Category: Uncategorized (Page 64 of 96)

My computer is chokingly slow for some reason and I’m doing what I can to clean it up, including deleting old files. During my cleaning I found some files Megan has created over the years. Here’s a poem she wrote. My girl was ten years old…

Experiencing the bitter cold and stinging ice outside while snow blowing the local version of a “Nor’easter” tonight was a perfect prelude to my annual Valentine’s Day extravaganza. No, I’m not writing anything bitter or cold. Actually, ice can warm the heart quite nicely when touched by a creative and loving hand…

To quote Tom Hanks as the wonderful Forrest Gump, “I know what love is.” It’s just been a while since I’ve actually felt it and each day hope fades a little more that I’ll ever experience it again. I mean L O V E. Burning love. “I would die for you” love. “You make me want to be a better man” love. The love that makes you think of her every time you hear a love song. Yeah, that kind. Ever experience that? I have, so I’m really not interested in something less… or “settling.” No thanks. I’d rather be alone.

I do remember. One afternoon I held on to love and cried like a newborn over separation from my children, but it was a price I was willing to pay. I wanted that embrace to last forever, like the couple recently found still holding on some 5,000 years later… Time does not bound that kind of love.

It’s sad, looking back and recalling how love eluded me, at least partly, for not engaging all of my senses. I didn’t see it in her eyes or smell it in her hair brushing my face. I didn’t taste it and I was cold to its touch. All because I didn’t hear it. Not love, but the words. The fucking words. I didn’t hear the words and all the other senses shut down and missed the signals. Four out of five wasn’t enough and what might have been “that kind of” love slipped away…

One cold February night last century just like this one, I leaned forward, braced against the wind and trudged to my car. Yeah, it was well before the “work at home during a snowstorm” era… As I struggled through layers with gloves to find keys… I don’t think I had fifteen… an image caught my eye. Etched in the ice on the window was a heart… a valentine. It was nice… Cute even. I didn’t get it. For someone who’s grown to appreciate art and the meanings in imagery, back then I was oblivious to love because although I could see, touch, taste and feel it, I did not hear it.

Sometime later she later asked me, “what if that’s all I have to give?” I think I responded that it wasn’t enough. It’s ironic. I don’t recall my mother ever being able to say “I love you” when I was young, but I never doubted it. All the other signs were enough.

I still want to be a better man…

The Wheelock Family Theater’s motto is “Live Theater Transforms Lives” and yesterday’s matinée performance of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” helped do just that for some young lives in my family. In the early moments of the musical, the radiance of Angela Williams as Belle washed over the faces of Kyle and granddaughter Mackenzie. The glow of the stage revealed joy in the young man and astonishment in his little niece, while Ms. Williams beautiful rendition of “Belle” projected the emotion of both.

It’s a wonderful production that delivered all the magic of the show we saw on Broadway in 2001 for about one-fourth the price. In addition to the enchanting Ms. Williams, Christopher Chew stood tall as the testosterone excessive Gaston, and Douglas Jabara carried a great tune as the Beast. The Boston Globe review runs it all down for you, so I won’t but what I’ll say is that the performance brought me back and engaged my emotions.

On the way home, we played a game Kenzie and Kyle like called, “I spy with my little eye.” That got pretty lively and “the commissioner” had to step in to penalize Jessica a round for cheating and also invoke rule 79.3B: “Everybody quiet for one minute or there’ll be suspensions…” One time after the rule was lifted Kyle asked, ‘Dad, was “Beauty and the Beast” the first movie you ever took Megan to?’ “Yeah, Dude. It was.” “I miss Megan.” “Me too, my boy. Me too.”

“Beauty and the Beast” plays through March 4th with 1:00 matinees through February vacation week.

Dark, ominous clouds are forming as we slide uncontrollably, as if on an icy hill, toward February 14, and no, it’s not my annual disdain for Valentine’s Day. These clouds portend a war on the roses… Yes, long-stem red roses, the ultimate symbol of $128 plus shipping are taking a beating in the press this year. Either you lack the creativity to send a more imaginative floral arrangement or you’re cold to the plight of the rose in the sickening world of petal harvesting. According to Amy Stewart, author of “Flower Confidential,” “roses are really lab rats, bred to live in a factory and be fed by machine.” Now that’s romance. She goes on to expose the flower industry in a way that likens the transportation of petals to smuggling illegal immigrants through a hot desert. Many don’t survive the trip. Plus, you really wouldn’t want to give your significant other an illegal immigrant, would you? No, of course not. Unless you need a gardener.

As a public service, Dr. Love is here to help you show a little inspiration this Valentine’s Day…

To me, the beauty of flowers must embrace a minimum of two senses, sight and smell. It would be great if they could also emit some romantic Mozart string concertos, but they can’t…yet. Anyway, if a beautiful arrangement of roses lacks that familiar fragrance, they suck. Since you can’t (yet) smell products through the internet, if you must buy roses, buy them locally and make sure they pass the whiff test. Then again, if you’re going to make the trip, ask the florist to create something unique for your special someone. One of a kind. Like her.

Dinner? Hmmm… Nothing says “I love you” like a trip to the Olive Garden… Unless I take Kyle there and then it really does… Hey, give the boy time. He also digs Sparks on East 46th… Anyway… how about making dinner? Can’t cook? Well, there are plenty of prepared foods at markets or take-out at local restaurants to use. Just ditch the tin pans and boxes. Oh, and set a table with something special… Linen… Candles… Rose petals… (Hey, that way you can buy just one or two roses!) OK… Also pick up some nice bath stuff… I really don’t know what, just beads or oils or bubbles or something. Go to Macy’s and ask… When your honey gets home or when you do, hand her the nice bath stuff gift, give her a kiss and say, “Why don’t you go relax while I make dinner.” Dude, you are the man! Once she’s in a fully marinating position, you deliver the knockout blow… a glass of champagne. After that, dinner won’t matter. In fact, you may not get to dinner. Enjoy.

