Drood by Dan Simmons
The Professional by W.C. Heinz
Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer by Chris Salewicz
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin
The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain

In progress or about to be:

Europe by Norman Davies
2066 by Roberto Bolano
The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco
Black Angel by Cornell Woolrich
The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Corpse Wore Pasties by Jonny Porkpie
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen

That's not everything, but it's probably pretty close- there are probably a few from late 2008 on here and there are certainly some from this year that I've forgotten. Not a bad year overall.

Items of note

2009-12-12T23:49:00.003-05:00

Every once in a while I need to clear the decks, so here we go!

Is my right knee becoming arthritic? Could be.
I need to start writing again.
Today's mail brought an issue of Rolling Stone that reviews the best albums, songs, etc. of the decade- it was worse than I thought. Yeesh.
I dawned on me today (yesterday?) that every woman I've ever dated has been smart- very smart, some even smarter than me! I've always assumed that this was a good thing, but give my, um, history, I'm beginning to have second thoughts.
I need a vacation. A long, far away vacation. I'm going to be going to Florida again in the spring, and I'll have fun, but it won't be long enough and it's not far away enough.
I've said it once and I'll say it again, I HATE being sick. I'm not saying there's anybody who actually likes it, but I feel like it highlights every negative facet of my personality, and that's not good for anyone.
I'm still not a fan of poetry, but Walt Whitman is growing on me. Don't tell my dad, though, I can't bear to see the look of self-satisfaction that will affix itself to his face.
After a couple of years of failure, I have once again been able to complete all of my Christmas shopping from the comfort of my couch and without having to talk to anyone.
In addition to the one book I'm reading, I have a stack of four more waiting for me and another one on the way to me from Amazon. Sweet.

Well, there's actually more, but I've got things to do...

Another reason to watch Crime Story

2009-12-07T12:36:00.000-05:00

Pam Grier.

Make with the sympathy!

2009-12-02T22:23:00.001-05:00

I've had two days off (one being Thanksgiving) since November 10th.

I'm tired.

I know I've explained this before, BUT

2009-11-29T22:40:00.002-05:00

I feel I need to once again point out that my diminished "output" here is not a reflection on my dedication to this "thing" that I've been doing here for (GULP!) five years. Rather, it is a reflection of all the work I have been doing here-

www.avoidingthedrop.com

When I agreed to help found the site last February I had no idea (in the best possible way!) what I was getting myself into! It has been, to say the least, a really rewarding endeavor and I hope that the people (person?) who still stop by here from time to time understand that this blog is still something I value and still something that I plan to continue.

How's that for unnecessary self-importance!?

One Good Reason To Rent "Crime Story"

2009-11-28T18:49:00.002-05:00

...because you get to hear Del Shannon's "Runaway" at the beginning of every episode.

Plus, in the pilot "movie" alone there were also songs by Sam Cooke, Chuck Berry (as covered by George Thorogood), as well as a few other gems.

Competition

2009-11-15T22:20:00.002-05:00

Although I've played indoor and outdoor pick-up soccer pretty much year round since my high school days, this winter I'm playing in a competitive league for the first time in about a decade.*

My weekly match is on Monday nights. By Sunday night (which is now!) I can't sit still, the anticipation is more than I can take!

Wooo!

*prior to this decade I'd played in indoor and outdoor leagues for about a decade.

This woud have been relevant over a decade ago...

2009-11-11T16:42:00.002-05:00

...but since I just listened to it, Sugar's Explode and Make Up is a song that grows and grows on you until, finally, you say to yourself, "That's a REALLY good song!"

That's it.

Return to your normal daily activities.

Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T14:22:00.003-05:00

Thanks, Poppy.

It strikes me as wrong...

2009-11-09T14:16:00.002-05:00

...that I should have to clean a vacuum cleaner in order to keep it in working order.

I don't know if that falls under "ironic" or "counter-intuitive" or what, I just know it's annoying.

This made me feel good about myself

2009-11-02T00:50:00.001-05:00

I just looked at Rotten Tomatoes "100 Worst Movies of the Last 10 Years" and I've only seen three of them, and only paid to see one of them- and I'm pretty sure that I confused it with another movie when I was buying the ticket.

I am not, however, going to name any of the movies- nice try!

The Poor Guy

2009-10-28T22:35:00.002-04:00

It's World Series time...the Red Sox didn't make it and the Yankees did, so clearly, I'm pulling for the Phillies. In that sense, I don't have it too badly, my choices are clear.

And there's Tommy.

I work with Tommy.

Tommy and I talk baseball a lot.

Tommy is a really nice guy and a really big Mets fan.

Tommy has a problem.

Does he root for the hated crosstown rivals?

Or does he root for the hated National League rival?

Well, luckily, in addition to being a nice guy, Tommy is a smart guy, so let me say it for him:

GO PHILLIES!!

