Congressional Hearings Today on NPR: Ah...ah...ah GOOOSH!

The Senate will be questioning Attorney General Alberto Gonzales today about the administration's use of the National Security Agency to monitor domestic communication. Most people in the US have heard something about this issue, but don't really know much about it and sort of assume that the government is working in their best interests and the whole thing will sort itself out. There's are many, many other gradients of knowing/caring about this issue before you get to the small percentage of people that are following this story in some form or another on a near-daily basis, and are now planning to tune in for hours of live coverage today on the radio or CSPAN.

God, I'm such a wonk.

Well, Add it to the List...

Yet another thing that the rest of the world seems to get that I just don't quite: beard trimming. About a month and a half of beard growth once again down the shitter as I tried again (and unsuccessfully, again) to trim my beard and make it a little neater. The combination of unkempt beard and unruly hair was starting to make me look like the lead singer to Phish.

For me, the attempt is like trying to bite a cookie into a circle. I keep trimming and trimmnig and trimming and trimming, trying to get it right; and end up with no beard at all.

On a side note, resolution ammended.

The Resolution Project: Check-In #1

I thought it would be good to have regular, end-of-month check-ins to see how we're coming along on our resolutions and keep ourselves accountable to something.

1. Residence Issue Resolved: Cripes, where did I sit on this exactly a month ago? Currently, we're planning to do some light improvements on our house (the most complex of which is a very light remodel of our kitchen), try to sell our house, and move into the Victory Neighborhood of Camden (Minneapolis). Ed. note: we're not by any means putting the "kabosh" on the Zephyr Project. Just trying to be a little more decisive and not let our slowly percolating big-picture plans paralyze us in the here and now. Maybe that's what the "residence issue resolved" issue was/is all about and, if that's the case, we need only progress further along in our current plans to accomplish it. So far so good...

2. Conversion from Coffee to Tea as Daily Brew: Progressing slowwwly, but progressing. This one is almost entirely tied to how early I can get myself to bed. The general rule of thumb is that if I'm to bed after 11:00 or so, I'm going to need coffee in the morning; but of course my bedtimes of the preceding few days before that may figure into the equation. I've managed to have tea about three or four days to the complete exclusion of coffee; which may sound pretty lame but within the context of where I come, it's a bit of an achievement. Both a decent run of early bedtimes and abstinence from late-night peanut butter binges have faltered a bit in the past week or two, but I expect those bumps in the road and I'm not going to kick myself over it. Back up on the wagon, and carry on.

3. Finish Secret of HIM: Well, prior to making the resolutions I was sitting at four songs pretty much recorded (with the possibility of re-doing some tracks and the inevitability of remixing them all). In January, I was able to record the entire drum track of a new song and pen a couple of new verses to a different song that has existed for a long time but was in dire need of a re-write. Again, sloow progress, but more than anything else, inspiration in this arena tends to go in massive waves. And I've really been letting the disorganization & clutter in my basement get in the way of getting the studio all set up & going at full capacity.

In retrospect, I wonder if I should have maybe chosen a different #2. One of the things I'm most fired up about (and to which I'm actually adhering) is a commitment to regular (but not excessive-leading to burnout) cardiovascular activity. Since the beginning of the month, I've dutifully run 3-4 times a week in total moderation (anywhere from one to just over three miles), and actually done a lot of walking on the non-running days (e.g. walking a mile round trip to run an errand from work and that sort of thing). If the powers-that-be wouldn't mind me swapping this out, I'd like to go back and amend my original resolutions. I'll even change the original damned post.

Peace Accords with Sharon

We had a few couples over last weekend for a belated ringing in of the New Year. A second annual sharing of resolutions & hopes for the coming year, lots of levity & storytelling, and a few rousing rounds of the party game "Apples to Apples." On top of other snacks & beverages, I was happy to provide a nice selection of quality craft beer from which our guests could choose. However, I made sure to tuck away a Schell's Firebrick Ale & Schell's Pale Ale, as I was not going to finish off my sampler pack without trying a couple of those notable and well-regarded brews.

I actually started the evening with a Firebrick, and it was wonderful. So wonderful, in fact, that I finished it in short order and moved on to my Pale Ale. Also wonderful. One of my guests brought over a six pack of his favorite beer, Harp Lager, and made me an offer of one, to which I acquiesced. Suddenly, I was buzzing.

Understand, I am having beer every night or every other night these days, but I am generally a one-beer guy. In fact, strictly a one-beer guy unless drinking with friends on a special occasion. So tonight, I was not really "tipsy," as they say, but definitely "feeling it," as those same people, and others besides, say. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Roy!!! How's it going, buddy? He stepped through the door and before I knew it, he was living it up, laughing, and regaling the assembled folks.

Now, anyone who knows the history of Roy knows that his presence used to annoy Sharon. He was a bit overbearing, exceedingly loud, and not very sensitive to how she was feeling at social events. It hit rock bottom when, returning from a party in St. Paul where Roy had been in "fine form," Roy stumbled and fell when getting out of the car and actually had to be helped to his feet and into the house. It was the next morning when I was informed that diplomatic ties with Roy were being officially severed. He was not allowed in her presence anymore. That was a promise that I kept for probably around six or seven years until, I guess, last weekend.

Whether its me getting a little wiser and softening my presentation or Sharon mellowing a bit, or just both of us understanding one other a little better, it was after beer three and before beer four (a tasty Snowstorm) that I realized that yes, Roy was there and yes, Sharon was having a good time, too. It may have even been Sharon that looked over at me and said something like, "Am I talking to Roy, here?" I may have responded with "Yeah...is Roy fun to be around?," to which she allowed a playful "Maybe..."

As further evidence of wisdom through age (and, perhaps, fatherhood), I capped it at four and rounded out a splendid evening.

Employing Star Wars' "Imperial Empire Theory" of Management

from an article in today's Star-Tribune.

Criticized by some in the past for being hesitant to address the company's problems, Ford management seemed to deliver on that reputation for tentativeness Monday by not naming all of the plants it will close. The hesitation leaves thousands of workers in a fog about their future rather than committed to a new set of goals.
...
Mark Fields, head of Ford's North and South American auto division, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying he wants to create "a sense of crisis, but not panic," arguing that Ford workers will find motivation in fear.

Good God. On a side note, I wonder what the odds are that Mark fucking Fields and his friends are "Bush Pioneers." Ironically, and sadly, I wonder how many of these shit-upon union workers have abandoned their union roots to vote for the tough-guy Republican party: the party of the American Dream (for about 2% of the population).

Battle Cry

Anyone got a favorite phrase they'd scream out when charging into battle?

I'm torn between:

"Moribund the Burgermeister!!!"

or

"Bron-Yr-Aur!!!!

Well, It's Official: Gibbsy is Out

According to T-Clog, we all got an email last night (which I haven't yet seen). Gibbs is apparently giving official word that he's out for next summer, while being a bit characteristically cryptic in his reasons.

To his credit, it sounds as though he doesn't want this to drag on like last year, for which he may feel a little guilt. Against his credit, from my standpoint anyway, is that it appears clear that this trip has simply not been even close to the priority for him that it has been for us. I just don't understand it. When I consider various things such as my age (35 with arguably fewer "prime of my life" days in front of me than behind me), and the geographic distribution of my friends (getting together once or twice a year takes some finagling; a trip like this can only happen every five years or so, tops), it can't help but to rise to the very top echelon of my dreams for this coming year. But the man has spoken.

It seems kind of crazy, considering it was his participation in a college class & getting this Escalante adventure book from it that initially spurred on this interest. But getting this word early on in the game can hopefully free us up, from a planning and logistical standpoint (e.g. less schedules to consider, earlier & better idea of rental/gas costs we're likely to incur, and easier & better understanding of our various responsibilities).

Moving on...

Cory: expedition planner (where we go, where we camp, timing of it all, considerations such as temp, rain, flooding, wilde beastes)
Dan: logistics of getting there (timing, vehicle rental), coordination of gear
PMix: getting self to Midwest, meal planning (though Dan secures foodstuffs)

Wingin', Just a Bit

I'm trying to grow my hair out really long over the top & front, ala Professor Snape or the kid from Thumbsucker. But there's a really kind of crazy middle ground, before you can tuck your hair behind your ears. Aaron claims to have had to wear a baseball hat for about a year before he could pull it off. I don't have that luxury at Big Buy (business casual), so things might get a little ugly in the meantime. The hair that grows over my left ear also has this tendency to sort of *wing out* just a little. More pictures to follow as the experiment warrants.

A Record High Here Today

That's right, I have a new highest score in my BeerAdvocacy. It's the Samuel Adams Holiday Porter (and my review should be at or near the top). It's a kind of weird situation, since (as I explain in the review) I'm giving it high scores partially due to understanding what they were going for, rather than judging purely on personal taste. The beer I've flat out enjoyed the most so far is the plain ol' Sam Adams Boston Lager, for which I haven't yet posted a review. I am up to 9 reviews, though, and so moving through my personal world tour at a respectable clip.

