Tiredness...

Very tired. Feel like I was dragged through a cobblestone street by a team of bison on stampede. Ugh. The kids were "ok" well except for the nephew's excessively high pitched screaming. I could've done without that.

Maybe the worst part of the experience was fighting with the iPod for Mother. The lights worked, iTunes showed the songs stored but there was no damned audible sound! Something obviously went wrong during one of the times the install crashed on Windows XP. I was starting to dream of the lanyard as a noose! Finally it worked after doing a "reset to factory settings" and she's listening away. Clearly Apple has work to do to make it more bulletproof and Microsoft can **** itself sidewise with a bail of razor wire. A pox on that company.

This was more emotionally taxing than changing the Transformer I'd gotten my brother into the robot form. That was tedious. It wasn't "hard" it was just more complex than expected, the modern instructions SUCK and I was a bit too cautious on what was a moveable part and what was not. Sometimes those joints are very stiff and need some decent muscle behind them to move. Who decided this was a suitable toy for ages 5+? I say it's too complex. However, the thing is brilliant! Very attractive in both forms. I got it specifically for the car state and because my brother was also a Transformers fan growing up.

The food was... well not as greasy as some years. In fact the biscuits were giant croutons by the time the SIL remembered them in the oven. Oops. I ate some of them anyway. It was almost like old times when mother used to good. Everything had to be mummified right from the oven: mashed potatoes, meats, mac-n-cheese...

I'd only eaten a blueberry muffin today. I filled up on carbs: potatoes, breads, stuffing. The dehydrated turkey. The green beans were canned! CANNED! Sure they were store-brand but they were C-A-N-N-E-D. Frozen is the only suitable non-fresh veggie form. Canned! I wanted to cry for these poor once organic, now metallic things. They didn't harm anyway. Didn't stay for desert in case fog was thick on the journey back to the zilla's cave. Some cookies were given as a parting gift. The SIL was embarrassed they turned out so flat although she assured us they tasted fine. I've used that recipe before, in my uni days. They'd go pretty flat. I used to use a recipe from someone but since he committed suicide it just hasn't seemed right. That and I can get pre-made cookie dough inexpensively (Nestle Tollhouse in the tube, not those break-and-bakes which use a different formulation) and get a fine, consistent cookie. I like to freeze the dough roll and then cut it (a benefit of good german knives), package and all into "coins" giving me around 16 or so.

The SIL's brother's son might be a Jew but the kid, apparently, has no concept of his roots. He "gets" Christmas but not Hanukkah. Pity. Jews have a very rich history. He's probably 5 by now.

Will write more as time allows. I'm on the verge of collapse.

I Need Drag Queen Training...

So I was going to wear red and green nail polishes for Christmas. Well, let's just say that I'd be fired the first episode if Rupaul had an Apprentice TV series. I did one green thumb and it was blotchy, then smeared... I couldn't get it to smooth out. Boo-hoo. Dejected, I got the polish remover. So I gave up on this idea. I guess it'll be a butch Christmas after all. Oh my... I suddenly have the melody of "It's a small world afterall" in my head! When I was small I dragged a victimized parent (or guardian, I don't remember who "volunteered") back through the "Small World" ride at Disney because I loved it. It's still really cool in my mind and who doesn't like the song. Right? RIGHT!? Ok, everyone hates the song but I was a kid and I liked it dang it!

So it's Christmas, wrapping up Down Under in about 90 minutes and just over 3 hours old here in the Western States. I've got the car packed and just wrapped two books for the nephew. The cat's stocking has her new collar in it and the catnip and hairball paste are on the mantel above.

I don't know if I want to do dinner with the SIL, et al. First off, garlic has no business in mashed potatoes! Second, the butter content is high enough to put a team of cardiologists on the moon. Third, I'll either be tired as hell and fall asleep on the sofa or my head will feel like a slowing tightening noose as the neice and nephew bounce off the walls. And if the SIL's brother's son is there to whine like a banshee I'll be down for the count. Kid's a Jew, what's he doing celebrating Christmas anyway? Will the Tylenol flow like baby's drool? Ok, so I'm feeling a bit anxious finally. I haven't really played "uncle" this year and I'm kind of burned out at the thought. Ok, I don't want to do dinner but told mother is she *really* wants to stay, fine. We'll stay and I'll play plate hockey with a slab of dried up turkey flesh. Maybe I can fill up on biscuits and honey like last year?

