celebratin'?

not this year. we're having a low-key new year's eve. it's either age and/or tolerance. perhaps in our old age, we're less tolerant of celebrating the new year's w/ a bunch of strangers...downtown (for a lame fireworks show)...and in the cold. in fact, for many years, we were usually on the road for January 1st.

so...we went out yesterday and stocked up on some champagne. some for us and the neighbors. argonaut, as all other liquor stores, has various bottles of el cheapo (Andre champagne) on sale for $2.99. suckers for a bargain, we got a couple bottles of peach passion.

not bad at all. now, it's hard to stomach two glasses of this stuff, but one in lieu of dessert was okay. with a re-closeable top, looks like we'll get four more glasses out of it ;)

we also splurged and got some Segura Viudas Heredad...on sale for $15.99. like Freixenet, Segura Viudas is a Spanish champagne of high quality. you can usually get a bottle for six or seven bucks. we hadn't tried this special one before, but we liked that it was rated a 92 and had a cool bottle design. yes, that is metal on the bottom, making for a somewhat hefty bottle...a helluva way to start a bar fight!

hey, while we're waiting for all that snow to melt, head to the denver post site and play the hickenlooper snow plow game. it took me 80 hours on the first try...this game might me a good time waster for the last day of the year. go play now!

have a great new year's eve!!! don't get arrested though because i've spent all your bond money on booze and chili dogs ;)

un...

believable.

a front end loader just spent the last half hour plowing our street. you can actually see tar! after listening to an interview with huzzah hickenloopy (our mayor) pontificate about how WE should be grateful for the snow plow operators who are putting in 12-hour days, scraping our winter wonderland, i was ready to GO OFF! i'm sorry, but those poor, overworked guys ARE getting paid overtime...which WE taxpayers provide!

wtf...

get off yer high horse and get a decent haircut...it either resembles a botched comb-over or looks like you got it done in the dark. you know, i think you've had a pretty easy time in office since day one. this is what ALL elected officials have to contend (with). WE elected you in hopes of progress, not a snarky, condescending attitude.

anyway, this was a good second chance for the plows because our street was just packed snow down the middle and a luge run at the intersections. initially, i thought that plows did indeed come through after the first storm and just didn't reach street level. of course, when i saw that the block north of us was plowed (probably because of the fire station at the corner), i knew that there was something suspect about our situation.

so...now i have a clear path to go anywhere...if i were foolish enough to go out today ;) who the hell wants to go a grocery store that looks like a barren russian supermarket?

i'm content w/ my antioxidants in front of me, green tea and dark chocolate. i think i may load up on more...and go upstairs...to scarf half a blueberry pie heh.

now...

that xmas is over, i've gotten rid of the green and red format. this new one seems a bit stark, but it matches the ever present snow outside...for awhile.

so...

you were THAT good, eh?

24...

and that ain't the TV show. rather, that's how many inches of snow we got in the "Blizzard of '06". i'm glad i didn't have to fight any of the slick streets and standstill traffic yesterday.

nope. instead, i wrenched my back shoveling snow twice, in hopes of keeping ahead of the storm. at noon, there was already 8" of the white stuff. at 4:30, i was out again, tackling another heavy blanket of snow.

ugh.

today, at noon, i watched the lady across the street shovel about ten feet of her sidewalk before she hung it up and trudged back into the house.

my feelings exactly.

what am i worried about? i don't have any shopping or errands to do. after all, this hefty slice of cherry pie and hot tea sitting next to me are all i need...

cool card...

this poinsettia sculpture card was sent to me by a friend of mine in california. looks like she got it from the Museum of Modern Art online store...i think i'm gonna get me some :) there are also some classy drop-style ornaments...and pop-up cards.

done...

with the exception of a few cards, my holiday stuff is pretty much finished. the tree is up...shopping is done...egg nog is in hand.

this year, we switched to the LED xmas lights, which are supposed to be brighter, more energy efficient (90% less use), and longer lasting (25,000 hour bulbs). good thing because a strand of 50 runs about $10...

hmmm...trying pumpkin spice egg nog. if you ask me, there's no discernible difference. one of these days, i'm gonna have to make my own. anyone have a recipe?

garfield...

has it backwards. it's not the santa hats but the egg nog that enhances whatever you do.

three things...

Three things that scare me: fecal matter, drowning, perishing in a fire
Three people who make me laugh: Lois, Kenny, my mom
Three things I love: travel, Maya ruins, music
Three things I don't love: rude people, religious fanatics, telemarketers
Three things I don't understand: the Iraqi conflict, huge bonuses paid to CEO/CFOs of major corporations, American Idol
Three things on my desk: a small lamp, lotion, and the stereo remote
Three things I'm doing right now: this meme, listening to Ella Fitzgerald, and thinking about finishing those damn holiday cards
Three things I want to do before I die: visit Cambodia, retire w/ enough money, climb the pyramids at El Mirador (Guatemala)
Three things I can do: speak Spanish, cook, spout completely useless trivia
Three things you should listen to: music, people who love you (although you don't always have to agree), and yer instincts
Three things you should never listen to: Dubya, most contemporary pop music, that evil neighbor
Three things I'd like to learn: Portuguese, to garden like my mom, to play a musical instrument (mebbe drums, piano, or trombone)
Three favorite foods: most ethnic cuisines, pasta, and braunschweiger
Three beverages I drink regularly: water, liquor, and Dr. Pepper
Three TV shows I watched as a kid: Love American Style, Get Smart, Three's Company

it's like...

liquid crack. recently, i purchased a pound of this tea via amazon's marketplace. it's called MarketSpice Tea. it's a black tea mixed with cinnamon oil, orange peel, and cloves.

it is SO addictive.

i used to drink it quite a lot in the 90's at the Harvest. unfortunately, when the restaurant closed four years ago, there was no other place else in town to get it; Gemini Restaurant serves a similar one, but it's not as good.