Dan Speaks Out Again

The Danphoenix rises again from the ashes to offer forth more words on Escalante before disappearing once more into flame:

Noted on T-Clog's refusal to get trekking poles. Indeed, I remembered one of the things we had talked about early on, and which we should maybe return to; which is the idea of this trip more as a retreat into one of the world's most peaceful and beautiful places, rather than a test of our physical limits. Some of us have a tendency to turn most the most ordinary of backpacking trips into an homage to the Bataan Death March, but I think could benefit greatly from resisting that urge more often. Not only is there the obvious issue of not indulging one's self in the environment, there's also the reality that we simply cannot assume that we'll all be in the same physical condition when we get together.

I'm back on board with the idea of backpacking to a "base camp" sort of place in a day or day & a half and doing day hikes from there (which would mean packing along a day pack for toting lunches, water bottles, field guides, etc.).

The Health Coalescence

So, this post is sort of the coalescence of a number of other posts & thoughts I've had over the past number of months. It is about health and how aspects of my lifestyle need to be changed in order to better it.

1. Fitness: I was sure I had made a post on it recently, but couldn't find one; maybe I've just been thinking about it a lot. I've had a sort of "wake-up" moment regarding my level of fitness. I've always considered myself relatively fit and active. Well, I'm not sure the evidence of the past few years (or more) really bears that out. In the same way some people might get a lot of"mileage" out of, say, a single trip to France; others (like me) might get an awful lot of "mileage" out of a single, relatively brief fitness training period per year. In recent years (and maybe before that), I usually have one or two long distance running event during the course of the year that demands a very intense training program, but in the big scheme of things, it's only a small portion of the year (12 weeks for my standard 25k trail run, but a paltry, condensed seven-week training period last year). Seven to 12 weeks out of 52 in a year? Granted, there are certainly runs I am going on for the rest of the year, but my commitment to keeping that regular and sustained is just not there. Considering most health experts recommend three to four 30-minute cardiovascular workouts a week, it's time for me to stop getting "mileage" out of my narrow window of regular running and commit to regular activity and fitness for the long term. So far, so good this year. I am going out for short (1 1/2 to 2 mile) runs, which seem surprisingly long (they're not all that tough, but when you only set out for a run that short it seems to take an amazingly long time), in an attempt to embark upon something that won't burn me out, can fit into my schedule, and do all the other things that are the recipe for something I can stick with, long-term. right now, I either run during lunch at work or after Lucy goes down on my "off-Lucy" nights. My runs around home are limited to more or less straight north, as I just don't think it would be all that safe to take to the trails after dark. As the weather changes (and the sun stays out longer), I'd like to mix in trail running, biking, and some other cross training to keep it interesting. Also, Sharon & I are going to try to incorporate a family hike on Sunday afternoons. A brisk, long one; it's time for me to stop being a running dick and stop poo-poo-ing the good health effects of walking.

2: Diet: I've actually made strides in this in the past few years. Since Lucy's been born, we have been buying a lot of natural, un-processed foods. But it was only recently, when I finally read up on the science behind fat & cholesterol (detailed in a recent post), that I really comitted to an extra effort in avoiding empty carbs, hydrogenized foods, and excess sweets. That stuff freaks me out enough now that I think this is going to be one that I can really stick with. My major issues in the realm of diet remain 1) the "binge," particularly those that occur late at night, and with peanut butter 2) overeating at supper. There are other things that I could tweak (more but smaller meals, a little more vegetable matter) down the line, but I think if I get those two major ones under control, I'll be in pretty good shape. Oh yeah, there's the coffee thing, too. That's one of my resolutions, so I won't dwell on it here. But other things, like pop at mealtime, has already made a significant decline in light of my new strides in avoiding the bad stuff. I plan to continue to have a beer about two out of every three nights-a good things in many health respects, but certainly a lot of empty calories (don't even say "light beer" to me). That is something I truly, truly enjoy and really want as part of my lifestyle, and so will just have to be compensated for by my fitness. Nothing like a nice beer as a reward for a day where you've done the right thing at meals & in excercise.

3. Stress: This is related to health. Since it's only fairly recently recognized as such by the medical community, I think we may someday discover that it's far more influential than we currently know. Sometimes I think I'm good at letting stress roll off my back, and sometimes I think I let it consume me. Truth is, I just can't get in other people's heads, so I really don't know how I compare. I worry and overanalyze things, but I'm also really good at living for the moment and putting all my concerns on the shelf when I am engaged in an activity. I think resolving some of the unresolved issues my family faces (also part resolution project) will help in this area, as will continuing to indulge myself in those things that I enjoy will allow me to manage this.

Dan Speaks out on Escalante

I'm speaking out on gear.

First, Raincoats: I think I've mentioned that I've been considering an upgrade on raincoat for some time. I've been using a jacket I got (Columbia, but a good, top-of-the-line one) in 1996, just prior to my trip to Paraguay. It has since gone through use in every camping trip on which I've been in the past 10 years, as well as being my winter-coat overlayer (over an REI fleece). It has holes burned in the sleeves from embers during long-forgotten February freeze-offs, is down to a zipper stub (easily worth replacing -if the jacket was a lot more new & functional), and no longer holds a waterproof treatment. It work OK-but only OK during the Mixdorf/Dan rain romp on Maine's coast, with its current inability to shed water combined with a lack of pit zippers & adequate ventilation (always an issue with this coat) it pretty much performs an "anti-wick;"inviting rain in to mix with the sweat that can't get out.

I finally went for it and got a really nice Marmot raincoat. T-Clog will appreciate the fact that I tried the model on at REI, then went for the same thing, but $25 cheaper at Campmor. Here it is:
"Angel Wing" feature under the arms to allow for natural movement. Breathable. Waterproof. Pit (and other) zippers for ventilation. Marmot reputation. It's awesome and I can't wait to use it.









Next, Trail Pad: So, I've got the same (or very similar) trail pad that we all do-the eggshell foam thing. I'm just going to say it: I haven't had a comfortable night's sleep on a camping trip for about six years. For a guy that likes to think he's pretty decent at "roughing it" and who once went about a half year sleeping only on a trail pad at Johnson Street, it was a little tough to first recognize, and then admit; but the simple fact is that as my body ages, it is less and less capable of finding sleep on hard surfaces comfy. And I don't want to "rough it." I want to have a wonderful, comfortable sleep out in the wilds. A luxurious sleep listening to night sounds, and eventual luxurious, drawn-out waking, listening to morning sounds. I'm going to invest the $40-$50 in a self-inflatable matress (trail pad variety, obviously; not "twin-sized"). I would highly recommend everyone else going on this trip and planning to sleep on rock do the same.

Next, Head Lamp: I may end up being the only guy without one of those headlamps (around $35, right?). I plan to get one of those headbands that can hold a mag-lite. I would like to have a nice, fresh new bulb for the maggie, though.

Next, Dishes: Seems like it would be a cool idea for us all to have the same dish/cup. That way, they could stack together for packing. Considering we'll all be toting 1 1/2 gallons of water apiece, it would be nice to conserve space in that way. Thoughts?

Next, Trekking Poles: Clogger, I'd still really recommend this. I know Target has these for under $30. I love mine-you know what they say, "Once trek, never back."

Other thoughts?

Behold! The Trumpeter Swans!

Sharon had meant for some time to get us all up to this interesting little "park" area in Monticello. It's about four miles downstream of a power plant, where the river never freezes over (erg...that park kind of freaks me out), that a resident began feeding a breeding pair or two of trumpeter swans (the enormous, six-foot from beak to end of feet all white kind). They came back for more and brought friends, as well as all their cousins (Canada geese, mallards, goldeneyes, coots, and mergansers) until the regular flock grew to hundreds (up to 900 swans frequent the place according to a recent DNR count). Of course, the cost of food & so on got completely out of control; I guess she gets an enormous grant to keep it up, and now puts the food on a conveyor belt to cart it out to the banks of the river. Not sure how the racket sits with the neighbors, but the city of Monticello has turned the place into a little public access point to the river with an observation deck. A multitude of camera toting folks were there alongside us. My camera was put to shame, but I got a few shots that could pass for chronologically following some swans through their flight in, landing, feeding, and display.




























































I think these birds are the largest in North America, outside of the condor. For more information on this place and these amazing creatures, check out the brochure. Most interesting fact, I thought: they weight between 20-30 lbs. That's 4-6 times the weight of a large Great Horned Owl. Crimney, how do they get into the air using only feathers?!

I Would Let Her Bear the Ring, Yes I Would...

To summarize discussions of well over a year ago with Mixdorf and one just this morning with Cory; of all the people I know, I would trust Sharon to go into the very shadow of Mordor (where the shadows lie), bearing the ring. To her, alone, I would entrust the task of carrying the ring up the mountain and casting it into the fire.

But I would not want her as captain of my starship.

Well, I'm a Wonk

I'm sitting here, listening to the Samuel Alito hearings. Every time NPR says, "We'll return to the hearings in a little while" I'm thinking that they can't return soon enough. I can listen to this shit all day.