Maybe I'm just uptight about the hackish acting adults invariably do when getting gifts. I can tell. I have the emotional intelligence of an amoeba but I'm not blind. I know my brother's gotten me something and he has already said he thinks I'll like it which is code for "Fake it if you have to, you fuck."

We three (brother, myself and Mother) went out to the cemetary yesterday to deliver the little Christmas tree for Father. I didn't really "visit" with him. What am I going to say to a slab of marble? "Hi there. You're dead and I'm not, see you next time." So I wandered the nearby markers taking note of dates and what wars were served in. One was depressing since it was for a soldier's twin sons. Born and died the same day. Both of them. Must've been a living hell. And there's a missing headstone. There's no temporary between old and new markers so I guess the person was "dug up" and no one has been put in that open spot. Maybe Father wanted a better view. It's right in front of him. Still, I can understand going out there and cleaning off the pine needles or fertilizer but what's this business of getting all sentimental and "talking" to the dead? I cleaned off a couple of markers which were put down in September. I thought it was the least I could do. Besides, Father haunts my dreams many a night as it is. I admit I "feel" more for Father than I did when he was alive. It's very strange but perhaps it's because he was so closed off in life that in death he can't remind me of how distant he was even in the same room. We had a terribly disconnected relationship. I did my best by him in the end. I think we reached some kind of "understanding" on that level. Maybe I'm projecting but who cares? Just me I guess, so fuck off. :)

What did all of my loyal readers do with their Christmas cheer? Ok, there's no loyalty among readers. We all know that!

The first "gay themed" film I can recall watching was something called "Edge of Seventeen" which is set in the 1980's and features the song "Hey Mickey." It's not high art by any measure but there's some truth in the scene where the main character Eric tells Maggie, his best friend (girl) that he wants to be with her and that he can love her "like that." This is after he "came out" to her and had experimented with (groan) Rod. Eric thought Rod "loved" him but Rod goes back to college and Eric learns he was just a fling. The weight of this realization lead him to wooing Maggie who has long had feelings for him. After he sleeps with Maggie, she realizes he's cold the next morning and that he really doesn't (or can't) love her "like that" so she storms out. At the same time (hey, I said this wasn't "high art") his mom finds a matchbook from a gay club in his laundry and confronts him. He chases after Maggie. At the end, their friendship is apparently over. He ends up at the gay club and "out" to his mom. Whether he ends up going to NY or not to study music is left to the viewer.

*sigh*

Actor Brad Renfro Arrested in "Skid Row" Drug Bust

Most remember him from "The Client" 11 years ago (IMDB entry) it's horrible to see what he looks like today (age 23!). L.A. Times news of arrest.



In earlier times:


Another young Hollywood star, Devon Sawa ("Final Destination"), was arrested during the past month in Burbank but I don't know the nature of the charge.

RIP John Spencer (Leo McGarry, West Wing)

Yes, I'm still alive!

Been lazy on updating the blog. You know how the holidays can be. The past two days I've been feeling uncharacteristically "good" which, of course, makes me immediately suspicious.

All the gifts are wrapped. My brother was over the other day to put together the niece's bicycle. I think we're owed a set of reflectors because I can't imagine why a bicycle would be sold without them for the usual spots when the pedals have some built in. What else? Oh, the tree finally got up. That's actually big news.

It's a brand-new artificial tree with the lights pre-hung. We bought a pile of decorations back in the 2003 holiday season but never used them for our holiday spirit was pretty much in the toilet in light of father's death in '02. Well they're up on the tree this year. Brother said he couldn't remember the last time we had a full-sized tree. It's probably been easily over 10 years, maybe closer to 15. Since then we've either done without or had very small trees of maybe 1 meter.