so...i did without for four years...until MarketSpice started selling through amazon marketplace.

there's nothing like it. the smell of the tea is SO strong...it permeates the whole house when you make a couple batches. the cinnamon oil is so fierce that if you accidentally brush your forearm against the leaves, it can blister. and that first sip...

is pure heaven. you get a huge charge of the tea's flavor combination and sweetness on the tip of the tongue. MarketSpice Tea is simply the best iced tea for the summer too. nothing refreshes/invigorates like this elixir.

maybe i SHOULD try to snort/smoke it...heh. at $11/lb. it's quite a deal!

just...

about done w/ my holiday shopping. how 'bout you guys?

now...i wish i could say the same for xmas cards. usually, i get them out the first week of december. well, i haven't even started them yet.

sigh

lately, i've just been daydreaming about travel...what else? lois' birthday is in april and i'm gonna redeem 60,000 miles for a couple tix to either Puerto Rico or Belize. Panama has an outside chance too, since we've never been.

Puerto Rico would be nice because we really didn't get to see much of the island in 1997, when Lois presented a paper for the applied anthropology meetings. it's not the cheapest of places, but we should be able to see a lot more of the island in 4-7 days since it's a mere 3000 square miles (100 miles from east to west and 30 miles north to south.

Belize is a good choice for us because of its important Maya sites such as Caracol, El Pilar, Cerros, Lamanai, Altun Ha, and Xunantunich. Lois hasn't been and although i've been there 3x, it has been nearly 14 years since my last visit. It would be a bit cheaper than Puerto Rico but with the archaeological bonus :)

Besides, could you ever pass this up...


Panama? well...mebbe. guess i'd better get readin'!

bear with me...

i'm changin' a few things around. i hope i don't regret it...

ha! i wonder if the Japanese sign says "Watch Out For The Steaming Pile of Dog Shit" :)

pissed...

earlier tonight, we went to visit one of our friends at Aurora Medical Center. he had the unfortunate luck of getting two surgeries in four days. on friday, he had gone in for vascular surgery; he's a diabetic w/ major circulation problems. and this morning...

he had the remaining three toes on his right foot amputated.

this isn't a hospital horror story though - they were the right toes. he just had a small sore (caused by stepping on a hair) that ended up abcessing. poor guy. we feel so bad for him. he and his family have had a really rough patch that has lasted ten years. they've endured a couple foreclosures, a botched surgery with no recourse, repossessed cars, diabetic-related surgeries, and now this...leaving the hospital with half a right foot.

somehow, through all of this, they seem to keep it together. and for that, i admire them; i would have thrown the world's largest pity party and wallowed in it the entire time if it were me ;)

anyway, i'm not pissed because of his latest amputations. nope. it's what happened while we were leaving the hospital.

Around 7:50 PM, Lois and I were attempting to exit through the north doors when we were nearly accosted by a security guard, John. Apparently, the hospital was under lockdown due to an armed man in the parking lot.

I had no problem with the lockdown. However, we were NOT pleased in the manner that John was stopping people when they were attempting to leave; he was uncommonly rude. Granted, he has a job to perform in keeping us safe, but he was not courteous at all. I understand the undue stress of the lockdown may have been great but this man was totally lacking in social skills.

As we turned the corner to exit, John, stepped in front of me and snapped his fingers, exclaiming, "Hey! We are under lockdown!!!" Surprised by both his action and situation, we stopped and waited at the front door with at least a dozen other people.

We all watched as he stopped an extended family with his outstretched hand and telling them (explicitly) that they were NOT going anywhere. The family was taken aback by his brusqueness and stood there aghast by his attitude.

Lois and I did not appreciate his tone of voice nor the snapping of fingers. It was like he was trying to stop his misbehaving kids from strapping a pop bottle rocket across the family cat's ears. This shit happened four hours ago and I'm still kind of seething; the snapping fingers made my blood boil.

Ugh...throw yer gun down, Rent-a-Cop, and let me kick yer ass. In fact, everyone in this lobby is waiting in line...

kind of amusing...

yesterday, a massive typhoon ravaged the eastern phillippines...killing more than 109.

that fact isn't amusing. what i did find amusing though was the name of the typhoon, Durian. now, it's common knowledge that hurricanes/tropical storms in the western hemisphere are usually given male or female names starting with 21 of the 26 letters in the Roman alphabet; q,u,x,y, and z names aren't used. right now, there are six rotating lists of names, in alternating male and female order. even numbered years start with a male 'A' name and a female 'B' name; odd years are the opposite. for example, the first storm of 2006 was named Alberto; next year's first will be named Andrea. during extraordinary hurricane seasons, however, when all the letters have been used, such as in 2005, additional storms are given greek letter names, starting with alpha. and hurricanes that have caused devastating damage, such as Andrew, Charley, Katrina, and Rita, are retired (name-wise).

well, Durian is an amusing name for a typhoon, mainly because that's the name of a massive, prickly fruit that is native to Southeast Asia. about the size of a very big honeydew, the durian is known for its creaminess and (yet) overpowering stench. the best comparison of a freshly cut durian's smell would be that of roadkill stuffed into a gym bag w/ sweat drenched socks, smeared in rotting eggs.

really

in fact, the durian is so putrid that it's not even allowed on many airlines. yep, it's on the banned list, next to flammables, explosives, and cigarettes.

there's a common saying about durian, "It tastes like heaven but smells like hell." and it's true. i've actually had a durian shake at a restaurant that served a trio of SE Asian cuisine - Malaysian, Singaporean, and Indonesian. i can tell you that the silky texture of the fruit was almost custard-like, but whatever magic used in making the shake still couldn't mask the underlying 'aroma' of rotten eggs. i'm glad i've tried it but have no inclinations of getting another...even on occasion.