On a side note, I'm finding it repeatedly disheartening and enlightening, over the past few years, to really see how weasely & questionably-motivated folks can truly rise to the highest levels of "public service" in this country. These folks are not always all that respectable. That part is obvious. But, more surprisingly, they don't always appear to be all that much more knowledgable and well-thought-out on issues than me & my friends, considering the obvious advantage of being in the midst of thsee issues by virtue of their careers. Potentially a followup post or posts to this down the line...

Intrigue and Inspiration

One thing I found very intriguing last fall was when a local indie theatre troupe, Hardcover Theatre undertook an ambitious serial endeavor called "London After Midnight." Basically, a vampire tale that is presented one chapter at a time, one chapter per season. A cross between Dickens and a soap opera, it has the potential of bringing patrons back to find out what happens next, as well as giving actors & crew a chance to really develop characters over a long period of time. For me, hearing about this was inspirational as well as ingriguing.

Another thing I find intriguing is non-traditional theatre. By that, I mean theatre that is presented in non-traditional spaces. Possibilities are nearly endless, and it also frees a low-budget company from the financial requirement of securing an actual theatre space (which can run into the multi-thousands of dollars through rehearsals & performance) and being bound by traditional lighting/sound considerations.

Two more things I find inspirational as well as intruiging are the movie My Dinner with Andre and the Simon & Garfunkel song, The Dangling Conversation. Both deal with sort of the cafe/coffeehouse "intellectual" conversation; the former examining it and celebrating it, and the latter taking a little dig at it.

WHAT IF someone wrote a serial play called "The Dangling Conversation" that took place IN a coffeeshop? I think there have been moments when all of us have sat around just bullshitting with one another and thought "boy, what a shame that no-one else will ever get to appreciate the richness/humour/etc. of this conversation." I have, anyway. Of course, My Dinner with Andre sets an incredibly high standard for a writer, and The Dangling Conversation serves as warning as to how such a performance might be perceived by an audience if it wasn't pulled off just right. I think it would be a lot easier and more compelling if there were some sort of hook involved-some sort of plot or event unfolding as a new character or two are introduced through subsequent "chapters."

During a meeting of my theatre company on Sunday, I just tossed the idea out, and everyone else was intrigued. At this point, it's still an instance of "belling the cat," but my wheels are turning. I toss out the idea here to see if anyone has any kind of plot idea they would toss into such a setting?

Link Blogthrob

Particularly careful observers may have noticed I've added links to my Blog in recent times. It seemed natural to group them into three sections, and I'll say a little about them today

Sister Cities to the Oliopolis:
Other Blogs in my Blogring (those Blogs of friends I will check daily or at least on a very regular basis). There's a couple of other "2nd tier" Blogs: ones that I know, incidentally, as a result of them commenting or being linked to from A Blog of His Own (Byzantium's Shores and Dirigiblog), but I really don't currently have enough of a regular association with those authors to include them at this time. Perhaps, if they (or others) check into the Oliopolis from time to time, I will do the same and we can mutually grow our readership a little. I guess that's how this usually works, right?

The Oliopolis of Ventures:
Personal artistic/creative ventures of mine; in particular, my music and theatre endeavors. I may add photo or map galleries at some point in the future, depending on how seriously I take on that pursuit.

In This I Believe:
OK, so I'm not just a voice in the wilderness that rants from time to time. I do put my money and/or voice into action and these are some of the charitable social/environmental causes in which I am the most deeply personally connected and involved.

• Childreach: I have been involved with Childreach since shortly after college (even back in the days of netting $400 biweekly at my TV job). I sponsored one child from about 5th grade all the way through high school and am now sponsoring a little boy, Elian, in Bolivia, who is entering grammar school this year. Childreach is part of Plan International, sort of an international Peace Corps that works on community development projects in addition to individually sponsoring children. You want to know what a committed invididual acts of kindness and giving from people around the world can do that a $500 billion/year defense budget cannot? Well, it's about peace on earth and right here it is.
• The Humane Society: In the past 10 years, my contributions to the Ramsey County Humane Society (now the Humane Society for Companion Animals) have gone from volunteering time to volunteering money, as the availability of extra amounts of one to the other has gradually shifted. But I appreciate the hard, thankless, and often unbelievably depressing work that committed organizations just like this do throughout the world. I love and care for my own pets. What of the millions of potential pets in this country alone that sleep without shelter or companionship every night? Oof. Rough to think about, but I will continue to humbly support those people working to find and care for them.
• The ONE Campaign: Based on the belief that there is enough money in the first world to overcome AIDS and extreme poverty worldwide. As Mixdorf has stated (and as most charity organizations already know), the root of most problems in the world are not really religion or political differences. It's economic disparity.
• Union of Concerned Scientists: I have said it before and I will say it again. I am a man of science. Science as led us down some dark paths and has occasionally been influenced by those darker forces that prey upon the frailty of our species. But, if given the choice between following those that pursue the light of knowledge and understanding; or huddling with those living in laze, ignorance, and fear, I will choose the former every time. And not all scientists are for sale. This organization (UCS), chooses to use the fruits of their research and conclusions to make judgements on the most societally-conscious decisions in nearly all our lifestyle and consumer choices.
• New American Dream: Also very much into the "consumer choices" vein, this organization really believes that wasteful consumption (related to the whole "ecological footprint" topic, which is of great interest to me) is the single greatest aspect of our first-world lives that is within our power to contain and control if we hope to make a better world.

All great organizations. All definitely worth checking out. There's other great stuff out there, obviously: Red Cross, Greenpeace, MoveOn, Doctors without Borders, etc. etc. But I don't want to overwhelm my nation of readers.

Other Favorite Places on the Web:

So, life isn't all about activism and structured personal endeavors. Here's some of my favorite other places I like to check out.

• Wikipedia: I've quickly grown to love this resource. A wonderful, amazing, collaboratory effort (it never could have even come close to being pulled off by even a large staff) from experts and enthusiasts worldwide; it is a luxurious and almost sinful array of subjects, interlinking, and information for the intellectually curious. Quite simply, in my opinion, the best of what mankind and the web has to offer.
• Snopes: A myth and rumour-debunking resource that puts an end to the neverending supply of the worst of what mankind and the web has to offer.
• The Onion: In my opinion (of course), the best American humour currently going. Anywhere.
• Beer Advocate: I considered putting this advocacy group in the "In This I Believe" section but, in all seriousness, did not want to diminish the mission of the above groups. Nevertheless, furthering appreciation of this wonderful, mouth-watering liquid can only make this world a better place. Check in and learn a little more about that brew you're drinking. Check in to see what reviews I have most recently written. Better yet, start your own account.
• AllMusic: For the story behind that album and that music you're listening to, this is the place to go. A nice resource to have when doing Coalescence work, and just for putting music you hear into its overall popular music context, I've been a fan of this place for years.

There it is. If other links are added (new blog link exchanges, the potential photo exhibit, maybe something to reflect my newfound interest in chess, or just anything I may have forgotten), I will make sure to make a note.

A Random Ten Vol. 2

1. Me & the IRS: Johnny Paycheck
2. Get that Love: Thompson Twins
3. She's Leaving Home: The Beatles
4. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby: Marvin Gaye
5. There Goes My Everything: Elvis
6. Act Naturally: The Beatles
7. I'm Looking Through You: The Beatles
8. Dancing Machine: The Jackson 5
9. One Love: Bob Marley
10. Happy Anniversary: Little River Band

Well, Beatle-heavy in a way that doesn't seem to be a very accurate reflection of my collection's diversity. And it ends on a serious dud. But, it's a random 10, so it is what it is.

Beer Appreciation 101: A+

Onto Beer Appreciation 102:

It's interesting, but I've taken definite steps forward in beer appreciation in very recent times; certainly since the "Corona is my favorite beer" days. I think in the old days, when I never truly gave myself over to enjoying the flavor of beer, I really confused "drinkability" with taste. What that often meant was that I never truly enjoyed the taste of alcohol and a lot of the other ingredients that make beer what it is, and the extent to which I "liked" a beer was quite closely correlated to how easily the beer went down. How tasteless and watery. I will cast no aspersions on Corona until I try it again from a new palette, but my opinion might be very different this time around.

Now, some of my favorite tasting beers would actually cause me to make a face if I tried to drink them too fast. In the world of fermentation & yeast and so on, there's a fine line between bitter/skunky/and delicious, and if I sip a beer slowly and really let the flavors unravel slowly, it's a totally different universe than if I quaff it. In that same vein, reading up a little on the style of beer and specific brew prior to consuming your first and having some understanding of the goal of the brewmeister can help you go distintguish some of those subtledies. Makes one realize there really is a time & place for different beers (e.g. no reason to buy high-quality beer if you're planning on having a smash-down).

More Harry Potter and Butterbeer

1. Researching Snape a little, some links from Wikipedia:

• People from around the world asking questions of Rowling; some interesting responses scattered here and there.
• Some interesting theories as to why Snape is really good-particularly look at the Book 6 part.
• Some other Snape information given by Rowling.