So the nephew is getting a lump of coal from his parents. Seriously. Seems they're for sale online. Ok, that's not all he's getting but this is the "gag" gift. Now before learning of this, I took ages to individually wrap each of his gifts and then put them in one box and wrap it so it looks as if he's shorted. The kid's going to need therapy. No, it's the niece that needs therapy or something. She's still not embracing learning and the alphabet and it looks like she won't be able to get into a pre-school. I'll consider an intervention if she's not improved by springtime. We know from other evaluations that she's six months back of her peers but I'm not convinced she's going to be ready for Kindergarten in 2006. The sister-in-law is getting a remote control spider. Yes, this is the arachnophobic SIL. OK, so what good is a spell-checker if it misses words that are in the damned included dictionary? Bah. Technology by trilobites.

I had a wet dream the other day. I know because, well... anyway I can't remember a damned thing about the dream. That's not fair!

I have some entertainment comments to catch up on with Prison Break on a fall hiatus until March or something and with some movies to spout off on too. But that can wait.

From the "What the!?" file...

... I bring you "safe crack (cocaine) kits":

Tory MPP Bob Runciman brandished crack cocaine paraphernalia in the legislature yesterday, demanding to know whether taxpayers are paying for a "harm reduction kit."

He asked Premier Dalton McGuinty whether government funds go to a Toronto Health Clinic for these kits.

"Do you think it's appropriate that taxpayer dollars are being spent to distribute crack cocaine kits in Toronto, given that half of all homicides in the city, according to Toronto police, are due to gangs fighting over this illegal drug?" Runciman said.

McGuinty said the decision rests with the City.

The Liberals later handed out a release that said the Queen West Community Health Centre has distributed safe crack kits for six years so "Bob Runciman's government approved the use of public health dollars on the distribution of these packages."

The kit includes a glass stem, metal screens, a chopstick, matches, Vaseline, condoms and alcohol wipes.

Users are advised to chew sugar-free gum to stop their teeth from grinding and to try to pay their bills before getting high.

From the Toronto Sun

This reminds me of the states handing out Viagra to registered sex offenders at taxpayer's expense.

This is my favorite cheese...

Eat it on a sandwich. On crackers. Alone. Feed it to the cat. It's a bit nutty, a hint of salt. It's soft. Made from cow milk.

Forget the American kind. It's wretched. We dope our cows.

Feeling A Bit Less Tense

I watched a repeat of Law & Order: Criminal Intent and had some soup. Now I'll go back to pondering the imponderables of science and art. Perhaps I'll watch Ep 3 bonus materials. That's pretty mind numbing, right?

Knotted Guts

My guts are knotted up tonight. I need to unwind. I take things far too seriously. Such is my burden. Shame, shame. Shame on me.

Stressed This Week

I've been stressed this week. Not particularly in tune to the reason. Wednesday and Thursday I was struggling with irritability. I think I'm a bit better (calmer) today.

Next Tuesday is an election for Arnold's reform agenda. The polls look terrible. We can thank the $100 million-and-change campaign funded by unionized worker's dues and loans against dues for the next three years, that has positioned him as a child-hating, nurse-loathing, firefighter-despising, teacher-crushing, power-obsessed macho man. Arnold's been about to raise maybe a third as much for his reform agenda campaign.

Why are the unions so freaked out? Well, one measure would make teachers accountable for five years before permanence, not two. Right now CA has one of the lowest standards in the country. Moving to five years puts us with those having the highest standards.

Another measure would require unions to ask its members for permission before using dues for political campaigns. Right now in CA, even if a public employee doesn't belong to the unions she has to pay dues if her compensation package is effected by the union's negotiations. Regarding political contributions made from the dues money the Supreme Court has ruled you can "opt out" but unions don't inform their members how and those who do have been known to be black listed at work. This measure puts the onus on the union to get permission before taking more money out of your paycheck.

