There’s a really good article in Today’s Local News about what I’m up to. I was impressed with the flow of the story and how well he captured what Improv is about. Even better, he edited out all my verbal fumbling and made me look like I really know something about this Improv stuff.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The Aforementioned Improv
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
You Read My Mind
As some of you know, I am occasionally a little sarcastic. Okay. Revise that to be often and quite. I know when I’m pegged. But don’t throw too many stones. I know many of my readers also possess the snarky gene. I’m most often snarky in the face of stupidity. Yesterday, I had a snarky thought. Stop the presses! What was newsworthy was the fact that someone near me vocalized it. I was in the grocery store that is part of my office’s plaza and was in the checkout line. A young woman walked up to the checkout clerk and asked “Where is your refrigerated water.” The clerk looked at her as though she was crazy and replied “In the refrigerator.”
Monday, June 18, 2007
Father's Day Fun
Well, another Father’s Day in the books and I rather enjoyed myself. We made it a Father’s Weekend instead of just a day. We opted for simple burgers and dogs on the grill Friday night after which I got my presents. Most were very cool handmade items. The kids made popsicle stick frames with pictures of us that they drew. Josh also made a footprint painting with a poem in it. His Kindergarten teacher laminated the whole thing and helped him wrap it. I also got a couple of Superhero T-Shirts so Josh and I can match, as he is always wearing Marvel apparel of some sort or other. I am now the proud owner of a green T with the heads of Wolverine, Captain America, Spidey, and The Hulk and a red T with an action shot of Spidey. Woot!
Saturday we went to Olive Garden with some friends for a nice dinner. A good time was had by all even though they were out of the Torta di Chocolate and forgot to bring us our Black Tie Mousse Cake which we chose as an alternative. We forgave them. We’re magnanimous like that.
Sunday was the big adventure. We got up early and drove downtown to catch the ferry to Coronado. You can drive to Coronado, but we wanted to try out the boat. It was an easy 15-minute ride and though I am exceptionally prone to seasickness, I didn’t even entertain a notion of nausea. Upon landing, we made a short walk across a long pier and over to Bikes & Beyond. We rented a 2-pedal single bench surrey and set off to explore the island. We wanted the 4-pedal dual bench, but Josh couldn’t reach the pedals and Maya only barely could. Plus, it was a lot heavier and with the two of them and she-who-still-has-a-ways-to-go-in-recovering-her-leg-strength with me, who do you think would be supplying most of the pedal power? Opting for the lighter model was a good choice. Josh sat in the basket up front. Maya and she-who-etc-etc took turns pedaling and sitting in the middle, and I got a great leg workout. To mix it up a little, I occasionally got out and pushed while they both pedaled. That was an even better workout as I jogged along behind. With my assistance in the back and my weight not in the seat, we were able to reach tremendous speeds of six or seven miles per hour! When all of us were riding, and I was pedaling, we were passed by kids on scooters.
We pedaled all the way to the Hotel del Coronado and took a rest break so we could see the interior of the famed structure. It was designed by wizard of Oz author Frank Baum and was used in the film Some Like it Hot. It was quite fancy inside. Josh and I took a ride in the old cage style elevator just because we could. Rest break was over and we had to try to get out of the hotel grounds. That’s when we noticed the street sign. Orange. Doh! There were only a few rules with renting the pedal car. Pedestrians have the right of way. Don’t pedal it through the market area. And stay off D, E, and Orange. That explains why it was so hard to get the car up the street. Luckily, we avoided the island police as we made our way back to the bike paths and eventually the shop.
From there, it was lunch at the Bayside Café, a little playtime on the beach, and a ferry ride home. We made it back with enough time for showers, a change of clothes, and a quick stop to pick up sandwiches before the evening revels. We topped off the evening with a 3 hour Improv rehearsal. But that will have to wait until next post…
Friday, June 15, 2007
Post something You Idiot
Ok. Ok. So this blog has been pretty neglected in 2007. I am sorry. For those of you who are still checking in on me, thank you. For those who aren’t, will those of you who are let them know that there is something new? The rest of this post was deleted. Private mail me if you don't know why.
Read More......Monday, May 14, 2007
Meme Time!