2. A few new reviews up, including my highest rated beer so far: Negra Modelo, at 3.75.

35! and a Day of Frivolity

Wow. 35. We celebrated, sans-Lucy, with a day that included an eat-out breakfast, chess at the coffee shop, much enjoyable dangling conversation, dinner out, and a viewing of the latest Harry Potter; which I thought was the best so far and by far.

The directing was superb. I also think the kids have been taking acting lessons; they all did a great job. More than any of the others, it really didn't seem like a movie from kids, both in terms of the intensity and also when you consider all the scenes having fun with the awkward boy-girl dynamic of early teen years. That could have been done wincingly bad, but I think they did a really great job of it and, as adults, one can watch those scenes with warmth and humour. Got to agree with Gibbsy, though; the new Dumbledore is a nutcase. I don't know what they were thinking with that...

Thank God for American Animation

For if it weren't for Simpsons, King of the Hill, and South Park; humour in American comedies would be trailing about 30 years behind that of our British cousins.

It's probably not even a reflection on the talent of writers for our shows here, stateside, but simply some sort of resignation by those at all levels who are involved in putting our shows together, deciding there is an endless appetite for the lcd.

Thank God for The Onion, too, for that matter; letting our brothers & sisters worldwide know what feats of comedic brilliance yet lie in our red-blooded American arteries, waiting only for the right opportunity to spackle the walls of expectation with satire paste.

The Resolution Project

Per inspiration by Mixdorf, my recap of 2005 and hopes for 2006:

1. 3 Resolutions for 2006:

• Future: Residence Issue Resolved.
• Health: Be on regular cardiovascular schedule AND be eating right/in moderation.
• Art: Finish SECRET OF HIM.

2. Best Moment of 2005:

• Christmas celebration evening with Sharon & Lucy (a couple days before visiting Iowa). We sang (& played on guitar & piano) Christmas songs, put up some decorations, I read The Grinch. Just a wonderful, wonderful family moment.

3. Worst Moment of 2005:

• Death of my beloved doggie.

4. 2005 Remembered as the Year of the...

• ...unresolved decisions

Notes on the four:

#1: The ammended one is the second goal. I made a formerly very specific and limited health goal to one that is broader and incorporates a concert of lifestyle changes (e.g. "eating right" could include the switch from coffee to tea). I have some other goals of learning more about chess, learning more about art, learning more about beer, and watching buttloads of movies, but I'll stick with these three.

#2: This was really tough. Even exluding any sexually-related "moment" (which, honestly, we must all do), this comes down to whichever of a number of really good times happens to be at the forefront. Eating a TU Bar, Drinking Old Speckled Hen, and watching ST with Gibbons at Terre Vista Drive? Football, beer, & swimming afternoon with Mixxy & Cory? Right up there. Sitting on a rock by the shore of Lake Superior with Sharon & Lucy? Talk with Cory at Wikota Creek? Pancake breakfast the last morning we visited Zephyr? The moment I dropped out of college again? Hearing the news of Helen's & Shawn's adoption? Honeymooners performance? All strong candidates and I'm undoubtedly forgetting many more...

#3: Well this was the one and it probably wasn't even close; though, of course, it was one of those worst moments/best moments, as it was definitely part of a greater good.

#4: Unresolved decisions: where to live, as well as a couple of somewhat more private, family issues. Having not reached a "resolution" (ironic, eh?) on weighty life issues really influences much of all I seem to do. The whole "half a man" effect.

All in all, I can't say as I have many regrets from 2005; though I'm hopeful on my resolutions (in more ways than one), and excited for 2006. Happy New Year's to all!

Doing Good, Feeling Fine; I'm Gonna Live to Be 95!

In a classic French exchange, Mixdorf's & my last few posts have been tangentally related to one anothers' posts for the past couple of days. Thanks for the wonderful essay on locally-grown & non-bioengineered foods, PMix.

Part 1: Today's topic is about health, longevity, & quality of life; but specifically (and in relation to Mixdorf's post) about the stuff we put in our bodies. I'd gone along for a number of years confident in my general level of health, but always more or less trusting that my physical well-being was in top-notch condition due to my age, level of fitness (as an off-and-on runner and generally active individual), my leanness, and maybe some sort of genetic predisposition for health (though with diabetic family members and a grandfather that died of a heart attack, that belief may be somewhat misplaced). This sort of faith in those factors that were part of my natural lifestyle (e.g. didn't require any sort of change or uncomfortable effort on my part) carried me through college and quite a few beyond. I knew that cholesterol, fat, sugars, etc. were bad, but I always assumed that my intake was moderate enough and/or my positive traits & habits (above) would cancel out their negative effects. Especially after I became a vegetarian; surely, that alone would render all the rest of those concerns moot! I skated through many years without a worry.

Just a few years back, though, I started to have a little more consciousness about some of those heath factors I could control. Maybe it had to do with my dad's recurring skin tumors (I started using sunscreen, though not religiously), my personal weight gain of 20 lbs over my college weight (cutting down consciously on sweets), and so on. But I never really learned a whole lot about how all those health dangers were related. After Lucy was born, Sharon made the commitment to buy organic or at least natural groceries, shopping exclusively at the local co-op. It was something that we both were excited to do, for all the societal & ecological concerns that Mixdorf mentions. But even more of a reason to transition was to keep Lucy from getting all that unnatural crap in her body at an early age. Even if we couldn't adhere absolutely to a natural diet for ourselves, we were determined to provide that for Lucy. But I think my overall condition has improved in that time. Other than a clean bill of health at my latest checkup (blood pressure fine, "bad cholesterol" fine, etc.; though, curiously, "good cholesterol" level a little low, though-more on that later), it's been tough to gague the exact health benefits of my diet from the past couple of years; though I have had a distinct decrease in number of canker sores, a chronic affliction from which I have suffered all my life.

It all leads me to this. We've probably all tried out "longevity calculators" before; and most of them turn out to be seriously simplified and to suffer from the "well duh!" syndrome. But this particular one is by far the most comprehensive and meaningful one I've ever taken. Make sure you have the time to answer quite a number of questions, as well as the time to read the very informative discussion of your lifestyle afterwards. Things went very well for me in the test, though there are a few lifestyle changes I simply need to make. Most of them are things I already do, but I simply need to do them more consistently: sunscreen, regular exercise, better sleep habits, better job spacing out meals/eating, and switching from coffee to tea as a daily drink. Maybe this particular web tool won't be a motivator for anyone else in the way it was for me to make those last few changes we know we need to make but are afraid to; but I hope there is something in your lives that will be.

Part 2: Some of the information they gave regarding fats & cholesterol, as well as a concern over my low HDL ("good cholesterol") finally induced me to investigate the phenomenon more. How could that level be low if I'm a vegetarian, and how could I raise it? Well, I couldn't have designed a better answer in my wildest dreams.: consume more alcohol & peanut butter. A wonderful and quite funny answer, but I found some amazing truths & history behind it.

The medical community has known for quite some time that a drink or two of alcohol a day has myriad health benefits, but has generally agreed that doctors could never get away with specifically endorsing the consumption of alcohol due to the dangers of alcoholism & overconsumption of alcohol. But the history of fat in this country is interesting as well: to summarize, our country developed a saturated fat scare some time ago, and decided to start offering unsaturated fats as an alternative. Unfortunately, the unsaturated fats would get rancid after just a few days, so they created the process of "hydrogenization," which created an entirely new substance, far worse than saturated fats ever were: trans-fatty acids, which have the double boner of both decreasing "good" (HDL) cholesterol and increasing the "bad" (LDL). And the substance was so simple, cheap, and useful (how does this relate to, like, half the posts Mixdorf & me have about the corporatization of the world?), that these major food manufacturers realized they could put it in nearly everything. The result is entire generations of people in this country destined to grow up fat and be at a great risk for heart disease.

Never before have I been so commited to staying away from processed foods. Rather than a "nameless fear," I now know the facts behind hydrogenization. Who knows what yet uncovered dangers are lurking in our society's addiction to "nutrasweet" (what the hell?) and many other substitutes for natural ingredients? Sure, I'll have a lapse here and there, but I know what I need to do and why.

This is a post of links and links and links. So I will not seek out the link to the recent MPR story about a group of people in northern MN that agreed, for one year, to only buy products that were produced within 250 miles of where they lived (with just a few exceptions: coffee, salt, etc). But it was pretty cool. Benefits are that products locally produced are often in a more natural state, support local economies, and require less energy consumption due to the decreased need transportation. If you can incorporate this practice into your lifestyle in whatever measure is within your means, the effects are only good, good, good; for yourself and the rest of society.

OMB Lite and The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood

First things first: in a harsh dose of something, I consumed a can of Old Milwaukee's Best over Christmas weekend. The review is here.

Also, last night I saw one of the best-made documentaries I have ever seen. I rented The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood, Jr., about the man generally regarded as the worst commercial film director of all time. I believe that many of the amazing, interesting phenomena in this world are as the result of one kind or another of "perfect storms;" people and circumstances coming together in the only possible combination that would result in the unique event in question. This documentary is a perfect example of just one such phenomenon: the career and filmography of Wood. How did he get continued funding? How did he manage to assemble the players, some of them of some previous regard in the industry? The documentary is very obviously having fun with what, in reality, is a fairly tragic figure (Wood), through clever assembling of interview quotes from those who knew him, as well as scenes from his mind-blowingly bad films. But, somewhere in there, it manages to impart a touching sort of sentimentality (to me, anyway) with respect to all the people & projects involved.