Still another measure would mean budgets would be reworked mid-years if revenues don't meet targets with the legislature getting first crack for 45 days and if they fail, the governor can then make changes. A lot of "conservative" types are against this since they think it'll just be an excuse to allow more borrowing. A lot of "liberal" types are against it because they really want to increase spending by raising taxes. Arnold has warned if this doesn't pass a tax increase might be required and the critics are using that as "proof" what he really wants to do is increase taxes. WTF?

And the last of Arnold's measures would mean the incumbent politicians might actually have to spend some of the money they raise for their campaigns no actual, you know, competitive campaigns! California switched to a different system in 2000 for coming up with the various district lines: the legislature decided. As you can guess, no one is at risk of being replaced because the districts are drawn so comfortable majorities of the incumbent's party are living in the district's boundaries. Politicians are picking their constituents. Neither party: Democrat or Republican, is in favor of this reform. The Republicans say it may mean they'll lose control of the national House of Representatives. The Democrats know it might mean their gargantuan majorities in both houses of the state legislature might be paired back. I say: Fuck off. Get off your lazy good for nothing asses and mind the People's business instead of those who fill your entirely unnecessary reelection coffers.

I voted yes on Arnold's reforms. 74, 75, 76 and 77.

73, not part of his agenda, is the only one leading in most polls and it'll probably be killed in the courts. It requires teens to notify parents before getting an abortion with an court-overseen exception if that could cause abuse. That's tell them, not get permission from them. Right now you can be over 12 and not have to tell anyone anything about a plan to get an abortion surgery but you need parental permission for ear-piercing and even school field trips! Since I'm one of those "evil" pro-life types, I went for a YES knowing full-well court challenges will begin as soon as the election is certified. The opposition will find a judge to declare it unconstitutional somehow. We're used that that kind of thing in California: can't win with the voters, get it shot down in court.

Speaking of "evil" pro-life types, last nights C.S.I. involved a (fictitious) organization which took in donated unused embryos and found women to "adopt" them for implantation and ultimately become their parent. Kathryn Willows took pot shots at the director of this program because Kath's "pro-choice." Willows claimed centuries ago a Pope said a baby isn't alive until a mother can feel it kick as if that has a baring on anyone who isn't Catholic and Heaven knows, no Pope in the past thousand years has been wrong! Gil Grissom, the keystone character of the series, suggested Katherine could've mentioned a verse suggesting the baby isn't alive until blood flows through it which I guess happens a few weeks into pregnancy. Kathryn also questions the director's credibility by asking if her "doctor" title was a medical doctorate which the women refused to answer. This was clearly a poke at talk radio's "Dr. Laura," an orthodox Jew known to be exceedingly blunt with her callers. She is a licensed therapist but has a doctoral degree in (I think) physiology rather than medicine. I didn't care for the way the C.S.I. regulars treated the subject and the way the embryo adoption director was portrayed as a wild-eyed religious kook. It's down right lazy and it smacks of selling an agenda. We see it all the time in dramatic fiction.

The fictitious program hardly seemed an affront to "reproductive choice": too many embryos were fertilized for in-vitro, the parents of the embryos decide to donate their unused embryos. They meet and approve the "adopter." The embryos are implanted and come to term. Oh wait, the program came into being on the notion that these frozen embryos are "pre-born" children. Can't have that! That's extreme!

There was something of another agenda-pimping show on this week but I'll write about that later. Maybe. I'm thinking of "Law & Order" (the original, not SVU or CI).

I'm two shows behind on "Prison Break" and have stopped watching "The OC" even though it returned with new shows yesterday. I've just lost interest, the show hasn't been good since season 1. This season has tried, but it's a mess. "Criminal Minds" continues to be lazy, with little real suspense. Anyone with half-a-brain could see how this weeks episode which started with the geek being razed for failing his firearm qualifier was going to end with the geek shooting someone to save the day.

I'm out of pie. Drat. Halloween was OK. Niece and nephew were over. She was a witch, he was Batman. I was very disturbed to see her repeatedly try to open the doors at homes even after she was warned. She's four but this is basic safety stuff! What is my "full-time mommy" SIL doing? I'm glad I was along taking photos.