when i saw the headline of the typhoon article, it just made me think of changing our naming system. hell, mebbe we should use things that obliterate our olfactories...like Hurricane Limburger or Hurricane Mothball. why make it a sex thing? after all, from 1953 to 1978, all hurricanes had female names. it was only in 1979 that male names were added to the lists... trust me, Hurricane Vomit would be a much more memorable name than Audrey, which killed 390 people in Louisiana and Texas in 1957. who's gonna remember that?

i like my system better

new...

and improved? we'll see.

i finally gave in and signed up for a ggoogle account in updating the blogspot format to beta. i hope this streamlining will make the whole blogging experience easier.

now...if it would just light a posting fire under my saggy butt ;)

why...

why can't our presidential candidates buy votes as blatantly as those in Ecuador? apparently, the conservative billionaire candidate, Alvaro Noboa, passed out money, wheelchairs, medicine, and computers to potential constituents over the past three months before Sunday's runoff vote, against leftist candidate, Rafael Correa (who will probably be declared winner in the next couple days). of course, Noboa is just a shyster politician who really should be a television evangelist...

(from sunday's SF Gate): Before voting earlier Sunday in the coastal city of Guayaquil, Noboa read a passage from the Bible in the midst of a mob of supporters pushing to touch him. He then fell to his knees, asking God for his support and saying all he wanted was "to serve, to serve, to serve" the poor.

"Like Christ, all I want is to serve ... so that the poor can have housing, health care, education, jobs," he said.

oh puh-leeze.

good luck to Correa though. this man, who has a PhD in economics from the university of illinois, will have a tough road ahead; Ecuador has had eight presidents in the past decade. man...they must eat 'em for breakfast.

sick...

i came down with a cold a couple days ago. it was kinda weird...all i remember was sitting at the computer and getting a sore throat. of course, i took an antihistamine and drank a couple cups of peppermint/cold care tea before going to bed.

yesterday morning, i woke up extremely parched from the antihistamine...but with a huge appetite. i hydrated myself and ate steadily for an hour or two. oh yeah, also popped some lozenges.

sore throat gone

last night...as i sat at the computer, i could a pimple forming on my left cheekbone. within a couple hours, it transformed into a huge boil. so strange to sit there and actually feel the heat trickle up into the boil.

the heat has gone away some but i'm just waiting for it to burst and have maggots spring out of it. don't worry though, i'm not gonna look for a pic online...so you can keep all that turkey/mashed potatoes/macncheese/gravy/cranberry/stuffing/pumpkin pie down ;)

update?

been a busy bee lately...or just too damn lazy to post ;)

here's a quick rundown of my last week:

monday night, i did end up going to Tommy's Thai for some takeout (Pad Thai, Phad Prik King, and Tom Yum Gai)...Argonaut for a bottle of champagne...and gave Lois that ring that I posted the picture of. although we really wanted to go out that night, it was still a very nice 13th anniversary...even if the food was a bit too salty.

tuesday night, we did go to the Argentine restaurant. in fact, we even sat at the table in the middle of this picture! this meal was much more wonderful than the previous night's takeout. of course, it was also 5x the price ;) we started with two appetizers: mushrooms stuffed w/ spinach and boursin cheese and grilled provolone w/ oregano, garlic, and tomatoes - heavenly! they were followed by a salad, a 14 oz. rib eye w/ sweet potato fries and roasted veggies, and an excellent flan accompanied w/ an out of this world dulce de leche (think of really intense caramel). we downed a fine bottle of Malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina and topped our meal off w/ some coffee. to celebrate our anniversary over two days was definitely an exercise of indulgence heh.

on wednesday, i went to lunch w/ this blogger. he and i have been friends for more than twenty years (since 8th grade). we share similar political views and a penchant for pizza and mexican food. it's funny...although he and i weren't best friends in high school, we have stayed in touch better than the rest of our circle (of friends), who seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. anyway, we went to NY Pizzeria and Dairy Queen and spent three hours catching up. if he's not too busy editing/writing and i'm not traveling, we attempt to get together at least twice a year.

thursday...lois and i went downtown to see this man. he was in town to accept the John Cassavettes filmmaker award from the Denver Film Society. it was at Temple Buell...well attended...and a lot of fun. there was a retrospective of his film career, both as actor and director/writer, spanning the last twenty years. watching each snippet of his films made me want to add to our netflixx queue or pop in Shawshank; he's such a talented (and level-headed) filmmaker. robert denerstein, the film critic for the rocky mountain news, interviewed him for at least 45 minutes before he was presented with the award. the night wasn't over though. after the gala at Temple Buell, there was a jam-packed reception at the Cruise Room in the Oxford Hotel....w/ a crapload of beer, wine, and bombay sapphire gin! unfortunately, we only stayed for a couple martinis before bolting to eat somewhere; the promised food for the reception didn't come out until 40 minutes AFTER we left...we just didn't want to stay until midnight among 400 pushy lushes w/ just a handful of tables to place your drinks and food.


friday. like suckers, we joined the throngs of people who wanted the ride the new SE corridor light rail. lois and i thought it would be a good time to see our friend at PF Changs. after all, we could leave the car at the Colorado/I-25 stop (where lois works) and head to Park Meadows.

big freakin' mistake

we had no idea that the Park Meadows stop has NO direct access to the mall!!! you stop RIGHT across from Nordstrom's...but have to take a pedestrian bridge in the opposite direction and catch the 402 LTD (which only comes every 30 min.) to the mall.

wtf?!?

i guess it's all good if you have a paid ticket or transfer but we didn't have any small bills/change since we thought our free train ride would get us TO the mall w/o any hassle!

ugh

don't believe the reports about everything being SO rosy. in yesterday's paper, some official who lives in Washington D.C., gushed about how he LOVED the system and wanted to move here.

why?

the subway system in D.C. is WAY better than our skimpy 32 mile system that's too expensive and too DAMN slow. i've been on subway systems in chicago, dc, mexico city, and madrid and can honestly say that our dinky light rail can't even compare. i'm sure that the new routes will ease the traffic load during rush hours, but it's not as GREAT as everyone thinks. damn, with the fools that were riding on friday, you'd think that the majority of them had never taken public transportation in their entire lives...