Soccer As It Should Be

2009-10-26T23:19:00.003-04:00

I played "real" (outdoor) soccer today for the first time in, I'm guessing, 2-3 years thanks to randomly running into one of my indoor soccer acquaintances a few days ago.

I'd almost forgotten how much superior it is to indoor "soccer." And, since this is my blog and everything is "about me," I have to say that I did well. I am in no shape to running around like a crazy person, so the ball did most of the work, but I was happy to see that my touch, both in terms of close control and being able to pick out teammates with passes both short and long, was still there.

What a tease, though, it was the last outdoor pick-up game of the season due to the impending changing of the clocks that will cause it to be dark out at, oh, noon, here in the hinterlands of New England. For what it's worth, though, playing soccer in the dying afternoon light of a crisp fall day is one of those simple pleasures that cannot be overrated.

Oh well, indoor soccer starts back up in the first week of November, so I'll not only be able to work myself back into shape, but I'll also have something to do 1-3 nights a week.

An Accidental Discovery

2009-10-25T20:52:00.002-04:00

By not watching what I was doing I just set my microwave for...3:80.

Needless to say, I was to scared to actually press the "start" button for fear of what might happen.

Explosion?

Time machine?

Miniaturization?

Gigantism?

Sterility?

Super power?

I think all that remains now is to trick somebody else into doing it first...

It went down to the final half of the final match...

2009-10-25T20:04:00.001-04:00

but the New England Revolution are in the playoffs for the 8th straight year!

It's all "gravy" after this!

Suddenly, it all makes sense.

2009-10-22T14:02:00.003-04:00

Do you ever wonder why you like the things that you do? I actually spend a lot of time mulling this over, as well as a related questions- If I like all of these things, surely they must have something in common? And, if that is the case, surely there must be a concrete connection between them? Well, as it turns out, there is at least one case where there is a tangible and specific relationship between some things I like.

If you've spent any amount of time reading this blog, or if you've even just read through my profile, you may have picked up on the following.

When it comes to literature, I like "hard-boiled" crime fiction. The work of Dashiell Hammett, for example.
When it comes to film, I like "spaghetti westerns" (especially those featuring Clint Eastwood) and samurai films (especially those by Akira Kurosawa and/or featuring Toshiro Mifune).

Well, check this out:

Hammet's novel Red Harvest is considered by some* to have been the inspiration for Kurosawa's film Yojimbo, which, in turn was the direct basis for Serigo Leone's A Fist Full of Dollars, starring Eastwood. This isn't just the speculation of critics and scholars either, both Kurosawa (privately) and Leone (publicly) acknowledged the connections.

So, the connection between these particular things that I like is concrete, but what do they have in common? They all deal with "moral certainty" of the kind discussed by Aristotle in Nichomachean Ethics, not in the legal sense. Why I'm so intrigued by moral certainty is a whole different question...

*Others contend it was based on the novel, The Glass Key, but that's by Hammett too, so my the argument remains valid.

Is this ironic?

2009-10-21T01:18:00.002-04:00

The people I want most to leave me alone, won't.

The people I'd most like be in touch with me aren't/can't/don't or are to a lesser degree than I'd like them to be.

Huh.

Also, I need a haircut.

There are so many things I should be doing right now...

2009-10-17T00:10:00.003-04:00

and watching back-to-back hours of "Classic AWA Wrestling" is not one of them.

Then again, how often do you get to see Michael Hayes of the Fabulous Freebirds wrestle these days?

Nails On A Chalkboard

2009-10-14T00:13:00.003-04:00

Is there anything more cringe-worthy than somebody who clearly has no talent for it trying to rap?

I've come across this twice today and would have done just about anything to make it stop.

A Lesson in Retail Counter Measures

2009-10-08T18:48:00.002-04:00

When a retailer has a product it wants to sell, especially a product that might be of lower quality, over abundance, or one that is not terribly desirable, they will take measures to make the item more appealing to the consumer by offsetting one or more of the "short-comings" I have just mentioned.

For example, the retailer might offer the item as part of a "buy one, get one free" promotion, which will increase the items value to the consumer, or simply appeal to the idea of "getting something for free," it doesn't really matter what consumer trait the retailer is playing to, because it works. A local grocer in my area often offers items "buy one, get two free" deals which I cannot resist.

What happens, however, when the consumer has only a mild interest in a product that is not offered as part of one of these promotions? For example, what if you want to see a movie, but you are not even interested enough to pay the matinee price- never mind the full price- to see it? Well, the solution is actually relatively simple- you create your own "promotion." Here is how you do it:

Step 1: You pay the matinee price to see The Informant!
Step 2: When The Informant! ends, you walk down the hall and see Whip It.
Step 3: When Whip It ends, you walk back down the hall and see 9.
Step 4: Profit.

And, of course, you bring your own food.

