random chatters

2010-02-23T15:22:00.001-05:00

testing, testing is this thing on????

2009-04-08T23:43:00.001-04:00

i am so sorry---i have forsaken you for twitter and facebook. will be back soon.

2009-02-27T23:37:00.004-05:00

my trip home resulted in one delayed bag---and when I opened it Tuesday, I realized my favorite black jeans and the belt I wear with them were missing. My first thought was that I'd left them in the hotel room, so I called and left a message with housekeeping. And found something else to wear for what turned out to be a very long day. (I had a guest in the afternoon, and was going to his show in the evening)
Stayed home sick on Wednesday---due in part to my froggy voice, as well as the fact i didn't make it home til 4.
Called back Thursday, still no response. Called this morning and they finally tracked down a housekeeping supervisor for me, but she says the only thing found in my room was a pair of mens hiking boots. The day after I left.

So, I called United, and spoke with someone on the 1k baggage issues desk, or whatever they call it. She was somewhat sympathetic, and told me it looked like my bag had lost its tags. Or had been offloaded in Chicago and put on the carousel. In any case, I have a feeling that has something to do with the missing jeans.
What's next? Well, UAL has to check with ORD to see if they were "discovered" somewhere in baggage. And if not, I have to come up with some sort of valuation, which they will, of course, cut into half.
But that's not the worse part.
I've still got to find a replacement pair. And you know how hard it is to find jeans that fit well. As my friend Karen put it " great fitting jeans are more valuable than the finest jewels. I feel your pain."

2009-02-25T16:39:00.002-05:00

and to top it off, I've got to accept the fact my yoga teacher isn't moving back! Oh well, perhaps it's time to try another school.

2009-02-25T16:27:00.001-05:00

guess who's aarp card arrived today?

2009-02-17T11:39:00.002-05:00

off to memphis in the morning....ticketed the trip to china in may, very exciting and excited. that does not preclude me from taking the long awaited nov excursion, that one is still on the books, too. all comers welcome: first stop bali, then hong kong and tokyo. Though a couple of days in hkg in may might allow two stops in japan this fall. would love to go north. TBD, as they say.

interestingly, the only upcoming trip causing stress is memphis. why? no one at the conf has been able to tell me which hotel they've booked me into. it keeps changing- crowne plaza to westin to cp to? cp is closer, westin nicer. i have status at both, who cares? Not me at this point...i just want to avoid wandering into the conf, suitcase in hand.

now, back to our regularly scheduled workday already in progress.

2009-02-05T11:16:00.004-05:00

what's wrong with this picture????

i decided to go out for a walk at lunch yesterday. it was cold, but i figured it couldn't be that bad.

perhaps i was wrong. I have never seen the Mall this empty.

2009-02-03T19:13:00.002-05:00

i received a very interesting note from my friend neiman marcus today. We're not really close friends, I visit two or three times a year, usually while I'm on my way to another retailer in the mall.

But if there was any question that the economy was in the pits, you've got solid proof now. Check out the changes to the NM return policy:

"We want you to be completely happy with your order. If for any reason you are not satisfied, we will gladly accept your timely return of unworn, unwashed, or defective merchandise. Returned merchandise should include the vendor packaging and tags and be in the same condition as when it was received. Used merchandise cannot be returned unless defective.

Return Within Amount of Credit
0-60 days from receipt of merchandise 100% of purchase price
61-120 days from receipt of merchandise 75% of purchase price
121-180 days from receipt of merchandise 50% of purchase price
181+ days from receipt of merchandise 0%

Merchandise returned more than six months after the delivery date will be shipped back to you at your expense. Sale and Last Call® Online Clearance Merchandise
Must be returned within 30 days of receipt of merchandise.

Gifts
When a gift is returned, a Neiman Marcus Group Merchandise Credit Gift Card will be issued to the gift recipient for the amount of the returned merchandise."

Me thinks there were too many cases of people who've hit dire straits going through the closet and returning gently worn gifts, folks who've needed a new outfit for that big party (or inauguration!) buying something and then returning it because it didn't fit, etc. And no more cash back...that's the big one.