you can guess that we didn't go to PF Chang's for dinner then, eh? nope. instead, we hopped on a northbound train and headed for downtown, where sixteen year-old kids shout about how they're gonna get drunk and then ravage Virgin Records.

shu-uut up! i so wanted to stick my foot up that loudmouth's ass...

we ended up having dinner at the newly remodeled Little India on 15th and Champa. the food was great as usual but the decor resembles a hip sushi bar (dark wood, italian lighting) and the atmosphere is now cold since all the carpeting was removed. it kinda reminded me of a Chipotle restaurant. oh well. at least the vindaloo was super hot and the kabli naan, chewy and sweet.

a simple observation: little india has perpetually won a best of denver award (Westword, 5280 Magazine, etc.) since it opened its doors in 1998, compiling at least 15-20 awards. well, tell me why they chose to decorate the men's bathroom w/ three of them then.

really...there's one above the urinal and two next to the commode. is it cultural? or have they just run out of room? talk about bee-zarre...

saturday we chose not to go out. the house was a mess and we needed some down time. i went to the cemetery w/ my sisters to visit dad and my eldest sister's late husband, donald. afterwards, we hung out at mom's...putting on window coverings and chowing down on chinese sausage, boiled chicken, and mom's wonderful stir fry bean sprouts.

sunday was relatively quiet too. i spent the afternoon w/ mom, watching football games. later, lois and i had dinner and went to the store. woohoo...

and that, my friends, was my week. 'nite

you're gonna...

need an ocean, of calamine lotion.

arrrggghhhh. i've reacted allergically to something i ate on friday...

late friday night, a rash started forming across my stomach.

by sunday, the same rash covered the inside of my thighs.

and today, it reached my arms.

i am goin' ka-razy! i hope the cocktail of champagne and antihistamine will put me to sleep...

while that's happening, tell me from what song is the first line of the posting and the group that originally performed it.

btw, i think this is the culprit...stupid chinese radish!

i had no idea...

she showed up in bit roles...as a best friend in 'Bewitched'...as Jeff Daniels' wife in 'RV'. and recently, i had seen her on late night talk shows.

BUT

i had no idea that she was a major Broadway actress and won a Tony in 1999 as Charlie Brown's little sis:



i am quickly becoming a fan of this little pixie and her phenomenal voice.

may as well...

since Cindi said she would check:

1. Explain what ended your last relationship.
i don't THINK so

2. When was the last time you shaved?
thursday

3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.?
reading the paper

4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
watching YouTube

5. Are you any good at math?
yeah...i took calc in high school, but i'm better w/ algebra, geometry, & trig. stats was fun in college even though my prof looked like Beelzebub

6. How was your prom night?
hah...May '88...Britt Bryant, whom I had known since 2nd grade...good times ;)

7. Do you have any famous ancestors?
not that i know of...

8. Have you had to take a loan out for school?
just one...paid it off more than ten years ago

9. Do you know the words to the song on your Myspace profile?
this week's song...no...but i change my song (usually) every friday

10. Last thing received in the mail?
two things that i won on eBay...credit card bill...something from the CSO

11. How many different beverages have you had today?
water and champagne

12. Do you ever leave messages on people's answering machine?
depends on how urgent the call is...i'd rather email anyway

13. Whom did you lose your concert virginity to?
omg...MOTLEY CRUE...november (?) 1985...Theatre of Pain Tour...Autograph opened!

14. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
no...i'm usually looking for shells or wiggling my toes in the water :)

15. What was the most painful dental procedure you have had?
gum surgery for a tooth that broke beneath the gumline. the shot in the upper palate will just about kill you

16. What is out your back door?
a Char-Broil Grill that got off easy this summer...

17. Any plans for Friday night?
mebbe a free ride on the light rail to the PF Changs to see a friend who works there

18. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?
wha??? who cares.

19. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?
a couple times. the caramel corn doesn't stand a chance

20. Have you ever been to a planetarium?
a few times

21. Do you re-use towels after you shower?
Absolutely...

22. Some things you are excited about?
mebbe a trip. i think i'm gonna use some miles and go back to Puerto Rico in april

23. What is your favorite flavor of JELLO?
cherry...lime...orange...in that order

24. Describe your keychain.
it's a red fob from Virginia Village Texaco...which no longer exists

25. Where do you keep your change?
In my fanny pack...or in film canisters, if they're quarters. did you know that a film canister holds $6.25? good to keep in the glove compartment for parking

26. What kind of winter coat do you own?
i've got a few...but the one i wear most is black fleece on the inside and tan/brown out

27. What was the weather like on your graduation day?
High school...it was a windy night at All City Stadium (June 8, 1988)
College...the weather was cold - i graduated in December

28. Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed?
usually closed

is no one...

open on mondays? sheesh. for our anniversary dinner today, i was considering this restaurant...but noooo, they're closed on mondays.

so on a whim, i even considered this one (since i won a $50 gift certificate from the radio station last month) and save the nicer one for tomorrow...but they too are closed on mondays. wtf? i thought the 'closed on monday' phenomena only occurred amongst old school chinese restaurants.

sigh...can't eat nowhere in this town on mondays ;)

guess i'll get some thai takeout and a bottle of w(h)ine.

bet...

someone wants to cut off his tongue right now.

i'm no philatelist, but some fool in Broward County (FL) submitted an absentee ballot with this stamp on it...a 24-cent Inverted Jenny. the image on the stamp, a World War I biplane, was accidentally printed upside down on four sheets of (100) stamps. when the mistake was brought to light, three of the sheets were destroyed...but one (sheet) ended up going into distribution. it's one of the most coveted stamps among collectors...a pristine specimen is worth around $200,000! just last year, a block of four Jenny stamps was purchased for a cool $2.97 MILLION!

apparently, the county commissioner, who collected in his youth, came across the stamp while he reviewed ballots. not only was the ballot useless, since it had no name, but whomever was the owner of the stamp, can't claim it for at least 22 months - the amount of time the county keeps the ballot boxes sealed.

i wonder what's going to become of it now that the word is out. although the stamp is now canceled, it's still worth $20-100,000. i'm sure there are enough shady people who will try to procure this little collectible by any means. if there's any consolation for the fool (if he's even coherent) is that he can be identified as the stamp's owner via DNA sample...in 2008 :P

not...

this ring...
nor this one...