I was tagged (at my own request) with a meme by net friend barbie2be. I'm trying to jump start things here. She sent me 5 random questions. Here they are, with my answers:
1. Have you ever ignored the advice of your spellchecker?
Constantly. Spell checkers are weak on technical terminology. I also like to make up my own words. There are occasions when there is no right word for a situation and I need to adjectivize a noun. (I'm ignoring sc's red flagging of 'adjectivize' right now.)
Of course, sometimes I listen even when I know the spell checker is wrong. You can get some creative names that way. My friend Patti's email alias is now indelibly in my memory as "Puffy Merger" because of a spell check.
2. If you could only listen to one CD on a cross-country drive, what would it be?
I'm guessing that an MP3 mix tape CD would be cheating. I think I'd pick something I only marginally like as listening to it for an entire cross country trip would probably kill it for me. I'm going to go with Pure 80s as I can see myself belting out these greats hour after hour.
3. When life throws you a curve ball, do you swing hard and hope you connect, or do you just duck out of the way?
I lean in and get hit by the pitch.
4. Have you ever sent food back in a restaurant, and of so, why?
Yes. It was chicken and it was not cooked all the way through. And it was pretty clearly not cooked all they way through. I also send back food when I ask for something specifically, like 'no bacon', 'no cheese', or 'no mushrooms' and they didn't listen.
5. How long does it have to be since you last saw a friend or acquaintance for you to greet them with a hug?
Not long at all. I'm a hugger. It has to be the right person though. There are people I have known for years who aren't huggable and there are people I've know for only a month or so who are.
Now you know some more random stuff about me. Doesn't that just make you want to comment?
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Your Vote Doesn't Count
Ok. This is a little out of date, but I still wanted to comment on it. Last summer there was a lawsuit here in North County San Diego regarding the special runoff election for Duke Cunningham's disgraced seat. The contest was between Democrat Francine Busby, a member of the Cardiff School Board, and Brian Bilbray, an immigration and gambling lobbyist with ties to Jack Abramoff. Polls leading up to the election showed Busby with a small lead, but one that was within the margin of error...
Bilbray ended being declared the winner by the various organizations that call these things. On the say so of the Republican Secretary of State, Bilbray was whisked away to DC and sworn in before the election was certified. Some constituents of the 50th district wanted a hand recount and were given an unreasonable price tag ($150,000) by the Republican election commissioner. You see where this is going?
Lacking other alternatives, the constituents sued the San Diego commissioner and Bilbray in an attempt to get a hand recount. Their basis for the suit included the following points:
As you can guess from the title of this article, they lost. That isn't the troubling part. The troubling part is the precedent set by the text of the ruling. You can read the summary in the North County Times or Sign On San Diego, but I'll give you the high points.
Once Bilbray was sworn in, the state no longer had jurisdiction. This conclusion arose from Article 1, section 5 of the U.S. Constitution, which states that each House is responsible for the elections of its own members. Bilbray asserted, throguh his attorney, that only the House can now challenge the election. Of course, if you accept the assertion that once he was sworn in, the state had no jurisdiction to challenge, then you also have to logically conclude that the state had no jurisdiction to certify the election. So, it never actually happened. Ergo, your vote does not count. Welcom to George Bush's Amerika. Enjoy your stay.
Monday, April 23, 2007
You Got Hockey In My Baseball
Busy day, but wanted to send along this funny courtesy of net friend barbie2be.
Now, thaht's what ahm tahkin aboot!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
One Movie to Watch and Another to Miss
I actually watched some semi-recent movies. I didn't catch them in the theater. That's why they are only semi-recent. I'm giving a thumbs up to The Good Shepherd and a thumbs down to The Pursuit of Happyness. Go below the fold if you want to know why.
The Good Shepherd stars Matt Damon as Edward Wilson. The movies uses flashbacks Wilson's life to chronicle in a fictionalized retelling of the early days of the CIA. Some of the jumps are a little confusing, but overall, the movie flows well. There are more than enough plot twists to keep you guessing. I may see it again just to fill in some of the blanks I missed. That said, the feel of the movie is very good as is the supporting cast. William Hurt, Alec Baldwin, Robert DeNiro and more all play supporting roles. The supporting standout, though, is Angelina Jolie as Wilson's long suffering wife. She gives a strong performance that is aided by the makeup people who did a nice job of aging her through the movie.