2009-01-27T21:11:00.004-05:00

i am back....suffereing not just jet lag, but weather something. At 9 last night, I was wearing jeans, flipflops and a tshirt. At 9 tonite, well, dc weather is snow. I'm gearing up for a day full of ice and snow tomorrow. That's right, my perfect timing continues --- I return home to a weather event. UAL was somewhat proactive. I got to NRT (or tokyo for those who haven't memorized all the airport codes) on time, and proceeded to the club. dumped my stuff, got some water, and walked around a bit before going back and checking my email. Then I decided to check the airline site---and saw that I'd been booked on to the nonstop nrt-iad flight (IAD-dulles), as well as my previous nrt-ord (chicago)-IAD. As the nonstop leaves about 90 min earlier than the chicago flight, I figured I should ask the desk agents if I'd been moved. Turned out they wanted "to offer" me the nonstop flight, because they were expecting a delay in chicago. After determining that there was an acceptable seat, and that my bag could also be on the same flight, I took them up on the offer. Which was a good move on my part, as 2 of the 3 possible ord-iad flights have been canceled.

2009-01-20T10:12:00.002-05:00

no, i am not on the Mall. You know how I feel about crowds. Besides, I'd already booked a trip to london to fall over MLK long weekend---always a good time to get away because I can take advantage of a Monday holiday. But then I found my lost voucher, so instead of returning home today, I'm heading in the opposite direction, and am on my way to singapore. I'll arrive there at about 1230am on the 22nd ---returning home on a very long jan 27th.

I will check in at home to see how things went...i was awakened early today by a whole string of Metro alerts about problems on the line....starting at 3am PST.

2008-12-29T17:21:00.003-05:00

bummer....

my number in the jury pool is 112. The announcement for tomorrow reads: "If the Call-in-number, located on the lower right-hand side on your summons is 1 through and including 65, you must report for jury service as directed on your summons, and please follow the directions on the summons for further information regarding jury service. If your call-in number is 66 or higher, you are excused and will not be re-summoned for at least two years."

So...the answer to your question is "Yes, I want to do my civic duty." I wonder if it'll be another 18 yrs before I'm called again????

2008-12-29T14:25:00.005-05:00

I was just told I have great "hater blockers.
Back in July it was "your shades are phat!!" In January: "dig the sunnies!"

And I know my hair needs cutting. Was supposed to be done tomorrow, but I'm on call for jury duty! Number 112. At 5 today, I'll log on the court site and see what numbers are needed ---if they say through 111, I won't have to report, and won't get called for three more years. Or perhaps two. It used to be 3, and that's what the site says, but the notice says two.
It's been close to 20 yrs since I was last called. And quickly dismissed after replying "yes," when asked if I read the newspaper on a regular basis.

2008-12-25T00:27:00.002-05:00

I was trying to explain something today, and the person on the receiving end just couldn't get it. I now understand how Father Ted felt....

2008-12-24T09:49:00.005-05:00

From the Washington Post this morning....

if you're going to do it, do it big. I understand our burst pipe made national news.

More incredible photos from the huge water main break yesterday can be found in the article that goes along with this diagram and related Washington Post stories.

2008-12-22T13:03:00.003-05:00

i believe my horoscope has given me free license to be selfish today. Perhaps everyday. And not just a teensy bit selfish, but totally overboard.

Written by someone with the wonderful name of "holiday mathis," (creators syndicate) it says:
"to be at your most effective today, indulge first in meeting your own needs. family may be the most important thing on earth to you, but remember, in order to give excellent care you must first feed your own soul."

2008-12-19T16:27:00.004-05:00

SCORE! Just in time for the holidays.

Some of you may remember that I was lusting after some boots this fall. Nothing fancy, these were not dress boots, but everyday boots.Ones that looked like they'd last a loooong time, and had a wide enough toebox that I knew they'd be good for walking. (since I walk about 15 min to the subway each way, and then walk again from the train to the office)I hate the thought of having to change shoes when I get in to work because what I want to wear isn't comfy enough for the walk.
It's the "amy" by Donald J Pliner.

there was just one little problem: the price. 430 bucks. No way I could do that. But I lusted. Bought 'em. Returned them. Then....one day last month, i was walking through Bloomingdales and saw that they were 30% off, and I could get another 15 if i used my bloomingdales charge. That was still not cheap, but certainly closer to the mark. I bought them. But I haven't worn them.
Good thing...because today I went through the store and they were marked down to 300 dollars, minus 40%, minus 15%. Which works out to about 153 dollars.

