11.29.2006

Boys will be boys

... So it was like 73 degrees this morning when I left for work. It was raining. But it was 73 degrees. On November 29. Crazy.

... Then I get to work, and my cohorts start talking about the warm weather. A couple of people actually pulled out the short sleeves ...

... But my cohort Bill had to ruin all our fun by telling us the temperature was supposed to drop steadily this afternoon and it might be snowing tonight. And suddenly the talk turned to shoveling heavy snow. And starting up snowblowers. And wishing your neighbors would shovel your snow for you and ...

I hate winter.

* * *

... A few of us got a look today at a couple of the entries for our Christmas coloring contest ...

... Liz remembered doing the contest when she was a kid and said she always felt screwed because she'd see the winners and their entries in the paper. And they were never as good as hers. She says she actually glued cotton balls to her coloring for Santa's beard ...

... I remembered entering a coloring contest when I was a kid too. And I remembered how I was so upset and jealous when I found out my brother had won the contest that I started throwing out my coloring supplies and trashing my colorings ... then my parents had to settle me down and tell me that I was just as good as my brother ...

* * *

... I watched "My Boys" over my lunch break ...

Eh.

The new show, which premiered last night and will air on TBS every Tuesday, is about PJ, "a twenty-something sports reporter for the Chicago Sun Times. At first glance, she’s a typical young single woman-- smart, attractive, outgoing, personable. Her boys are her family, which sometimes hinders PJ's dating life, as the men she tries to date don't know how to react to her unconventional interests and the all-important men in her life."

... In the first episode, PJ meets up with the new sportswriter in town, Bobby, and the pair promptly hits it off. But Bobby gets freaked out by PJ's guy-like approach to things ... and later she tries to clear things up with him, in the Cubs locker room, with a bunch of hard-to-interpret analogies suggesting they keep their relationship on the down-low, somehow comparing their relationship to having hamburgers at the Billy Goat Tavern ...

The show is littered with references to Chicago neighborhoods, landmarks and culture, not to mention the Cubs and the Bears. And Jordana Spiro is adorable to watch as PJ. Plus the hilarious Jim Gaffigan plays her brother Andy ...

...But, in last night's two epiosdes at least, the acting isn't spectacular and PJ isn't so believable as a sports writer, much less a tom boy playing poker with a table full of guys. Plus the narration used throughout each episode, a la Carrie Bradshaw, doesn't work; in fact it's annoying ...

... The show comes off as a "Sex In The City" for guys, with PJ and the whole sports angle being the vehicles to keep us watching ...

... And though the show isn't great, I probably will keep watching because 1) There's nothing else I watch on Tuesday nights 2) It's about a sportswriter covering the Cubs for the Sun-Times 3) it's littered with references to Chicago neighborhoods, landmarks and culture 4) Jim Gaffigan's in it and 5) Jordana Spiro is adorable to watch ...

(The Seattle Post-Intelligencer gives it a decent review here ...and TVsquad reviews it here.)

11.26.2006

Sunday reading

A few good reads from this past week ...

a Global Warming? Terrorism? Mortality? Never Fear: These Derring-Doers Will Save Us!

a The Beatles come together, right now, with a new CD that’s also part of Cirque du Soleil ... haven't heard the album yet. But now Im afraid I might not like it ...

a 'Ugly Betty' loved for its inner beauty ... will somebody pleeeeease tell me what's so special about Ugly Betty!? ... I could barely stand the terrible acting, the relentless stereotyping and poor writing in the one episode I watched. I just don't understand ...

a Gay actors navigate straits of taking roles as straights ... This is a story angle that passed through my mind the moments I heard about T.R. Knight and Neil Patrick Harris, because I love their shows and the characters they play. And it would be sad if either actor or show is affected by the revelations of their personal lives ...

a After a Ratings Stumble, Fox Trots Out the 'Idol' Talk ... hilarious and interesting.

a When business sense overcomes sleaze at Fox ... also hilarious and interesting.


Sunday wit

Kates and I were leaving our car this morning, ready to walk into church when Kates asked for the keys to put something in the trunk. But she had to repeat her request after I didn't hear her the first time.

"Turn on your ears," she said.

"I thought I turned them on this morning," I answered. I had been acting goofy all morning. "I must've flipped the wrong switch. I must've turned off the brain ... "

I burst out laughing.

"You are in rare form," Kates said.

11.25.2006

Puzzles, movies & music

Kates and I arrived at my parents’ place this afternoon to spend the rest of the Thanksgiving weekend with them …

Now Kates and Mom are at my future cousin-in-law's wedding shower …

Dad is at work …

And that leaves me here, with the house all to myself, blogging as I listen to my beloved Bearcats on the Internet in a D-II football playoff game

* * *

It wouldn’t be a Thanksgiving without a couple jigsaw puzzles on the dining table …

The first one, a 500-piece, came out not long after we arrived at the family farm Wednesday and we finished it much later that night. Then, of course, we laid low Thursday, instead spending time with family and sharing a Thanksgiving dinner …

But on Friday morning, while Kates and her mom started in on their Christmas baking, and Kates’ father read a book in the living room -- I couldn’t keep from starting another one (jigsaw puzzles for me are a terrible addiction I can’t seem to shake …). Another 500-piece, I finished it within a few hours …

* * *

It also wouldn’t be a weekend at the farm without a lot of movies …

On Wednesday night, though my concentration was mostly on our puzzle, we loaded up “Syriana” …

The cast is stellar -- George Clooney, Matt Damon, Amanda Peet -- and all the buzz I’ve heard about this film says this it is a political film you’ve got to see …

But I didn’t get it.

