Video Killed the Radio Star

One good thing about going to work when the kids are home from school is I don't have to listen to those video games. Explosions, screams, gunshots, bells, whistles - a cacophony that they seem oblivious to. And loud too. Blasting it so I can hear it outside and yet they are a few feet from the speakers. (Whoa, I think I just channeled my father).

I probably don't like the video games because in general I suck at them. If it's anything more than the intense action of Tiger Woods Golf I have no chance. It only takes a few seconds before I'm blown to nanobits. And the boys find this amusing. Hahaha.

The new Wii is interesting. The graphics are so-so but the controllers are cool. You need to move the controllers to mimic that action on the screen. So you swing the controllers like a baseball bat, tennis racquet, golf club, etc. There's a boxing game where you move your hands to simulate the punches. So far the kids have declined to play this one with me. I don't think they trust me. ;-)

Money

One thing I noticed yesterday while walking around was the number of stores open on Christmas Day. Usually it's just the supermarket and the bakery that are open for the morning hours. But yesterday the Dunkin Donuts was open all day. CVS was open until 5. The chinese takeout place was open. The pizza place was open. Even McDonald's was open, all day. I remember their sign saying "Open all year except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day". I'm guessing that sign has changed.

I imagine the stores will be a madhouse today. I had my fill of them last week. I'm staying away this week.

Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow

This is the front of my friend Kevin's house. He used fishing line to hang the snowflakes from his house to the tree in front to look like it's snowing on the reindeer. I know he made the deer himself, not sure about the snowflakes but I wouldn't doubt it. He's very talented when working with tools. A very peaceful display.

Baby You Can Drive My Car

Finished. I figure my Xmas shopping took me about 7 hours all together. That includes traveling time. Not too bad, and I didn't get into any fights. There was a little smoke coming out of the credit card.

I am loathe to call someone else an idiot, being of limited intelligence myself, but my goodness there are some idiots out there on the road. I haven't seen so many stupid maneuvers well since about last year at this time. I drive in rush hour traffic every day so I'm used to driving when there are a lot of cars around. But it's like these people still think they are on their couches watching TV. You're not, you're in a vehicle that can cause mayhem and destruction to those around you. I saw someone make a 90 degree right from the middle lane to get off an exit. IDIOT!! I don't know how he didn't get broadsided.

Tonight I'll be going to Joe and Linda's house for Christmas Eve. There's always too much food there, too much good tasting food. She was telling me the menu last night. I could put on 10 pounds tonight. Luckily someone gave me the Metabolism Advantage for a gift. I'll be starting to read that tomorrow in the quiet time when the kids go to visit their mother. The New Year starts next week and I need a plan.

I want to wish everyone out there a very Merry Christmas to you and your family. Thanks for putting up with me, I know it's not always easy.

Happy Xmas

Shopping day 2 went well. I got in and out pretty quick and traffic wasn't as bad. I'm hoping everyone else has completed their shopping and I have missed the crowds. Yeah, right. Of course getting out late means there is less of a selection. I hope the boys don't mind finding this under the tree for them.

I picked up a John Lennon compilation CD for myself while out shopping and listened to it in the car on the ride home. Great stuff, Lennon was such a great writer and performer. The Beatles were my introduction to rock n roll (yes, I'm old enough to have seen them on Ed Sullivan). They were a great band and I always liked Lennon the most out of all of them. My parents didn't think too much of this loud, raucous music I was listening to. Although every once in a while my father would come into my room, listen for a minute or two and say "OK, I'm hearing this one" and leave shaking his head in approval.

I'm thinking of getting myself a guitar for Xmas. If I don't buy for me no one will. It will mean I'll have to cut back a little from the kids, but they have plenty and Daddy worked hard this year. Now the tough decision - acoustic or electric? If I was still in the apartment it would have to be acoustic. But since I'm in the house, and can get as loud as I want the electric is tempting. Hmmmm I'll have to think about this one.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Started my Christmas shopping tonight. It's a mad house out there. The traffic, the parking, the crowded stores. It's insane. Why do I do this every year? I always wait until the last minute (told you I was crazy).

So then I do drive-by shopping. I know what I'm going to get, I know where I'm going to get it. I plan my strategies so I'm in and out quickly. There's no chance for the pressure and tension to build from an extended stay in the chaos I have thrown myself into. I pity a mall Santa the day that happens.