Just in time for Hannukah. And Christmas. One boot for each holiday. even if they only last 2 years, I feel like I've got a good deal. Nice rubber soles that can be resoled, too.

there is one little problem...I can't find my original receipt. but it was on the store charge, so there shouldn't be an issue.

2008-11-06T16:08:00.003-05:00

are you ready? Not for the new President, for digital TV?

(it seems to be a bit out of sync, but that really doesn't matter)

2008-11-06T15:14:00.002-05:00

didn't have a camera with me when I went out for a stroll on the Mall at lunch---but i did notice they were starting work around the Capitol, getting ready for the inauguration. *I've been to a couple, and it really isn't something I'd recommend, unless you know someone. The actual space around the Capitol Steps is small and ticketed, and security is tight. "The People" are usually a block away, watching on big screen tv. The parade isn't much better. If you're still thinking about going, make plans soon ---everyone triples prices, at least. I'm going to be away ---didn't realize it at the time I made plans. I was just trying to take advantage of the MLK holiday, which turns out to be the day before. We'll be shut down for the day, everything is such a mess in the city with roads being closed and security, etc that it's a wise move.

They've also roped off parts of the Mall, hoping to keep people off the new turf until the big day. There's plenty of path to walk on, so don't go thinking it's a plot to keep people away. They always do this---the Mall gets used to death, and if it doesn't look good on Inauguration day the whole world knows.

2008-11-05T09:47:00.002-05:00

In answer to the early question: I waited almost 90 minutes to vote. While in line, we had a pretty good view of people going in and out of the polling place. I was a bit concerned by the fact that many of the younger voters (under 30) were in and out very quickly....to fall back on an old cliche used by reporters everywhere "only time will tell" if they voted for anything other than the President. We had several important ballot questions and a Congressional race, and i'd hate to think they really didn't care about any local issues.

I was very happy to see so many younger voters---I hope they don't become disillusioned when things don't change overnight. I actually had an intern who didn't seem to really get it when we tried to explain that bills will still take a while to get passed, and their are no magic wands. Glad to hear the President-elect reinforce that in his speech last night.

And good on Sen McCain for a classy concession speech. His booing supporters could take a cue. What boors! That wasn't your usual boo of "no, I don't want to believe it, don't go." These were hostile. But then again, most people don't understand that liking a candidate or idea doesn't mean you have to attack the opposition. Or that it really is bipartisan efforts are the way to get things done if all are to benefit, not just one.

2008-11-04T08:04:00.002-05:00

it's the day of decision ----i'm a bit worried. Haven't voted yet---will go around 1030 in hopes that the early lines are gone, and everything is under control. It's a mild day, so i think i'll walk. the polls are only about a mile from my house, but there is no straight way to get there, so it'll be about a half hour walk each way.

I've been busy since my last post. Had to scramble to find a new garage, as mine closed suddenly. Forced out of their lease after 53 years in the same location. Most likely to make room for a chain restaurant or shop....just like all the others that've sprung up around it. I feel for the men who worked there (all male employees, as far as I can recall) ---it's a horrible time to be out of work. They've searched for a new location, but so far....nothing. I'll selfishly add that it'll be hard to find something as convenient as this ---- a five minute walk from a subway station. I ended up going out to the dealer, about 15 mile from my house. It's a pain, as I've got to drive out there (which is against traffic), but then get a loaner and drive back in to home, or the office, or, most often, a subway station. That is always with traffic, so the trip doubles in time. It takes about 25 minutes from my house to their door, perhaps a bit less if there is no one on the highway and I choose that route. This time I waited, which seemed a better use of time. Turns out they had free wifi, so I could at least log onto my office email and take care of a few things. I also took advantage of their hospitality in the form of a donut, of the dunkin' variety. There were several choices in the box, including one with pink "for the cure" icing. I'm "for the cure" as much as anything, but left that one alone, opting for something a bit cake-y and glazed. My first donut in at least a year, and I made a wise choice, thinking of Homer Price and his wonderful machine all the while. I was debating (with myself) whether child labor laws or an over-protective parent would keep him from working on the donut machine at his Uncle's lunch counter. I doubt he'd have a pet skunk, either. My conclusion? a donut doesn't solve anything, but it did help make a 488 dollar bill go down a bit easier.