Usually I like the movies that are crammed with multiple storylines working at the same time. But this one was almost too busy, too convoluted and too abstract for me. And the storylines never came together for me …

Luckily that was a one-time sentiment as the weekend-watching continued …

On Friday afternoon, after finishing my jigsaw puzzle, we put in “Lake House,” starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock

Contrary to “Syriana,” everything I’d heard about “Lake House” was that it was a forgettable film. So my expectations were low going in …

Sort of like “Vanilla Sky” meets “Frequency” (two of my favorite movies of all-time) with a hint of “You‘ve Got Mail,” Kate moves from her lake house to a new flat in the city and Alex becomes the new owner. But when the two begin corresponding by mail, they don’t realize Alex is living in 2004 and Kate is living in 2006 … As they discover the mystery, Kate and Alex fall in love via their snail mail and yearn to meet -- even though 2004 Kate is in a serious relationship and has no clue about 2004 Alex. So Kate begins to write about memories she has from 2004 and instructs Alex to try meeting her at various places in 2004 …

The plot, obviously, is complete fantasy, but it was hard not to get wrapped up in the hope Kate and Alex share. The ending is a good one. The chemistry is great. And the cinematography and shots of the Chicago skyline and architectural icons is superb …Good flick.

Then before the credits could roll too far on “Lake House,” I was sticking in “Something’s Gotta Give” …

Now this is one Kates’ father adores, owns, talks about all the time and has watched multiple times … Me? I’d seen parts of it but it never really interested me. I thought it was time to sit down and watch it once and for all …

Turns out, it was pretty darn good. The chemistry between the actors (nice to see you again Amanda Peet and Keanu Reeves) was great! The screenplay was full of wit and good fun -- and it works … definitely recommended.

Finally, with some quick Thanksgiving leftovers for supper, we sat down for one more -- this time it was one I hadn’t heard of -- “An Unfinished Life.”

Funny how the ones you didn’t know about often turn out to be the best ones …

In this one, Jean Gilkyson (Jennifer Lopez) tries to escape from her abusive boyfriend and moves with her daughter Griff to live with Einar (Robert Redford), Jean’s mysterious father-in-law, on his Wyoming ranch. But Einar isn’t so happy to see Jean because he still blames her for the death of his son in a car crash several years earlier. In fact, he doesn’t even know he has a granddaughter.

Making things more interesting -- and comical -- is that Einar is caring for his friend Mitch (Morgan Freeman), who is haunted by a bear attack.

The heart of this film is watching Einar’s slow transition from a man who’s cold and cruel to Jean and his daughter to a man who’s forgiving and willing to do whatever it takes to help them. Eventually, Jean’s abusive boyfriend does find her and it’s up to Einar to protect the girls …

Aside from the heartfelt storyline, the banter between Einar and Mitch is well-played and their chemistry is one of the highlights of the film -- like two baseball coaches shooting the breeze in the dugout. Just as good was Becca Gardner, a scene-stealer as the tough and curious Griff. And I gotta say I was pleasantly surprised by how good Jennifer Lopez’s performance was …

Admittedly, the ending did fall a little flat, and we never really get answers about this bear that attacked Mitch and plays such a major part of the film -- but this is such a brilliantly-done film overall, I can get over its shortcomings …

* * *

So I got to hear the Dixie Chicks new album for the first time yesterday morning. Kates’ parents have it and they popped it in the kitchen CD player …

Wow. Wow. Wow.

Top to bottom, start to finish, I think it’s the Chicks best album yet.

“Not Ready To Make Nice” surely deserves all the radio play it’s getting right now for its great sound and heartfelt lyrics, but it’s hardly the best track on this album.

One of my favorites has to be the catchy lead track, “The Long Way Around.” And the comforting second track, “Easy Silence” is right up there too. I love the lyrics of “Bitter End” and the up tempo feisty-ness of “Lubbock Or Leave It.” And it all ends with the splendid Gospel sound of “I Hope.”

Great, great, great album.

11.22.2006

If you ask me...

... The American Music Awards were horrible last night. Then again, my expectations weren't great ...

Jimmy Kimmel was comical, the opening numbers by Beyonce and Carrie Underwood were entertaining, and it was good to see the Black Eyed Peas take the trifecta. But aside from that, I could hardly wait for the thing to be over ...

Lional Richie's AMA comeback with "All Night Long" and John Mayer's "Waiting For The World to Change" were by far the performances of the night in my mind ...

Gwen Stafani's and Nelly Furtado's performances were dissappointing and annoying. Barry Manilow's spot had all the potential to be as great as Richie's but came off flat and appeared to have the audience yawning. I rolled my eyed when Rascal Flatts came on to play their lame cover of "Life Is a Highway." And don't even get me started on the Pussycat Dolls ...

* * *

So the Cubs got Alfonso Soriano ...

I don't know whether I should be jumping around the house and clapping, or shaking my head in disapproval ...