It’s not the roses or the chocolates or the dinner or the champagne or jewelry. It’s you taking the time to think about her and doing something nice. Oh, and don’t limit it to one day a year.

These panoramic photographs from the moon taken during the Apollo missions are stunning. Tonight, all of the astronauts who made those trips are thankful this crazy “Robochick” wasn’t with them. What was she thinking? Maybe she wasn’t. A quick check of this site suggests the moon may have played a part in the craziness. It was full or near full right around the time she hatched the plot. Maybe her lawyer will use the “moon defense.” Then again, she apparently wore a diaper so she wouldn’t have to stop during her 900 mile drive from Houston to the Orlando airport. By the time the trial begins, that piece of evidence will be in some sad shape, and if the diaper doesn’t fit…

Ok, so the game kinda sucks. Tom Brady has been freakin’ invisible. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 3 years since Jeffro and I saw Prince, but the brother can play. That was the best halftime show since Elvis. Set list:

• “Let’s Go Crazy” (Natch)
• “All Along the Watchtower”
• “Best of You” (Foo Fighters?)
• “Purple Rain”

Best commercial in the 1st half? Uh, maybe Dave and Oprah…

“Thoughts and prayers are with you Leo…” was a puzzling email to receive Friday night, so I responded sarcastically with, “Why? Is my blog exhibiting some crisis vibe?” A few minutes later the fun ended when I read, “Haven’t you written about your Dad and that he lives in the Villages in Fla????” A quick scan of the news was frightening… A powerful tornado had ripped the early morning tranquility of the adult playground, destroying property and inflicting the ultimate early retirement on some 20 young and old victims. “All circuits are busy. Please try your call again later,” heightened my anxiety, but on the 4th or 5th try, Caroline, my step-mother answered and assured me they were OK. “It went right over us.” Dad was working when I called, but he called me the next day to fill me in. Dad saying, “It sounded like a train,” recalled the DBT’s “Tornadoes,” and I recoiled at what their experience must have been like, but only for a second as he added, “I slept through it.”

NP- “World of Hurt” – Smokin live version by the Drive By Truckers

“Do you take an aspirin every day,” my mother asked. “You have to take one every day.” She had just told the sad story of a 43 year old neighbor who died last week of a massive heart attack. I assured Mom I do take a 81mg “enteric” aspirin and a multivitamin daily. Overall my health is good (insert mental health joke here…), but I’ve got to crank up the exercise regime soon.

Speaking of cranking, you know that noise a washing machine makes when you’re setting it to “Regular,” “Heavy” or “Permanent Press?” Well, actually it’s the older top-loading versions that make that distinct noise, so when mine went silent last Saturday I had to act fast to avoid a Laundromat encounter. “Joe” arrived punctually at 8:00am this past Friday morning and perfectly leveled my sweet new “Energy Star” GE front loading washing machine. I couldn’t have been more excited to do laundry. It doesn’t rock, but man, it rolls! My preliminary testing shows it:

• operates nearly silently
• uses very little water per wash
• spins out almost all water at 950RPM
• is just really cool to stare into

A full load of sheets and pillowcases was so dry post-spin, they took only 15 minutes in the dryer! I’m very happy with all the energy savings this bad boy provides. Sadly however, my excitement has officially sud-sided and the activity is relegated back to being “just laundry.”

Imagine if you will, this playing live continuously in your dwelling. Yes, the “distant chromatic rumblings of a double bass, gradually coalescing into the droning march for the shark, offset by dissonant seventh chords.”1. Exactly. Well, the lovely and talented Jessica taught her brother Kyle to play those deep strings on his new Yamaha keyboard. It’s a very cool unit and has been added to the home repertoire to allow the young maestro to create…

Any regular visitor to this corner of the Internet knows Kyle loves music and singing. Gladly, I captured his holiday performance, but the JVC Everio HDD recorder I purchased for the occasion fell far short on video quality and is now probably on eBay after a return to Best Buy for a $75 “restocking fee.” Hey, twenty five bucks a minute for that moment in time was well worth it…

Ok, just one more product plug… I recently received my W2 and other tax-related documents. For the past several years, I’ve used TurboTax to prepare my taxes. How do you do your taxes?

1. Copyright 2000 by Andrew Drannon

This just makes me want to buy a 55” HDTV and charge everyone I know a penny in a symbolic defiance against the en-ef-el and their insatiable and petty financial gluttony. I’m no fan of churches, but hey, if they’re showing the Super Bowl® on a 108” HD plasma, I believe, baby!

Whatever. Here’s why “Da Bears” will win:

The Chicago Defense – Much attention toward the end of the year focused on the adventures of Bears quarterback Rex Grossman. Nobody should forget the Chicago “D” had 40 sacks, forced 27 fumbles and snatched 24 interceptions this season.

Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson – They will run on the Colts and keep Peyton Manning off the field.

Destiny – This can’t be good for the indoor team.

Update Sunday 11:51am…I almost forgot…
The Letdown – The Colts knocked a Giant Elvis of an albatross off their neck exactly two weeks ago… There will be an emotional letdown today.

Why the Colts could win:

The Bears aren’t that good – They had a weak-ass schedule including six games in their pathetic division.

Still, neither are the Colts…

Bears 25 – Indy 24

What’s next, the Doritos’ diet?