Journal archive
Something
smells
We had a sewage backup in the neighborhood over the weekend, and the city has finally cleared the last of it. Things got really fun today when one of the toilets erupted in a spray of (hopefully clean) water. Yep, Iīm blogging because Iīm putting of cleaning the bathroom. At least the smell has finally subsided.
And in another outstanding example of zero tolerance = zero brains, a child
in Colleyville, TX got suspended for possession of a multi-purpose tool left in
his backpack after a weekend fishing trip. The childīs main crime as I see it is
telling a friend instead of telling a teacher after he discovered the tool.
Okay, Iīll buy the three-day suspension, but six weeks at an alternative school?
Cīmon. A childīs previous record (if any) and their intent should be taken into
consideration in these cases. By all accounts, this child is well-behaved and
has never been in serious trouble. Once again, the good kids get punished while
those who know how to hide a weapon get away with their crimes.
9/30/2002 2:18:35 PM
More on the
Casio Exilim
Now that Iīve had this camera for a week, I must say that I am quite impressed. This credit card-size camera packs in a lot of features. Iīve only found two minor problems. The first is that the joystick-type navigaton button on the back is too small - even for somone with fingernails. The second is that I found the camera prone to shake - but I think thatīs because Iīm used to larger cameras. It took very little time at all to overcome that problem.
One very cool feature is that the Exilim supports PRINT Image Matching, which
is an Epson standard (it also supports Exif Print). I took a backlit picture
that looked really crummy on the screen, printed it to my Epson C80 using PRINT
Image matching, and the print came out just exactly as the picture was shot,
with no manipulation needed. Yep, Iīm impressed! As soon as I take some pictures
that really show off this camera, Iīll post them.
9/29/2002 6:21:00 PM
Toy Time!
Just got my hands on the new Casio Exilm EX-S1. (Thank you, Paul!) Itīs a cool little camera, and quite full-featured for something so tiny. At 1.2 megapixles (2.0 interpolated), it doesnīt quite stand up to my Nikon Coolpix 990, but hey, my Nikon doesnīt fit in my pocket, either. Casio has a new model on the way out that does 2.0 megapixles natively.
So far, Iīve only taken a few indoor shots at night, but tomorrow promises to
be a nice day, so Iīll be out shooting!
9/20/2002 8:34:00 PM
A year later
Our son helped put the flag out this morning. Itīs become somewhat tattered over the past year. Iīll fly it one more time, then hand it over to the Boy Scouts for retirement.
Remember that everyone grieves in his or her own way. When you get that 30th
poem, picture, or prayer in your inbox today please keep that in mind.
9/11/2002 6:35:51 AM
Long time, no
write
No excuses. I should have been keeping up on this blog. We started school here in mid-August, and have been caught up in the hustle and bustle that is traditionally part of a new school year. The start has been good for the kid so far. Iīm ready to crawl under the nearest rock and sleep for a good month or so. No particular reason other than I can just use a good long sleep.
If you have a child in Texas schools, check out the
State Board
for Educator Certification Official Record of Educational Certificates. You
can find out what certification - if any - your childīs teacher(s) have.
9/4/2002 2:32:44 PM
I was right!
Today I happened to glance between the dryer and the wall, and spied a pile
of mismatched socks. This proved my theory that the dryer eats socks.
7/26/2002 3:47:14 PM
One nation
under...
I was unsurprised at the recent court ruling over the constutitionality of the Pledge of Allegiance. Being blonde, I am of two minds about this. On one hand, there is the whole separation of church and state issue. Does the word "God" endorse a particular diety? Can you take God to mean Zeus, or Allah, or the Holy Trinity, or whatever or whomever? If the word "God" does not fit your religion (or lack thereof), I suppose that might be offensive.
On the other hand, thereīs enough going on in our public schools to offend
someone of every stripe. Vegetarians donīt like the meat in the school lunches.
Some people donīt like anything that remotely smacks of patriotism, and then
threreīs the rain forest math and contraceptives in the schools. So, could this
be the thin end of the wedge? There have already been lawsuits over sex
education and the math curriculum. Whatīs next? Before you know it, there will
be no room for education in the schools because they have to conform to too many
agendas.
7/3/2002 3:01:57 PM
Updating the
Blog Before Bedtime
Yeah, itīs been a while. Life and work got in the way.
On Saturday we went to see "The Powerpuff Girls Movie." I went in with very low expectations, and came away quite happy. If youīve never seen the cartoon series, then the movie carries more plot than it would to those already initiated into the PPG world. Itīs your basic "origins" tale, but the visuals are worth the price of admission. Itīs packed with movie references the kids wonīt get. Some of the cartoon violence may be a little intense for the younger set, but I didnīt see any kids upset by this film. We attended a kid-packed preview.
Preceding the movie was a "Dexterīs Laboratory" short that was hilarious. The
only problem we had was that the sound was out during the two previews that the
theatre showed. The second preview was for the next Harry Potter movie, and the
audience was quite ticked that at the lack of sound. Other than that, a good
time seemed to have been had by all.
