Folks, if you don't like baseball, then you don't need to be around the Bay Area right about now. The Giants are really in the thick of it...half a game out for the lead in the National League West, about that for the Wild Card...lots of games at home, and Dem Dodger Bums from LA are in town. Sadly, we have their best pitchers going against us right now, and the Boys in Orange and Black are having a tough go of it. But we have our best pitchers going for us, too, so it's been a tight, well-p
Taking Bella to her yearly examinations is oh-so-much fun. Like many cats, she hates her carrier, hates car rides, and really hates the vet. Nevermind that her vet is very nice, gentle, and knows what she's doing. Nope, Bella will have none of it. She, um, always provides a fecal sample, shall we say? She's very clingy, and sheds all over the place. Nope, she's not a happy camper there.
Due to a clerical error, Bella didn't get her annual vaccinations at her exam, so we scheduled them
I'm in a right bouncy mood. It's the fact that I'm half Tigger, half Roo, to be sure. There are just certain days that I wake up and feel the need to bounce around all day, playing gaily and freely.
What to do today...what to do today...
Well, there's a pile of work to be done...but seeing as I have an aversion to work on my birthday, well, that's not exactly an option today.
The apartment does need to be cleaned and the laundry done, but that's not much work, so I'll do that. It
Mothers' Day. This was supposed to be a glorious day. Even though the wind has been howling since last night, the predicted showers stayed away from the City By The Bay. On my way to the Giants' game, I met a gentleman at the train station...a new friend, for now, but who knows. He invited me to join him for breakfast with his friends before the game. After a spirited and gregarious meal with my new friends, I met up with my parents in our seats, and we watched the Giants' new (yet old) pit
In case your local or national news hasn't picked it up, there was a massive explosion of a gas main in San Bruno, which is just south of San Francisco. The explosion was so gigantic that people at first thought that it was a plane crash; people inside their houses still felt the heat. Pacific Gas and Electric, the power company here, just confirmed that the gas main was a huge transfer pipeline, a 24-inch pipe that probably carried 300-pounds of pressure, that blew. A producer for ABC News s
I know, I know...two consecutive blog entries...what has gotten into me? Well, a little of this, a little of that. Mostly, it's shame.
I found it interesting that, because of the political in-fighting and stalemate in DC, the national news agencies and some of the local ones have been asking we, the people, to pipe up. They have wanted us to send a message to our Congressional Representatives and Senators, literally, and tell them how their political dueling has affected our lives. I gues
Another long absence. I know, I've missed you guys, too. Well, honestly, for the entire month of March I was so damned busy that I didn't miss anyone...that requires down time, a luxury that I had none of.
The biggest issue lately has been getting colleagues to finish their work. The problem of this situation--mine being uncommon--is that my colleagues had very valid excuses for not getting their part of the projects in question done. One colleague had a family emergency--one of her teen
Since my semesters started last Tuesday, I've been waking up during the week at 5:30. Thankfully I'm able to hit the snooze a couple of times, but it's still too damned early to wake up. I really don't like it. But, hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Because of the shock I was now putting my body into every morning, I decided that I'd ease back into my exercise routine, skipping my thrice weekly dates with my gym for a week or two until I knew how much energy I would have after teaching in t
On the island of Oahu there is so much to do, so much to see, but the one thing that is a must is to hike the Diamond Head Trail. Diamond Head is a crater from a volcano that blew many thousands of years ago, and is now by far one of the most spectacular views on the island. Sure, it's a bit rocky, and there are quite a few stairs (the US used it as a lookout in WWII), but once you get tot the top it's so worth it.
Today is my first full day here, and I wanted to really start my vacation her
Saturday night...after a day of not much, but so much, I feel a melancholy shadow starting starting to creep in. Well, maybe 'melancholy' isn't the right word...definitely it's subdued in nature, and even has elements of uncertainty and doubt in it. This cloud, however, does have a silver lining.
My main teaching gig has me going in different directions. Various groups are asking for my time and effort in order to accomplish a variety of goals. Sure, it's an honor to do so, as they genui
On Saturday I went out on a first date with a gentleman. It wasn't an eventful date--in fact, it was positively boring and did not lead to an acceptance of a second date--but it brought to mind something I find completely useless. This person told me he never cusses, hates cussing, thinks it shows the denigration of our society...yet will use an "eff" to replace the proverbial f-word (aka "eff this, I'm gone). I'm sorry, isn't that the same thing?
When I was a kid, my parents did everythi
As I drove to work yesterday, the sun slid over the eastern horizon like a welcomed old friend. Sure, it was quite a bit cooler at night than it had been lately, but the daytime temps creeped up towards an almost spring-like level. Welcome to February in the San Francisco Bay Area--it could be pouring, or it could be brilliantly sunny.
