Monday, May 23, 2005
sounds like rain...
and my car windows are WIDE open! wish i could do something about the hole in my head...
it's like driving down Havana...
yesterday, we were heading north on Havana, just past Buckingham Square, when i had a flashback (sorry, not drug related). it was about dusk...we passed the massive flag in front of the car dealership near Exposition.
Thawin Kittikunsereekam
huh?
when i was in middle school, Vinh Nguyen was the king of the table tennis courts. this little vietnamese kid just smoked his opponents with his swift reactions and deft flicks of the wrist.
until one day...
a new kid with an unpronounceable name ravaged poor Vinh in his once unpenetratable territory. all we knew was that he stomped the sheeyit outta him...beating him by at least ten points in every set.
who was this new guy?
a week later, while in science class, someone came to the room, looking for a cantonese speaker. well, who do ya think they picked? yep.
apparently, they needed someone to translate in the office for a new kid and his classes/abilities. now, my cantonese is not the best, but it was either me or Lisa, who was mixed and even less fluent.
we walk into Mr. Dreith's office and lo and behold, it's the vinh-dicator. he was about my height and with scrawniness to match. who was this david? did he have a sling with that ping pong paddle?
to be honest with ya, vinh was a head shorter than both of us. i just prefer the sarcastic metaphor ;)
well, i found out that the kid with the unpronounceable name was actually Chinese, but raised in thailand. his name was Thawin (tah-win) and he had a freaky sixteen letter last name - Kittikunsereekam. he was here to attend 8th grade and was living with his uncle...on Galena...just northwest of Buckingham Mall.
fast forward to 1987. Thawin and I were just finishing off our junior year in high school. And before every Calculus study session, we'd head to my house and held the ping pong challenge.
unfortunately, i was a mere mortal to this table tennis juggernaut. even with a ten point advantage, i beat him once out of the dozens of times we played. good thing i still could stomp him in chess...or English (hey, no fair...so what if i was born here).
for some odd reason, i have an image burnt in my mind of walking down Havana at sunset, towards the King Soopers. it was one of the few times i ever studied at his house...but it remains vivid, even after 18 years.
so anytime i pass the huge flag in front of the car dealership near the intersection of Havana and Exposition, i think of Thawin. and if i ever pass it at dusk, the exact 1987 image pops into my head.
funny how the mind works whenever you don't need it (to)...
anyway, after high school, we kept in touch. i went to archaeology and he went to mechanical engineering. in 1994, Thawin returned to his little corner in Hat Yai, Thailand...and i haven't seen him since. other than some emails and a couple xmas cards and photos, i only know that he's married and has a kid and another on the way.
just last week, i reestablished contact with him (after a few years of non-contact). and guess what popped into my head the moment i opened his email? uh-huh...huge flag, Havana traffic, and the oncoming May dusk.
now, if i could figure out some sort of Pavlovian process to make me blog...i could probably market it. as long as it doesn't taste like chinese herbal medicine ;)
Thawin Kittikunsereekam
huh?
when i was in middle school, Vinh Nguyen was the king of the table tennis courts. this little vietnamese kid just smoked his opponents with his swift reactions and deft flicks of the wrist.
until one day...
a new kid with an unpronounceable name ravaged poor Vinh in his once unpenetratable territory. all we knew was that he stomped the sheeyit outta him...beating him by at least ten points in every set.
who was this new guy?
a week later, while in science class, someone came to the room, looking for a cantonese speaker. well, who do ya think they picked? yep.
apparently, they needed someone to translate in the office for a new kid and his classes/abilities. now, my cantonese is not the best, but it was either me or Lisa, who was mixed and even less fluent.
we walk into Mr. Dreith's office and lo and behold, it's the vinh-dicator. he was about my height and with scrawniness to match. who was this david? did he have a sling with that ping pong paddle?
to be honest with ya, vinh was a head shorter than both of us. i just prefer the sarcastic metaphor ;)
well, i found out that the kid with the unpronounceable name was actually Chinese, but raised in thailand. his name was Thawin (tah-win) and he had a freaky sixteen letter last name - Kittikunsereekam. he was here to attend 8th grade and was living with his uncle...on Galena...just northwest of Buckingham Mall.
fast forward to 1987. Thawin and I were just finishing off our junior year in high school. And before every Calculus study session, we'd head to my house and held the ping pong challenge.
unfortunately, i was a mere mortal to this table tennis juggernaut. even with a ten point advantage, i beat him once out of the dozens of times we played. good thing i still could stomp him in chess...or English (hey, no fair...so what if i was born here).