Ok. I'm thrilled that Soriano will be playing for the Cubs. He's got skills and I always did enjoy watching him with the Yankees ... I can only imagine how powerful the Cubs might be with Soriano, Lee and Ramirez in the lineup ...

... But did we have to pay him so much over such a long period!? $136 million over eight years!? Seriously!? Eeeesh ...

Truthfully, I was huge fan of Juan Pierre. Yeah, he didn't have a powerful bat. But he always seemed thrilled to be on the field and he could make things happen in the leadoff spot and with his legs. ... Now you're bringing in a guy who's a hyped-up, highly touted free agent just because he's coming off a 40-40 season, and he hasn't exactly earned a reputation as a team player the last couple years thanks to his griping about playing the outfield ...

In my perfect world, the Cubs would've kept Pierre at leadoff and in centerfield, batting Soriano high in the order and playing him at second base, a position that hasn't been good for the Cubs since Ryne Sandberg left and a position that comes naturally for Soriano ...

Instead, we get Soriano and Mark DeRosa, who actually may not be so bad ...

He's just not Juan Pierre ... At least, now Pierre's with the Dodgers. I like the Dodgers.

At least the Cubs managed to hang on to Aramis Ramirez. If the team only signed Ramirez this offseason, I would've been pleased. Not thrilled, just pleased ...

I can't say I'm pleased, however, about the Cubs hanging onto Kerry Wood for one more year. Does he even have an arm left?? ...

UPDATE 12.15.05...More on Soriano and the Cubs offseason...
a Soriano's $136 million deal with Cubs filled with perks
a Ramirez staying put after all
a Going Rates Have Doubled in Baseball ... and it's a sad, sad trend.

Christmas Wishes 2006

Black Friday is coming. The radio stations already are playing Christmas music.

So here it is. Christmas Wishes for 2006.

1. Anything on the wish list ...

2. A snowblower would be nice ...






3. ... cash is always good ...


or ...
Gift cards from:



4. Kates and I would love a new bathroom ...



... Or new carpet in our basement ...

11.20.2006

Monday tubin'

Tonight's episode of "How I Met Your Mother" was the best ever!!!

Period.

The story of Robin Sparkles will go down as ... wait for it ... legendary!

It's gonna be all over YouTube in the morning ... There's even a freakin' MySpace page!!

11.19.2006

Pulling a Madden

... So, over the weekend, Kates and I caught up on a lot of shows we'd recorded on the DVR, including the entire week's worth of Letterman shows and his much-hyped impressionist week ... Woo hoo!

Thursday night's guest on Letterman was the great and HA-larious Frank Caliendo. And he started his routine with some of his famous John Madden-isms, illustrating how Madden has a knack for regularly stating the obvious ...

Fast forward to tonight as Kates and I finished watching our regular Sunday night programming. I flipped over to NBC to catch what was left of the Chargers-Broncos game just as Madden was looking at a replay and saying this: "Either it's going to be a touchdown or it's an incomplete pass."

Kates and I immediately burst out laughing. John Madden. Stating the obvious.

Sunday reading

A few interesting, intriguing, insightful reads from the past week and the world of entertainment ...

a Adrian Pasdar and Milo Ventimiglia play brothers in 'Heroes' ... save the cheerleader! save the world, baby! I can hardly wait for tomorrow night ...
a Finding a 'delicate balance' is 'frustrating' ... apparently Katie Couric is still trying to find her way on the nightly news desk. I wouldn't know ... I tuned out a long time ago ...
a Singer-songwriter Jewel returns with a more sophisticated take on self-reflection
a A Revealing Peep at the Dixie Chicks ... a fascinating look at the Dixie Chicks. I should see this movie ...
a 'Brothers & Sisters' works it out ... Kates and I have been faithful to 'Brothers & Sisters' since its debut. Yes, the storylines are a bit antiquated and sappy at times, but the acting is strong, and amen to the show's creators and writers for staying true to the family-based plot ...

11.16.2006

Stressin'

Projects due. Yard work to finish. TV to watch. Music to review. Holidays to prep for ...

I've been feeling so stressed out this week, I feel like I'm going to break out in hives at any moment ...

11.14.2006

Fa la la la ... blah!

... Some of the radio stations have already begun playing Christmas music.

Unbelievable.

Now, I've been known to occassionally pull out a good-sounding Christmas album in, say, June. But when hit music stations completely abandon their formats and begin playing Big Crosby, The Carpenters and the Beach Boys Christmas catalogs in early November -- and nothing else for the next three months -- as if they've come back from the dead and regained their primes ... that's just not right ...

... And while we're talking about radio ... I was driving during my lunch break today and the radio station I was listening to -- which wasn't playing Christmas music, thankfully -- played Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" and then Rianna's "SOS" back-to back ... It was quite amusing to me because "SOS" is a ripoff of "Tainted Love" ... and I can't stand Rianna.

11.12.2006

Home again

It's good to be home again.

... My conference was insightful. Heard a lot of behind-the-scenes stories about the Wichita Eagle's reporting of the BTK saga. Gained some insight into databases and spreadsheets. And my fire for becoming part of this online revolution in the media is burning even hotter ...

