Philly here I come!!!

April is a ways off, but it is never to early to start planning our trip to Philadelphia, PA this spring to see our friends the Bookers and to see...

King Tut!!!!


I wonder if they will let me get in the saracophagus to get a picture with him. I kinda doubt it...

Jericho to bite the dust?

I read an Ass-ociated Press article in my local paper about shows that are likely to bite the dust early in the Fall '06, and one of my new favorites Jericho was listed. The writer said the show was "too dark" and depressing and not likey to survive because of this.

I hope he's wrong.

After watching the first episode, I had goose bumps. The premise of the show is that in the small town of Jericho, Kansas, small town life is at its best. Prodigal son Jake returns home in time for a nuclear mushroom cloud to be seen in the distance. The first show focuses on the first 18 hours after the bomb blast. A group of school kids goes missing, an empty prison bus is found on the side of the road, and the townsfolk already start turning on each other. The tension is palpable.

The last scene of the show shows the character Emily driving to Witchita to pick up her hubby-to-be. The road seems to be very bumpy and she pulls over to find out what the problem is. Waiting for her are hundreds of dead crows littering the road. I had the chills.

Like most great shows, if they don't pull in the ratings they get cancelled. I hope this isn't the case with Jericho.

Planet Earth

Now that I am teaching Earth Science, I am ever watchful for cool shows that highlight the amazing creation that we inhabit. Believe it or not, CBC has got an amazing documentary going right now called Planet Earth.

I've unfortunately missed the first two parts of the five part series, but was able to watch Freshwater last night, and am currently watching Caves.

Up next week: Deserts!

Great series. Visually rich and with great narration by David Attenborough.

Highway Companion

In addition to a free pound of Starbucks coffee (oh boy!!!), my sister-in-law got me the new Tom Petty album for my birthday.

Pretty good album overall considering I am not a huge Petty fan. Highlights include the rocker Saving Grace, Square One, Flirting with Time and Turn this Car Around.

Great gift, but if I was buying it myself, I would download these four songs from iTunes and call it good

Willie's at it again....

Willie Nelson, now 73, is smokin' the wacky-tabacky again and got cited for it:

Willie Nelson and four others were issued misdemeanor citations for possession of narcotic mushrooms and marijuana after a traffic stop Monday morning on a Louisiana highway, state police said.

That Toby Keith song that goes "I'll never smoke weed with Willie again" comes to mind...

Wild Blue Yonder

Being my birthday and all, I went to Border's got myself a new graphic novel, Marvel Knights Spider-Man: Wild Blue Yonder.

While the cover is nothing to write home about (the cover of issue #13) with Wolverine supposedly hitting on MJ, the addage "don't judge a book by its cover" really comes into play here.

When you actually get into the meat of the book, it is awesome! Great story featuring the Absorbing Man aka Crusher Creel, the Owl (weak character in my opinion), the Fantastic Four and the Avengers.

This is a well done series with great art by Billy Tan and Mark Buckingham, and a story written by Hollywook heavyweight Reginal Hudlin (House Party, Boomerang). Well worth the purchase.

I'm all hooked up...

Well, the wireless home network is now functional and secure!!! No cheap buggers stealing my signal and I can sit in bed and blog!!!

So, I now have my Apple Macbook Pro (I still love to say that), a Targus Tornado Chill Mat, and my Belkin wireless. I was a bit sceptical of the Chill Mat at first, but the results were instantaneous. The Pro radiates a lot, and I mean a lot, of heat (this doesn't help), and the mat pulls it right off and keeps that beautiful Titanium chassis nice and cool.

So hear I sit wireless, happy, and watching Antiques Roadshow.

OK. Two outta three ain't bad...

Five new dramas worth your time this fall

MSNBC highlights five new dramas for fall that they have deemed worthy of watching this fall. Here is the list:

"Six Degrees"
"Heroes"
"Jericho"
"The Nine"
"Kidnapped"

While all five sound appealing, the two I am going to sink my teeth into are "Jericho" and "Heroes".

How can you go wrong with super-powers and nuclear blasts?

9/11

9/11 remembered. Let us a nation and the world never forget what happened five years ago on this date.

Where were you five years ago when you heard the news that our nation had been attacked? What did you feel? Anger. Fear. Sorrow. I felt all of those emotions and think we should always keep those feelings close at hand as we think about those cowardly individuals that would attack not only our beloved country but all nations throughout the world that love and embrace freedom.

Take time today to remember those who died on that awful day, in the attack and those awesome first responders that also gave their lives. Also take time to pray for those not only from our country but those from all over the world fighting for freedom and democracy in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the rest of the world.

Blogging also ensues because...

...I got one of these bad boys!!!

Just in case you thought I died...

...I really didn't.

There are a few factors contributing to the complete lack of posting during August without the slightest warning or update. I must confess, one was the complete lack of any desire to do so. Just didn't want to sit down long enough to write even a mere sentence. "Taking August off. Be back soon." That would have been easy right?

The second reason and more understandable is the fact that after 10 years with the same employer I decided to stretch my wings and took a new job with a couple of guys I know from church that run an alternative ed program. So I am now working with and teaching high school kids. And I am scared out of my wits. But I serve a big God, and know that I am in the right place and that Jesus is in the back of the boat when the storm rages and the seas get rough.

But even with having the God of infinite power on board, I have still had some major stress (mostly self imposed), so therefore most of my free time of late has been put into prepping for classes.

Another rough patch in August (the first day of our vacation in fact) was that my dear old cat that I have had for nine years and had reached the ripe old age of 17 died in his sleep. Rest in peace old buddy.

On the flip side, the kitten Tut has become very sweet. Likes to spend time with us. I know that he misses Leo, but I think he likes not being chased off the bed.

Plus, Halo Live still rocks!!!!!!!!

My wife has also had me working hard on her honey do list! New kitchen cabnets for the the tenants, bathroom sink for our bathroom (although that project has not gone as well as planned!) and a new kitchen floor! But, she is happy :)