By contrast, The Pursuit of Happyness stars Wil Smith as Chris Gardner. It also features his real life son Jaden as Gardner's son Christopher. This one is also based on a true story. Unlike Good Shepherd, though, this one is entirely predictable. Smith turns in a very good performance, but the movie is too angsty throughout. They really drive home all the obstacles he needs to overcome as they railroad the story from misery to misery and try to create suspense. "What is going to happen to Gardner and his son?" But the ending is never really in doubt and the emotional uplift is too little, too late to make this worth watching.
We also did a nostalgia turn and watched The Court Jester, starring Danny Kaye, a young (and surprisingly attractive) Angela Lansbury, and Basil Rathbone. I've been on a Danny Kaye kick lately as I prep to portray him in an Andrew's sisters tribute show. So, I've been working on his mannerisms and voice. The kids have been enjoying him greatly. His movies aren't great cinema compared to the movies of today, but his comedy is wonderful. Josh watched this and he watched the recent Dreamworks flick Flushed Away. Afterwards, he told me, "Danny Kaye is better than Flushed Away. Kids today just don't know it." That's my boy.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Why Is It Called...?
We were on vacation a couple weeks ago and decided to try to do a couple of days at Disney before our passes expired. We were forced to change this to one day as our passes were blacked out for Good Friday. It's just as well as the place was obscenely crowded. As I was explaining all this to the kids, Maya asked what Good Friday was. So, I decided to explain it the best my Jewish upbringing would allow. "Christians believe that Good Friday represents the day that Jesus was crucified. Easter Sunday is the day he rose from the dead." She thought about that for a moment. "That's the day he was crucified?", she asked. "That's what the believe," I answered. "Then why do they call it GOOD Friday?" "That's a very good question," was all I could come back with. Anyone?
Read More......Monday, April 16, 2007
More Car Nonsense
Ok. Perhaps I shouldn't have jinxed myself. We all know how fickle the fates are. Granted, all I said was I wanted to wrap it up. I wasn't asking for St. Christopher to come down and lay hands on my car, making it new. I was just looking for closure. Which is why I shouldn't be surprised that I was rear-ended on my way to the dentist...
I was about fifth or sixth back in a column of cars. As each car in front of me stopped for the red light ahead of us, the gap between cars for stopping naturally shrank. I had just enough space to stop. The woman behind me, less so. WHAM! I bounced forward and then back. No airbag deployment. No shattered glass flying. Just your basic impact, lurch forward, and lurch back. However, the sudden throw did cause me some pain in my shoulders, neck, and lower back. And what are you not supposed to do if you think you have a back or neck injury? That's right. No moving allowed. So, I used my cell phone to dial 911. I didn't even get out to look at the damamge. The other motorist did not get out either. From what I could see in my rear view, she looked like a young woman in her twenties. She seemed unhurt, but upset.
I got through to 911 and was placed on hold. No operators available. I'm not kidding. All I could think was, good thing nobody is bleeding. I hung up and tried the local police department, since that was who I needed anyway. While I was in their menu system, a police car drove by. It didn't stop. It just drove by. I was unsuccessful in signalling them, so I went back to the phone tree. I couldn't get through the menu to a person. The automated message said to call 911. I called them back and this time got a person. He took all my info and said the fire department was on the way.
Huh? Not the police? Well, I was in no position to argue. Apparently the EMTs ride with the fire engines. So, the EMTs arrived in short order and did their assessment. The other woman was unhurt, but since I was complaining of back and neck pain, they decided to put a collar on me and strap me to a back board. Even though I wzas fairly certain I had no spinal damage, that is not something you want to take risks with. So, I was strapped down nice and tight and whisked away in an ambulance. (Special kudos to the fire fighters at Escondido Station No. 4 - They drove my car to the station so I didn't have to worry anbout towing or security or anything like that.)
The ride to the ER was nice and bumpy and made me more than a little motion sick. This is actually a more significant concern when you are strapped on your back and immobile. I told the EMT I'd try to hold it in so she didn't have to spray down the rig and she told me not to worry. She'd just roll the board on its side. Several bumps and a fortunate lack of vomit later, I was rolled into the ER and swapped to an ER bed. The nurse informed me that I couldn't come off the board until the doctor checked me and left.
