This collection of entries is from April 2005.
Saturday, April 30, 2005
White Sox 4 - Tigers 3
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We're back to seasonable weather, with the gametime temperature at 5 degrees. It's the first game where Carol got cold (me - not so much, but it wasn't pleasant). It was also "Motown Night", which, quite frankly, was a bust. I was expecting something like Elvis night, but it not even close.
The Sox had bee non a 3-game losing streak. Last night, against the same club, we left 16 runners on base! Tonight's start looked like it was going to be another of those nights. El Duque had thrown 49 pitches in the first 2 innings. I never thought that game was going to end at that point (it lasted 2:50). We struggled, did the whole "small ball" thing, and actually won another one-run game. LOB tonight: 6. 30,189 saw the game - better than the 18,313 last night that for some reason was headline news in the paper for lack of fans showing-up for the return to town of the first place team.
Guy I'm liking right now? Dustin Hermanson. Guy I'm not happy with right now? Jermaine Dye.
Fireworks? - standard.
(Boxscore)
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posted at 10:33 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Silver Circle
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We're home. I'm exhausted, in pain, giddy, alive and sad, all at the same time.
Tonight's awards were held at The Drake Hotel's Grand Ballroom. We got there early enough for cocktails (I hate this kind of cocktail events - where you have to go and pay for blasted "tickets" so that you can pay the barkeep with a ticket instead of cash... of course, I would have much preferred an open bar, but something tells me you don't do that with these television broadcaster types...)
Carol and I met up with Bill and it was a wonderful meeting. Actually, my entire time with Bill tonight was wonderful. We've all aged a bit, and yet Bill still sounds great and he's still got this funny little, sly glint in his eye that I still remember strongly from 30 years ago. That's when you know you've seen a piece of a man's personality that is truly a part of him and not part of a persona.
Had a wonderful time meeting the gentleman that was going to be introducing Bill - Jim Engel. First off, great guy. Fun guy. Knows his history of Chicago's children's TV extremely well. And you know, you got to love somebody who says - first thing out of his mouth - that he's been to this ol' website a few times and likes what I've got here!
It's odd being in a room full of broadcast people, mostly because they're usually filled with "unknowns". Management types, producers... people that you never see on-air, so it's weird when you see familiar faces - and the only reason they're familiar to you is that you've seen them on TV and have them in your household, and none of these people know who you are because... you're one of the many people behind the scenes. Weird.
We were honored to actually by able to sit at Bill's table (all of the honoree's had their own table of 12). Another weird thing of the night is that being at his table means you're in the front of the room and all of those other people that are the "famous" ones you know by sight are behind you, toward the back of the room.
It gets weirder - we wanted to make sure Bill faced forward to see the podium, so Carol & I faced the back of the ballroom. That meant we were 6'-8' feet right in front of the podium, with spotlights hitting our eyes all evening.
The food was... OK. The salad was OK, but I didn't like the chicken entrée. The dessert was served as the activities started, causing a lot of scrambling of the wait staff just as Jim Engel steps up to the podium to start his introduction of Bill, who will be going first this evening.
It was a very good speech, from the heart of someone who has been touched by children's TV in Chicago. They should a quick clip package of Bill's stuff over the years (that - for some reason - I felt didn't show the quality and breadth of the things he did here).
Bill accepted the award and went into his thank you's. To Bill , that also means acknowledging everyone who had worked for him over the years and particularly, every one at the table.
There's a little piece of out-of-body experience and that strange weirdness that seems to rush over me at times tonight, when you hear your name mentioned and are forced to stand-up in from of everybody in the room to be recognized... yes, it was my 3.5 seconds of fame in front of the broadcasters... it was very weird...
Anyway, we congratulated Bill and he returned to the table. We started eating the desserts that were delivered while he was gone, and the we listened and watched the other presenters and honorees.
That's when you really field odd... Again, we're feet from the podium, and during Roger Ebert's acceptance speech, he started talking about interviewing Bill Clinton, and he looks directly at Carol and says something about "he was only about a few feet away from me like from me to you.." Let's just say that made Carol's night because 1) it was Roger Ebert, and 2) he was talking about Bill Clinton and 3) he was talking to her.