for some odd reason, i have an image burnt in my mind of walking down Havana at sunset, towards the King Soopers. it was one of the few times i ever studied at his house...but it remains vivid, even after 18 years.
so anytime i pass the huge flag in front of the car dealership near the intersection of Havana and Exposition, i think of Thawin. and if i ever pass it at dusk, the exact 1987 image pops into my head.
funny how the mind works whenever you don't need it (to)...
anyway, after high school, we kept in touch. i went to archaeology and he went to mechanical engineering. in 1994, Thawin returned to his little corner in Hat Yai, Thailand...and i haven't seen him since. other than some emails and a couple xmas cards and photos, i only know that he's married and has a kid and another on the way.
just last week, i reestablished contact with him (after a few years of non-contact). and guess what popped into my head the moment i opened his email? uh-huh...huge flag, Havana traffic, and the oncoming May dusk.
now, if i could figure out some sort of Pavlovian process to make me blog...i could probably market it. as long as it doesn't taste like chinese herbal medicine ;)
yucky...
as of late, i've been abusing my contact lens use. yep. nothing like poor upkeep to tempt bacteria and other goodies into my eyes.
last tuesday, i noticed a bit of redness in my left eye and took it as a sign to take out my contacts...and leave 'em out for a bit. well, over the course of three or four days, my eye reddened and subsided...and my vision worsened to the point of a weird blindness - liken it to looking through a piece of wax paper. NOT GOOD.
after getting a hold of some antibiotic eye drops i obtained from the opthamologist, i made an appointment with my acupuncturist. after suffering through a bout of labyrinthitis in 1996, i've always made a point to consult my acupuncturist when western medicine didn't help. and the pills they gave me only worked for two days...
so...i was a human pin cushion on my left side this afternoon. a couple needles in my foot...a few in my arm...three in my neck...and two in my eyebrow. that's not the yucky part though.
nope.
the yucky part is the powdered herbs that i'm supposed to dissolve in two oz. of water, twice a day. ewww. never pleasant tasting, but always effective.
ya see, puttin' needles in ya and drinking foul tasting herbs usually go hand in hand when it comes to chinese medicine. the needles start the healing process and the herbs accelerates it. now, both aren't always necessary, but this time it was.
so i get another dose tonight and maybe eight more after that. oh joy.
happy drinkin'
...GAG!
last tuesday, i noticed a bit of redness in my left eye and took it as a sign to take out my contacts...and leave 'em out for a bit. well, over the course of three or four days, my eye reddened and subsided...and my vision worsened to the point of a weird blindness - liken it to looking through a piece of wax paper. NOT GOOD.
after getting a hold of some antibiotic eye drops i obtained from the opthamologist, i made an appointment with my acupuncturist. after suffering through a bout of labyrinthitis in 1996, i've always made a point to consult my acupuncturist when western medicine didn't help. and the pills they gave me only worked for two days...
so...i was a human pin cushion on my left side this afternoon. a couple needles in my foot...a few in my arm...three in my neck...and two in my eyebrow. that's not the yucky part though.
nope.
the yucky part is the powdered herbs that i'm supposed to dissolve in two oz. of water, twice a day. ewww. never pleasant tasting, but always effective.
ya see, puttin' needles in ya and drinking foul tasting herbs usually go hand in hand when it comes to chinese medicine. the needles start the healing process and the herbs accelerates it. now, both aren't always necessary, but this time it was.
so i get another dose tonight and maybe eight more after that. oh joy.
happy drinkin'
...GAG!
time...
just gets away from ya when you don't feel like blogging. alas, the blogging police (aka, CB) is out in force. but hey, we can't all be going to her place; i'll try to do my part...really!
and to what was the above alluding? not a damn thing, just a ramble.
big news! my sister, Susie, gave birth to her first child last thursday. Christian Albert Richard Downs came into the world on 5/19/05 at 5:19(!) PM via c-section. poor thing. his head got stuck in her pelvic bone, so that was the only option.
7 lbs. 4.8 oz.
20"
cute as a button. just downright adorable. haven't loaded any pics yet...but will do so soon.
anyway, sis is getting out of the hospital today. it was supposed to be yesterday but Christian had a bit o' jaundice and dehydration, so the homecoming will be around 6:00.
and to what was the above alluding? not a damn thing, just a ramble.
big news! my sister, Susie, gave birth to her first child last thursday. Christian Albert Richard Downs came into the world on 5/19/05 at 5:19(!) PM via c-section. poor thing. his head got stuck in her pelvic bone, so that was the only option.