Halloween Down Under Means...

Remains Found Near WTC Site Are Human

Oct 29, 2005 11:42 am US/Eastern

(NEW YORK) Ten bone fragments discovered more than four years after the World Trade Center attacks on the rooftop of a nearby skyscraper are human, officials said Friday... Full article.

Makes me as angry as it does sad.

Things Big and Small.

Well I gave up on that browser. Maybe when the first final release comes I'll look at it again. I wish someone could tell me why Alicia Keys' "Falling" was such a big deal. It just came on the radio and it's like wailing cats. Anyone remember that model guy from season 2 or 3 of American Idol who frolicked in the pool instead of practicing during the Hollywood round? Well he was back on TV in Smallville as "Aquaman" last week. Here's a picture. Yes, it's a shameless attempt to get someone to comment.



Congrats to Iraq for 78% approval of your constitution which will be overshadowed in U.S. media by the 2000th American soldier's death in your liberation.

Prison Break is back! I haven't caught up with the episode though. I just had to mention it was back from the baseball-caused break. I didn't feel very good today so I napped on the sofa. I am not sure I've been getting enough calories this week. No much going on for me. Mostly the usual feeling out a direction and wrestling with depressive feelings. Duckie has a birthday in a week! (See, I didn't forget this year. :P)

More detail about what's been on my mind to come in a future post. I just wanted to get something up. 'Been 34 months since father passed. It's ridiculous that I'm not "over it" yet. There are still thoughts that dwell on my mind about what it was like to be a care-giver, what it meant, father-son relationship and such. Maybe I shouldn't fight the thoughts and just accept that it's part of life. I think I fight a lot with life, rather than embrace it. At times I seem almost hostile to living, almost obsessed with streamlining other people's lives and refusal to delibrately act in my own. Wasn't always the case. Something changed. A number of personal failures and I became jaded.

Ugh!! I've got a sudden knot in my back. Where's the cat when I need her to walk all over me? She's watching TV with mother. I need to stretch.

R.I.P. "Porkins"

Texas-born actor William Hootkins has died of pancreatic cancer. He was 57 and best know as "Jek Porkins" from 1977's "Star Wars" (Episode 4, to younglings).

This is a Flock test...

I'm testing the new "flock" Firefox-based browser. I'm not ready to switch to it, but I'm mildly entertained.

I'm bored. It's Friday. I was expecting a DVD delivery but check the tracking site and to my annoyance today's delivery is backed up to Monday now. Needless to say I'm bummed. Why do people eat spicy food? Do they like burning their colon?

I have no sympathy for the schizophrenic who dropped three of her kids, ages 6, 2 and 16 months, into the S.F. bay at pier 7. Pier 7 is a big tourist spot so it's pretty obvious she wanted to be seen. Also, she actually told people earlier she was going to feed her kids to the sharks. No one took the statement seriously. Who would, right? Unfortunately, people are already playing up the race card and mental illness defense. Myself? Let's see how she likes being eaten by sharks. So far only one body has been found.

I wonder if the cat would let me take a quick nap. I'm not feeling very energetic today. Wonder if it's the cloudy / foggy weather. That's my excuse. Will possibly blog later. Time to see if this posts.

Oh look! Another one!

Meet "Wilma":

Men walk on water!?

After the flap over a "staged" "conversation with the troops" on Friday, I just had to post this from NBC Today's Show of their reporter in a boat showing the flooding in New Jersey. Oops, two guys get in the shot on live TV. Walking or water? Nope. Barely ankle deep.



They tried to play it off but they were had: "Have you run aground yet?" Katie Couric asked. "Why walk when you can ride?" Kosinski replied.

I am a FOOL!

Bah. Brother just emailed. Nephew doesn't want to go to the air show and he's decided to go into work instead.