Some of the videotape packages were good, some long, some way too long. And there's one emotional one for someone who received the award posthumously, who died of cancer much too young, but had a hand in NBC Network Saturday Children's programming and heading up ABC Family.
After the 5 awards, the evening was over, the room dispersed quicker than I had thought, and we lingered back a while. We were one of the last groups to leave - us and Linda Yu's family.
We said goodbye to Bill and knew we would be in touch again... I want to work on a certain something and I'm going to need a little help from him.
Carol & I left the Drake, picked up my car, drove to the brand new 2 story flagship McDonald's on Ontario for an evening bite (I was still hungry) and finally made it home.
My suit... didn't hold up. Though I was still able to button my jacket - sort of - my pants were another story. I used the restroom at McDonald's and broke off part of my zipper. I was able to get it back up but was unable to get out of my pants here a few minutes ago.
Time for a new suit.
I wore brand new shoes. The drive downtown almost killed me. There's something going on with the back of my right heel. I could barely walk by the end of the evening. I pried my shoe off as I was driving down the Kennedy on the way home to relieve the pressure. I've got a huge blister there now, and you can actually see the stain on theinbside of my shoe. *yuck*
Anyway, there's so much more to say about the evening - who we saw, what we talked about, the whole feeling of the ceremony... but I'm too tired, and I've rambled enough about it anyway.
It was great seeing Bill again - I'd do it all over again, without hesitation.
I've never wanted it to end... and, with any luck, it will still go on... « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 12:31 AM | Link | Puppeteering | 1 comment § |
Friday, April 29, 2005
What is this feeling?I don't get it. It's just an awards banquet tonight, and I'm not even getting an award.
Then, why do I feel... nervous?
Maybe it's just excitement. I mean, I get to see my old boss again and I get to see (meet?) some other local TV "stars". I don't know, it's just a weird feeling.
Went out and bought some new shoes last night. Tried on my suit for the first time in a couple of years. It'll barely do for tonight. I mean, the jacket buttons fine, the pants took me quite a few minutes to actually get on. Which means, I'm going to have some major comfort problems tonight. It's just the waist, so I'm hoping I don't have any possibilities of blowing out the seam.
Time to get a new suit.
posted at 07:24 AM | Link | Puppeteering § |
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Crowded sky
I was asleep, but something kept infiltrating my dreams. A familiar noise. It's the sound of a helicopter... not just one - but a few... and they're hovering... News helicopters... 2 blocks away...
Time to get the TV on and find some local news...
Father returned home last night at 9:30 and found his two kids - a 3 year-old girl & a 9 year-old boy - stabbed to death, his wife is being treated for lacerations.
We didn't hear a damn thing in the neighborhood last night...
UPDATE: Getting out of the neighborhood to get to work was impossible. I counted at least 7 television trucks and a dozen SUV's from radio and newspaper outlets. The police, fortunately, were just lifting barricades that block a lot of the street, so some of the traffic would get going. It's amazing how much a person slows down to see the scene as they drive by. I saw a little old lady slow to under 5mph to cross the intersection, while the rest of us just want to get to where we need to be.
After work I drove by again. A little less trucks, hardly any other media, but now the TV people were setting-up to do stand-ups right in front of the house.
Strange story. I know this is going to sound odd and even bad, but why do I feel a little more at ease knowing that this could be a domestic case instead of a home invasion kind of attack?
UPDATE:
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Maternal filicide.
Nine-year-old Christian and 3-year-old Gracie fought back in vain Wednesday night as their mother stabbed them over and over, more than 200 times each, in a struggle lasting less than an hour in their Hoffman Estates home.
She told police she wanted to “save” the children from abuse she believed they faced at a new Evangelical church founded by her husband, a minister, according to law enforcement officials.
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posted at 06:40 AM | Link | Mundane | 2 comments § |
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Bill on the Radio, Bill on TVAs you may know if you either know me or have rummaged around this website, I used to be a puppeteer many, many, many years ago for an icon in Chicago Children's Television - Bill Jackson. As I had mentioned earlier, he is being honored into the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Silver Circle, honoring individuals who have devoted 25 years or more to the television industry and who have made a significant contribution to Chicago broadcasting.
