We woke early this morning (even earlier than I wanted to, thanks to Catherine) to trek up to DC for the National Book Festival on the Mall in D.C., most specifically, to catch a reading and signing by one of our favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, who was just one of a ton of authors out [...]

I ended up in the emergency room this afternoon. While preparing dinner, my knife slipped while I was cutting up some boneless chicken breast, and I lopped off a small chunk of the inside tip of my left thumb. I didn’t even notice until the chicken started bleeding. It’s really not that bad of an [...]

Exaggerated…but only slightly. No, I haven’t pulled a McCain and suspended all activities to duck out on the debate deal with the financial crisis; I merely got really, really, seriously, knocking on Death’s door sick with some evil flu-like virus this week. From Monday evening to Wednesday lunchtime, I think I was awake for maybe [...]

As many of you know, I haven’t had cable service for a couple of years; it got too expensive for my viewing habits and level of service to justify. We’ve been subsisting on a set of rabbit ears and a big DVD collection ever since. Now, in February ’09, the government’s mandated that conventional analog [...]

Avast Ye, Mateys! Here be this week-end’s treasure trove o’ piratical hornpipes: “Run to the Hills” – Iron Maiden “Hurricane Cindy” – Liz Phair “Better” – Jonathan Coulton “Little Tornado” – Aimee Mann “Misery Business” – Paramore “Future Proof” – Massive Attack “One Big Love” – Patty Griffin “Can’t Get There From Here” – REM [...]

Inspired by this piece in the Onion AV Club, I figured I’d try something new; actually inviting comments from you, my meager population of readers… Share with the rest of us, dear reader: What was the first record(/tape/cd/8-track/wax cylinder) you bought for yourself with your own money? I’ll start: Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA; [...]

It took the kids less than a week to bring back some sort of flu-resembling virii which had me sidelined most of the weekend. I spent Saturday and Sunday resting in order to conserve my strength and let my body repair itself. Two solid days, mostly crashed on the couch with the baby (who was [...]

Mount Carmel PA woman mistakes skunk for cat, gets sprayed. I really hope this wasn’t any one I know….

Yeah, it’s been that kind of week; interminable meetings, scratchy throat crud (that I’m hoping doesn’t become worse – word is that the elementary school is passing the flu around already), and and a good old general malaise that I can’t quite shake. Thankfully, I can plug into a few tunes now and then: “Debaser” [...]

Today I spent NINE HOURS in meetings; part of the “kick-off” dog-and-pony show for my workplace’s latest software project iteration. Not that it was particularly different than the last half-dozen “kick-offs” I’ve attended since becoming Information Systems Analyst Guy™; same people, same basic slide shows, same monotone delivery. Ideally, these things are designed to build [...]