Fortunately, there was a TV. Unfortunately, it was on Dr. Phil. And I was strapped to a board. Add some toothpicks to my eyes and we'd have Clockwork Orange. Dr. Phil was very sensitively ripping apart Anna Nicole's half-sister for trying to cash in on her sister's death. I was trying to gnaw through the back board restraints. The doctor came in and undid the collar for my first test. He poked at various spots along my upper spine and said "does this hurt?" It didn't, so he told me he'd check back again in 10 minutes and put the collar back on. As I lay there, Phil dissolved into Oprah, who wanted us all to take a test to determine how happy we were. I was pretty sure I was not happy to be in the ER and strapped to a board. No quiz needed.
The doctor came back and we repeated the test. Still no pain. So, he released me from the board and the collar. No X-Rays needed. Ahhhhhhh. Relief. Then he made sure I could move my extremities and had me lay still for a while again. He said that if I was still doing all right in a while, he'd let me go. It was at this time that She-Who-Occasionally-Shows-Sympathy arrived to take care of me. She fed me nacho chips and lemonade while we waited for me to be discharged. They told me that if I thought I felt bad now, I'd be worse tomorrow. Lovely. They offered me painkillers, but I'm not a fan of how that stuff makes me feel and I wasn't in THAT much pain. So, I passed. I was sore and miserable, but I could live with it. That plus the fact that SWOSS has a mini pharmacy of her own for joint and muscle pain.
The next morning, we went to get the car. At least, I thought, I would be able to get the damage fixed on someone else's nickel. When we got to the fire station, we saw the extent of the damage. I'd post the picture, but the zoom level I'd need to be at for you to see the scratch she left would be hard to achieve. That's right. My car can't handle rolling into a fire hydrant at 2 mph, but a read ending from another car? No sweat.
End result? Stupid car is still broken and not likely to get fixed, I missed a couple days work, and I have a stiff and sore back for a couple weeks. My weight loss was going pretty well, too. But now I have to take a break from basketball. Crap.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Car Saga Update
Well, I am back from vacation and mostly caught up at work and at home. I'll post about the vacation and other assorted happenings later. First, I'd like to wrap up the car saga insofar as it can be wrapped up for now...
As you may recall, the first estimate I got for the repair work was $2800. That was not a promising start at all. So, I shared the saga with Jeff, a car savvy buddy at work. He felt the total was a little high so he suggested a couple other body shops in the area. I offered to treat him to lunch if he'd come along. Free lunch to go to a car place? I didn't have to ask him twice. We grabbed Sal because mischief is more fun with three and off we went.
We headed south of the office and took our business to El Dorado Collision Center in Poway. We made small talk with the office manager while one of the service technicians was paged. John came right out and we walked out to the vehicle. He looked at it and gave an off the cuff estimate that was even higher than my first estimate. I'm sure if he sat down and did the detail work it would have come out closer to the $2800 number, but his overall point was that it was likely not worth it for me to do it. He wanted, instead, to focus on the problem of getting the trunk functional.
After a careful examination, he told me there was no reason the trunk could not be opened. The damage was not sgnificant enough to wedge it closed. Therefore, the mechanism was the likely culprit. He got me a flashlight and a screwdriver so I could crawl into the trunk from the inside and jimmy the mechanism. I figured out how to get it to pop open with a little help from Jeff and Sal. They flipped the release repeatedly so that I could see the device attempting to act. My keen mechanical eye combined with the flashlight and screwdriver to do the rest. Clunk! The trunk popped open and in flowed sweet, cool air. Inside the trunk was rather hot given that it was around 85 degrees outside.
Once it was open, John carefully removed the carpeted lining around the mechanism and examined it while we tried to work the release. He showed me how I could take it apart with some pretty basic tools and said that the release wire either just came loose or the wire was stretched and needed to be repaired. Based on this, I was able to see (without even removing the bolts) that the release wire just came out of its groove. I put it back and and we did a little testing. Trunk victory!