Bill certainly qualifies.
This past Sunday, Bill was on WGN Radio on the Dean Richard's show and I was able to snag a few minutes of it here (17Mb MP3).
This Friday morning, Bill will be on the WGN Morning News.
And then on Friday night, Bill will be "inducted" into the Silver Circle.
I have never been more proud about anything I've done in my entire life, including my current career, than I have been working for and with this man.
And I am fortunate to be going to that ceremony Friday night at the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago. I have to be there to honor that man.
Hope I can fit into my suit...
posted at 04:11 PM | Link | Puppeteering § |
That's more like I'm used to...A strong start, a blown lead, 2 hit batsmen, a battle back, let them in a bit, somebody that played shortstop who never played there in their career, and a loss, with 14 hits 3 errors.
Yeah, that's more like it...
posted at 06:55 AM | Link | White Sox § |
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
First time in how long?The White Sox are scaring me. Still on the best start ever - 16-4, 8 straight wins, they're 10-2 on the road, and they're on the West Coast which - historically - has killed us (Oakland won seven of nine against the White Sox last season). And last night was against Barry Zito and we still get a win. Not only that, our catcher (Chris Widger) - who played last season with the Camden Riversharks in the independent Atlantic League before he showed-up at spring training as a non-roster invitee - gets his first homerun in the majors since April 9, 2000!!! (A.J. Pierzynski was able to get the ball from the fan to give to Widger.)
posted at 07:06 AM | Link | White Sox § |
Monday, April 25, 2005
Studs
I looked at the big wall in the living room/dining room tonight and saw something that shocked me. The wall hadn't been painted in 20 years - thank God the whole first floor gets professionally painted next Tuesday - but I look at the wall and I can see every friggin' stud in the wall? I don't know if it's the lighting, I don't know if it's shadows, or for some reason something has bled through, but they're there. I can see wher ethe hooks for the paintings are right on center with the studs. What the hell?
posted at 06:21 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Best start ever?This is getting pretty dam scary... The White Sox improved to 14-4, the best 18-game start to a season in their 104-year franchise history. Almost all of these games are against AL Central rivals.
I'm just happy having them win each series they're in.
posted at 08:03 AM | Link | White Sox § |
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Dinner with BridgetWent to B&B's for dinner tonight. Something hit me today - I really think they enjoy cooking for us. The plan the menu out with diligence and they execute it very well. And I have to say that we enjoy eating what they cook, 'cause they do a damn fine job.
After dinner we watched Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. Considering we never saw Bridget Jones's Diary, it was an OK movie. It was the first time I saw a movie on Comcast On Demand. Wow. This whole idea of a video farm and having the video streamed to you - and be able to fast-forward, rewind and pause - is a pretty good feat. Still wouldn't drag me back to cable, though.
posted at 10:55 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Friday, April 22, 2005
Spring RainToday is one of those great spring rain days. The ones that you like.
I guess not everybody like them, but I actually like a good spring rain. The ones where it's not really too cold, not really windy. Not that crappy, pesky mist, but a good steady rain. I love walking in it - of course with proper protection.
There's that spring rain - washing things away metaphor that I like too. Cleanliness, new starts. I don't know - it actually changes my attitude - for the better.
Now, the whole spring rain thing changes dramatically when the rain continues for days and days and days... biblical references of 40 days and 40 nights come to mind and the attitude quickly sours, accompanied with a longing for sun, warmth... and dryness.
posted at 12:09 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Wolves 1 - Aeros 2 (Overtime) - West Division Semifinal Game 2
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Sucked.
The game sucked. The Wolves played tentatively and never appeared as aggressive as the other night. Carol said that "they looked scared". I don't think scared is the correct word, but they sure weren't playing with the same intensity. You could see it by the number of shots. They were always on the defense and just couldn't get it together.