But the last session, a review and wrap-up thing ... just ... wouldn't ... end ... With a 12:40 flight I debated not even going. But I did, and ended up tearing out of my hotel on a mission to not miss my flight. Though it would've been cheaper, I didn't have time to wait for the shuttle to the airport. Luckily the concierge flagged a cab for me quickly and I was on the road ...

My cab ride felt like an episode of "Taxicab Confessions," but this time it was the cab driver doing the confessing. "I wasn't supposed to work today," he tells me. ... Oh yeah? I respond, and the driver dives into this rambling story about a tif he had with his wife -- of 48 years, he tells me. She's a schoolteacher -- earlier this morning. He tells me they'd been planning a trip to Las Vegas, and his wife said this morning she wanted to be there for six days. Six days! the driver says. Who goes to Vegas for six days!? You don't spend six days in Vegas!. So, he tells me, he decided to get out of the house for awhile. He grabbed his morning newspaper and took his cab downtown to pick up some people ... the first one being me.

... At the airport, I paid my driver and told him to enjoy the day. Again, I had no trouble checking in and getting my boarding pass.

... The security screening process was a different story. I joined a line that was as long as a football field. My heart sank, but a guard pacing aside the line was checking tickets and assured me I'd be OK. So I did some people-watching ...

Again, there was the security guard, an older black gentleman, who, while we waited in line, tried to keep us amused with conversation. He told a story about Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty coming through his line yesterday in jeans and a sweatshirt. He wa'n't wearing no million dollar suit, the guard said, he was dressed jus like anyone else. But I knew who he was, an I said there goes the best general manager in baseball. He looks at me an goes, the guard says raising his pointer finger to his mouth, shhh! Yeah, man. Walt Jocketty. He ain't wearing no million dollar suit ...

Then there was the woman I spotted in the adjacent bookstore. As though she'd just stepped out of the '70s, or Austin Powers: Goldmember, this tall, slender black woman was wearing a sparkling brown skirt and an large afro -- and wearing it well. It was darn cool ...

And there was the middle-aged man ahead of me in the security line who, every time I looked in his direction, was waving back and making faces at, I assumed, his wife and young daughter. I wondered where he was going and how long he was going to be gone that he kept turning to make eye contact with them once more. Then I watched as he got through the screening process and waved once more, this time a larger wave, more heartfelt wave then all the rest ...

And sitting on the plane (I did make it on time. I arrived at the gate just as boarding was beginning ...) behind me was a man who I quickly realized was a pilot. Throughout the entire flight he was describing the science of flight and the process to an inquisitive woman next to him. And when we landed, he told her, "Oh, that was a Navy landing ..." whatever that meant ...

As for the college kid sitting next to me, he was blasting the heavy metal music through his iPod. I'd be surprised if he wasn't deaf by the end of the flight ...

I found my car in the O'Hare parking garage and was back on the expressway quickly. Stopped at the oasis for some Subway, filled up on gas, I was back home by 3 ... Kates and I hugged each other so long it was as if we hadn't seen each other for weeks or months.

Yeah. It's good to be home again ...

* * *

... After my eventful travels and tour of St. Louis on Friday, I spent my Saturday night in the comforts of the Millennium Hotel. Ordered room service. Did some reading. And worked out in the exercise woman ...

... The highlight though? How 'bout those Wildcats! ... Now, my little brother is a K-State alum, having gone there during the Bill Snyder glory years. And while I've long been a loyal supporter of their intrastate rivals over at KU, my Bearcats were having a pretty good run of their own in D-II simultaneous to K-State's run at the D-I national championship for a couple years there. My point being, we took a lot of pride in our teams and I've rarely cheered hard for K-State ... Saturday night, however, was an exception. They were explosive, Josh Freeman was near perfect, and in my room and then later working out, I could barely take my eyes off the action. ... Two consecutive flee-flickers!? You've got to be kidding me!? I was going crazy ... Great game.

... and then! Saturday Night Live!! Wow!! ... I flipped over to NBC as soon as the game was over, though my expectations for the show have been considerably lowered this fall with several mediocre skits and shows that have rarely had me cracking even a smile. ... but Saturday night! The show of the year!! ... Alec Baldwin hosting (and appearing in comical sketches as Saddam Hussein and then Tony Bennett), surprise appearances by Steve Martin, Martin Short and Paul McCartney!! (as Baldwin and Martin argued about who has hosted SNL more...)

Then, the best 'Weekend Update' Amy Poehler and Seth Myers have done all season -- they delivered some excellent one-liners ...
  • "On Tuesday night, in an ironic turnaround, Iraq brought regime change to the U.S. "
  • "President Bush on Wednesday held a news conference where he vowed to work with the new Democratic majority — which, if true, can mean only one thing: The Democrats have a nuclear bomb."
  • "On Thursday the Army launched its new recruitment slogan, ‘Army Strong’ — which replaces its previous slogan ‘Army of One.’ Meanwhile, the Navy is sticking with its recruiting slogan: ‘ Iraq : It’s Almost Entirely Landlocked.’ "
  • "Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman won re-election as an independent and is expected to be courted by both Democrats and Republicans — though it remains to be seen which Lieberman will show up in the Senate: the dull and boring Lieberman or the boring and dull Lieberman."
  • " Arizona on Tuesday became the first state to defeat an amendment to ban gay marriage, while Missouri approved a measure to back stemcell research — and Kansas drowned a witch."
  • "According to the journal Science, the world’s supply of seafood will run out by the year 2048 — thanks in large measure to Red Lobster’s ‘Eat All the Shrimp in Existence’ dinner special."
  • "A new company has created a system that allows car passengers to access the Internet while driving. This is good news for anyone who wanted to use Google Earth to watch themselves hit a tree."
... plus! the show offered three, THREE! superb performances by Christina Aguilera!! and then Tony Bennett himself joining Baldwin for one sketch and a duet with Aguilera!!