Included on the disc is also the re-release of his first film ever: The Streets of Laredo. Definitely looking forward to that. Then, off to add Glen or Glenda? to the queue.

My Haul and Recap

With the somewhat vague request of "classy chess set," Sharon got me this awesome, hand-made set from Poland, with pieces based on the Staunton-design. I'm starting right out displaying it in my living room, risking the Lucy factor. I've just made it clear to her that, if she wants to touch a piece, she has to hold it gently, only set it down right-side-up (felt-lined on the bottom), and only touch one piece at a time, etc. She has remarkable self-control for a tot, so I trust her on this. Plus, I broke out the old chess set with faux-wooden pieces and partical-chessboard for Lucy's to have her own set and we played a few "matches" (she's learning horses can jump, pawns are tiny so they only move one square, etc.) One of the early matches ended with about six prime pieces on my knees (what you get for telling her a rook can "go anywhere in a straight line," etc).

Other than that, the most relaxing Christmas weekend in Waterloo in recent memory. The two other gifts I got was an item I already own (which is nothing new) from my brother, and a shirt (birthday present from my mom & dad), which is also nothing new. All that and a candle from Lucy. I shared a beer and some good laughs with Cory, stuffed myself at the 2nd annual family trip to Bishop's, enjoyed the candlelight service at my old church quite a bit, and (hopefully) made Christmas an experience of utmost wonder and joy for my little girl.

Everyone Else in Southpark

Thanks for a tip by Aaron on this fun one.

I decided to go with earlier versions for Gibbons & me, who may have had slightly more distinct and predictable appearances in their younger years...

Merry Christmas!

Travel Photo Candidates...

I'm going to be sending these photos to the Minneapolis Star Tribune for consideration in a weekend travel series where they will feature amateur photographers' candid shots of landscapes or locals. I can submit up to three. Hope you enjoy these possible candidates-any that anyone would recommend in particular?

Slide Show

3rd Favorite TV Series: Time-Life Infomercials!!!

Not sure when it started: was it the romantic collection being sold by that couple in front of the roaring fireplace where the lady pushes the man away and says, "These songs really bring out the animal in some people!" or was it "Freedom Rock?"

No matter; what matters is that they are Time-Life infomercials for collections of classic popular music, and I love them. Time-Life's dream customer? Hardly; I'm they're biggest nightmare. With not a chance in Hell that I will actually buy one of these multi-disc sets, I say, "screw four payments of $29.99!" What really fascinates me is this rare video footage that shows what these artists looked like in their original era & environment. Where did they get all this insanely interesting footage? How come there were all these videos that preceded MTV by, like, 10 years? How is this possible? And how can I find it? Nowhere, except at 12:30 a.m. on the WB.

Eight-year-old Michael Jackson; how beautiful, his physical features! Gilbert O'Sullivan, scarf-swaddled, afro-ed & looking for all the world like a despondent nephew of Dr. Who, just as you'd expect! Cheesy jokes from original episodes of Hee Haw or Dean Martin's Celebrity Roasts!! I can't get enough! I cycle through this shit until I'm seeing the same footage twice, still sitting criss-cross, applesauce and stuffing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches into my face; hours until I need to be up for work well under six and still dwindling.

Just needed to get that all off my chest.

Be at Peace, My Girl

It is finally over. The vet and her assistant visited our home a little while ago, and Kuña-i was allowed to slip away peacefully on the couch, among loved ones.

It seems that, sensing something, she has been even more fargone the last couple of days since we made the decision-exhibiting a few behaviors that have been uncharacteristic for the dog that we've known all these years. We've spent the last couple of days giving her all the affection we could, and trying prepare Lucy as much as possible for the fact that there will no longer be a gentle, furry friend to receive her hugs and attention.

Today, we were crying throughout the procedure but it was an amazingly comforting feeling, at the end, to realize I wasn't feeling guilty at all about the decision; just sad. Unbelievably sad, but quite secure, finally, that we've absolutely made the right call. We had the opportunity to kiss and touch all our favorite warm and fuzzy places, assure her that she is and will always be loved, and send her gently into the soft and fading light.

Below is a slideshow we put together this last summer, when we originally thought she would not survive the week. Last night, I took and added a single photo at the end that may or may not give much indication of the extent of her physical decline over the last number of months.

Please take a moment to look through the years of joy with our amazing companion. Remembering my girl

Finally Near the End of the Line

We have finally reached the point where we feel putting Kuña-i down is in her best interests. We have continued to bear this enormous burden of 300 ml subqutaneous fluid injections twice a day (Sharon) and cleaning up poop and/or pee in the kitchen basically every morning after waking up and every night after returning home (me) since the end of summer, in addition to the expense of it all (>$300/month for fluids, boarding, bi-monthly bloodwork). Combining that with multiple rounds of sickness in our family as well as that crazy eight-day power outage and accompanying storm damage recovery has made for a very stressful fall.

And to some, it may seem crazy that we have hung onto this dog that is blind, senile, suffering from total kidney failure, and less than half her body weight of a year ago; like we've hung onto her far beyond what would have been an obvious decision to end it all this last August. Are we among that group of insane pet lovers that would see their own pet suffer rather than make the painful decision to let go? We've wrestled with that question constantly, but have, to this point, always come to the conclusion that we just simply cannot observe any obvious signs of suffering. Her quality of life has definitely been diminished-and it's been hard for us to watch this lovable, energetic creature become a slow-moving, "lost" thing that is generally unresponsive to our affection. A "sight hound" (that once could race at 35 mph and catch a rabbit on a dead run) that can no longer see or run? A cruel irony; but dogs (and people) do not generally get the dignity of going out gracefully. Through lack of protein intake (she's barely eating), her muscles have deteriorated to the point that she is beginning to have a lot of trouble going down the steps to the back landing, and sometimes quivers a bit while standing. She also has no bulk left to protect her from the winter air. And it is the beginnings of this actual, verifiable discomfort that has finally pushed us to make the difficult call. It feeds into the equation that we would like to preserve some amount of her dignity (before she gets to the point of doing things like defacating in her own bed), as well as (whether we wish to think this is part of the equation or not) the fact that we just can't keep this up and retain our sanity.

It also might seem kind of crazy that we're doing this just days before Christmas, but we are faced with either doing that, or putting her into boarding for three days, which we're not sure she could survive. I am hoping some of the fellowship and warmth following holiday season can help us to remember her better years. God, it's been getting harder and harder to do that, the more we have been living with this miserable, pitiful thing that was once so vital, strong, and joyful.

So, the vet will be visiting tomorrow at 11 am, and administer an injection at our home, so she can die peacefully in our company (also another reason to plan this rather than have her unexpectedly suffer and die alone). Not sure whether I will come back in after that. Sharon's going to take the entire day off-I'm leaning towards doing that, as well. In any event, look for the Kuña-i "My Girl" slide show commemoration to go out at some point tomorrow.

A Performance Long Overdue and Holiday Classics

A report on The Honeymooners' performance on Friday night: it went off great. We had a pretty big turnout and the songs seemed to go about as well as could have been expected. Biggest challenge was the busy hands and can't-help-himself attitude of a particular five-year-old nephew that couldn't stay away from our equipment, from tuners to mic stands (even in the midst of our songs). But he's at all my coffee-shop shows, and playing through that particular distraction is something to which I've grown somewhat accustomed.

People seemed to genuinely enjoy the music; and among a number of nice comments we got after the show, the best one came from the co-owner of the establishment, Phil, who remarked that it"...turned my day around. It was a really nice ending to a not-so-great beginning to the day" (referring, of course, to the robbery). We got a pretty decent recording of the performance, upon which I have already experimented with some nice track-splitting software I discovered (called CDwave). I think I may be finally ready to put to bed my fears of being a technically below average guitarist. I was not formally trained, and I think my lack of knowledge about notes & scales on the guitar, coupled with a reluctance to really do much in the way of finger-picking for many years, led to this lack of confidence. Fact is, there are plenty of things an accomplished finger-picker can do that I cannot; and there are plenty of things that the quintessential rock n' roll "lead guitarist" can do that I cannot. But through my 15 or so odd years of playing guitar, I have certainly developed my own style of play, that would be difficult for many other guitar players to duplicate. The guitar feels natural in my hands, and if there's something I want to make it do, I can usually make it co-operate (even if it maybe takes 15-20 "takes" to get a flawless guitar solo down for a recording).

On the second topic, I'd like to offer a quick report on some Holiday Classic viewing. As a little background, I recently checked out a three-episode set of a relatively unknown British comedy, "Father Ted," about these three Irish priests that serve on a barren, craggy, obscure Bristish isle; and their various misadventures. Very funny at times; enough so that I picked up the next set of episodes, this time a collection of two holiday-oriented ones under the title, "A Christmasy Ted." Got through most of the first one last night-very funny, though I started nodding off towards the end.