Referee Wes McCauley called an extremely uneven game, which didn't help matters much. There was more than one occasion when I felt the McCauley had to call a penalty, because it was a bit too blatant to let it go, even tough there were other infractions that were close to be as blatant and he never even verbally warned the players. He was terrible. He was taking a beating from the fans who thought he wasn't calling anything, but quite a few hits were clean, though they looked bad. But if a playing just touched an opposer's stick, he would call a "holding the stick" without hesitation. He just wasn't consistent - made you wonder if he got a talking to before the game... a more cynical person would even question if money changed hands, that's how uneven the calls were.
Don't get me wrong - the players lost the game, but score an assist to McCauley.
(Boxscore - Gamesheet) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:14 PM | Link | Wolves § |
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
You'll never catch me doing thisI just can't imagine riding this thing... only to have it stop...
There's this new ride on the top of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas called Insanity that just opened on March 10. If I remember, it seats 8, and you get strapped into a seat and get extended 64 feet away from the tower, hanging 906 feet over Las Vegas Boulevard, while the ride spins, while the arm extends so that you almost face directly downward.
Now if that's not enough, let's take a look at this ride this morning, as in 1am this morning. An 18 year-old girl and her 11 year-old cousin get on the ride (i won't ask what an 11 year-old doing up at 1 am in Vegas). The ride starts up, the arm moves to dangle the passengers over the Strip.
The winds kick up. In the middle of the 3-minute ride, the ride shuts down.
Now, it's supposed to do that, which can't be any consolation to the kids 900 feet in the air, looking down, with winds up to 61 mph. And it's NOT a malfunction. It automatically goes into pause mode when the winds kick up. The sustained wind speeds were 50 mph.
And the kids - with the machine in "pause mode" hung out there not for 3 minutes, but 80 minutes.
The machine never did restart - they sent a worker out onto the arm - IN THE WIND - to attach a chain and pull the ride back into the platform.
Sorry. Pass. Not me. Ever. I saw the opening of the ride on a Saturday Today show on March 12th and there is just no way in hell you'd get me near that thing, especially now that I know about "pause mode".
posted at 06:18 PM | Link | Las Vegas § |
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Wolves 4 - Aeros 1 - West Division Semifinal Game 1
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We're at the wonderful time of the year is sports in Chicago that is the most embarrassing.
Chicago is not known as a Championship town - EXCEPT for this team, the Chicago Wolves. This is only the 11th season that the team has been in existence, and this is the 11th straight post-season appearances for the team. Not very many teams anywhere can say that they have NEVER missed the post-season. In those prior 10 seasons, the Wolves have won the league championship (IHL - Turner Cup, AHL - Calder Cup) three times.
You would think that in a town that has had a drought of championships in baseball, football, most recently basketball, and even professional hockey, that people would be clamoring to get tickets for playoff games.
Tonight's attendance: 2,411
The sorry thing is - that's pretty much average for a weekday playoff game for the Wolves. We've been at games that the attendance was half that. I don't get it.
Anyway, good, hard fought game that referee Scott Hoberg let get way out of control, winding up with mêlée's throughout the third peroid.
This could be a big mess going forward.
(Boxscore - Gamesheet) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:30 PM | Link | Wolves § |
White Smoke - New Pope - Benedict XVI78-year-old "Frontrunner" Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany made it on the 3rd vote.
Now, does this mean that - because he's 78 - he's one of these "interim" Popes?
posted at 11:14 AM | Link | Current Events § |
Monday, April 18, 2005
First Vote - Black SmokeI don't know, but there's something cool about watching the execution of long standing rituals. It doesn't matter what they are.
In this case, we've had our first Pope Vote, but the black smoke means no one was selected. I think that was it for today - one vote and that's it. We got two more rounds in the morning and then two more very late in the afternoon. My feel - we'll have somebody by Thursday. I can't imagine it going longer than that.
It's weird knowing that John Paul II appointed all but three of the 115 cardinals who will choose his successor. Wonder if that means anything...
posted at 01:33 PM | Link | Current Events § |
Sunday, April 17, 2005
White Sox 4 - Mariners 5
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One of the best promotional days around in all of baseball - Dog Day!