... other blogger's views were less rewarding, but seeing all of the starpower lined up together during the closing credits was priceless ...

* * *

I returned to the Arch this morning for the sunrise. And I thought being there Friday afternoon with all the fall colors was as serene as it could be ...


11.10.2006

Meet me in St. Louis

I'm here!

Flight was good. Although I can't remember a previous flight where the ascent and descent were so drastic and fast. If I said we went up and then down at 90 degree angles, I don't think I'd be exaggerating by much ... The pilot must've been doing something right because we didn't crash. We left the cloudy, stormy skies in Chicago and rose to the glittering air above. From above, today's clouds were like a sea of cotton balls in some parts and a vast polar ice cap in others ...

I got off the plane in St. Louis to endless store displays with Cardinals World Series memorabilia -- nice -- retrieved my one suitcase and then caught a cab. For the next two nights my residence is the Millennium Hotel in downtown St. Louis.

"You ever been to St. Louis?" my cab driver asks.

"Yeah. I'm from Kansas City," I tell him. "So I know St. Louis. I've been here a few times." ... I proceed to ask him if the city's still reeling about the Cardinals, to which he gives off a huge grin and says "Aw yeah," and I talk about how I'm looking forward to getting a look at the new Busch Stadium ...


Just then, he pulls up to the hotel, which is centered between Busch Stadium on the west and the iconic Arch to the east -- what more could a visitor want!? ... A huge screen, that I assumed was the back of the Busch Stadium scoreboard, is flashing the final out of the World Series and the words "2006 World Series Champions." My cab driver says, "You can't get any closer to the stadium that that." ... I'll say!

In a flash, I was checking into my room, peeling off my Chicago clothes and changing into some attire more suitable for a muggy St. Louis. I was sweating! (As I write, the weather man on the news is saying it got up to 73 degrees today, and now there's a tornado watch just south of here ... ) ... And before you could say Albert Pujols, I was across the street checking out the Jack Buck statue and walking around, mouth gaping, Busch Stadium, the home of the defending World Champions.




... It's nice, yes. But aside from the red brick and the amusement of a Cardinal at virtually every pillar, gate and corner, there's nothing spectacular enough to set it apart from the other retro stadiums I've visited. Then again, I can't say much about the interior other than the sea of red seats and the huge Bud Light billboard I could see from the gate outside the left field pavilion ... The front of the stadium was the gem for me. St. Louis's version of Monument Park, all of the Cardinals greats are immortalized with heavily-detailed bronze statues ...

I was inside the Cardinals team store, deciding whether I wanted to take home a World Series glass or a baseball when my friend and St. Louis res Jill called me about meeting for lunch (... Good thing she called 'cause I'd forgotten her cell number. It was the only thing I'd forgotten to pack! Doh! ...) ... So I promptly settled on the glass for its colorful Cardinals/World Series graphic and a decorative baseball at the base, and then walked back to the hotel to meet Jill and her husband for a lunch ...

In the mood for sandwiches, we headed to Mike Shannon's a couple blocks from Busch. Good eats, and like any restaurant owned by a sports great, the posters and memorabilia was sure fun to look at too ...

After parting ways with Jill, I was off to enjoy more of the city. I headed back to Busch Stadium to snap some pictures and see some of the things I hadn't done before Jill called. From there I walked through Kiener Plaza, past the Old Courthouse and then east to the Arch, my Grey's Anatomy music playing on my iPod and setting my reflective mood ...

The skies were overcast, but the color of the fall leaves that surrounded the Arch were spectacular. It was calm, serene, perfect ...

Now it's almost 6 p.m. ... I just jogged back in a cold, hard rain from a Max & Erma's down the street. My conference starts in about an hour in one of the banquet rooms downstairs, but after all my excitement today I'd rather veg out in my room and keep reading my book ...

... The sports guy on the news just said that the Tigers got Gary Sheffield in a trade today with the Yankees. My initial reaction, is Great! Now ol' Sheff is going to ruin any team chemistry the Tigers have going for them ... Then I remember Sheffield was a big part of the Marlins success with Leyland in '97, and I start thinking in might not be so bad ... but why the heck would the Yankees trade a player like Sheffield to a team that's sure to play a role in their postseason hopes for next year ... ?

I'm lonely ...

This is the view from my hotel room. Pretty beautiful ...


Leavin' on a jet plane


... I'm at O'Hare, waiting to catch a 9:40 flight to St. Louis for a weekend conference ...

... I was in bed at 1 a.m. last night and up at 5:30 this morning. So I feel like I could fall asleep any seco ...

Just kidding.

... My drive to the airport this morning wasn't so bad. I've never had a good track record for getting to big places easily -- like O'Hare, or the mall -- which is why I tend to leave very, very, very early. If I'm not running late, I make a wrong turn or miss an important exit ... Today, thankfully, was a different story. I was out of the house by 7:30 and rush hour traffic on the expressway was a breeze ...