7 lbs. 4.8 oz.
20"
cute as a button. just downright adorable. haven't loaded any pics yet...but will do so soon.
anyway, sis is getting out of the hospital today. it was supposed to be yesterday but Christian had a bit o' jaundice and dehydration, so the homecoming will be around 6:00.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
eight days already?
time to get off my lazy blogging ass and catch up some, eh?
well, the baby shower that susie's co-workers held was a small affair - 15 people. still, she freakin' cleaned up. all kinds of clothes, especially socks. that boy must've gotten three or four dozen pairs... the family/friends shower is saturday. we'll see what kind of goods she'll hoard then ;)
been going out again. i'm really in a funk about cooking dinner. i've got great ideas and am usually an excellent improviser, but it's just the action of cooking; neither of us has felt like it.
last thursday, we drove on over to our fave Mexican restaurant, which has relocated to the same area as Pat's (Cindi's favorite philly steak joint), only to find that the renovations still hadn't been completed. sigh. to go two months without the #9 combination at La Cocina de Marcos is unjust.
tired of all the places around there, i decided that we were gonna try a new place that had recently been reviewed in the Denver Post. it's a teeny little place that sits a half block from my ol' high school, in a really short strip mall just off of Leetsdale and Monaco.
Italian.
it's called Nonna's Bistro...and it's a keeper. lois had penne with spicy sausage and i had the asparagus ravioli...mmm-good. one of the best touches was serving a freshly baked mini loaf of bread, steaming hot with a side of marinara for dipping. good coffee too. we'll hafta go back soon to sample the rest of the menu.
really though, it wasn't the food that was most memorable. nope. it was something that happened towards the end of our meal.
a couple walked in and was given the choice of a corner booth in the back or the first booth near the window. they chose the latter, probably to catch the beginning of the sunset.
about fifteen minutes later, while we were finishing our dessert and coffee, there was a thunderous crash in the back...like someone had dropped a massive tub of dishes. turns out that a TV positioned in the corner, too heavy and not stabilized enough for the surrounding drywall, tore out of the wall and onto the table and booth below - where those two people luckily didn't sit.
yep. that 13" TV could have easily bludgeoned someone or at least caused permanent spinal damage. geez. either those people needed to buy a lotto ticket for their fortunate choice, or the owner because an incident like that would surely have put them out of business and into the throes of bankruptcy.
i may think twice before sitting under a TV in a restaurant again. whew.
and more going out...
went to a new buffet near Cinderella City for Mother's Day. this place, Int'l Buffet, was advertising half off for mothers in parties of four or more - we just had to go. two mothers (my mom and eldest sister) and an expectant one made for some discountin' heh. unfortunately, they still charged susie full price, even though she's as big as a house. i guess she should consider herself lucky that they didn't charge for two people, eh?
as chinese buffets go, the food was generally good. there's a new wave of restauranteurs who are starting chinese buffets with offerings of crab legs, sushi, and even mongolian bbq or dim sum in addition to the usual offerings of sesame chicken, lo mein, broccoli beef, crab cheese wontons, and hot and sour soup.
still though...what was international about it? other than the clientele... the buffet was asian, not international. but hey, whaddaya want for $8.99?!?
tuesday was Chipotle. we stopped into the Tiffany Plaza one before catching 'The Aviator' at the cheapies. remind me to never get chips and guac (at Chipotle) again. they lime and salt them...which would be okay if they didn't use huge almost rock-like salt. i could've thawed the snow off of a driveway with a basket of their chips. weird.
of course, this is coming from a person who opted for a $1 hot dog at the cheapies. how scary is that? it's really sad how much i have a penchant for an occasional hot dog. i'll even make sure i have one on every trip to mexico from a sidewalk vendor. for about twenty cents, at least you know you're gonna get a hot dog with bacon, mayo, and chile. at the cheapies, you get a hot bun with a steaming WTF?!? when you bite into it. the flavor is so...alien.
god, i shoulda forked over the extra $1.50 for the raisinets...