After so many years, we've got somebody we know in the parade! It's Janie & Gary with their Dalmatian (mix) Tallie. Janie made an outfit for her - except it was camouflaged! It was a spotted hide material with a big Sox logo on the back, but the black & white spots really blended-in well. The parade was really long again - the dogs were still on the field during the National Anthem.
And what a gorgeous day - 74 degrees at gametime, just a slight breeze. Sunny. This is April baseball in Chicago?????
Forget about the game itself. We didn't get a sweep, which I think is just asking way too much from a team at this point in the season. In fact, why do we need sweeps? (OK, sweeps other than the Cubs?) If you continually win each series, who needs a sweep?
Anyway - Freddy Garcia is 9-0 in day games. Not any more. But, you know, the team was never out of it - one of the best aspects of the team this year. They never quit. But then again, it's "early".
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 05:55 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Wolves 5 - Grizzlies 1 - Final Game of the Regular Season
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AHL WEST DIVISION CHAMPIONS
The regular season is over. Playoffs start Tuesday. 15,277 people packed the place so damn tight it was hard to move around. Then again, it was a Fan Appreciation day and the Dog Adoption day, and Shirt of Their Back day... too many damn things scheduled at once. To top it off, hardly any of our extended family was there, so it felt odd ending the season with hardly any of our friends.
It's a long day - baseball in the afternoon, hockey at night...
(Boxscore - Gamesheet) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:39 PM | Link | Wolves § |
White Sox 2 - Mariners 1
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99 MINUTES
That was the length on today's game!
Mark Buehrle pitched a complete game (his 16th in his career), giving up only 3 hits (and one run) with 12 strikeouts. I know people thought the game was boring, but damn it was quick and and there was some great pitching. Paul Konerko had two homeruns and now leads the league with 6. (This could become a problem, though - he's 5-for-29 in his last at-bats, with all five hits coming on home runs.)
It was our first game back with our season tickets. Everybody was back in their places - except us who moved-up 2 rows. Victor & Michelle and Chloe were back with a surprise - Michelle is pregnant! (due in October).
I guess E.R. was shooting in town again - because Noah Wyle threw out the first pitch!
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 05:53 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Friday, April 15, 2005
TAX DAYDO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR TAXES ARE?
Oh, and it's been 7 years since I was released from my longest full-time job (9 months shy of twenty years).
On a brighter note, McDonald's 50th Anniversary is today. You should see the HUGE McDonald's downtown that replaced the Rock & Roll McDonald's over on Ohio/Ontario. They were working hard to get it open for the company's anniversary today.
posted at 08:28 AM | Link | Current Events § |
Thursday, April 14, 2005
The bad and the good
Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!!!
I have 2 yews alongside the house, next to the chimney. We had a snowfall a couple of months ago that was pretty deep, but was also very heavy with water content. We noticed as the snow started to melt that one of the bushes - the one directly out the window from where the couch is located so we see it all the time, was starting to turn brown right underneath the snow.
Today, it's pretty plain to see that there's something really wrong with the bush. The one next to it is perfectly fine. We've had them both for almost 20 years - they were the first ones we planted in front of the house and they survived being transplanted about 5 or 10 years ago. I can't replace it without it looking stupid.
Of course I'm in denial right now - I'm still thinking it's alive and will spring back as it gets more sun.
Sure it will.
At least our ash tree is budding up a storm. The weather has been great over the past week or so and everything is starting to wake up.
Well, except one thing. Wake up, damn it!
posted at 05:19 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Quick ReturnWow. I received emails saying that both my Federal and State returns were accepted. Gotta love electronic filing.
It's been raining all day. Was in the lower 70's yesterday, now it's in the 50's. It's Spring. It's Chicago. I know this is normal, but it still grates on ya.
posted at 07:15 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Monday, April 11, 2005
TurboTax, don't fail me now!God, I hate this time of year... we've got a few twists to our tax filing this year, so I'm uncomfortable going through pieces of the EasyStep process that I've never been through this year... then the software didn't know it had the state software installed... so I reinstalled the software and then had to apply updates... and then some of the prompts didn't have the tax year in them (they were blank)... everything was OK in the federal, but the state - one second, I owed over $2000 and had a penalty to figure out, until I checked a box that said let the state calculate the penalty and then I'm getting a refund of $123. This is the first year that I'm not feeling good about the way TurboTax was acting... but, I'm going ahead with it, filing electronically, and let the cards fall where they may... I hate this time of year...