Then, inside the airport, it's navigating the terminal. Again, not so confident. Dealing with those new computerized ticket/print-out systems is one of the few places you'll find me fearful of dealing with new technology. I'd rather deal with a real person, so usually I avoid them. But with the long lines today, I immediately found an open computer and got in, got my ticket, and got out. No problem.

... There's a TV overhead with CNN and two talking head babbling about this weekend's movies. One of them is coming off like an overaged sorority girl, and she's wearing more makeup then a beauty queen ... She saw Russel Crowe's new movie last night and apparently it sucks. Whatever.

... I just noticed a large, older gentleman sitting near me and listening to an iPod. Interesting. I wonder what he's listening to?

... From the ticket counter, I traversed the winding path to the security screeners, and the endless signs about the restrictions on carry-ons and gels. No worries here, all I've got is my office bag, and it's filled with magazines and papers ... It kind of makes me sad to watch all of it, thinking about what it was like to fly before 9/11. Not that I disagree with any of the new and improved screening process, it's too bad they didn't do it before 9/11. But it makes me sad and angry thinking about what our enemies have done to force us to this point. Where we must take computers and things out of their cases, remove our shoes, and everything from our jewelry to our boots to what we're wearing underneath is scanned and scrutinized ...

... They just announced my boarding gate has changed. Gotta go!

11.09.2006

Space buzz


Visiting space, of course, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Today, I did the next best thing -- I met Buzz Aldrin and Jim Lovell ...

The backdrop was a media preview and news conference to introduce the Adler Planetarium's new permanent exhibit, "Shoot For The Moon." Aldrin and Lovell were there to speak about their space exploration, the things that inspired them to become astronauts and reunite with their Gemini 12 spacecraft, which is displayed in the exhibit.

But even with Lovell and Aldrin swapping stories beside their Gemini 12 spacecraft it’s hard to imagine what life must have been like inside the cramped vehicle during their four days in space for the 1966 mission.

“Actually it looks like there’s a lot more room in here than there really was,” Aldrin told our crowd.

Added Lovell, “This is a good bird. It did its job.”

The fully-restored Gemini 12 spacecraft flown by Lovell and Aldrin is now the centerpiece of “Shoot For The Moon,” a multimedia show that celebrates the Gemini 12 mission and America’s race to the Moon, in addition to Lovell’s perseverance and legacy in the space program.

“The Adler is very proud to share in the important stories of heroes like Jim Lovell and Buzz Aldrin to help us inspire this next generation of explorers,” Adler President Paul H. Knappenberger said. “We’re delighted that we have the Gemini 12 spacecraft, which is a true national treasure.”

The new exhibit also draws on the Adler’s new endeavor to become the world’s leading space science center.

“I know that I was inspired by going to museums, seeing things and learning more about it,” Lovell said. “I think young people have to have an inspiration and that’s the whole purpose of the ‘Shoot To The Moon’ phases here at the Adler because this is really an educational institution to inspire young people to have very welcoming or rewarding careers.”

The exhibit begins with “A Journey With Jim Lovell,” a display featuring some of Lovell’s personal artifacts and letters to help tell the stories of his initial failures to gain acceptance into the U.S. Naval Academy and NASA astronaut program, as well as his triumphs flying on four space missions and traveling to the moon twice.

In one case is the reply Lovell, as a young boy in Milwaukee, received from American Rocket Society secretary G. Edward Pendroy after Lovell wrote the society saying he wanted to become a rocket engineer. In part, the reply reads, “The best advice I can offer is to get as good an engineering education as possible, with emphasis on thermodynamics, aero dynamics, metallurgy or combustion chemistry.”

Lovell would eventually overcome rejection by the Naval Academy and entered college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison under the Navy’s Holloway Plan, which allowed him to take flight lessons while pursuing his education.

After two years at the UW in the Navy’s ROTC program, Lovell applied to the Naval Academy again and was accepted. And in 1959, he was one of 34 men invited to a secret meeting to try out for a spot among America’s first astronauts. But Lovell failed his physical exam on a medical technicality and was left to watch from his television as the Mercury 7 were proclaimed America’s first astronauts.

But Lovell’s perseverance eventually paid off. Three years later, in 1962, NASA again called for astronaut candidates and Lovell reapplied. Lovell passed all the tests and was officially an astronaut in training.

Visitors also will see Lovell’s Apollo 13 helmet and gloves, original flight plans and manuals flown on the Gemini 12 mission, the Omega chronograph Lovell wore on Gemini 12, Lovell’s optical sight from Apollo 13 -- which ultimately saved the lives of the Apollo 13 crew -- and the director’s “clapper” used in the film “Apollo 13.”

The exhibit also offers insight into how Lovell and others risked their lives to advance America’s space program.

“We can get 100 percent safety by hauling the shuttle craft back in and locking the doors, but you have to realize that spaceflight like a lot of different professions is a risky business,” Lovell said. “And you have to accept the rewards that you get from it and overcoming the risk that are involved. That’s true for just about any kind of business that you do.”

Beyond the Lovell’s collection and other space artifacts, is a place to discover whether you have what it takes to be an astronaut in “Mission: Moon.”