The Aviator was quite good. after having seen three of the best actor nominees - we have yet to see million $ baby and hotel rwanda - i feel that jamie foxx wasn't as good as Leonardo di Caprio or even Johnny Depp (in Finding Neverland). DiCaprio was over the top as Howard Hughes. and Cate Blanchett? she totally nailed Kathryn Hepburn's accent! wow.
perhaps we can catch Million $ Baby this weekend... and hotel rwanda? just rented it from McD's.
speaking of McD movie rentals, we did get a few during their free rental code promo. we got to see 'Sideways' 'Lemony Snicket' 'Closer' 'House of Flying Daggers' and 'Ocean's 12'. i wonder what's coming out next...
what about you guys? and Cindi, what movies did you pull out of the box that i lent ya? are you hating them all yet?
well, the baby shower that susie's co-workers held was a small affair - 15 people. still, she freakin' cleaned up. all kinds of clothes, especially socks. that boy must've gotten three or four dozen pairs... the family/friends shower is saturday. we'll see what kind of goods she'll hoard then ;)
been going out again. i'm really in a funk about cooking dinner. i've got great ideas and am usually an excellent improviser, but it's just the action of cooking; neither of us has felt like it.
last thursday, we drove on over to our fave Mexican restaurant, which has relocated to the same area as Pat's (Cindi's favorite philly steak joint), only to find that the renovations still hadn't been completed. sigh. to go two months without the #9 combination at La Cocina de Marcos is unjust.
tired of all the places around there, i decided that we were gonna try a new place that had recently been reviewed in the Denver Post. it's a teeny little place that sits a half block from my ol' high school, in a really short strip mall just off of Leetsdale and Monaco.
Italian.
it's called Nonna's Bistro...and it's a keeper. lois had penne with spicy sausage and i had the asparagus ravioli...mmm-good. one of the best touches was serving a freshly baked mini loaf of bread, steaming hot with a side of marinara for dipping. good coffee too. we'll hafta go back soon to sample the rest of the menu.
really though, it wasn't the food that was most memorable. nope. it was something that happened towards the end of our meal.
a couple walked in and was given the choice of a corner booth in the back or the first booth near the window. they chose the latter, probably to catch the beginning of the sunset.
about fifteen minutes later, while we were finishing our dessert and coffee, there was a thunderous crash in the back...like someone had dropped a massive tub of dishes. turns out that a TV positioned in the corner, too heavy and not stabilized enough for the surrounding drywall, tore out of the wall and onto the table and booth below - where those two people luckily didn't sit.
yep. that 13" TV could have easily bludgeoned someone or at least caused permanent spinal damage. geez. either those people needed to buy a lotto ticket for their fortunate choice, or the owner because an incident like that would surely have put them out of business and into the throes of bankruptcy.
i may think twice before sitting under a TV in a restaurant again. whew.
and more going out...
went to a new buffet near Cinderella City for Mother's Day. this place, Int'l Buffet, was advertising half off for mothers in parties of four or more - we just had to go. two mothers (my mom and eldest sister) and an expectant one made for some discountin' heh. unfortunately, they still charged susie full price, even though she's as big as a house. i guess she should consider herself lucky that they didn't charge for two people, eh?
as chinese buffets go, the food was generally good. there's a new wave of restauranteurs who are starting chinese buffets with offerings of crab legs, sushi, and even mongolian bbq or dim sum in addition to the usual offerings of sesame chicken, lo mein, broccoli beef, crab cheese wontons, and hot and sour soup.
still though...what was international about it? other than the clientele... the buffet was asian, not international. but hey, whaddaya want for $8.99?!?
tuesday was Chipotle. we stopped into the Tiffany Plaza one before catching 'The Aviator' at the cheapies. remind me to never get chips and guac (at Chipotle) again. they lime and salt them...which would be okay if they didn't use huge almost rock-like salt. i could've thawed the snow off of a driveway with a basket of their chips. weird.
of course, this is coming from a person who opted for a $1 hot dog at the cheapies. how scary is that? it's really sad how much i have a penchant for an occasional hot dog. i'll even make sure i have one on every trip to mexico from a sidewalk vendor. for about twenty cents, at least you know you're gonna get a hot dog with bacon, mayo, and chile. at the cheapies, you get a hot bun with a steaming WTF?!? when you bite into it. the flavor is so...alien.
god, i shoulda forked over the extra $1.50 for the raisinets...
The Aviator was quite good. after having seen three of the best actor nominees - we have yet to see million $ baby and hotel rwanda - i feel that jamie foxx wasn't as good as Leonardo di Caprio or even Johnny Depp (in Finding Neverland). DiCaprio was over the top as Howard Hughes. and Cate Blanchett? she totally nailed Kathryn Hepburn's accent! wow.
perhaps we can catch Million $ Baby this weekend... and hotel rwanda? just rented it from McD's.
speaking of McD movie rentals, we did get a few during their free rental code promo. we got to see 'Sideways' 'Lemony Snicket' 'Closer' 'House of Flying Daggers' and 'Ocean's 12'. i wonder what's coming out next...
what about you guys? and Cindi, what movies did you pull out of the box that i lent ya? are you hating them all yet?