posted at 10:51 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Days pass with little to write aboutWow! I can't believe that I haven't written anything in the blog for a while. I guess what's more shocking to me is that I haven't written anything and I didn't realize that I wasn't writing. It was like the blog wasn't part of my life for a couple of days... and you know, that's not a bad thing. But it's just odd that I didn't even recognize that I was doing this. Maybe it's because I'm busy at work, maybe it's because the house is a mess, maybe it's because we've had painters in every day for quotes on painting the first floor. I don't know - I guess a jumbled-up life jumbles-up your priorities and perceptions.
read more of this entry »
Our bunnies - Indy & Chip - still have not returned to "normal" (however that can be defined). They're slowly spending more time in the family room with us, occasionally checking-out the living room/dining room. This new floor has just rocked their little bunny world and their not coping well. They spend more time in the cage with the door open then they spend out and about the house.
Like I said, we're getting quotes from painters to do the first floor. Might as well since we haven't put hardly any furniture back in the house (we have the new couch in the family room, and I setup the TV, TiVo, and amp with just the front set of speakers and the sub-woofer to keep us entertained, along with three barstools along the counter - and that's it).
On Saturday we had B & B over to go out to dinner. We didn't tell them about the floor so they were really surprised on how the house looked. We went out for Italian - Buffy & I had some pretty bad Ravioli, while Barry and Carol had some pretty good food. I don't know, it was a toss-up if we'd go back to the place.
We came back to our house and couldn't find anything to watch on the movie channels or PPV, so we watched Grey's Anatomy on ABC. That really wasn't a bad show and we my start to watch it.
The weather's been absolutely fabulous. With absolutely no coverings on any of the first floor windows, it's been really difficult to manage the temperature of both floors of the house. For a few days, when we'd wake-up in the morning the temperature inside the house was 60.
I've been having trouble sleeping lately. I mean, I sleep fine but I feel like I'm not getting enough, or it's not a deep enough sleep or something. I just feel like I'm tired and I'm not "catching up".
I hate that feeling. It's bothering me.
Let's see... Pope's funeral - interesting and sad... Charles & Camila's wedding - strange, soap opera-ish.
What else went on... can't recall.
(Oh! A one-person tribe on Survivor Palau?!?!?! Hate to say it, but this has been a good season, just because of these little twists. Speaking of good season - Amazing Race - look folks, an awful lot of people out there are hating Amber & Rob, but I've got to tell you, even though people think they're changing the show forever in a bad way, let's not forget that it took a lot of people 7 seasons of the show to figure out that taking a penalty can work for you. It really showed - more than Survivor did - how far ahead Rob is thinking. Still the best Realty show on television, by far. Not stopping for when the brothers rolled their SUV - that was a little bit over the line of not caring about the other teams. They could have "feigned" interest and that would have saved their standings with the other teams - maybe) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:18 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Still TraumatizedThe "kidlettes" are still not coming out of their cage - the cage door was open but they came out and walked around the foyer, peaked into the living room and family room, but that's it. They don't want to have anything to do with it. Carol thinks that maybe their sensitive noses can still smell the finishes (since their nose is so close to the ground) and they don't like it. We'll see how it goes.
posted at 07:15 PM | Link | Bunnies § |
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
They don't seem to like it
We're just starting to move our base of operations from our bedroom back to the rest of the house. Since we've just had the hardwood floors installed, and there's no furniture (except for the new couch) anywhere on the first floor, this would be a good opportunity to paint. We're in the middle of getting quotes now, with a new painter coming in each night this week to bid on the project. And since we're going to paint, there's no reason to put all of the furniture back, so we're just putting back anything we absolutely need. The first item: the TV. We bought some TV trays (In the 20 years we've been in the house, we've never had TV trays - how the hell did that happen?), so there's no need for a dining room table. We're not entertaining for a while, so there's no need for the rest of the furniture.