...but this one.

yes, people, we are celebrating our thirteenth on the thirteenth. and it's only appropriate that i buy lois a citrine ring for our anniversary. it'll be the second time this year i've bought her jewelry, which is rare because i usually go a couple years in between. in april, for her birthday, i found a very fine yellow topaz in mexico city. i hope she likes the ring. that's what i like about this blog...she doesn't read it ;) so i don't have to suppress surprises because they won't be divulged anyway!

btw, who knows what kind of animal is depicted in the second picture? if you tell me(correctly) in the comments, i will bestow upon you the title of "Fledgling Primatologist of the Week!" BIG whoop, eh?

so...

that's what it was like for potential voters yesterday. all i can say is, "Glad I voted early!" sure, it took an hour last week, but my experience was quite painless compared to those who braved three hour waits yesterday. good thing the weather was pleasant. i wonder if the turnout would have been as great if it was cold and snowy...

you know, after suffering in 2004 early voting, you'd think that i would've learned my lesson and done an absentee ballot this year. humph. well, i am vowing to NEVER go to the polling places ever again! from now on, it's gonna be a couple stamps and that chunky piece o' paper...

i wonder who's going to get all the flak for the voting centers fiasco anyway. i read that we went from a usual 300 polling precincts to 55 voting centers. who the HELL believed that shrinking the number of places to vote by more than 80% would make for a more efficient experience?!? excuse me, but i don't see thirty voting terminals at every location. after all, if my old polling precinct had six to eight antiquated voting machines, don't you think you would need MORE touch screens than a measly twelve?!?

i know this really shouldn't affect me since i didn't have to endure anything yesterday...i just like to see heads roll ;) dammit, there's gonna be some hell to pay!!! just don't tell ol' pinhead there...looks like he's freaked out enough...must be a 'publican.

get yer ass...

down here. Tower Records is going out of business and everything at the Cherry Creek location is at least 30% off. we went last night and the selection is still pretty good. i picked up a magazine for 60% off, a couple DVDs, two cards, and some replacement double CD jewel cases. i'm hoping that some of the things that i still want will be dregs in a couple weeks and sporting a more than 50% off price tag. i may just have to keep a list with me and check in w/ Tower every week or so. mebbe i'll see you there...

too perky?

i received news this morning about one of my friends (we'll call her BS), who passed away from complications of cancer on sunday. unfortunately, i won't be able to make the funeral, which will be in Cheyenne on tuesday. however, i did send this arrangement to the church where the service will be held. i'm just wondering if it's too perky...

should i have sent this one instead? maybe i'm making a big deal out of it but i'm one who usually worries about appropriateness/etiquette.

BS, i hope you're at peace now. you were such a trooper to endure the chemo for your lungs and liver. i'm glad that we were able to have lunch a couple times this year. you will be greatly missed but never forgotten...

makes me shudder...

Six Flags Amusement Park in Denver just ended a daring promotion. During the month of October, customers who were brave enough to eat a live Madagascar hissing cockroach, received unlimited line-jumping privileges. Yesiree...anyone who that downed the entire 2-3 inch cockroach got a pass for four people to cut to the front of ride lines. all i can say is...

ARE YOU CRAZED?!?!? how long will you have to chew before it stops wiggling in yer mouth? or do you bite the head off and let the juice run down yer chin before popping in the rest? even though cockaroaches fuh-reak me out...I JUST GOTTA KNOW!

and since i'm the morbidly curious type, i wonder what the final tally was. i did read in yesterday's paper though, that they ran out of the initial batch and ordered another 300 of the creepy crawlies; the promotion was THAT sickeningly popular. ewwww.

size...

really does matter. look at this freakin' huge record-breaking punkin...all 1502 lbs. of its voluptuous glory. sheesh.

what i would like to know is its dimensions. i don't think that this photo does justice to its massiveness. and how, exactly, do you grow one so big...in Rhode Island of all places? just what kind of fertilizer did Farmer John use?!?

apparently, Grand Central Station in NYC purchased this juggernaut of a specimen and will donate it to a food bank after the 31st. just cleaning it out took two hours. hell, they could have made a killing off of the seeds had they toasted and sold them...

one thing though, i wonder if they realize that good pumpkin pie is not made with large pumpkins. contrary to popular belief, pie pumpkins are usually small (i.e., grapefruit to honeydew melon-sized); jack o'lantern pumpkins are a different variety that doesn't have very good flesh and usually yields pies that are stringy and coarse.

is it me?

or have the size of some of my posts gone haywire? via the AOL browser and Internet Explorer, the font size is normal for the last three posts. however, the rest are jacked big, resulting in the sidebar to be pushed down to the bottom.

yet, when i use firefox, everything's peachy. what is everyone else seeing when they come to my blog? i'm just curious...

pics...

here's a few pics of my dad... can you find him in this Paris pic (circa 1944)?












this is a note to HIS father on the back of that pic...isn't that the coolest handwriting?

and one of him and mom at our brother's wedding in 1982










and one last pic...probably taken in the late 90's...

so tuckin' fired i tell ya...

dad was buried on the 11th. the mortuary chapel at fairmount was jam packed. it was really touching to stand at the podium and see so many people. i'm estimating that there were somewhere between 170-180 people in attendance...mostly chinese (probably 90%)...some who had known dad for well over 60 years. in fact, dad's old doubles tennis partner, bill chin, even attended! they terrorized denver's courts in the late 30's!!!

you couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. the weather, which was originally supposed to be kinda rainy and windy, was instead sunny and slightly breezy. there were no foul ups regarding the ceremony nor the burial.

the ceremony was presided over by a chinese pastor who has known my parents for a decade or so. he's from hong kong and speaks english fairly well. while his eulogy was a bit heavy on the religious rhetoric, he segued seamlessly from english to cantonese and back to english; a spectacle of translating fury.

my brother's choir, the musicians of st. clare, also performed some songs. now, that was simply awesome! this group sprouted from the world youth day choir that performed for the Pope in Denver, in the summer of 1993. it's a group of 30-35 musicians with PHENOMENAL voices. they've toured europe on four or five occasions and even sang at the Vatican during xmas - twice! to hear their soaring voices at the beginning of the ceremony brought many a tear in the pews.

there was a truly silly moment during the funeral though. at the beginning of 'Amazing Grace', we expected st. clare's choir director, carma, to play the piano. however, the pastor played instead.

big mistake.

after the first, third, and fifth verses, he'd throw in a few extra notes...like he was playing in a ragtime band. i was standing next to my sister-in-law, Dawn, when he tossed in the freebies. and every time, we nearly cracked up, it was SO funny. i'm quite proud that we didn't lose our composure in a lake of guffaws...

i think dad probably frowned the first time but was rolling his eyes by the fifth verse ;)

the service ran a bit long though. none of it was due to the sermon nor the choir, but to the mass of attendees who came to pay respect to my father. you see, not only does everyone view the body and pass through the relatives line, but most individuals bow once, if not three times, after viewing the body. i'm figuring there were 300-390 bows even before we followed the hearse to the plot, where another ceremony was going to be held.

Honor Guard...and Taps (of course).

if you don't recall, my father was a World War II veteran. he was a radio man in the signal corps in the European Theatre. in fact, Dad landed on Normandy Beach two months after D-Day. whenever he'd talk about arriving, he'd just say there were still bodies from June...and that's all. he rarely recounted battle stories. if you'd like to read a couple of Dad's stories, check out this post from my old blog in february 2004. some of you may be familiar with the story, but if you're not...go already ;)

prior to this month, i found out a couple things about dad that were mind blowing. one story involved some fate and how much of dad's life was perhaps ruled by it.

during the first week of dad's hospitalization (late Sept.), mom recounted a story about how dad had POW guard duty. apparently, he had been watching the German prisoner for some time and was nearing the end of the guard shift when his bladder took over. well, while dad was peeing away, his relief had been shot dead by the prisoner, who had somehow recovered a hidden gun during the changeover. i'm not sure of all the details though. either it's fateful that dad had to pee or perhaps his relieving guard did something careless, which enabled the POW to pull the gun. maybe both. who knows.

the second thing that NO ONE was aware of was this:

what is it, you ask? it's a bronze star, the fourth highest medal you can receive in battle. in fact, it's higher than a purple heart, which is awarded if you're injured or killed in war. in reality, the purple heart is not that special of an award.

now, bronze stars, silver stars, distinguished service medals/crosses, and medals of honor are all higher awards than the purple heart. these are all awarded due to acts of valor (like being under fire/imminent danger).

my dad was awarded four bronze stars during his year of duty in World War II. none of us knew this until mom, my brother, Stan, and i retrieved his discharge papers from a safety deposit box, right before the funeral.

hmmm...who knew that my dad, one of the quietest people ever, was a war hero? never any swagger nor bravado. i can only strive to be as humble as he (was) during the course of his life.

note: i've been working on this post for ten days now...but never finishing it

wow...just got a letter in the mail today notifying me that dad had some veteran's life insurance. apparently, dad had taken out the policy in 1951! it's no windfall but it'll help my mom some. with his passing, she'll receive his social security checks, but lose hers; she's looking at 25% less money per month.

also found out that mom is entitled to $600 from the Department of Veteran Affairs, to offset some of the funeral/burial plot cost...which we kids actually split. besides, that's only about 4% of what it ended up costing. scary, huh? i can't believe that a nice burial can easily run into the tens of thousands. hardly affordable for much of the population. it's a good thing there were seven of us to split the cost...sheesh.

total numbness...

the past three weeks have been completely exhausting. dad spent a week in two different hospitals (Rose Med and St. Joseph)...went to rehab for four days...ended back up in the hospital (ER)...recovered well enough to get discharged to another rehab center and

passed away late friday night.

i am so emotionally spent right now. i'm certainly glad that dad won't have to endure months of rehab because the first facility was not a pretty scene. while the staff was helpful and compassionate for the most part, there was an air of loneliness and despair. to walk in there and watch the residents sit around was downright heart wrenching. i felt so guilty for putting dad there because of its proximity and on the case worker's word that it was a very good facility.

well, dad didn't have to stay there long because he ended up aspirating again and wound up back in St. Joe's ER four days later. now that i look back on it, the fluid in the lungs was probably a godsend; dad would have surely perished in that ugh place.

that was ten days ago. susie got a midnight call from the rehab center that dad had been re-admitted to St. Joe's. for the next eight hours, we zombies fretted in the ER w/ dad, wondering if his tired lungs would be able to bounce back yet again. it was definitely a terrifying experience. at one point (from 3-4 AM), we watched dad's blood pressure plummet to 110/39 and not budge at all.

dad did get a bed on the eighth floor that morning, w/ one of the best nursing staffs i have ever seen. not only were they on top of everything, they showed an unwavering compassion for everyone in that wing.

dad did recover though. the first day back at St. Joe's had him fighting the pulmonary infection and struggling to bolster his systolic back over 100. miraculously, he had accomplished both within the next couple days. his blood pressure had stabilized in the vicinity of 130/60 and his lungs had cleared up by friday. we thought everything was going to be all right. we even went on a road trip to other rehab centers to check 'em out.