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
at 4:30...
i'll be taking my mom to susie's workplace for her baby shower. just three more weeks (until the due date). who knows when baby Christian will run out of air and want out.
last night, lois and i spent an aggravating 45 minutes at Target, looking for baby registry items that were simply not in stock. i think the first eight or nine items that we were considering buying...were purely imaginary. and was there anyone there to help us?!? HAH!
ah well. we did manage to find six items that filled two bags nicely though. i'm thinking that we should just get some of the original items online for the friends/family baby shower in a couple weeks.
last night, lois and i spent an aggravating 45 minutes at Target, looking for baby registry items that were simply not in stock. i think the first eight or nine items that we were considering buying...were purely imaginary. and was there anyone there to help us?!? HAH!
ah well. we did manage to find six items that filled two bags nicely though. i'm thinking that we should just get some of the original items online for the friends/family baby shower in a couple weeks.
bidding...
been looking for cheapo ink cartridges for my printer on eBay. i figure i should be able to find some for around $7 (incl. shipping). i just refuse to purchase them for $25-$30 each anymore. i know i could also go to the hassle of using refill kits, which i used to do for my old printer. you know what though? they ain't that convenient and there are other problems like leaks and smudges...no thanks!
mebbe it's time to get a lower end laser printer; i just don't print that much with color. we'll see...
mebbe it's time to get a lower end laser printer; i just don't print that much with color. we'll see...
Saturday, April 23, 2005
ugh...
my back has been killing me. although the pain hasn't been debilitating enough to keep me from sleeping, it sure sucks to try to get out of bed every morning. guess it's high time to see the chiropractor for an adjustment...
aside from the spinal aggravation, it has been a good week. lois' b-day was on monday and she totally cleaned up ;) we had dinner at the new asian latin fusion restaurant, Zengo, which is located in the riverfront area of downtown. man, that area is really coming along. what was once just railroad tracks, is becoming the new star in downtown development. maybe we'll start hanging out there some this summer; a walk at sundown would be stunning, i think.
aside from the spinal aggravation, it has been a good week. lois' b-day was on monday and she totally cleaned up ;) we had dinner at the new asian latin fusion restaurant, Zengo, which is located in the riverfront area of downtown. man, that area is really coming along. what was once just railroad tracks, is becoming the new star in downtown development. maybe we'll start hanging out there some this summer; a walk at sundown would be stunning, i think.
Friday, April 15, 2005
double yay!
finally did my taxes... it looks like my refund will be about enough for a trip to see our friend, Yani, in Cancún for a week in August. aside from the heat and humidity, it'll be a good time. it has been much too long since we've been back to Mexico (Spring 2003). lois and i were longing for our favorite cafes in Mexico City (El Reloj and El Popular), the best tacos in the country (Rincón Brujo in Villahermosa), and our dessert/coffee hangout in Mérida (Cafetería Impala). we must get away...pure and simple! it's just too bad that Cancún is so far away from the first two cities - 24 hours and 12 hours by bus, respectively. ah well, mebbe we'll be able to sneak in a flan napolitano and a couple coffees in Mérida...only about 4-5 hours west of Cancún. and yeah, it's totally worth it.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
yay!
just got three months worth of Men's Journal in the mail recently. a couple years ago, i let the subscription lapse, when i should have continued it and quit Volleyball Magazine instead. besides, it's cheaper anyway ;)
over the past couple of years, i've reached a point in my life where some simplification has become more desirable. and magazine subscriptions were just starting to take up more and more space. really, goodwill et al. could (and has) benefitted from donations of:
Volleyball Mag (15 years worth)
Consumer Reports (10 years)
Popular Photography (6)
Archaeology (5)
National Geo. (8)
Entertainment Weekly (6)
Reader's Digest (ugh...two years of the worst drivel)
Budget Travel (8)
Men's Journal (4)
so i guess i've decided to stick to the last two magazines for now...
over the past couple of years, i've reached a point in my life where some simplification has become more desirable. and magazine subscriptions were just starting to take up more and more space. really, goodwill et al. could (and has) benefitted from donations of:
Volleyball Mag (15 years worth)
Consumer Reports (10 years)
Popular Photography (6)
Archaeology (5)
National Geo. (8)
Entertainment Weekly (6)
Reader's Digest (ugh...two years of the worst drivel)
Budget Travel (8)
Men's Journal (4)
so i guess i've decided to stick to the last two magazines for now...