Quote of the Day

2009-10-06T23:06:00.002-04:00

"When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes." -- Erasmus of Rotterdam

This quote is far more accurate than it should be when applied to me.

So, I'm going to go order some books and tomorrow I'll buy some ramen noodles to make up for it.

Here's why choosing Rio was a mistake.

2009-10-02T22:25:00.003-04:00

The Olympics get better ratings when the athletes are setting records.

Putting the Olympics in Rio and expecting things to go well athletically is kind of like taking your homework with you on Spring Break and expecting things to go well academically.

Another one of those eternal questions

2009-10-02T22:22:00.002-04:00

Why must people make my life more complicated than it needs to be?

Here's an idea: how about handling your own business before getting into mine?

It seems to me that this would work better for everyone involved.

Come to think of it, if you handled your own business first you might not even have to bother me at all, and that would be swell.

Is this a good thing...or a bad one?

2009-09-24T00:06:00.003-04:00

My electric shaver broke the other day. Nothing dramatic, I just needed to purchase a new piece and replace the broken one. It's only about two years old, but otherwise, it's in fine shape and works very well.

This being the 21st century, I went online and searched for the part. I found it quickly and it was only slightly more pricey than I would have liked it to be- about $22.00 to fix a shaver that retails for about $80.00 (I got on sale for around $55.00). Not to bad, I guess.

However, among the results of my search were many other complete shavers, so I poked around a bit... and ended up buying a brand new shaver. It's a brand I've owned in the past, has all of the same features as my current one, and was on sale for $3.00 more than the replacement part I was planning on buying.

I'm conflicted by this. Repaired, my old shaver would have been perfectly fine- it did not need to be replaced. And yet, for $3.00 I now have a brand new shaver that will likely last me that much longer than the old one because, well, it's new.

So, this is a good thing, right?

R.I.P. Fred Cusick

2009-09-15T23:31:00.003-04:00

My apologies if this blog has seemed more like an internet obituary page as of late, but there have been a lot of deaths recently that have hit me on a personal level.

Today, Fred Cusick, the voice of the Boston Bruins for 45 years passed away at the age of 90.

Mr. Cusick was the play-by-play television announcer for the club from 1971-1997, or, from the time I was a two-year old until I was twenty-eight. Even when the team was bad, the games were worth watching because of the enthusiasm and class he brought to each and every game.

Even after he retired, he didn't really retire- he was the voice of the AHL Lowell Lock Monsters from 1997-2002.

So, one more time..."SCORE!!!"

R.I.P. Dr. Norman Borlaug (1914-2009)

2009-09-13T20:35:00.002-04:00

I've mentioned this amazing man several times in the past, so rather than boring you with all the details again, I'll simply send you here:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/09/13/nobel.borlaug.wheat/

If that doesn't tell you enough, think about this: only five people have won a Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a Congressional Gold Medal and Norman Borlaug was one of them.

Penn and Teller once called him the "Greatest Human Being That Ever Lived".

They were right.

Damien Duff

2009-09-13T20:13:00.003-04:00

Damien is an Irish soccer player who now plays for Fulham in the English Premier League.

I like him as a player- he's both talent and a bit of a "scrapper."

However, when he speaks, I find it disconcerting. There's just something unsettling about a thick Irish accent coming out of a man with naturally whitish-blonde hair.

Not as bad as David Beckham's "baby voice," but still...

Enemies List 5.0

2009-09-12T10:09:00.000-04:00

Time for an update! Julio Lugo is no longer on the list because he is no longer a blight on my team.

Rachael Ray: ubiquitous TV presence/schill.
Bill O'Reilly: soulless right wing blowhard.
Dan Brown: hack writer of quasi-historical novels.
Kanye West: all-style, negative substance "rapper."
Miley Cyrus: over-hyped sender of mixed messages.
Bob Costas: increasingly self-important sports dwarf.
Ulf Samuelsson: NHL cheap-shot artist.
John Mayer: simpering panderer to the musical LCD.

"Sun Records, Memphis, TN"

2009-09-11T22:25:00.002-04:00

After a rather trying day at work it was pretty damn cool to come home to find an LP sized package leaning against my front door with THAT return address on the outside and THIS t-shirt on the inside.

How Do I Feel Right Now?

2009-08-31T00:18:00.002-04:00

In the words of Colonel George Taylor, "Get your hands off of me you damned dirty apes!!"

Update: Best TV Shows

2009-08-30T16:40:00.003-04:00

Time for my yearly update of my favorite (ever!) television shows. Remember, these are in no particular order.

Seinfeld
Late Night/Late Show with David Letterman
The Simpsons
Mystery Science Theater 3000
24 (especially the earlier seasons)
The Sopranos
The Family Guy
The Wire
Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett)
Rome
NYPD Blue (David Caruso era)
Deadwood
Arrested Development
The Fugitive
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Fawlty Towers
Mission Impossible
The Equalizer