We also rented "Scrooged." I had never seen the movie, though Sharon had seen it in college, I think, and had put it on our "to rent" list long ago. We got through about 90% the other night before a meltdown by Lucy (who's feeling a little under-the-weather) sent me scrambling upstairs for the night. We'll finish it, but we were both quite mutually agreed that the movie (or Sharon, at least) had suffered from a fairly significant episode of what we refer to as the "Facts of Life Syndrome." Sharon had these very fond memories of watching, and enjoying, "The Facts of Life" as a youth, and received a reality shock when she had the opportunity of catching an episode as an adult and it was revealed to her as the crap it really was.

Other notables instances of "The Facts of Life" syndrome that we have experience: "The Superfriends," "Night Court," "Get Smart," (to a lesser extent) "Top Secret."

Those movies/shows that have, in defiance of my expectations, avoided the "FOLS:" "Heaven Can Wait," "The Andy Griffith Show."

Anyway-long and the short of it: there's a lot of really great holiday classics out there, and I do not number "Scrooged" among them. If you want a really great original version of "A Christmas Carol," I urge you to watch the George C. Scott version from 1984. Moments from this incredibly well-written and still very relevant story are brought to life on the screen in goosebump-raising fashion, including the overall message, as summarized by the ghost of Marley in these words:

Mankind should have been my business! The common welfare should have been my business!! Charity, mercy, forebearance, and benevolence all should have been my business!!"

Good stuff.

A Damper on the Christmas Season

Camden Coffee Company was robbed at gunpoint this morning, minutes before I got there. The new ownership has begun opening at 6:00 am; a couple of their friends alternate the early morning hours (pre-9:00), but there's not very many people that stop in before 7:30 or so-me being one of the regulars.

When I got there this morning at 6:15 (only by chance-it would have been earlier but I stopped to get cash), Chris (the guy who was working) unlocked the door to let me in. He said: "You'll never guess what just happened..." A guy had come in a few minutes earlier, pointed a gun at him, emptied the cash drawer and ordered him around the store while he searched various other places for loot. Chris was pretty freaked out-I stayed there till the cops came.

What a freaking bummer. It's not like you expect this sort of process going on in the head of the idiot-the fool-that would pull off something like this, but you just wonder how a person can not be thinking, "Hmm, what kind of neighborhood do I want to live in? Do I really want to drive the remaining few businesses away so that there's abandoned storefronts everywhere?" My theory has long held that even assholes don't want to live next door to other assholes (they would prefer to be the sole asshole), but how people can't then make the leap of logic to realize that we, in a community, are all connected-we all sink or swim together-is beyond my capacity to understand. It's things like this robbery that ultimately drives so many non-assholes to move away. What ends up left in blighted areas are poor people that can't afford to move out, and assholes; and people in more advantaged communities begin to confuse the two, and it becomes an ugly slope of flight-induced segregation.

Beyond my own home & family, the single institution I care most deeply about in my neighborhood is this coffee shop. I consider my regular and faithful patronage one of the best ways I have to contribute to my community, and I feel absolutely violated and furious. Interesting timing, too, as Sharon & I are doing our Honeymooners show there tonight. We are expecting a pretty large crowd to show, so maybe the owners can take some comfort in the solidarity. It probably wouldn't hurt if they started opening at 7:00 again, either.

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

Interesting-we checked this book out from the library. It's just a little long to read as a bedtime story for Lucy right now (a surprising 40 pages or so), but I can page through and extract the most relevant stuff from it and use a combination of actual text and my paraphrasing that is tailored to Lucy's vocabulary & understanding. It's a technique that I use often in simply interpreting the big wide world for her, and then sometimes in stories that are intended for older audiences. Sometimes this "filter" can extract simple and beautiful truths that are either hidden or, as I found out in the case of "The Grinch," right there in front of you but something you aren't totally taking in due to the various other things grabbing your attention.

As I've mentioned before, I've struggled a bit with how we're going to handle this "household with Christian heritage that is not technically Christian" thing for awhile, especially with respect to Lucy; and considering the degree to which we plan to celebrate the various holidays that have a Christian origin. Well, last night we got to the page where the Grinch at the top of a cliff, preparing to give the sleigh a final push over the edge, but pauses a moment to listen back to Whoville in hopes of hearing "boo hoo." A lot-an awful lot of things & concepts going on at that moment, but this is how I essentially broke it down for my girl.

Remember, Loo? The Grinch took all their presents and Christmas trees and decorations and lights and candles and Christmas treats. It was not OK, but he did it anyway, because he wanted them to be sad. He wants to push the sleigh off the hill so everything will get broken because he wants them to be sad. But know what he hears when he listens, Loo? He hears singing! They're not sad, they're happy! Even though they don't have presents and Christmas trees and everything, they're happy! Because Christmas is a birthday party for Jesus! Jesus had lots of great ideas-he said we should all love each other and that we should not fight and we should not do bad things to anybody. We think those were great ideas and so we like to have a big birthday party for Jesus, and be nice to each other, get happy and sing!

Something like that, anyway. The story was over a page or two later, and Lucy was left sitting there, staring at the book with her lips kind of mouthing silent words (something she often does while concentrating). I've never seen her sit for so long, trying to get her head around something. Finally, I broke the silence:

Me: That's a lot to think about, isn't it, Loo?

Lucy: (silence...long pause) "Yeah... (another long pause) Let's talk about it.

So that became the topic of "let's talk about it" for the night, last thing before sleeping. Anyway, very special moments, very special night.

Goodbye to Sandra Dee

As the result of a recent personal revelation, I have decided to finally address a major personal character flaw, head-on. I have this overriding tendency to focus on my differences with other people, rather than finding common ground. Whether this manifests itself in the interaction itself (less often), or has me feeling out of place and frustrated (more often), I can't help myself from feeling like I will not find peace unless I make others understand the "errors of their ways" and convert them to my way of thinking. What a futile and negative way to approach the rest of my fellow monkeys!

I am far, far overdue in realizing that there is really almost no benefit to it whatsoever. I don't need to change my opinions or worldview one iota; I simply need to put my energies towards changing the world for the better in constructive ways (influencing people through how I live my life, if that is meant to be; putting time & effort & money into causes in which I believe; talking with people who invite open, constructive dialogue). I've done this before-for years I think I've been very "non-militant" about my vegetarianism, realizing that (with most people) I am dealing with a non-bridgable gap and that our society isn't that close to being ready for that discussion. As a result of my actions (inactions?), I have piqued the curiousity of a number of people through the years, who happen to learn of my diet incidentally. And I have been involved with a surprisingly large number of fruitful discussions with people who are not even close to my way of thinking about it. I'm hoping I can apply that approach much more broadly, to the majority of my views.

I drank a Leiney's Creamy Dark last night. With it, I offer now a belated toast to my buddies: "Here's to a happier Dan!"

Let the Festivities Begin!

We've listened to a little Christmas music at home, gotten out a few decorations, and are a few days into the advent calendar; but things really kick into high gear tonight with our 3rd annual attendance of our neighborhood's Holiday on 44th celebration.

Far more activities than we can hope to squeeze into the one and a half or so hours we'll be there, but we'll try to make sure and squeeze in pony rides, marshmallow roasting, and at least one ethnic dance performance. In the list of activities is also the Camden Civic Theatre players, reprising roles from our Mississippi River event; however, I will not be among them, having chosen to attend the festivities as a patron as opposed to participant.

Also on tap for this weekend:
- The first official meeting of the Camden Civic Theatre.
- The putting up & decorating of the tree.

BITTER cold

Time for northern men to move from reds to stouts.

More Leisure...

Despite the leaden weights of "The Ethical Lifestyle" hanging from my hips, I continue to scale Maslow's Pyramid.

Contributed my second review to beeradvocate.com: Leiney's Red, which I liked better than their Honey Weiss (I'm in the midst of a sampler pack).

Also saw about the first 45 minutes of Donovan's Reef, a comedy directed by John Ford, starring John Wayne, I think I'm ready for my John Wayne break now. God, was that awful. Unwatchable in the most literal sense. Part of a dark sort of period in comedic history in which older generations thought they were being "wacky," but which leaves the modern viewer (this one, anyway) stone-faced and shivering.

Sort of a pattern here in unrecommended possessives:
Hawkin's Breed.
Donovan's Reef.

The Price of the "Ethical Lifestyle"

So, a new topic that I feel I'd better say a few words about before it gets out of control, the way things can when they are discussed in the etherworld, without all the benefits of a face to face discussion.

It must seem to some people like there's nothing that can escape my cynicism and ire. Don't I approve of anything? Isn't it depressing being so cynical and depressing all the time? Well, the answers are "yes, I do" and "yes it is."