Uber-Bah!! Meh! Feh! Lucy yanks the football again. :(

Miserable Thing That I Am

I don't remember where the title comes from but it's appropriate. I feel lousy. Didn't sleep at all well. Snoozed right through CSI last night which I've heard was a good episode. My brother decided to leave the niece out of the air show trip when she freaked out during a practice run over their neighborhood. Well that's what I was thinking when he first proposed her going. So since I'm feeling miserable, I've begged off too. I've tried to get people to boost my enthusiasm but I'm just not into it. I looked over the slate and the B2 fly over is scheduled for Sunday only. It probably won't happen. I don't think they have yet. I've seen the rest of the things displayed. More than once. Of course it probably has a deep background of things on my mind. I'm probably heading into a period of cyclical depression and withdrawal. It's been awhile. I'm feeling isolated. Duckie seems to be in hiding or has me on block. Sigh.

Will write more on other subjects.

---

Ok so I'm feeling better after Nature Called and getting a bit of food in me. I've decided to do the air show. There was something the guy on the radio said that inspired me.

The Steve and Vile Salad

Ok, I watch the stream of the "One more thing" event that Apple had on Wednesday. Steve's RDF (Reality Distortion Field) has gotten to me. The concept is solid, I've gotten the new iTunes 6 and looked at the video previews. They scale smoothly although I'm only a tiny (by modern standards) 1024x768 (SVGA) resolution. They may look awful on the new iMac or whatever most screens are today (1600x1400?)... But you have to start somewhere, right? I don't think I'll be running off to buy anything soon of course. They do have a large collection of Madonna videos but some they used to have freely available (i.e. California - Phantom Planet) cost to view now and others (i.e. Beautiful Soul - Jesse McCartney) aren't even for purchase now. They need more content.

I just had a salad that makes me want to vomit. There was some super spicy chicken in it that I took out before eating but my tummy is rocking. *sigh*

Baseball is evil. What isn't evil, anyway?

So I just found out that "Prison Break", like "the OC" and "House", is pre-empted for weeks during the baseball playoffs. Sigh. How annoying! Anyway "Prison Break" was up to #40 last week in the ratings. Upward trends are good. I watched "CSI NY" last night because "Law & Order" was doing a Terri Schiavo-inspired story and I'd had enough of that. "CSI NY" was lame. Now I know why I don't watch it regularly. A women kills a friend's adopted (not biological) daughter over a 20 year old grudge of losing a guy? Ridiculous. Worst was the mobbed up meat packing cliche. Ugh. And how many times did they have to tell us the new girl is from Montana? Bad TV.

"Criminal Minds" supposedly took place here but I didn't recognize the neighborhood. It might've been a neighboring city in the county but it was probably Canada or something. The birthday subplot of precocious geek who can't get a date was lame. Mandy was ok but he needs something to really sink his teeth into. The CG birds annoyed me. I guess trained birds cost too much. Who is developing these plots, the UCLA film school? Bah. TV this season is horrible.

Hmm to Apple's new video ipod and the new iMac. It's nice to see TV shows can be downloaded but other than Housewives I don't watch those ABC-Disney network shows. $2 per show when you can't burn them is silly. You end up paying as much for these downloads as for a DVD set. Resolution is not anywhere close to DVD. Both avoid commercials though. Oh, and these downloads cannot be burned! It's not exactly a fabulous deal. Maybe if you had broadcast quality available or could burn them you'd have something.

Ordered "Batman Begins" and "Adventures of Superman" DVD set (Muz did captions for it!) which should arrive next week. George Reeves is my all time favorite Superman. Yes, these are the black-and-white episodes but they were good enough for me as a kid, I'm sure I'll enjoy them. I don't know how many (if any) later sets I'll get but I wanted to pick up this first one. It's way overdue. I'm not sure about the 1943 Batman serials coming on DVD.

I loved the 1949 serials but these from '43 have Batman & Robin as FBI agents due to regulations of the day, is often slammed for "racist" war-time elements (the villian is an asian scientist, I think) and have a different cast from the '49 serials. If I see it cheap, maybe I'll get it. Also there is more than one version. One has sanitized dialog! That purification's almost a reason worth getting the unmolested "insensitive" version.

