Pick Two
I don’t recall when I first heard this line, but it’s been a mantra I’ve repeated time and time again ever since. It captures, in simple terms that everyone can understand, the choices that must be made when looking to purchase any service.
Wait Til Next Year
I bought a ‘W’ flag on Ebay and it arrived in yesterday’s mail. It’s the same sort of flag they fly over Wrigley Field in Chicago when the Cubs win. The flag arrived in time for some hopeful use this season, but it was not to be. The Arizona Diamondbacks swept the Cubs aside last night, winning their third straight game and ending the Cubs season. Today the ‘L’ flag flies over Wrigley, and the ‘W’ on my new flag has new meaning, ‘Wait Until Next Year’.
As dissapointing as the ending was, I enjoyed a great season with the Cubs this year. I got to see them four times, once in DC, and a wonderful three times at Wrigley in August. Winning the division championship was great, I only wish the MLB.com shop had managed to deliver my new Cubs championship cap and t-shirt to me in time to wear before their season was over.
The Cubs last won the World Series in 1908. Next year offers a poetic opportunity for a century-delayed repeat. Eamus Catuli!
Cub Clinch Division!
Happy Birthday Colleen!
You’re already in bed after your first day as an 11-year old. But while there’s still some minutes left of your birthday, I thought I’d tell you here in my blog how much we love you and are proud of you. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of you, is fun. You are a fun person to be around. You like to play games (are a wicked backgammon player), and you are also very funny (not looking, I mean humorous 🙂 You’re very curious (yes, like the monkey) – always wanting to learn new things, adventurous (yes, like a pirate) – always eager to try new things. And you are also friendly, kind, and quite a looker too!
Happy Birthday, Colleen! We’re very excited about being with you all of your 11th year.
BTW, the CUBS won tonight!
Back to School
Ah, where does the summer go? Ours was full and fun, but now September is here once again, and this week was time for heading Back-to-School.
We’ve now left elementary school behind, as Colleen enters middle school as a 6th grader, and Will is now our second child in high school. For the last twelve years we’ve had one or more kids attending Henderson Elementary School, and I’d like to say thanks for the great job they did for each of them.
This morning, Colleen and I walked to our respective bus stops together. My pickup is just across the street from hers, and just a few minutes earlier. It was kind of strange, standing across the street waving at each other. Her to catch a school bus to take her five miles to school, and me to catch a commuter bus to take me 30 miles to work.
Tonight I rushed home from work to make it to Back-to-School night at my daughter Katie’s high school. The parents there followed their children’s schedule from class to class, spending 10 minutes in each for a quick introduction and overview from the teachers. I have to confess, it made me glad that high school is far behind me. She will have a heavy workload in classes that I hope will engage as well as challenge her.
If we continued counting years as grades in our ongoing education of life, then this fall I’m a 37th grader. I’m not done learning, but the degrees I work for now come bi-weekly and have dollar signs on them.
Oh yeah, and looking back at last year, we can’t forget what else going back-to-school brings next.
Monitoring the World, by Cartoons
From today’s Washington Post (Lawmakers Describe ‘Being Slimed in the Green Zone’), describing a meeting between three members of Congress (Ellen Tauscher: D-CA, Jim Moran: D-VA, and Jon Porter: R-NV) with Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq’s National Security Advisor…
At one point, the three were trying to discuss the state of Iraqi security forces with Iraq’s national security adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, but the large, flat-panel television set facing the official proved to be a distraction. Rubaie was watching children’s cartoons.When Moran asked him to turn it off, Rubaie protested with a laugh and said, “But this is my favorite television show,” Moran recalled.Porter confirmed the incident, although he tried to paint the scene in the best light, noting that at least they had electricity.”I don’t disagree it was an odd moment, but I did take a deep breath and say, ‘Wait a minute, at least they are using the latest technology, and they are monitoring the world,’ ” Porter said. “But, yes, it was pretty annoying.”
I wonder which cartoons Mr. al-Rubaie was watching that Rep. Porter equates to ‘monitoring the world’. Are they the same ones President Bush watches?
Homemade Headline
Spotted today at New York and 14th on my way to the bus stop heading home from work. What else can you say?