John basically served as a service consultant. He diagnosed the problem and guided me through fixing it. He spent about 15 minutes with us and didn't charge me a thing! I told him if I ever needed vehicle body work again, I'd definitely head in his direction. And you should too! If you are interested, I can recommend them for their integrity and Jeff can recommend them for quality of work. El Dorado Collison Center
12502 Poway Road
Poway, CA 92064
My story didn't exactly have a happy ending. I still have an ugly dent in the trunk and bumper. The big dent needs to be sanded out and painted over as it is already starting to rust. But John managed to make it a less miserable ending. The car still functions and was never terribly lovely to begin with. All things considered, it was about as good as I could expect.
With that taken care of, it was off to lunch!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
How Much Would You Pay?
Well, my long silence has ended. Will it last? Who knows. The desire is there, but the drive seems to fail me when it comes time to post. And speaking of the drive failing me...
Yes. Check out these lovely pictures of the rear left corner of my car. I was involved in a minor accident. Who was at fault? That depends on whether or not you think the hydrant was capable of movement. This is what happens when a hydrant is in your blind spot and there is a curb preventing you from cutting the wheel back. 
Unfortunately for me, the hydrant was not a residential one, but rather an industrial one. Those are just a bit taller and have protrusions at the top and the center. The height, as you can see, is just right for denting a bumper and a corner panel at the same time. I wasn't even backing up fast. I didn't hit the accelerator at all. I just put it in gear, rolled backwards, and CRUNCH!
The dent was of sufficient size and location so as to prevent my trunk from opening without professional assistance. I called the insurance company to find out if there was any help there. They told me that if I filed a claim and the damage was over $750, I'd get 2 points added to my license and my premiums would skyrocket. So, I opted not to use the service I pay so handsomely for. Instead, I went to a body shop. Anyone care to guess what they want to fix it? This would include the bumper, the trunk, the dent, and the paint.
Ready?
$2800!
I checked the blue book value on this guy and, if it were in excellent condition (which it damn well better be after $2800 of body work) it would be worth $5700. The value if I can get the trunk open and leave it as is? $4700. Trade-in value as is? $3000. I will, of course, be getting a second opinion. I mean, that is freaking nuts. What is the insurance definition of totaled? For some, it is 51% of value. If we assume a middle ground valuation due to the fact that the car was not in "Excellent" condition before I crunched it, that gets us $5200. That means my repairs would be around 54% of the vehicle's value. I backed into a hydrant at under 5 mph and totaled my car.
How humiliating.
Stay tuned. The saga continues.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Fun With Microwaves
I have to blog this story because of all the fun James and I used to have with Microwaves. Apparently, some researchers in Florida have determined that microwaving a sponge kills the bacteria. They proved this by soaking a sponge in waste water and microwaving it for 2 minutes. After reading the reports, people had to try for themselves. They ran into problems. Can anyone guess? That's right, they didn't WET the sponges. They microwaved dry sponges with unfortunate results. Of course, they blamed the reporting agencies. Here's my favorite quote:
First, the sponge is worthless afterwards so you have to throw it out instead of using it. And second your entire house stinks like a burning tire for several hours, even with windows/doors open,You know, because the burning sponge isn't an indication that he's done it wrong. That was obviously part of the experiment. Yet another thing to add to the disclaimer list. Read More......
Thursday, January 18, 2007
You Call That an Improvement?
So, when I started blogging again, recently, I upgraded my Blogger account. Now my recent comments hack is broken and they want me to upgrade my template. So, it looks like I may have to dig in to the template code again and futz around. That's so much more fun than actually writing. *sigh* If you notice anything not working in your browser, let me know.
Read More......Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Show of Hands
How many of you thought I was dead. Be honest. I admist, I've been gone for a while. At first, there was stuff. Then more stuff. Eventually, it was hard to pick back up again. What do you say? How do you sum up everything that kept you away from your community for six months more or less. Let's see.
Life sucked. It's better now.
That ought to do it.
I'm back and digging my way out. Don't expect a crazy mad flurry of posting. But I will try to easer my way back into regularity. Fiber and all that.
Thanks to those of you who checked on me and were concerned. Sorry I wasn't the best correspondent. I'll do better.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
It Be Talk Like a Pirate Day, ARRRRRRRRR!