Friday, April 08, 2005
more movies...
just looked at the cheapies and there's nothing that we wanna see. so, maybe we'll make a night of it and catch a first run instead. mebbe 'The Upside of Anger' or 'Millions'. i dunno. it'll just be good if we catch the movie tonight or tomorrow. if that winter storm does come in, i know we won't want to go out at all...
cindi invited me last minute yesterday to a sneak of the new DrewBarrymore and Jimmy Fallon movie, 'Fever Pitch.' although i had to turn it down, we'll keep it in mind. we've always liked miss barrymore; she was so good in 'Ever After.'
well, i guess i'd better get dinner started. we went to Sunflower Market and loaded up on the veggies on wednesday night, after a week of going out. sometimes ya gotta be good and cook for once, eh? besides, how many times have we all let great veggies DIE in our fridges?
so what's on the menu? some beef ribs...cauliflower...orange bell peppers...guatemalan canteloupe (hey, it was 25 cents! not extremely sweet, but really orange ;)...some leftover brown rice...and some organic strawberries. what else? we'll see...
cindi invited me last minute yesterday to a sneak of the new DrewBarrymore and Jimmy Fallon movie, 'Fever Pitch.' although i had to turn it down, we'll keep it in mind. we've always liked miss barrymore; she was so good in 'Ever After.'
well, i guess i'd better get dinner started. we went to Sunflower Market and loaded up on the veggies on wednesday night, after a week of going out. sometimes ya gotta be good and cook for once, eh? besides, how many times have we all let great veggies DIE in our fridges?
so what's on the menu? some beef ribs...cauliflower...orange bell peppers...guatemalan canteloupe (hey, it was 25 cents! not extremely sweet, but really orange ;)...some leftover brown rice...and some organic strawberries. what else? we'll see...
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
movies?
just got Hit The Deck, an old 50's musical in the mail. won it on eeBay. unfortunately, it's a VHS copy, since it probably will never be released on DVD. ah well.
lately, we've been renting DVDs from mcdonald's of all places. it's not a bad deal for $1 a night. however, they get you on when you return it. once you rent it, you're given until 10PM the next day to return the rental. it actually states by 10PM (or when store closes)... well, the mickey d's by me closes at 11:00. if you return it after 10PM, but before they close, you'll get popped for another $1...cheeky monkeys.
anyway, last week, we got the Jude Law's LAME remake of (Michael Caine's classic) 'Alfie' and 'Napolean Dynamite', which was hilarious. i may just have to get a copy...
speaking of movies, Cindi...just wondering if you've had time to watch one of the vids i lent ya. i don't need 'em back (even this year)...i was just curious and wanting to know if you liked the selections :)
lately, we've been renting DVDs from mcdonald's of all places. it's not a bad deal for $1 a night. however, they get you on when you return it. once you rent it, you're given until 10PM the next day to return the rental. it actually states by 10PM (or when store closes)... well, the mickey d's by me closes at 11:00. if you return it after 10PM, but before they close, you'll get popped for another $1...cheeky monkeys.
anyway, last week, we got the Jude Law's LAME remake of (Michael Caine's classic) 'Alfie' and 'Napolean Dynamite', which was hilarious. i may just have to get a copy...
speaking of movies, Cindi...just wondering if you've had time to watch one of the vids i lent ya. i don't need 'em back (even this year)...i was just curious and wanting to know if you liked the selections :)
LPs...
are sometimes the way to go for that pure listening experience.
yep. i've spent the last three hours or so listening to some old albums, waxing (no pun intended) nostalgia.
so far, i've put on Earth Wind & Fire's 'I Am'...Carole King's Greatest Hits...Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass' Whipped Cream and Other Delights...Joe Walsh's "You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind"...and right now, a Jimi Hendrix compilation called "Kiss the Sky" is on the turntable.
sure, some of the albums had some clicks and pops, but digital sound is too clean and can't capture the warmth of vinyl.
'nuff said.
yep. i've spent the last three hours or so listening to some old albums, waxing (no pun intended) nostalgia.
so far, i've put on Earth Wind & Fire's 'I Am'...Carole King's Greatest Hits...Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass' Whipped Cream and Other Delights...Joe Walsh's "You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind"...and right now, a Jimi Hendrix compilation called "Kiss the Sky" is on the turntable.
sure, some of the albums had some clicks and pops, but digital sound is too clean and can't capture the warmth of vinyl.