Visitors can pose as members of an exploration team going back to the Moon in the 21st century. Try a lunar leap, a lunar landing or any of a handful or state-of-the-art exhibit elements that let you experience the thrills and challenges of lunar exploration.

In “Touch Down,” visitors can try their piloting skills and attempt a lunar descent and landing. After a quick briefing, you take the controls of a lunar landing vehicle and try to find a safe landing spot before running out of fuel.

Then in “Lunar Leap,” feel what it’s like to jump on the Moon. In the interactive, a lunar gravity simulation uses an inclined plane outfitted with two slider boards to recreate the sensation of jumping in the 1/6-gravity of the Moon. Adding to the fun, a green-screen video effect shows what the jump would look like on the lunar surface.

Also in the “Lunar Dangers Lab,” visitors meet ALEX -- short for Analyst of Lunar Environmental Extremes -- an animated robot who thinks he’s ready to live on the Moon. As you sit inside the lab, ALEX goes through a series of rigorous tests to see if he can survive the Moon’s temperature extremes and solar radiation. But the fun of the lab lies in the special effects that include brief periods of mist and extreme heat that let you experience the Moon’s environment.

* * *

Afterward, my photog Kevin and I met up with our buddy Patrick at city hall for a lunch rendezvous. But first Patrick -- an incredibly knowledgeable Chicagoan -- gave us a quick history lesson and took us for a peek inside “Chicago's state capitol building,” the stunning James R. Thompson Center ... I hardly knew the building existed and I was in a daze as I stared up at the humongous atrium. Now I can't wait to go back ...

From there, it was on to a popular lunch spot Patrick had recommended -- Perry's deli in The Loop. The popularity of the place was evident the moment we stepped up to the front doors as the line to the counter wrapped around the dining room (about the size of your typical McDonald's) and out the doors. And the other highlight of this place is the fact they don't allow cell phones; if an employee catches you talking on a phone, they sound a loud alarm that humiliates you and has everyone in the place looking at you, the idiot talking on a cell phone. It happened twice while we were there ... HA-larious.

Despite the long line, the pace was speedy and we were placing our orders within minutes. I decided on the Perry's Favorite sandwich -- corned beef, jack cheese, cole slaw, bacon and Russian dressing, all of it piled (and I mean piled) onto an onion roll ...

With sandwiches and drinks in hand, the three of us decided to take in the gorgeous weather and found a picnic table alongside the river. And the sandwich -- well, it just might have been one of the best sandwiches I've ever had ...

Lost for the winter

Great!!

... So the whole first half of this season's Lost sucked except for the first two minutes when we saw the island was actually a whole community and the last five minutes of last night's "fall season finale" when Jack cut open Ben on an operating table, flipped on The Others and screamed at Kate to run!

Other good takes on the fall of 'Lost' ...

a Is 'Lost' profound or just ridiculous?

a 'Lost' Premiere Brings Few Answers, More Questions

a 'Lost' Still, a rare find on TV

11.08.2006

Splitsville!

Stop the presses!

... Brit and K-Fed (... or should I say Fed-Ex) are sooooo over ...

... Rummy is high-tailing it out of the Pentagon ...

I can't remember the last time the announcement of a story breaking on the news wires drew so much applause/cheering/laughter in our office ...

... Upon hearing the news about Rummy, I immediately Googled him and this is the first story that came up, from The Washington Post, posted just before the announcement ... very interesting and insightful!

11.05.2006

Desperate

Wow.

They told us it was going to be a memorable ''Housewives." And for once, they weren't lyin' ...

Somehow I sensed Nora was gonna get it. I mean she was a witch, but she didn't deserve to go like that. The final exchange between her and Lynette was touching ...

Lynette continues to be, by far, my favorite character ...

Best line of the night: Edie to Harvey Bigsby whose gun-wielding wife is waiting for him on the other side of the door. “Sometimes you just gotta take one for the team!”

Best scene: Carlos gleefully revving up a chainsaw to continue the unforgiving destruction of his and Gabby’s belongings while Gabby stands at their door with a dumbfounded Mrs. McCluskey … followed by Bree serving up appetizers to the neighborhood as they gather to watch coverage of the supermarket hostage situation on TV ...

Sunday reading

I finally posted a new video on my sidebar ... It comes thanks to my weekly viewings of VH1's Top 20 Countdown (... because hey, our area radio stations are too afraid to play anything outside of Nickelback, John Mayer, Goo Goo Dolls, and All-American Rejects...). The video is for a song called "Here It Goes Again" by a group I'd never heard of called OK Go. The whole treadmill thing is genius, fairly cheap to pull off, and it makes for one of the coolest videos I've ever seen ...

If you haven't seen it, just press the play button ...

* * *

Kates and I watched V For Vendetta last night (... in preparation for a Sunday School lesson, believe it or not ...) ...

... I didn't get it. The whole terrorist running around in a white mask was a little too creepy and deranged for me. I expected Natalie Portman's performance to be stronger. And it didn't help that I wasn't watching the film in the best of moods and I was dozing throughout the first 15 minutes of the movie ...

... All of it made the whole exploding Parliament scene at the end a little anti-climatic ...

* * *

A sampling of the intriguing and interesting reads that caught my attention this week ...