So, the place is very empty, and with the installation of the flooring, it's also VERY echo-y. Carol and I can barely understand each other as we yell across the floor if the air conditioning is on. Everything just reverberates and distorts. I Knew this would happen - I just didn't realize how bad it would be. And without furniture, rugs, and window coverings there's just nothing available to dampen the sound reflections.
We decided to bring Chip and Indy and their cage downstairs. We'll setup the cage in the foyer for a few weeks until the floor finish finally sets-up (Ted doesn't even want us to put rugs down for 30 days).
So I scooped-up Indy and Chip out of their cage, brought them downstairs and put them in the middle of the empty living room/dining room.
read more of this entry »
Needless to say, they were upset. They had no footing at all on the new hardwood and were sliding all over the place. Their first instinct was to go toward the walls, so they had something next to them (I thought that was odd - to me, that meant there were uncomfortable with being out in the open, yet when the carpet was down they were fine running around everywhere).
They slowly worked their way back to the foyer (which is ceramic tile, mind you - another slick surface but at least one they're familiar with) and then proceeded to try to go back upstairs. (Fortunately we had put up a gate so they couldn't go back up) They had looks on their faces like "Please! Let us back upstairs! I know we were going crazy in that little room, but this big place scares us! Please! Let us in!"
And... they just stayed on the carpeted stairs. Carol cleaned their cage, we brought it back downstairs, and eventually they went back inside and stayed there all evening, huddled close together.
They're traumatized. I can't really read what the problem is. Is it the floor itself? is it the smell? Is it the floor and the emptiness?
In any case, they're not happy. The cage door was open all evening, and they never ventured out again. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 07:23 PM | Link | Bunnies § |
Scratched already?
La-Z-Boy delivered our new sofa this afternoon - and promptly scratched the brand new Brazilian Cherry floor in the family room. Carol went ballistic, but was able to use some oil after they left and the scratch appeared to vanish. The couch seems to fit just fine on the wall, though it's deeper than the old one
posted at 01:29 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Monday, April 04, 2005
OPENING DAY - White Sox 1 - Indians 0
YES!!!! It's Opening Day!!!! All is right with the world!!!
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There's always great anticipation going to the park for the first time in a season, especially TPFKAC™, now known As U.S.Cellular Field.
Outside, the parking lots are jammed with people tailgating before the gates open. Near the gates, there are bands playing. A great festive atmosphere. Inside the park, it still has that same familiar feel, but things are changing. The biggest noticeable change is the huge multistory Fundamentals kids training facility in left field. Unfortunately, I couldn't go in to check it out - an adult needs to be escorted by a kid! Now, I don't have a kid to bring to the place, but I'm all for the rule - it'll help keep the rowdy drunks out of there during a game and spoiling it for the kids.
The next change is the new seating area behind the plate called "Scout Seats" (sponsored by United). These are large upholstered seats with small side tables that cost at least $190 for the privilege to sit in. I wrote about this last year. The area looks gorgeous. Around the Scout Seats, where they had to pour new concrete for the area, they replaced some of the old "pool blue" seats with brand new green seats. YESSSSSS!!!!!! The park is turning green!!!! But, it was a clear case of "be careful of what you wish for..." as I decided to sit one for a test drive... they're narrower! Bastards! There's another small problem around the Scout Seats - the new concrete has stairs of differing heights, which is going to make for some bad navigating by drunken fans. Anyway, the entire Club level has the new green seats, this patchy area around the Scout Seats, and they replaced the bleachers in left-center with green bleachers.
The Weather - for the season opener being at home for the first time in a long time - was really quite pleasant - sunny and 64 degrees. Our seats were in the 10th row, way down the 1st base line. In fact, we were sitting one section closer to the plate than when we first go our season tickets almost 10 years ago. We've only moved 6 sections, but there's a big difference in visibility.
The game itself was a bit boring, if you mean a pitcher duel as both teams only had 2 hits each up until the 7th. Mark Buehrle pitched a good game - and quick, as usual: 1:51. The attendance was a sell-out - 38,141 - but I really don't have a clue any more on what capacity is for this place (they've made so many seating changes to it, it's hard to tell... I'm going to have to look it up in the Media Guide. The only other problem: anarchy in the men's rest rooms. Lines for the women's rest rooms? Non-existent. The men's? Long. Brutal. People giving up and going in the exit door, screwing it up for the rest of us. Bring back the trough!