Instrumental Two
This one came from my daughter Katie, it’s a fun little game that requires you to brave your iTunes library as you use it essentially as a Magic 8-Ball and allow it to answer a series of questions. Most answers will come out as nonsense, some are surprising and will test your ability to live up to Rule #3. After one false start, I took another try at it and came out with the below results. Song title links lead to SongMeanings.net or other lyrics sites for those that want to pursue further psycho-analysis.
RULES:
- Put your iTunes, windows media player etc on Shuffle
- For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
- YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS
- Put any comments in brackets or parentheses after the song name
If someone says “is this okay?” you say:
Room With No Number – Elvis Costello
(‘While the sign outside says there’s no vacancy’ – probably means I’ll respond ‘huh’ and they’ll need to ask me again)
How would you describe yourself?
Beyond the Sea – Bobby Darin
(‘I know beyond a doubt my heart will lead me there soon’ – confident and positive about the future)
What do you like in a guy/girl?
Cheat – The Clash
(‘Want excitement, don’t get none, I go wild’ – I dunno, hard to say I like lying and cheating in anyone, but maybe I just wouldn’t know?)
How do you feel today?
Birthday – The Beatles
(‘We’re gonna have a good time’ – Nice, every day is my birthday 🙂
What is your life’s purpose?
St. Thomas (Don’t You Know How I Feel) – Peter Frampton
(‘I’m gonna win ya’ – I’ve got nothing for this one)
What is your motto?
Tango Atlantico – Joe Jackson
(again, nothing)
What do your friends think of you?
Barefootin’ on the Wicket Picket – Black Randy and the Metrosquad
(Many of my friends would indeed associate me with Black Randy)
What do you think of your parents?
From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come) – Bruce Springsteen
(‘Well from small things, mama Big things one day come’ – maybe more like what my parents hope for me, than what I think of them)
What do you think about very often?
‘A’ Bomb in Wardour Street (Live) – The Jam
(‘A Phillistine nation, of degredation, And hate and war.’ – Sad, but true)
What is 2 + 2?
Just Like Paradise – David Lee Roth
(‘Make it out to cash, We’ll spend it later’ – some math even I can do in my head)
What do you think of your best friend?
Museum of Love – Daniel Johnston
(an unfamiliar tune from my own library)
What do you think of the person you like?
Aubrey – Bread
(‘And I’d go a thousand times around the world just to be closer to her than to me’ – yeah, so I have some ‘Bread’ in my iTunes, what of it?)
What is your life story?
My Daughter’s First Date – David Cross
(ah, some comedy, we’ll see if it’s funny when I’m actually faced with my daughter’s first date)
What do you want to be when you grow up?
People Are Strange – The Doors
(‘No one remembers your name when you’re strange’ – sounds like me)
What do you think of when you see the person you like?
Kosmos – Paul Weller
(‘But its to the kosmos – men dare – to look for something’ – um, my friends are spacey?)
What’s your wedding going to be like?
If She Knew What She Wants – The Bangles
(‘If she knew what she wants (He’d be giving it to her)’ – I’ve been doing my best 🙂
What will they play at your funeral?
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word – Elton John
(‘What do I do when lightning strikes me, And I wake to find that you’re not there’ – I always knew it would be a lightning strike to get me)
What is your hobby/interest?
A Bullet For Everyone (Live) – Paul Weller
(‘When it comes to the gun there’s a bullet for everyone’ – sorry, no gun hobby/interest here)
What is your biggest fear?
A Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy – The Kinks
(‘He just spends his life, living in a rock ’n’ roll fantasy’ – strike two, seems more like a dream than a fear)
What is your biggest secret?
I’m Only Thinking of Him – Man of La Mancha Soundtrack
(‘I’m only thinking of him’ – strike three, I’m not being ‘outed’ by my broadway show tunes!
What do you think of your friends?
The Hungry Wolf – X
(‘i roam ready to tear up the world’ – yeah, sounds like us)
What will you post this as?
Instrumental Two – Paul Weller
(A suitable ending, nothing but music 🙂
Thanks Katie for the laugh, that was fun. Who will be tagged to carry on the iTunes 8-ball fun?
Rats from a Sinking Ship
Rove… Gonzalez… Bush’s brain… Bush’s lawyer
Who’s next? There are sooo many good choices… Dick, Condi… hell, how long will Barney stick around? My choice, every last one of them… 511 more days.
Damn, Roberts and Alito will be hanging around much longer than that 🙁