Media and pop culture ...
a Daily circulation falls 2.8 percent at U.S. newspapers
a Pop culture has long been the home of ... hoaxes

Television ...
a New TV season: New stars, new trends
a ‘SNL’ impressionist finally gets limelight
a Hiro's the hero of fall TV season

More from the postseason ...
a Are expanded playoffs good for MLB?
a World Series winners enjoy victory parade in St. Louis
a Eckstein riding high
a Decisions loom for Cardinals
a No. 1 lesson from this World Series - almost every team can win
a Fall Classic has taken classic fall
a Baseball's top off-season storylines

And finally ...


11.04.2006

Catching up ...

... It's been one of those weeks ...

... It's never a good thing when your boss starts it by saying he's heavily medicated. But give him credit, he had just returned from a cross-country trip and was going on two hours of sleep ...

... Our office also ushered in a new computer system and software this week. Oh, the madness ... I arrived in our office Tuesday morning to the sight of a gleaming new flat screen computer on my desk. But it was another three hours before the tech guys had all the proper drives installed and programs working properly -- something that was supposed to be completed overnight. Worse yet, I couldn't access my email. The tech guys told me the program was fixed before I left Tuesday evening -- only to discover the next morning they input the wrong password to my computer when they were changing over the system on Monday night ... and the problems with my machine were hardly as bad as some of my cohorts ...

* * *
... It's that time of year again. The first quarter is coming to a close, and Kates is stressing about filling out grade reports and dealing with crazy (... that's putting it nicely for some of them ...) parents.

... add to that the stress of her masters classes ...

... yeah.

Pray for her.

* * *

... With as cold as it's been around here this fall, we've been ready for snow any day now ...

... then on Monday, the leaves kept falling, the sun shined ... and the temperature rose ...

... despite being night falling earlier, it was freakishly warm as we arrived home from work. And I heard a weather report the next morning that said O'Hare's temperature guage read 62 degrees at midnight...

... in October!

* * *

I spent Thursday afternoon visiting the new Discovery World museum in Milwaukee ...

Another museum, I'd love to go back to on my own ... when it's finished.

It's truly a new world of fascination on Milwaukee's lakefront, sandwiched between the art museum and the Summerfest grounds ... But half the museum is still under construction. Walls are being painted, exhibits are being assembled and down the halls you can hear workers banging and drilling. The museum officials contend they wanted visitors to be able to see the museum grow and evolve, but I don't buy it. Sure about two-thirds of it is open and ready, but the lack of a finished product makes it look as though they ran out of money and had to open the big white box in hopes of attracting some visitors and raking in the money to finish it ...

... aside from the construction mess, the museum atrium alone is a sight to be seen with its wide-open views of Lake Michigan. And the interactive science and technology exhibits on the second floor are worth your time as well.

As expected, though, the aquatic room is by far the highlight. The tunnel underneath the aquarium of Carribean fish sucks you in and doesn't let go -- we stood inside the tunnel for several minutes just gazing at the fish passing over us... amazing. And then there's the parts of the floor where only a piece of glass seperates your feet and the fish-filled water that flows underneath you -- that sensation of walking on the water is sure to freak out nine of every 10 people who visit the museum ...

* * *

It was a good TV week ...

... Sunday night's Brothers & Sisters was entertaining and pulled on the heart strings, as usual. And this week's Desperate Housewives may have been my fave of the season. Seeing the girls get drunk on Lynette's porch was classic. And then Lynette finally gave it to Nora ... yes!

... Unfortunately, Lost isn't holding up as well. We didn't watch Wednesday night's episode until late Friday night because, well, we're not so interested anymore. And even then, I'd already heard enough to know that Eko was going to be killed off ... Here's hoping they let Ben die off, end the torture and the survivors band with the Others to figure out what's really happening on that island ...

( ... I totally disagree with the people who are suddenly coming out of the woodwork and saying Eko was one of the most entertaining characters ... but Tim Goodman's rant is a little entertaining ...)

... As for Thursday night, the Aitu tribe's good vibes and domination never ceases to excite me on Survivor. So long Flica: I'll miss ya, you were darn cool, but you were the weakest link ... The Office, as usual, was good for a chuckle here and there ... and Grey's Anatomy finally started making some sense again. Thank goodness ...

But ...

None of those comapare to Heroes. These days, there is no show I look forward to more each week than that exciting web of ordinary people discovering their crazy super-powers ...

* * *

... Still, with no more baseball to watch and several shows in reruns this week I spent much of my evenings this week laying back and -- as the lovely and talented Corrine Bailey Rae sings so beautifully -- put my records on ...

Talk about a great way to get away from it all ...

... I caught the Dixie Chicks on Storytellers last weekend ( ... amazing performance! Catch it if you can in reruns!! They rocked "Cowboy Take Me Away" ...) and that got me on a kick that started the week with "Wide Open Spaces."

... Monday night was truly dedicated to the records: Cat Stevens: Greatest Hits, Fleetwood Mac: Rumors, The Carpenters: A Song For You, Billy Joel: The Stranger, Elton John: Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player ...

... On Thursday morning, I reached way back and pulled out Hootie's Fairweather Johnson ... underrated album.

... And as the weekend arrived, my stereo has performed multiple plays of the Rent movie soundtrack, KT Tunstall's Eye To The Telescope and, dare I say, Paris Hilton's Paris ... hey, it's a catchy album!