Mt. Hamilton has a few specs of snow on its cap, which should go away before our next blast of precipitation this weekend. People were outside, sunning thei
It's the 31st of March, 2010. Three months have already gone by in this year, and I really can't tell you where it's all gone. I knew that this would a very hectic year, what with work, work and work, but it's unreal how busy I've been. The good news is that this week and the one coming are times for me to rest, do a very little bit of catch up, and enjoy life here in NorCal. I'd sit here and say, "I'm ready for whatever life has to throw at me," but since I'm pretty much broke, well, that's
I finally had some time to work on some pictures from the trip to Aruba last month Every underwater shot is taken by my brother Matt, and the topside shots are either mine or my mom's. I still have a few more to add, once I work on them. Anyway, enjoy!
Yes, it's time to say...seeyas later. Yes, of course, I'm flying out here on the 24th, but I won't be back for sightseeing purposes for a while. The extremely small taste of this Eternal City has forever changed me...I'm in awe of the mix of modern, slightly modern, kinda old, really old, and ancient.
Yesterday's giratina saw me start at the Pantheon. When outside, I marvelled at how it has stood up over time, especially compared to the Area Sacra--where my bus dropped me off. The Area
I love human language (obviously), and I love human behavior. We are absolutely fascinating creatures. We form tribal units every where we can. Oh, sure, we don't consider them 'tribal units', but really they are. We seek out others who are like us in some way, and even go so far as to give ourselves names, a kind of identity to distinguish ourselves from the other tribal groups. Even though we interact among several of these groups, and we therefore have seemingly multiple allegiances, we
Originally I was set to teach a course in the summer, one which was meant to include local high school students. It was a great program--the thought is to include them on certain popular courses so that their transition to college (be it community college or a 4-year college) would be better. 6 weeks, and a collegiate course. It was going to be tough, but hell, I was up for the challenge!
News just came down the pipe...the high school district just now realized that the high school studen
For those of you who are knowledgeable in the art of writing long tomes...you'll agree with me (I think) that editing is worse than writing.
When one writes, you are creating your thoughts as you go along. Sure, you have an outline of some kind, and you're following along with your sources close by--in my case, already summarized in its own Word document, so that cut/paste is easy. But it's still flowing out of your head, through your fingers, and onto the screen in front of you. There's
Ok, I'm back. Here's the gist of things:
Wednesday: we all get in around 9am, take the shuttle to our hotel in Queens. Since we can't check in yet, we decide to change and take the subway out to Yankee Stadium. The bad news: since we have bleacher seats that day, we can't tour around the rest of the stadium, but that's ok. The game went well--Yankees won convincingly--and the bleachers were just as I love them: great crowd of people, lots of kids, and a good time all around. (And no alco
2 May 2007. 12noon CDT. That'll be the judgement day.
No, not the one with the pearly gates, and some Peter-man standing there with his list. Instead I speak of the day when my professors decide if I'm worthy enough to stand with them as a colleague.
The 'final' draft will be sent out Tuesday; one month after that I will be in front of my academic setting, answering questions that I've prepared for, as well as others that I haven't.
This is it! I'm geeked for this...I want this
I just got back last night from a week in Aruba. It's a great place...much like Hawaii in terms of atmosphere and activities, but because it's more of a desert-landscape than the lush tropical one that the Hawaiian Islands offer. Otherwise...wow. Just...wow.
Anyway, the island of Aruba, like its sisters of Bonaire and Cura
Ok...just to note...it's taken me almost a week to blog this...only because every time I think about it, it infuriates me.
Thesis: People don't know how to raise kids anymore.
Events: I was sitting at a local fast-ish food restaurant (meaning: it's still burgers, fries, etc., just that they cook things to order), minding my own business, when this group sit behind me. 2 women, sisters or -in-law from the sound of things, with 2 kids (boy was about 4, girl about 5) who belong to one of
...if you wait long enough, the latest installment of your favorite Brit show will be on BBC America. But it might take a while.
That's right, folks, series 11 starts showing here in the States on Monday...except that I'll be teaching, getting home just in time to watch the very very last episode of "Boston Legal," my absolute favorite show on TV right now. 2 hour finale, starts as I get out of class, so I'll be missing the first half hour or so.
Only a couple more weeks, and then I'
First...I find it a necessity, nay, a duty, to inform the public on this evil that has been brought forth.
Click here, if you can stomach (and liver) it
Yes, that's a combination of Budweiser and Clamato, being sold in one can, for general consumption and pleasure. For those who don't know, or have never heard of, Clamato: it is a mix of tomato juice and clam juice (as the name implies), often used in Bloody Marys.
Now, I admit that I despise tomato juice. I hate it with a passion.
I think most are aware of Habitat for Humanity, and if not then you probably know of a program like it. Essentially, those deserving folk who are down on their luck and need a place to live apply to have a dwelling built for them...with the catch that they must have certain qualifications, and they must put a certain number of hours in to the building of their home. It's a great program, one that's received a lot of warranted attention. So you probably can understand the outcry when you read