well, that must've been dad's undoing. although he indicated that he wanted to try rehab again, i think his tank was empty. dad simply waited for the NY son to arrive before saying farewell; the last of the family to come into town to see dad.

since then, i've been in a fog. since dad's passing was so unexpected, we've rushed to get the funeral services arranged and everyone contacted. tensions reached their boiling point on saturday, during a meeting with the funeral director of Fairmount. the brother who was once the favorite son and arranger extraordinaire, lost it when we got in his face.

you remember that my father was a WWII veteran, right? well, vets and their spouses who are buried at Ft. Logan Cemetery receive free burial plots, which can run $2000-$6000 each at Fairmount. during the 'negotiations' the fallen son (whom i'll call FS) kept recommending that we interr dad there, even though everyone knew that they wanted to be buried at Fairmount. i know that our brother had the best of intentions, but he kept saying, "It's FREE if we go there."

after the third 'free comment' i glared at him and said that he was cheapening dad and his wishes. to which the eldest brother chimed in, "Yeah. Why don't you chill with the 'FREE' stuff?!?"

FS, conveniently lost it and stormed out of the room, saying that obviously wasn't needed there. yeah...walk out on your dad's funeral planning...REE-EAL smooth.

now, i can appreciate frugality. after all, i can be the king of cheap. i mean, how many guys do you know with 100-300 coupons in his coupon organizer? hell, how many guys CARRY a coupon organizer! you know FS, we're talking about your FATHER here...not a new car and its available options! ARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! i still wanna fuckin' kill him. this drama is so silly. WHY!?! why can't i zap a couple of my siblings to the opposite end of the earth when sheer stupidity clouds their thinking?!?

so the funeral will be at 1:00 PM at the mortuary chapel at Fairmount Cemetery. if you want to read a bit about my dad, look for his obit in tuesday's paper.

my head is throbbing...

IF...

it matters. those of you with whom i'm blog rolled, may want to update the link to my blog since the URL has changed...and then you won't hafta go to the original link.

just savin' ya a click

because Cindi asked...

boy...it has been a long time since i have been tagged. sooo, here goes:

1. A penny saved is...just more weight in your linty pocket.

2. Man is the only animal that...will screw other species just to get to the top...even if he's scaling a massive pile of dogshit.

3. Happiness is nothing more than...a liverwurst sandwich with miracle whip, crisp lettuce, and juicy tomato.

4. It ain’t over till...the ushers (at Red Rocks) yell, "Get the FUCK out now!"

5. To err is human; to forgive...is really impossible when you know you were right ALL along.

anyone else?

been away...

sorry 'bout that. on the 19th, there was a family crisis, which still persists.

dad had his third stroke...and it wasn't pretty. this time, the blood collected deep in his brain, affecting his motor skills. the pressure of the swelling would have been worse had he not been an old man. seems that, due to his advanced age, his smaller brain (don't forget that your brain stops producing cells at the age of 18) was able to accomodate the blood without needing to be drained. thank god because a younger man would have required a drilled hole in the skull to alleviate the swelling.

initially, it looked pretty bleak. the neurologist at Rose delivered a grim prognosis, leaving us a hair width from planning a funeral. just a wee bit scary. there were MANY tears.

miraculously, dad has been a trooper. his blood pressure has steadily decreased over the past six days and he has been able to beat some congestive heart failure nearly brought on by pneumonia. unfortunately, all this crap has left his right side extremely weak and unable to speak. he also hasn't had any solid food for nearly a week and liquid-less for two days. this is definitely a trying time for the entire family. i've been spending between 6-10 hours at the hospital since day one.

surprisingly, dad should be released to a rehab center on tuesday or wednesday. during his waking moments, he's still very aware and manages a couple smiles that he's saved up. in fact, he had a big ol' grin for lois a couple days ago...that was promising.

the past week has strengthened me quite a bit. on tuesday, i was a babbling mess...breaking down on a few occasions. while dad's improvement has steeled me some, i have readied myself for almost anything. the ultimate result is always going to be out of my hands. if it's time for him to go, then so be it. i've watched him hang on and wonder if i could stage a comeback if i were in his place. when it comes down to it, it's all about quality of life.

i'll be able to accept his departure when the time comes; i just want him to go on his terms and in peace. yet, it looks like he's ready for another round.

i got yer back dad...up and at 'em!

an interesting meme...

go to this site and get your free chart...and post the results on yer blog :)

here's mine (although for the most part general, it is pretty accurate):

Name: Spencer
June 15 1970
12:00 PM Time Zone is MDT
Denver, CO

Rising Sign is in 12 Degrees Virgo
You tend to be very shy and not very self-assertive. You are supercritical about how you appear to others. Even though you may think you are uninteresting and dull, you are actually quite soft- spoken, orderly, neat and very likable. You are a perfectionist with high standards, and at times you can be quite tactless in pointing out the faults of others. Very practical, efficient and purposeful, your appearance and bearing reflect your need to appear graceful, sensible and reserved. You have a crisp, no-nonsense approach to dealing with others. Never lazy or self-indulgent, you tend to be dedicated to the work ethic.

Sun is in 24 Degrees Gemini.
You have a quick, bright and agile mind, but an extremely short attention span. You love the external, kaleidoscopic aspects of life, but you tend to avoid (and even fear) deep, close emotional involvements. As such, you seem to enjoy travel and sightseeing and generally being "on-the-go." You get quite listless when things around you become static and dull, but your excitement returns whenever you are stimulated by a new idea. Chatty, inquisitive and quite playful, you enjoy practical jokes and games in general. Your moods change quickly and often -- you are very restless and constantly in motion. You are known for your versatility and adaptability. Your vivaciousness enlivens any social gathering.