After the game we had dinner at Janie & Gary's condo.
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 09:08 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Bang?Nobody told me that the floor was going to adjust itself. In the middle of the night. With a series of pops and BANGS! It's a little sartling - we had to go downstairs a few times to make sure no one was breaking in...
Thank God we're playing hooky today so we can some sleep!
posted at 07:02 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Sunday, April 03, 2005
The Winner is: La-Z-Boy
We bought the couch - after all of the looking we did, it was the first couch we say at La-Z-Boy. It's being delivered Tuesday.
Screw DST... my body clock is a mess... it needs a nap NOW...
posted at 09:05 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Spring Back, Fall Forward?Yes! We made it! Longer daylight! In the evenings!
Welcome all-powerful Daylight Saving (not SavingS) Time!
Lost an hour of sleep to pay for it...
posted at 07:50 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Karol Józef Wojtyła - May 18, 1920-April 2, 2005
"The Holy Father is deceased this evening at 9:37 in his private apartment," Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a written statement.
"Our beloved Holy Father John Paul II has returned to his home. Let us pray for him," he added.
"The Holy Father, John Paul II, died at 9:37 p.m. (1937GMT) in his private apartment," the message read. "All procedures foreseen in the Apostolic Constitution `Universi Dominici Gregis' (`Of the Lord's Whole Flock'), promulgated by John Paul II on February 22, 1996, have been activated." - quote from something so high-tech from an institution so old - Vatican email
The pope's death marks the beginning of a carefully scripted ritual that culminates in the election of a new leader for the world's 1 billion Roman Catholics.
It starts with a formal deathbed pronouncement in Latin, that the pope is "truly" dead.
The Vatican's chamberlain, now Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo of Spain, verifies the papal death -- which in the past was done by striking the pope's forehead with a silver hammer. The chamberlain, or camerlengo, then calls out to the pope three times by his baptismal name. When the pope does not respond, the camerlengo then announces "the pope is dead."
He destroys the symbols of the pope's authority: the fisherman's ring and the dies used to make lead seals for apostolic letters. He seals off the pope's bedroom and study, takes charge of the Holy See's property and arranges the funeral and the conclave at which the College of Cardinals will elect a new pope.
Universi Dominici Gregis (February 22, 1996)
posted at 02:47 PM | Link | Current Events § |
Done - Day 6
Carol and I had been out looking at sofa's all damn day (sorry... furniture shopping is a grueling sport, what with all of the looking and deciding and the test driving, all coupled with the thrill of avoiding the sharks at every twist and turn in the showroom). When we got home - Ziggy's van was still in the driveway - BUT he was just finishing up cleaning. Ziggy just left 5 minutes ago. The floor Right now is a high gloss, with the last finishing coat just applied before he left. We can't walk on it today, so God knows what the kitchen looks like - we can't get there.
Great work, though. It's really unbelievable to see.
posted at 02:37 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Beginning of Day 6
Saturday.
7:45am.
Ziggy is downstairs working. Yes, he's working on Saturday to get everything done today.
posted at 08:04 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Friday, April 01, 2005
End of Day 5
Raining. Pouring. Spring is definitely here. Got home and the crew was gone - but they're not done. The the floor finish looks like it's done. The trim is going up - I'm very disappointed - the color doesn't match. It's a totally different wood, so we're going to have to paint it. Was hoping the match would be closer, but this isn't close.
Stopped at Bay Furniture before I went home, just to look around. I like the variety better than at La-Z-Boy. Carol and I were going out to more places tonight to look at more couches, but the weather really is crappy. We'll go tomorrow.
posted at 05:36 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Beginning of Day 5
Friday morning. Sunny. The flooring looks remarkable - I had to take a picture of it while the sun was out. What do you think?
posted at 07:33 AM | Link | Mundane § |
*nose wiggle* x 2posted at 07:03 AM | Link | Memes § |
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