From my perspective: Over the last number of years, I have gone to great, sometimes painful, lengths in an attempt to lead a lifestyle that is relatively socially/environmentally conscious. Striking the delicate balance between making as small an ecological footprint as possible, and still affording oneself the opportunity to lead a lifestyle that incorporates some of the luxuries and conveniences that are standard for the middle classes in America is not easy. Nor is it always fun. Consider the inconvenience of packing an extra, meat-free lunch for Lucy while other parents are getting their kids into school and getting the standard food program meal. Consider mowing your lawn twice (in addition to at half-speed) using a reel-mower. Consider not being able to purchase a needed household supply because you have decided not to buy anything that is obviously excessively packaged. Consider the extra expense of trying to avoid additives & preservatives in your food. Consider not being able to eat or drink entire, enormous categories of food (e.g. Kraft, Miller) because you are aware of their business practices and don't approve. Consider going to a restaurant and having it be a foregone conclusion that there will be two or less items available to you on the menu. Or worse, attending a mandatory work-sponsored meal event where there are none. Or not being able to just put your kid in bed for the night and enjoy yourself because you've made a committment to the "family bed." Or trying to clean up after poop and pee every night using a homemade mixture of vinegar, lemon juice, and tea tree oil because you refuse to buy bleach. Or not being able to use TV as a babysitter. Or having to wade through emails from a handful of environmental/political organizations every night trying to decide on which you might take some political action, because you'd feel like a hypocrite if you didn't at least read them. Or paying an extra $8 a month to ensure your electricity is wind-power. And on and on and on and fucking on.

Let me tell you, brother. The "ethical lifestyle" ain't all that easy. And very often, it's a pain in the fucking ass. And for what? Do I have any evidence that I've made a difference? Look at our government. Our world. And what sort of accolades & credit will I get? If I care to share my fringe beliefs with the world at large, I would, for the most part, face scorn, ostracization, and ridicule; as well as a reaction of "your shit doesn't stink," which appears to be the reaction I have finally elicited from my good friend, T-Clog.

I have generally tried to show similar restraint in these matters as I have (or hope to have) shown in not being all "militant" about my vegetarianism all these years. I have tried to share my beliefs & concerns about the world with my friends, without being all preachy. Maybe I've failed. But understand that, for all this blood, sweat, and tears, I don't have much of an outlet for this topic that takes an amazing amount of my time and effort. If I can't share my experiences with my friends, what have I got left?

Believe me that it is not my intent to shame, judge, or preach. Maybe to inform (though that sounds condescending-I only mean if there's something I feel really well-versed on) and share my own experiences.

Addicted to the Shuffle!

The iTunes version, that is. Not the dance.

A few times it has crossed my mind how a wild theme for an upcoming Coalescence issue would be a random 10 shuffle songs off one of our libraries. But, since themes are already in a line around the corner for my next few volumes, I decided it would be fun to just make a record of songs that come up, from time to time, during some of my shuffle ventures. So yesterday, I decided (obviously, with no prior knowledge of what would come up) to jot down the next 10.

Shuffle Volume 1
1. Steeplejack: Panning for Gold (one of only three good songs-the only three I loaded-from "Flywheel Sampler II"
2. Tiny Dancer: Elton John
3. Don't Give Up: Peter Gabriel
4. Typical Situation: Dave Matthews Band
5. Annabelle Wockingsword Lee: Pat and Dan
6. Howidied: Illyah Kuryahkin
7. Just the Same Way: Journey
8. Take it Easy: The Eagles
9. Edelweiss: The Captain and Maria
10. Am I Losing You?: Jim Reeves

Not too fuckin' shabby. I've said it before and I'll say it again; "It's like the best radio station in the universe!!!"

In the Wee Hours

The movies from my new attempt to use the Hennepin County Library as my personal, free, Netflix have begun to roll in. In combination with the wonderful Robbinsdale store, Video Universe, I am seeking out movies clearly in one of two categories: those to watch in Sharon's company, and those which she doesn't care to see. In the past three days, I have seen two of the former.

Movie 1: Shepherd of the Hills (1941: Dir. Henry Hathaway) This is part of my attempt to cover a chronological history of John Wayne's 4-star movies. I had to skip The Dark Command, which I wanted to see, but which is not available at either of my two sources (currently not existing on DVD at all-only VHS and Laser Disc). It was a bit of a departure from the traditional Wayne western, with him playing a somewhat normal young man from a freaky mountain family with a blood-veneange on a long-lost, estranged father (played by Harry Carey-the original one). I thought it was OK, but not great. I may make my Wayne project a long, long, long one (as in, taking breaks between movies). I get the sense I could get burned out pretty quick. But I will say I think, all "legend" status aside, I think he's a bit of a critically underrated actor.
Movie 2: Soylent Green (1973: Dir. Richard Fleischer) Starring Charlton Heston, this movie has become a parody of itself, with an oft-repeated famous line at the end that I will not utter here, on the unlikely chance that a reader both is not familiar with it and wants to see the film. I will say that I was quite surprised by both the lack of campiness and the overall cinematic quality of the film. It was quite well put together, very compelling, and very effective in drawing me into both the message and theme. If you are one of the "uninitiated" few mentioned above, careful about researching very much about this movie, as the original trailer and just about all information you can get about this movie pretty much give you too much information, probably ultimately spoiling the climax. The brief summary, from imdb, is
It's the year 2022... People are still the same. They'll do anything to get what they need. And they need SOYLENT GREEN.
But that doesn't really do the setting or plot justice whatsoever.
One more thing on this movie: Charleton Heston is what he is. He may be a nut, but he really is not a bad actor; not at all. He had this quality of acting in a manner that isn't all that realistic, but which (I think) is carried by his strength of his personality and style. It seems very arbitrary which actors from history are loved for this quality (Jimmy Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant) and which are ridiculed (Wayne, Charleton Heston, William Shatner).

And what better way to watch a film than with a sudsy brew in one hand? I have decided to finally start officially documenting my preferences and trek through the World Beer Tour on www.beeradvocate.com. I choose to do no beers from memory, as I'd like to be writing down my thoughts as I consume a bottle (and, as "appearance" figures into the review, I will be committing at least one bottle from every pack to consumption after being poured into a mug). I recently bought a Leinenkugel sampler pack to start the endeavor; check out my first review, of their Honey Weiss. Check back soon for Leiney's Red, which I'm liking better.

The First Brood

I am here today to talk about the subject of the first generation of CDs in my collection. I may stand alone among my friends in that I had my first player (and thus, CDs) when I was 16 years old. Most of us would like to think we are not accountable for decisions made at that age, and in viewing that past version of myself, I consider the notion particularly applicable.

How, then, do we consider those CDs when we are evaluating our own music collections? There have actually been a couple of instances in which I have thinned out my collection, just a bit. I'd rather not have a disc at all, rather than have the dead weight of music that just doesn't do it for me at and and of which I'll probably never have another enjoyable listen. But what about the CDs that, although you would never buy them again, you hang onto due to either because you don't find the music entirely vile or as a result some hopeless notion that you just might be in a certain mood someday when the songs will work the same magic as they did when you first bought the disc in 1986? In 1986, indeed, was my first CD purchase: Chicago 16 which, incidentally, did not make the first cut of the aforementioned "thinning out." But what about the ones that have survived a couple of cuts and still remain, but largely languish, in my media storage shelves to this day? They are easy enough to spot. The once-clear jewel cases are now somewhat cloudy and transluscent, with a multitude of tiny scratches. And the CDs themselves are all plain black text on disc-manufacturing had not gotten sophisticated enough for 4-color printing directly on the disc face. The artist roster is solid enough; at least, in terms of how their music endures; though if I were to make a list of the CDs from that first brood that have since fallen by the wayside and are no longer in my collection, it would read like a list of upcoming episodes for VH-1's "Behind the Music." Or some "Where Are They Now?" segment in a magazine.

Some "notables" from this First Brood that still remain (I may have some "Second Brood" ones in there, but these are the few that remain and that I recall:

• Hall & Oates: Rock & Soul Part One (I've been waiting about 19 years now for Part Two!!! Not really...)
• Eric Clapton: Timepieces
• Journey: Raised on Radio
• Aerosmith: Permanent Vacation
• Billy Joel: Greatest Hits (2-cd set)
• Rod Stewart: Out of Order (honest to God, not sure why that one's still there. May not make the next cut)
• Thompson Twins: Greatest Mixes (would be a lot better if it was just "Greatest Hits")

What a funny collection of music!

Dear God...

The passing of the 15-month old son of a close friend of Aaron's. I cannot imagine having such optimism & resilience if such a similar unthinkable event happened in my family, but we all must and do grieve in our own ways. Please, drop in on the blog, shed a few tears like me, and offer your condolences. In the midst of awfulness, the outpouring of love & sympathy from strangers across the blogosphere is quite heartening...