Moon is in 05 Degrees Scorpio.
Your feelings are very intense, never superficial. You tend to be either very angry or very sad or completely and totally happy. Your moods are deep, extreme and not always completely understood by yourself or by those with whom you have to deal. Emotionally, you tend to prefer to live at the cutting edge of life, pushing your reactions to the ultimate extremes, even if the results are dangerous or upsetting. You are easily jealous and very suspicious -- you require a great deal of emotional reassurance. A good detective, you are very curious about deep and mysterious things, especially human nature and motivations. Be careful not to be ruthless, tactless or too overly frank or you will meet with much resistance from others.

Mercury is in 03 Degrees Gemini.
Your mind is active, quick and agile. You are very restless and you get bored easily. Unless you receive constant mental stimulation, you become extremely nervous and begin to act in an unstable manner. You are probably a good student because of your natural inquisitiveness. You also love to travel. Your learning tends to be superficial, though, because you have a relatively short attention span. Try to develop the mental discipline to finish what you start. Also, you tend to talk on at times seemingly just to fill space -- make sure that your conversation has some substance to it or others will start avoiding you.

Venus is in 28 Degrees Cancer.
You like to be very close to other people. You need emotional support yourself and are willing to give it to others. When you feel unloved and insecure, you can be very jealous and possessive. You are not interested in casual or superficial relationships -- only deep emotional involvements interest you. Your faithful devotion is one of your greatest gifts, but be careful not to become too dependent on others. Learn to stand on your own two feet and demand your own rights once in a while.

Mars is in 08 Degrees Cancer.
Your moods are very important to your overall well-being. You are confident and self-assertive when you are feeling upbeat, and you are retiring, irritable and grumpy when you get depressed about anything. Very sensitive, you wear your heart on your sleeve. You are easily angered whenever you think someone has slighted you. It is best for you to show your anger immediately and let it all out, rather than to try to hold it in or to hold grudges for a long time. You're extremely loyal and defensive of your family, neighborhood, community and culture.

Jupiter is in 26 Degrees Libra.
You are generally good at balancing opinions and judging issues, but you tend to be indecisive when it comes to making up your own mind. You are objective and quite concerned with fair play and justice. But, when it comes to yourself, you are so aware that whatever you do might upset the apple cart that you often choose to compromise rather than do anything that might make you lonely or vulnerable. Relationships are very important to you -- you learn about yourself and grow through observing yourself interacting with others. Your aesthetic tastes are refined, but expansive and expensive.

Saturn is in 17 Degrees Taurus.
Complete freedom of choice makes you ill at ease. You must have a firm, ordered, secure foundation in your life in order to feel comfortable. You do not adapt easily and tend to fear the new and untried. You constantly fear that you do not have enough (love, property, material things, etc.) and this makes you tend toward being selfish, withdrawn and stingy. If you try to surround yourself with supportive people in your environment, you will become more emotionally self-supporting.

Uranus is in 04 Degrees Libra.
You, as well as your entire peer group, have a very free, unstable and unconventional approach to relationships and emotional commitments. You will be attracted to experiments in marriage and shared lifestyles. Personal freedom is more important to you than entangling emotional bonds. In the realm of art and aesthetics, you are attracted to the bizarre, shocking and unusual.

Neptune is in 28 Degrees Scorpio.
You, and your entire generation, are extremely interested in anything deep and mysterious. You will explore and idealize the benefits that can accrue from the study of the occult, healing and psychology. You are willing to experiment with substances like drugs in order to push your understanding of your inner being to the extreme.

Pluto is in 24 Degrees Virgo.
For your entire generation, this will be a time when profound changes in society's attitude toward work, duty and responsibility will be initiated. Radical changes in attitudes toward personal health and general nutrition will be promulgated and gain wide acceptance and practice.

N. Node is in 05 Degrees Pisces.
You're attracted to others who need your assistance. You seem to go out of your way to form relationships with those who are weak, sick, injured, addicted or troubled in some way or other. At your best you can indeed provide the relief that others need. But at times you can be victimized by those who would prey on your good nature and take advantage of you. This can lead to all sorts of negative situations -- make sure that those you assist are truly worthy of your time, energy and commitment. A little enlightened self-protectiveness on your part can make your life work much, much smoother!

anyone else?

i think i'm gonna head down to Auraria today to see Frank Warren, the creator of PostSecret. although i've kept up w/ the project via the internet, i haven't gone to the bookstore to peruse a copy of the book. i may just buy a copy on my way there and mebbe even get it signed. mebbe i'll see one of you there.

Frank Warren
Tivoli Turnhalle (Room 250, on the east side of the Tivoli Student Union)
1-3 PM

Auraria Parking Map

speaking of teeth...

i came across this old Ren & Stimpy episode. watch this and your oral hygiene will miraculously improve. and check out the Tooth Beaver! LOL

gnashgnashgnash...

those are my teeth chipping because of netflixx. prior to last week, in the six months that we've been getting movies from them, we've only had one minor problem - a movie that we returned got waylaid somewhere, delaying the next movie on our list.

well, last week, we received a cracked (and unplayable) copy of this movie. no problem, just drop it in the mail and notify them of it. on to the next movie.

i said, on to the next movie.

it appears that they wouldn't send out the next movie until we got the replacement for the first one. okay...

so we get the replacement. watch it. and return it.

no sign of the second movie.

we get the third movie on the list AND the second movie, but it is nowhere to be found. the post office apparently received the front part of the envelope, but not the back...which is the side that HAS the goddamn movie! argh!

so we emailed them and notified them of this. well, the movie, which was originally supposed to be sent on the 7th...is scheduled to arrive the 19th!?!

yes, eleven fuckin' days late. you know, i think they weaseled out on just telling us that they couldn't find the movie. instead, we get the freakin' runaround for a movie that was made in 1940 - such a popular flick, right. god, what a hassle...groan*mumble will someone take these sharp objects out of my eyes now? it's time to bang my head against a wall...

call it netflixx circuit training