Sleep has improved since I voted early this week. It's probably coincidence. I also reopened the bedroom window for some fresh air while sleeping.

I think Duckie is feuding with me. I'm too emotionally tired to feud.

I'm still trying to figure out if I want to goto the air show this weekend. So many outings with my nephew have simply not happened that I think it's a defensive element now. I'm like Lucy's football and Charlie Brown. I'm not playing the Lucy part. I thought back and it's been almost a fully year since one of these planned events has actually gone off. That was Thanksgiving which only required showing up at their place and eating. Before that? I just can't remember. Hell, Mother and I even got cheated on the niece's birthday cake after we were rescheduled specifically so everyone could have it together. That was only last month. Out of defensiveness: I guess I just don't give a fig. So many times working my schedule around these events, changing my hours of sleep and so forth and nothing. Bah. "Bah!," I say!

More soon. Maybe. (Grumble... typos.)

Update

Well I'm still sleeping horribly which is a bit distressing. I wake up with chest congestion and a bit sneezy. The sheets and blankets are clean so I'm not sure where the allergen is located.

I'll probably go vote early on the mayoral race and Arnold's reform agenda. Go Arnold! Yee-haw!

Here's a new word for you folks: myrmidon (said "mere-mid-on"). It means a hired thug or unscrupulous underling. It comes from the Thessalian people (the Myrmidons) who were led by Achilles at Troy.

I'm feeling generous so here's another one: inveigle (said "in-vay-gal"). It's temptation though flattery or deception. Comes from French envegler or Old French aveugler (to blind). "The drunken fan tried to inveigle its way into Nick Carter's pants."

More TV, Health

Well I've been weird this week health-wise but I think I'm doing better. I can't tell any more.

CSI was top again last week in ratings. Last night's show was just bland and it had an actor from the series "Homicide Life on the Street" that I was not a fan of. It's bound to improve, right? Housewives was #2. I already commented on that for this week. There's no new Ths OC *this week* due to baseball but last week's episode managed only #68. It returns sometime in early November.

ER was #14. House, which I'm still not watching this season, is #17. #33 was Criminal Minds. Watched that this week. As long as they remember to keep featuring Mandy, the show will be something to fill an hour. It's not particularly noteworthy. Prison Break was #45! That's still good for the Fox TV network. West Wing was #56. I didn't tune in this week. WB's Everwood was #99 for its season premier.

TV is particularly week this season.

I'm bored so I'll end this posting here. Maybe I'll go nap.

---

Well I finally crawled from bed. What a bizarre dream of being "trapped" in some kind of large pod underwater. The pod was mobile so it wasn't much in the way of "trapped" but it was just a silly dream. The groceries are getting spartan. If I thought I could get away with it I'd probably just go back to bed. I had tuna again. No tv tonight. I'm listening to the local "soft rock" station to unwind. I'm burnt out on politics, terror panic and yammering in general.

Ears Suck.

Ok after sleeping miserably, I woke up with a small amount of vomit in my mouth. Highly unpleasant. My theory is that my left ear drained down my throat. The ear is pissed off. Perhaps infected. This ear hates me. It's always the left ear. I blame duckie because duckie is supposed to be sick. Anyway, I just don't fell good all around. Ugh.

I thought the spider outside had died because it looked like it was just hanging off its web but right side up! That was the first time I'd seen the top side of the spider. I'm pleased to say the industrious thing was seen just a few minutes ago going about its web business. Freak!

A young neighbor is back after a tour of duty. I was surprised to see him. I don't care for the odd style of short-cropped hair but it was good to see him.

Brother wants to get me to go with him and my niece and nephew to the air show in two week. Like a moron I've said OK. Now I didn't mind it two years ago when it was with my nephew who was fairly new in my life but the niece is just four, seems given to panic and one child is enough to supervise at a time. It's good exercise since it involves considerable walking. Should be plenty of extremely tanned Marines back from Iraq again.

Duckie is begging for attention so I'll stop the blog here and attend to his demands. ;)

Sleep? Housewives.