7/3/2002 2:53:41 PM
It must be
summer...
NEVER sit on a leather office chair while wearing shorts if the outside temperature is over 85 and youīve been runnnig in and out of the house.
Words to live by... if I can sit again.
6/17/2002 3:25:44 PM
Back in town
Long weekends are nice. Wish we would take one more often. Five days without the Internet. We did take along a notebook PC and a digital camera, and we had a great time shooting pictures.Perhaps Iīll post some soon.
Mainly, we did a lot of nothing. I read two books. The first was The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Somehow Iīd missed reading that book, and I hate going to see a film thatīs based on a book without having read the original work first. I loved the book, but Iīm not sure if it will translate well to a movie. I plan to see it with friends (the only way to see that type of movie) soon, so weīll see.
The other book I polished of was Carole Nelson Douglasīs Cat in a Midnight Chorus, the newest (mewest?) Midnight Louie tale (tail?). We perform slave duty to a black feline named Midnight Louise, so itīs important that I get the right terminology. As usual,Nelsonīs book was a fun read. My only complaint was that it ended too soon. This is not a sign of a short book ("Chrous" ran 350 pages), but rather an engaging story. The author is also known for her Irene Adler mysteries. For the uninitiated. Irene Adler was the only woman to best Sherlock Holmes. The next book in that series is due in August, and I anxiously await publication.
The actual reason behind our mini-vacation was the state youth bowling
tournament. When we left, Chrisī team was in second place. Since there are four
weeks left, I donīt know if their scores will hold up. Still, itīs nice to know
that they did well.
6/12/2002 7:00:12 PM
I confess! It
was me!
Yes, that was me ahead of you in line at the grocery store yesterday. The frustrated woman whose store debit card wouldnīt scan. I did my best there, offering to write a check so they didnīt have to void out the purchase, empty all of the bags, and start over. Now that would have been frustrating.
Or perhaps you were in line behind me at the Post Office. I was the woman whose change kept getting rejected by the machine. Then, to make matters worse, the stamps wouldnīt tear off. And there you were, standing behind me, tapping your feet.
You have my most humble apologies.
6/4/2002 5:14:16 PM
Schoolīs out!
Actually, it got out a week ago. After a week of holidays and running errands, Iīm finally ready to try to settle back down into some semblance of normality - or as close to normal as things get during the summer.
We closed on the refinance of our house. For a supposedly streamlined process, it was a mess. And trying to get the most basic of feedback from the other parties involved in the process was like pulling teeth. We celebrated with a trip to Central Market.
Central Market is a Texas-based chain of grocery stores catering to "foodies."
You donīt just get four or five varieties of apples, but thirty. Need banana
buds? Coca-Cola from Mexico? English bangers? Dublin cheddar cheese? The place
is astounding, but it is not where I would do my everyday shopping. I spend far
too much money there.
5/29/2002 2:18:23 PM
Send in the
Clones
We finally made it to see "Attack of the Clones" last night. Perhaps my expectations were low, but I liked the movie. The acting (except Frank Ozī Yoda) leaved much to be desired, but the visuals were incredible. So was the sound. Iīve been waiting years for good, rattle-your-seat audio in a theatre, and "Clones" delivers. I should mention that we saw the film at a digital theatre.
I only wish the dialogue were not so ponderous. That was one of the things I
liked about the first trilogy. The dialogue was much more realistic and the
onscreen chemistry was much better. Still, there was much to like about "Attack
of the Clones."
5/22/2002 7:00:12 AM
Emile Berliner exhibit
online
The library of Congress has a wonderful online exhibit about Emile Berliner, inventor of the Gramophone. Included in the collection are recordings dating back to the late 1800's.
5/21/2002 7:24:25 AM
Adventures in
grocery shopping
I love to cook. I love to eat. My hips will attest to both. Why is it I hate grocery shopping? Maybe it�s running the Grand Prix to find a parking space. Or perhaps it's the screaming kids and their oblivious parents. Or the obstacle course they lay out in the aisles.
I still moan the demise of online grocery
shopping.
5/20/2002 2:59:50 PM
Oh, my sinusssss...
The inevitable after-effect of rainy weather is
the increase in pollen. Everyone I know is having some sort of sinus trouble.
People who never suffer from allergies are sniffling and sneezing. The
pharmaceutical companies must love this weather.
5/18/2002 10:05:03 AM
Rain, Rain...
Spring is the rainy season in North Texas.
Hardly a weekend passes without heavy rains. The weather is just a set-up for
the long, dry summer. While dark, rainy days can be depressing, I just keep
reminding myself that in a month it'll be 100 degrees, and we'll be begging for
rain.
5/17/2002 7:16:55 AM
Batten Down the
Hatches!
Looks like we're in for our first heavy storms of spring. I've managed to clear out just enough space in the garage for my car. Having lost a car in a hail storm once, I don't want to do it again - especially since I'm not finished with the payments!
9:02:26 AM