The only drawback of this method is I'm usually out for 1 ro 2 items at a time. Which means I'll be doing this the rest of the week. I've been out shopping on Christmas Eve for the last few years and I expect I'll be doing it again this year.

So all is going well tonight. I find exactly what I want and turn to head for the registers to make the purchase. Now, I know there's going to be a line so I don't head exactly to the registers, more to the general area to find my way along the line. And here it is. It doesn't look so bad. I start to follow the line to head for the back. And I'm walking. And walking. And walking. And finally I'm at the end. Which I now notice is about 2 feet from where I decided to "turn and head for the registers". And it takes freaking 25 minutes to go through this line and they had at least 10 registers open. AAAUUGH!!!!!

I hope tomorrow's plan works better.

Sunday Morning Sunshine

Yes, the sun is shining and I have no pain from last night. Ah, must be that good Irish blood.

Women talk dirty. Nasty. Yes, men will talk dirty too. "Nice rack", "now there's a cute ass", stuff like that. But you won't catch a group of men together and one will say "my woman is good but when she touches her ear lobes with her knees it's like heaven". Not happening.

But get a group of women together and a couple of drinks and it all comes out. In very graphic detail. And gentlemen, every woman in that group knows all the details about you. Down to the millimeter. And if you haven't been good to your woman your proud 157 mm could become 145 mm in the conversation. (you can check for the conversion from metric here). And we won't even go into your performance there, stud. They know about that, too, and it's not a pretty tale, Casanova.

I did learn some useful information, at least for single guys. Apparently the phases of a relationship as it progresses are 1) swallow 2) spit and 3)"You want me to do what?" So now, when arriving at phase 2, I'll have to give serious consideration about the relationship in it's entirety. ;-)

Saturday Night's Alright

The kids are off to the movies (the James Bond flick) so it's quiet here. The laundry is almost done, dishes finished, the house is in order. Running out of things to do.

That last movie I went to see was Click, the Adam Sandler flick. It was OK (I was pleasantly surprised when Kate Beckinsale appeared in it. That woman is fiiiinnnneeee). I usually don't go to movies alone. I don't know why. I'll go other places by myself, bars, concerts, clubs with live music. Maybe it's because the movies always end up on TV anyway, so what's the hurry in seeing it in a theater.

I have some beer left over from the party, but drinking alone is no fun either. Besides I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm spending a night like Gobbla does. ;-)

Ah, well, gotta go fold this last load and then figure out something to do.

Later.

You May Be Right

I may be crazy.

Well, not certifiable, "please come with us and put this jacket on when we go into our nice white van" crazy. But certainly crazy. I kinda think it's a good thing, to be a little off. But then I'm the one who says it's OK. And I'm crazy. Hmmm, that can't be right.

#2 sucks.

(beer was not involved in the making of this post).

Counting Out Time

I had a party at the house on Saturday night. The first one since I moved in. For a lot of my friends it was the first time they had been to the house. I spent a lot of the day cleaning and organizing (I'm not a good housekeeper). And the was the first thing the women commented on, how clean it was. A mental note has been made. It went pretty well, although one guy was having a little hissy time. Ah, I can't make everyone happy.

Spent part of yesterday cleaning up a little bit and listening to
Live. They are such a good band, I'm surprised more people don't listen to them. Most people I know have no idea who this band is, but the put out such good music and put on great shows. The Distance to Here is my favorite album of theirs. Check them out.

The kids came home last night and saw the house cleaned up. I warned them if they mess it up they'll be sent to live with their mother. So far they are keeping it neat.

Took a walk last night to do some thinking (this always works for me). The Christmas lights are going up all around the neighborhood. I like seeing the lights, it takes your mind off other things, so the walk and the lights picked me up. Next time I'll take the camera for some pics to post.

Spam

Like everyone else I get my share of spam. Not as much as some I hear but about 30 - 40 per week. And of course it's the usual male enhancement/sexual aid variety. I usually go through the spam folder to see if any real messages get sent there in error. When flipping through today one caught my eye. It was one for viagra/levitra/cialis but it was the subject line that caught my eye. It simply said "Prestidigitado". I thought that one was clever.