Well, We've Done Everything We Can Do

I'm of increasing belief that, for all the talk of steadfastness, the Bush administration is going to find a way to "cut and run" sometime before his term is up. It's bad on so many levels:
1. The thing that is awful and scary as much as anything else, is how much history is repeating itself. Our history after WWII, unfortunately, is of meddling in the affairs of people on the other ot the globe and them leaving them up shit creek with a turd for a paddle. What happend to the Kurds has been noted a few times in the past few years, but so often, people forget about the near genocide for which we were almost entirely responsible with the Hmoung people who so courageously and heroically risked their lives assisting our troops in Vietnam, only to be left helpless and unaided after we withdrew. Anyone who has a problem with their immigration to our country needs to remember that we owe them lots.
2. The other thing for which I am now "calling my shot" is how our withdrawal will coincide with a PR blitz by the right wing and all it's subservient talking heads about how "our job is done," with no shred of credible evidence that it is, indeed, the case. Expect this turn of events to begin unfolding in the early spring. This administration has shown no hesitancy to have a policy of purporting absolute contradictions to reality, and a certain segment of the population is more than happy to eat it all up. The rest of the world will NOT eat it up. Our credibility is nearly shot and I'm afraid this will be the nail in the coffin. Iraq is not close, not close to being able to counter the "insurgency" and maintain a stable, democratic government on their own. I fear for the Iraqi people (think all those people with "Liberate Iraq" signs really care about the well-being of the Iraqi people for one minute?). And I fear for our nation's standing in the world, as well as for our safety. The damage wrought by this adminstration will take years and years to undo. Perhaps generations.

The End of the Album?

Gibbs & I had a nice discussion yesterday that turned, of course, to my current iTunes craze. I was mentioning a few sort of "house rules" I have developed as I import my CD collection; and one is that I never add a "Greatest Hits" version of a song for which there is a duplicate on one of my albums. I have stated before that I wish I had far fewer "Greatest Hits" collections, and that it's just not my style of buying music in recent years.

I must say, however, that my newfound love of the iTunes Shuffle has got me thinking more and more about the whole concept the "standalone single." Gibbs actually ventured not only that we are witnessing the fracturing of "the album," but that future generations may look back at the concept of "the album" as a curiosity. I'm not sure I entirely buy that, as there are still a number of artists out there with the need to craft a collection of cohesive songs, and a number of people who yearn to listen to the same. However, it is a simple reality that, in all the thousands of years of music, the album has really only seen its heyday from the 1960s on. Everything else, ever: singles (albeit, there have been Operas, Symphonies, etc.)

Summary of what I take from the discourse: I will remain primarily an album guy, but I will no longer diminish the value of the individual, stand-alone single.

Big O at the Udupi Cafe

So, Sharon's birthday was yesterday, on Thanksgiving, so we celebrated as a nuclear family the night before. Given her choice of any restaurant at which to eat, she chose the Udupi Cafe.

Indian cuisine has been skyrocketing up our list of preferred ethnic food choices, and I have to say that this restaurant is far and away my favorite in town (though, admittedly, we've only been to four or five). This is actually the one that Mixdorf & I ate at during his visit last summer. It's a pure vegetarian menu; which, for vegetarians accustomed to hunting for only three or four vegetarian options on a given menu at traditional restaurants, the variety seems mind-boggling.

I am continuing to expand my horizons. It's been difficult to make the break away from Paneer (the primary style of cheese used in Indian food), but I have been utterly rewarded for my uncharacteristic adventurousness. We began the meal with Garlic Paratha (whole wheat bread stuffed with garlic), and some lentil patties for Lucy. With everything, you are given your choices of three or four dipping sauces so that by the time they accumulate through an appetizer and three meals, you have 12 little bowls scattered about on the table. A little overkill, there, but we felt free to dip gratuitously with no fear of running out of anything. I, then, ordered Onion Masala Dosai , which was a rice crepe with onion topping filled with potatoes and onions and cooked in butter.

Great Mother of Pearl, but I nearly had an orgasm eating that fine dish! The crepe was light, flaky, and crispy and tasted like the crust of a pot pie nand-made by God. And the filling was hearty, perfectly spiced, and immensely delicious. To wash it down I had a lemon soda-fresh lemon squeezed into club soda and sweetened. Even that was rich and full-much more strong and deeply satisfying than I expected. Wow. We're trying to keep eating-out excursions under control, so I'm not sure when we'll be back there next; but whatever the date is it cannot come soon enough.

We are considering experimenting around with cooking Indian food at home, but I'm somewhat leery of both the difficulty and eventual success (or lack thereof). I'm just thinking there'd be a major shift from the types of spices & other "staples" that we usually have on hand. In any event, I very much look forward to visiting this restaurant with anyone who chances to visit me next and would like to go there.

ed. note: No Udupi cafe in Winona.

Anti-Consumer in a Technophile's Body

(ed. note: I intended to make this one of my customary brief essays on a topic that had been mulling around in my head. Reading back after it was written, I think some interesting topics came up, but that it seemed more like a ramble that didn't lead anywhere. Sorry)

Only one of the very many contradictions that makes up my being, but one about which I feel the urge to speak a few words.

In high school or thereabouts, I think I would have been placed in that category of consumer that is referred to in the retail world as "The Early Adopter." My parents were around my current age during the height of what could be referred to as the "age of modern convenience," or that period of time where we erred just a bit on the side of technology. Breast milk bad-formula good. Antibiotics for everything. Crop dusting. Indeed, it was "better living through science" that quickly and decisively won us the Pacific arena of WWII and, mad scientist character in Sci-Fi movies notwithstanding, our country was more than happy to embrace a technological advance in any form. I will say that I think we, as a society, have stepped back from the brink a bit, but may be still just a little too ready to embrace those aspects of science that appease our yearning for instant gratification to the exclusion of another very important aspect of science, which is testing and long-term study.

That's getting a bit off point, however. What I'm getting to is that I personally "stepped back from the brink" sometime late in college. While I continued to build on my music collection somewhat steadily through the years, the only new technology adoptions have been a 19 inch TV (in 1996, to replace the 13 inch that died), a DVD player, and a car CD player, last year. Of course none of them necessary, but all relatively basis components of a early-21st centruy "wired" individua in the first world. I've not always succeeded, but I've striven to live the "less is more" philosophy; made more difficult because of this trait that was nurtured in me combined with working at the premier Technology Made Fun retailer in the world, but maybe a little easier with money never having flowed particularly generously into my bank account.

Moderation may really be the key, here. There are lots of possessions and clutter in all our lives that are simply not necessary. But it may well be that, even while I'm striving to make various aspects of my life and house a little simpler, a 32" letterbox-format TV and set of wireless computer speakers (for listening to my iTunes collection in various parts of the house) are important-enough reflections of my taste in lifestyle that they do justify purchase (to the extent that any luxury item in our society can "justify" such a thing) . Not that I have money for either at this particular time...

Making the Crossover: Tonight at 7:30 CST

I will be appearing in my first dramatic (e.g. non-comedic) role in at least the past 16 years tonight at the Patrick Henry Theatre in North Minneapolis. This is my second play with the emerging Camden Civic Theatre, and I am playing the role of Joe Summers in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery."

In this day and age, where people's sensitivities seem to get disturbed by all manner of daily affronts (all the while, the number of violent & vile images increases daily on their TVs), I am expecting a little shock and maybe even an unpleasant reaction from at least some of the audience to this quite dark play. Anticipating this, we will be doing a Q & A with the audience after the show in an effort to put the story and message in context.

My character is kind of the "head-man" of a small, rural village. Most likely one of the wealthiest figures in town, he holds a position of power and influence and coordinates the yearly "lottery." I really step outside of myself for the part (I hope). I play him, hopefully not over-the-top, as a smarmy, smiley gladhander that is aware that everyone in town works hard for a living so he doesn't have to. I pretty much model him after some sort of amalgam of my least favorite politicians. One scene I particularly enjoy is when he has a little argument, apart from the rest of the villagers, with his sister who resents and preaches against town tradition.

The promise of good theatre sponsored by Community Education should be enough to drag everyone away from the Vikings-Packers Monday Night game for a couple of hours, don't you think?

Understanding the various reasons my readers can't attend, I wish you all could be there.

Where it All Goes Down

www.brightwatermontessori.org

Lucy's school has a nice, new, and revamped website. You can get a pretty good idea of what the Montessori philosophy is all about by reading the Main Page & About Montessori sections. It really, point by point, is in philosophical line with the beliefs Sharon & I have about childraising. Obviously, as with any type of education, a lot depends on how well the schoo/teachers interpret and enact the theories, but we feel they do a great job at Brightwater.

You can see the really cool classrooms (all kid-sized things, no plastic or "commercial" stuff) in Program Descriptions, and you can also see busy little Lucy (background, in yellow) working away in the top picture.

In 2004, it's a Slam Dunk. Now? Hmmm...

Think Bush is gonna make any headway on his new full-time strategy: attacking those who said he misled the country?

Seems to be critical whether people buy the two lies:

1. They (Democratic Senators) had access to the same info as Bush.
2. The vote was to go to war (as opposed to give the President authorization to go to war, so that he would have more leverage in getting Iraq to let the inspectors to their work).

This is the classic sort of "controlling the message" situation the Republicans have excelled at in recent years. Very simple, memorable lies for their talking points. The refuting of the lies is wordy and nuanced.

However, the President hasn't had many successes in the past number of months. 57% of the people in this country believe he misled them and Republican Senators & Representatives that could have been counted on to fall in line are thinking of their own political futures. How does this play out?

To Quote a Wise Man: Craptastic

The windy, snow-blown scene in Minneapolis this morning.