My pirate name is:
Captain Sam Flint
Even though there's no legal rank on a pirate ship, everyone recognizes you're the one in charge. Like the rock flint, you're hard and sharp. But, also like flint, you're easily chipped, and sparky. Arr!
part of the fidius.org network
For more piratey fun, check out International Talk Like a Pirate Day And if you need any help with the talking, go see Ol' Chumbucket and Cap'n Slappy. They'll help you learn the Five A's
Read More......
Thursday, September 07, 2006
They Love Us!
Check out the reviews for Guys and Dolls! Both the North County Times and the Poway Chieftain agree that we rock. Some excerpts from the Times include:
The company's summer staging of the classic musical "Guys and Dolls" is their best yet at the outdoor venue, with a strong principal cast, smooth pacing, elaborate sets and costumes and sharp choreography.And why not a little pat on the back for yours truly?
Scott Kolod and Brian Weissman are both strong singers and colorful personalities as the gambling duo Benny Southstreet and Nicely Nicely Johnson, and their delivery of the musical's Runyonesque dialogue is just right.This is definitely one of the better shows I've been a part of, so it's nice to see that recognized, particularly by a normally tough critic.
The Poway paper's review is also very good, though has a minor factual inaccuracy. Frank Sinatra did not play Sky Masterson.
However, the true standout is lead actor Bob Himlin, playing Sky Masterson, a role assumed in the film version by the ever-suave Frank Sinatra. Himlin does quite admirably in shoes formerly occupied by so lofty a personage.Still, as Bob said, nothing wrong with a comparison to Sinatra. And this reviewer can be forgiven a detail like that. After all, she thinks
...this “Guys and Dolls seems at times almost every bit as good as a professional version might be.She, too, was a fan of Scott's and my performances:
Two standouts in this supporting cast in which everyone is notable are Brian Weissman as Nicely Nicely Johnson and Scott Kolod as Benny Southstreet.Read More......
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Boa To Be Wild
I was trying to think of a name for this post that included the boa and the slippers, but I thought "Slip Me The Boa" would get the wrong kind of search hits. The only other thing I had was "Pink Slip" and that might make people think of things I'd rather they didn't. At least not with respect to me. Anyway, I owe you all an update on my fundraising activities, especially since you all have been such big supporters...
We've reached level 2. I have the Red Sox cap and I'll be getting the Yankee cap later today. I just need to find a place I can legally burn it. Soon!
Level 3 pictures are here! Because I made you wait, I wore the slippers for two days. They may make a comeback if I make it all the way to level 8.
Level 4 pictures are up and I look fabulous in Robin's boa. I also wore this one for two days to make up for the delay. 
Level 5 is reached, which is the tutu. I'm having trouble finding one, but I'll make that up to you as well. I had said I'd wear it over my normal clothes. Instead, I'll wear it with pink tights. I'm going to check my theater's costume collection this weekend.
We have level 6 as well. Since I have the pink outfit, we'll leapfrog that one while we are waiting. That'll have to be a one day affair though I may reprise it after the outfit is through the laundry. I'm wearing the outfit now and will get it photgraphed today.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Opening night!
Well, Guys and Dolls opened last night and the opening was great! We had over 100 people there and the mistakes were minimal, forgivable, and well covered. The North County Times did a bit on us in their Preview section and the Union Tribune listed us as a Best Bet. Recognize the guy in the NC Times photo? We also had a few reviewers there last night. It will be interesting to see what they say. Of course, I'll link to all reviews as soon as they come out. Stay tuned! And if you are in the area, stop by Kit Carson park and check us out!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Perhaps There IS Hope for Democracy
A new poll came out recently on the heels of the assorted "voting irregularities" in places like Ohio and California
Asked whether Americans have the right to view and obtain information about how elections officials count votes, 92% of respondents concurred.
In the poll, they asked a number of questions about voting transparency. People overwhelmingly support checks and balances on our elections process. So, how do we turn this sentiment into action? November is nearly upon us and e-voting machines are becoming more and more prevalent. Here in San Diego, you enter and electronic vote and it gets stored in the machine at the precinct. Then the precinct votes are aggregated and sent to the central tabulator. It spits out the results. No ballots. No paper trail. No verification.
The Open Voting Consortium has what I would consider a decent solution. Any thoughts as to how we make it happen?
Read More......
Subscribe to:
Comment Feed (RSS)