'nuff said.
oh joy...
about a week and a half ago, lois and i both got sore throats the morning after we went out to eat. yeah, the server or one of the cooks must've been sick...great. well, i toiled with a bit of coughing and a snotty nose. and lois? ummm...
she got worse.
in fact, her hacking was so bad that i convinced her to let me take her to the hospital. the last time i sounded that bad was when i had a bout with bronchitis in 1988; the only time i had it. and lois' cough and labored breathing was even worse than mine ever was.
and guess what...it's pneumonia. luckily, the antibiotic that they have her on, attaches itself to the white blood cells and goes straight to the spot of the pulmonary clog. most patients notice a marked difference after a day or two of its use. and, of course, you shouldn't leave the pharmacy without a prescription expectorant like guaifenesin with codeine...oooh.
so...she's back at work today and probably threatening to cough up a loogie on anyone who fucks with her...she's so cute.
she got worse.
in fact, her hacking was so bad that i convinced her to let me take her to the hospital. the last time i sounded that bad was when i had a bout with bronchitis in 1988; the only time i had it. and lois' cough and labored breathing was even worse than mine ever was.
and guess what...it's pneumonia. luckily, the antibiotic that they have her on, attaches itself to the white blood cells and goes straight to the spot of the pulmonary clog. most patients notice a marked difference after a day or two of its use. and, of course, you shouldn't leave the pharmacy without a prescription expectorant like guaifenesin with codeine...oooh.
so...she's back at work today and probably threatening to cough up a loogie on anyone who fucks with her...she's so cute.
chicago...
philly...or baltimore.
my favorite group, SwingOutSister, is doing a short U.S. tour in support of their new cd, Where Our Love Grows, which was actually released last spring in Japan and in October for the USA. the tour is scheduled to pass through eight cities in June. of course, Denver, isn't on the list.
sigh.
so lois and i are once again going on the road to see them. back in 1997, we took a trip to San Francisco just to catch them at a club called...get this...Bimbo's 365. that tour had even a shorter list of cities - San Fran, Los Angeles, and NYC. still, it was well worth the plane fare and the hotel stay. there's something about their music that makes you want to play it over and over. my sisters, lois, and i all agree that a swingoutsister cd is perfect driving music...even through rush hour traffic ;)
as for the above three cities, we're just looking for cheap fares (i.e., something under $200) and i've been to all of 'em for between $140-$180. we just need more confirmed dates.
that's all i want for my birthday (june 15th), a trip to see swingoutsister again...
my favorite group, SwingOutSister, is doing a short U.S. tour in support of their new cd, Where Our Love Grows, which was actually released last spring in Japan and in October for the USA. the tour is scheduled to pass through eight cities in June. of course, Denver, isn't on the list.
sigh.
so lois and i are once again going on the road to see them. back in 1997, we took a trip to San Francisco just to catch them at a club called...get this...Bimbo's 365. that tour had even a shorter list of cities - San Fran, Los Angeles, and NYC. still, it was well worth the plane fare and the hotel stay. there's something about their music that makes you want to play it over and over. my sisters, lois, and i all agree that a swingoutsister cd is perfect driving music...even through rush hour traffic ;)
as for the above three cities, we're just looking for cheap fares (i.e., something under $200) and i've been to all of 'em for between $140-$180. we just need more confirmed dates.
that's all i want for my birthday (june 15th), a trip to see swingoutsister again...
btw...
MargaretCho's show at the Buell last thursday was great. it had been nearly five years (and three tours) since Lois and I had last seen her, so it was good to let out some laughs. the best thing about Margaret's stand up act is that she keeps up with the times and presents her material in a fresh, but still thought provoking, manner.
maybe that's too much to ask of all comedians. too cerebral may be a bad thing. goofy is good too.
eh, whatever.
maybe that's too much to ask of all comedians. too cerebral may be a bad thing. goofy is good too.
eh, whatever.
need...new...
sandals.
just split the top of my front left nail on my big toe. frigginfrazzleugh. the cheapo sandals that i wear in the house are a little loose due to the low quality material; slightly split and stretched along the top...about par for wallymart soccer slide type sandals that go for $2.87.
ah well.
