morrowlife

Here’s yet another polar bear at the Detroit Zoo. This one isn’t actually alive. It’s more of a mosaic. Looks a little more friendly than the real ones.

Extremely Short Shrift yet again. I had visitors from the government all day today (they were here to help) and didn’t get home from the office until just about exactly 8:00. Quick drive, but a late one. I had my dinner (excellent hamburger); went for a long, relaxing swim while chatting with Loyal Reader Number Four; got dried off and dressed; had a piece of banana cake (excellent, and possibly better than yesterday’s piece; I don’t know why certain foods taste better on the second and third days – lasagna, pizza, banana cake – but they definitely do, which would make an excellent Morrowlife controversy); and sat down to blog for a few moments. The iPod got its nightly update too.

Speaking of which, I’ve added a couple of new podcasts my Loyal Readers might be interested in. First, there’s Grammar Girl‘s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. Excellent advice on numerous grammatical topics. Heartily recommended. Grammar Girl’s style is light and entertaining, and her advice is excellent and correct. It’s part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network. I was already listening to The Get-It-Done Guy‘s Quick and Dirty Tips to Work Less and Do More, which I also heartily recommend. I had had no idea there was a network. Now I know. I haven’t subscribed to any of their other podcasts, but my podcast-listening Loyal Readers might find something else useful there.

After many disappointing experiences, I’ve subscribed to a music podcast I might actually keep. It’s called the Big Band Stage Door Canteen. It’s a weekly radio show from KAMU, the FM station affiliated with my admittedly-strange-but-they-have-a-great-engineering-school alma mater. It looks like a very entertaining two-hour-long weekly exploration of old (and maybe some new) big band music. I might get sick of it soon, but I’m giving it the old college try. Since it is from my old college.

One other music-related podcast I’ve added is From the Top at Carnegie Hall. It’s a PBS-funded (shudder) series showcasing 8- to 18-year-old musicians in performance at Carnegie Hall. They include interviews and some backstage stuff, which are always entertaining, but the performances are enough to bring me back. It’s a video podcast and extremely highly recommended.

There are other new ones, but they’ll have to wait until another time. Not much action on yesterday’s controversy, other than LRN4’s comment (thanks very much!). Must have been boring to everybody else, but I’ll give it one more day to get the attention it so richly deserves. What do you think of overly long musical performances? Is 639 years just too long? Could they have limited it to, say, 100 years without seriously affecting the social impact?

See you tomorrow.

Here’s another exclusive RAZR cam picture taken out the window of the train. I’m not sure this an Ansel Adams clone, though. Maybe Monet. What do you think?

The usual Monday Short Shrift tonight. It was a long day and it’s already late and I’m sleepy.

Loyal Reader Number Two is off to Scout camp. Let’s hope he’s having a great time. I got up at 3:30 this morning to get him to the church on time, and decided to go straight to work from there. So it really was a long day. Lots to do at work. On the one hand, I’m enjoying sitting in for my boss. On the other hand, there’s a lot of pressure. It’s something I could really grow into.

A few hours after LRN2 left, Loyal Reader Number Twenty-two arrived at the Oakland airport. Welcome, LRN22! So far, he and Loyal Reader Number One have worked on computers. Also, umm . . . nothing else. Ought to be an enjoyable week.

Took a swim tonight. It was a very hot day (will be the rest of the week, too) and the water was almost perfect. In another two days, it will be easy to just walk into it. That’s the way I like it.

Today’s controversy: Don’t you think they ought to keep organ concerts down to under 500 years? Also, would you prefer to listen to the composer’s other work – four minutes and 33 seconds of silence? I certainly would.

See you tomorrow.

Here’s a little flock of birds at the Detroit Zoo. I think these guys were there voluntarily. Part of my famous Bird series.

Wonders of Blogger. I sat down to write Friday night and immediately fell asleep. Must have been tired. I woke back up just long enough to walk upstairs and get in bed.

The Fourth was pleasant. We had several friends over. We swam, jacuzzified, played croquet, ate hamburgers and associated goodies, and visited. Also watched the local fireworks. They were nice, with one oddity.

We walked out to the entrance to our neighborhood and discovered half of Lardville over there waiting for the fireworks. We arrived at about 9:10, expecting the fireworks to start at 9:30. It turns out they started at 10:00 instead. After going for just a couple of minutes, they stopped. Don’t know why. About five minutes later, half of the crowd got back in their cars and left. Immediately thereafter, the fireworks resumed. We thought it unfortunate that all those people came here and waited over an hour for two minutes’ worth of fireworks. They missed the best part, too. Including the smiley face. Wow.

Anyway. Several things on the agenda for today. I’m planning to wash the Miata, possibly get the Suburban washed (commercially, of course – it’s just too darned big to wash myself), look at a model home with Loyal Reader Number Four, maybe play a little more croquet with the family, swim, and who knows what else.

Have a great rest of the holiday weekend. See you on Monday.

Here’s a pack of pretty scary-looking tigers. Photo taken in the gift shop at the Detroit Zoo.

The work week’s over! It was a busy one. I’m looking forward to the three-day weekend. Loyal Readers Numbers Five, Six, and Twelve are already here, and we’re having more friends over tomorrow afternoon.

No specific weekend plans yet. The Loyal Readers already did a marvelous job cleaning up the garage. Loyal Reader Number Four is buying a new freezer and needed a space for it. The freezer is arriving on Monday. The biggest problem they had was the mountain of shoes outside the door. They creatively came up with the idea of building a little shelf, which looks great and really helped straighten up the mess. Congrats and thanks, Loyal Readers! I’ll think of some more projects tomorrow.

No controversy today. I’ll come up with something really controversial tomorrow. For now, it’s already late and I need to get to bed. There’ll be plenty of time for blogging tomorrow. In the meantime, have a great Fourth, and be careful (link warning – fireworks noise) out there.

See you tomorrow.

Here’s a bizarre sculpture we found out in the middle of the street in Sacramento, right outside the theater we visited a few weeks back. I’m still having nightmares about the little head growing out of the side of the big head. And won’t someone help that poor woman who’s about to drown? Picture taken with the exclusive RAZR-cam.

Came home sick this afternoon. I’m still feeling terrible – very upset stomach and possibly a fever. I came closer to barfing today than any time since my infamous food poisoning incident at Baikonur. I really need to be back at work tomorrow, so I’m hoping the stomach will cooperate. The flesh is willing, but the stomach is weak.

Interesting comments on yesterday’s controversy. Having thought about it a little more, I think I may agree with Loyal Reader Number Three. For five hundred bucks or so, I could probably be convinced to wear that monstrosity. Just not in public.

And of course I share Loyal Reader Number One’s concern about the fires threatening Big Sur. We may have to find another place to camp next Spring Break. On the other hand, they may be offering tremendous discounts.

And I don’t feel like writing anything else. So, we’ll go with today’s controversy: do you believe this? Interestingly, on the website where I found a link to this article, most of the comments were about people whose friends are faking their interest in religion. I think they missed the point. Among sincere believers, I suspect a lot have happy marriages. Lots more than unbelievers. What do you think?

Whew. That came pretty close to being serious. I’ll do better next time, Loyal Readers. See you tomorrow.