I'm struggling with sleep. It's been humid and I don't sleep well under that condition. Very obnoxious. Skipped the nephew's game today. Did a bit of groceries instead. Desperate Housewives just wasn't funny tonight; it was simply trying too hard. Next week, that's ep 3, will have more of Jesse for any fans he has reading this.

More in awhile, Duckie's actually online. He's been faking illness for days now to avoid work. ;)

Edit: I forgot to add I've lost 20 lbs (9 kg) over the summer. Yay me.

OMG! It's teh Lanth!

New pic from Katrina recovery concert annoucement:

TV Season...

CSI was top rated show last week. It wasn't good. The fun has been sucked out of the show and there just isn't enough Greg. Last night's episode was just awful. They tried to be cute with split screens and other visual tricks and it was came off as lame. I've heard Grissom and Sarah will be knocking boots this season and that rumor makes me want to vomit.

Desperate Housewives was the #2 show last week. See my earlier post on that season premier episode. Criminal Minds was #4 (CSI was the lead-in). I saw portions of the premier but even my fondness for Mandy as Jeffrey Geiger in Chicago Hope isn't enough. There are too many characters and too many cliches.

ER is tired as all hell and should be taken out to the nearest parched and left for dead. Still, somehow it came in 18th. Even mother didn't watch it last night. I skipped House (M.D.) so far this season but it was #20 in the ratings.

The West Wing came in #41. I see rumors Alan Alda's "California Republican" candidate will be elected. My favorite thriller came in #53. That's Prison Break. Not too bad for Fox and that makes it the network's 2nd highest rated drama (behind House) but the show deserves better. The O.C. is #70! Not good. The show really jumped the shark last season and it's struggling badly. This season is just an annoyance. It's on hiatus until November due to baseball playoffs.

Justice served?

Update: She was sentenced to 3 years military prison.

I Survived!

Survived the nephew's birthday. He loved the Batman gear. The niece is becoming a pest. She needs to find some discipline and develop an attention span. She's very demanding for attention which might not be too odd since she has to compete with one or both babies that the SIL takes care of. Cake was good. No vile strawberry/chocolate combo this week. I was a piggy and had two slices.

Today's ball game was ok but the nephew's team needs more batting practice. They just aren't hitting the machine pitches and the team has swelled in ranks since last week. Actually looking at some pictures I took, it seems like the machine is pitching too high for 7 year olds. I don't think I'll take in too many games. It didn't have the charm of T-Ball or the skill you can see in a Little League World Series. Next week they're playing nearer my neighborhood so I imagine I could go. Besides it can help ward off a post-game visit since I'm not ready to entertain them. I got the flooring down in the kitchen nearly complete and it should be done on Monday. I won't know what to do with myself with the kitchen wrapped up. It started back in '02.

Desperate Housewives had a decent start. Shawn Pyfrom was back as Andrew. His paternal grandmother handed him his dad's "girly magazine" (looked like an issue of Penthouse) which she'd saved. Andrew said it looked like his dad was into big breasts to which she replied he was which was why she was surprised he'd married Andrew's mother. Fans of Jesse Metcalfe will be happy with this season premier.

The West Wing, since I ignored it most of last season was ok. I'm not sure what I think of the CJ-as-leaker plot. It's hard to be interested in a show that brings in boring political news items into its plots. We're doing the Bob Novak-Karl Rove Valerie Plame schtick. I won't go out of my way to tune in. Mother had it on and I was feeling worn out.

Congrats to the LT from Law & Order for an Emmy win (for a different performance). Shame on the Emmy's for snubbing CCH Pounder of "The Shield."

That's enough for now. I need to see what I can do with my blog here. Perhaps I'll backdate some posts.

Welcome!

Hello, folks. I'm still sucking out the cobwebs. This is our new home for the "Ruminations of a Biped" blog which used to be on another blog site which unceremoniously and without notice closed up shop. Took the blog content with it so over two years of blog is gone.

I'll post more when time allows. Tomorrow is the nephew's birthday so I'll be turning in early.