anyway, i skip stairs usually whenever i ascend - a bit dangerous and not advised when descending - a staircase. so, naturally, i was climbing the stairs and had just neared the top when i caught my left foot against the edge of a stair...and continued to fling the basement door open and fall on the landing...a thing of beauty...almost as amusing as the expletives that were filling the air.
humph.
just split the top of my front left nail on my big toe. frigginfrazzleugh. the cheapo sandals that i wear in the house are a little loose due to the low quality material; slightly split and stretched along the top...about par for wallymart soccer slide type sandals that go for $2.87.
ah well.
anyway, i skip stairs usually whenever i ascend - a bit dangerous and not advised when descending - a staircase. so, naturally, i was climbing the stairs and had just neared the top when i caught my left foot against the edge of a stair...and continued to fling the basement door open and fall on the landing...a thing of beauty...almost as amusing as the expletives that were filling the air.
humph.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
huh?
i know my past couple postings have been nothing short of confusing...sorry.
still no news on the lady that i rear ended last week. luckily, she consented to me paying out of pocket if it ran less than $400. she said that she'd try to get estimates from three places and we'd go from there; i haven't heard from her since. i'm guessing that i call her on sunday or monday if i don't hear from her tomorrow.
mole hole?
over the past two weeks, i haunted the mole hole in cherry creek during its relocation sale. the first time i went (with lois), the prices were 50% off and we bought a few small things. i closely paid attention to what lois liked but declined buying; the best thing to do when shopping for future gifts. so, the second time i went was immediately after my breakfast w/ Cindi (who was so nice to buy...thanks...the company was awesome!). that was when i purchased the nicer looking clock and some cute things for my oh-so-pregnant sister - a baby blue clock that has the words 'eat, sleep, poop, cry' in place of the hour markings and a stuffed crane with a cap that says 'special delivery' and a baby bear(!) in the blanket.
this last time i went - yesterday morning - i took advantage of the 75% off and grabbed a couple clocks worth $90 retail and paid a paltry $22.50...whee. of course, the prize buy was a tiffany style lamp that was going for $245 - yikes! initially, when lois and i were there, i was praying that one of the four lamps i was eyeing, would still be there at the end...and whaddaya know! one survived the sale carnage and was waiting for me; saving another $61 was just icing on the cake.
this lamp is similar to the ones that you can find at LampsPlus for the equivalent, but the shade is glass! not the cheapo resin that adorns some of them... i am truly happy with this purchase and i'm pretty sure that lois will be delighted. i only say 'pretty sure' because i was wrong this past xmas with an item that i ultimately had to return. still a good batting average after eleven years...
whoops. gotta go. although we're not going to the Indigo Girls concert like Cindi, we've got tix to MargaretCho at the Buell Theatre. curtain is at 8:00...so i'll be back...eventually.
still no news on the lady that i rear ended last week. luckily, she consented to me paying out of pocket if it ran less than $400. she said that she'd try to get estimates from three places and we'd go from there; i haven't heard from her since. i'm guessing that i call her on sunday or monday if i don't hear from her tomorrow.
mole hole?
over the past two weeks, i haunted the mole hole in cherry creek during its relocation sale. the first time i went (with lois), the prices were 50% off and we bought a few small things. i closely paid attention to what lois liked but declined buying; the best thing to do when shopping for future gifts. so, the second time i went was immediately after my breakfast w/ Cindi (who was so nice to buy...thanks...the company was awesome!). that was when i purchased the nicer looking clock and some cute things for my oh-so-pregnant sister - a baby blue clock that has the words 'eat, sleep, poop, cry' in place of the hour markings and a stuffed crane with a cap that says 'special delivery' and a baby bear(!) in the blanket.
this last time i went - yesterday morning - i took advantage of the 75% off and grabbed a couple clocks worth $90 retail and paid a paltry $22.50...whee. of course, the prize buy was a tiffany style lamp that was going for $245 - yikes! initially, when lois and i were there, i was praying that one of the four lamps i was eyeing, would still be there at the end...and whaddaya know! one survived the sale carnage and was waiting for me; saving another $61 was just icing on the cake.
this lamp is similar to the ones that you can find at LampsPlus for the equivalent, but the shade is glass! not the cheapo resin that adorns some of them... i am truly happy with this purchase and i'm pretty sure that lois will be delighted. i only say 'pretty sure' because i was wrong this past xmas with an item that i ultimately had to return. still a good batting average after eleven years...
whoops. gotta go. although we're not going to the Indigo Girls concert like Cindi, we've got tix to MargaretCho at the Buell Theatre. curtain is at 8:00...so i'll be back...eventually.
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
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