Saturday was a gorgeous day, top down weather, tempered by the fact that I was driving with the top down on my way to a funeral. The wife of a new colleague, a few years younger than I am. She left three children: 10, 4, 2. It was a bit unsettling to hear the Fr. talk about her reuniting with another child in heaven, and to see much of the congregation nodding in agreement. we joined the procession (top up out of respect) to the cemetery, which turned out to be multi-faith. I noticed Korean, Protestant, Baptist and Catholic sections, along with one that didn't appear to be denominational. There was also an "intermarriage section," which was described as " ideally located in close proximity" to the Jewish memorial garden.

2008-10-24T14:28:00.000-04:00

i've been sending this out all day, so you've probably seen it already. if not.....

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

2008-10-17T11:56:00.001-04:00

and now i am sad to report that indian summer seems to be over. Highs today in the low 60s, 50s tomorrow.
which means, sigh, that it's time for shoes and socks again.

2008-10-14T22:43:00.003-04:00

the squeamish will be glad to know that I haven't caught anything else of interest in the glue traps. just crickets. and a dust ball.

I finally am over the sinus/virus crud. The second trip to nashville in as man weeks didn't do me in.
but that big crunchy pretzel did. Or at least did that old filled tooth in. Yup....

On the good side, I'm digging our indian summer ---highs near 80 tomorrow? (Hard to believe, but true. But I think this is the end. Really.) Driving around with the top down in mid October almost made me forget about my tooth....

2008-10-01T12:12:00.003-04:00

greetings from nashville---my second trip down here in as many weeks. Weather is gorgeous, and i'm having a problem getting down to work. Returned from my first nashville trip with a sinus infection and some virus----ten days of antibiotics seems to have taken care of the sinus issues, the virus ran the expected course.
The crickets still roam the basement, despite the glue traps. Though I guess the number is dwindling---or you'd think so from the six filled pans. Well, five. One was filled with a mouse. That came as a bit of a shock---none of those tell tale signs were seen prior to seeing the mouse itself.
On the good side? Let me think. well, i'm down in Nashville, the weather is gorgeous, and I'm catching up with old friends. And i found out that the tailor in the mall nearest to the house does a great job of hemming jeans so they don't look like i had to trim 3 inches off the bottom. And does a much better job than I could ever do.

2008-08-29T07:11:00.003-04:00

there is a cricket somewhere in my basement, and it's making me crazy.

Not one of those mutant camel crickets that plague everyone, this is your garden variety(!) chirper.

I found a very noisy one a few days ago, noise not proportionate to size, and thought he was it....but now a friend is down here....and I can't find him.

Yet....

2008-08-16T11:14:00.002-04:00

Hello there---sorry about the silence, it's been busy on my end.

Let's see...I told you about the kids smoking in the middle of our camp....the next night was quiet, except for a bit of cursing from some neighbor who was finally driven mad by the sound of slamming portapotty doors. But aside from that brief outburst, things were calm. And the final night? Marred only by someone who stumbled into my tent as they were drunkenly walking from theirs to the portapotty. Why? Well, they were cutting diagonally through our campsite to save a few yards, rather than walking in a straight line out of theirs, and then turning left. Of course it woke me up, horrible sleeper that i am. I couldn't help myself from yelling "Hey, watch it." And then I realized they couldn't---if they'd been able to see straight they wouldn't have walked into me.

At the end, once back at R and R's, the final comment was "why didn't you say this was a bad idea when I first brought it up."

Summation: I like camping. I don't like camping under those conditions.

I spent another beautiful day with R and R, and then headed to Boston. First stop, Newton. For an unplanned overnight with some friends I saw at the festival. Newton was added to the itinerary because there was a band in town that we all wanted to see, and I thought adding one more day to my stay might be too much for Charlie and company. After newton, it was four days and nights with old friends and their kids, (who didn't stop talking unless asleep) and then I finally drove home. Half the drive was through storms, but everyone stayed sane.

2008-07-29T22:37:00.008-04:00

i am back. Finally. I was gone about 2 weeks, though the actually camping trip was only about 4 days...

Mony wanted to see pics of happy campers, and i'm not sure i have any! I really didn't take too many, and it was so brutally hot ---95 degrees, with 90% humidity and no shade, that we weren't all that happy. The festival (and campground) were on a farm, so we were a bit wary of the nearby creek, too. Especially after seeing a few things heading downstream. And, unlike most normal campgrounds, we were packed cheek to jowl...so there wasn't much airspace!

Things started out OK on Tuesday. I was going to drive up to R and R's in upstate NY, hang out for the evening, head over to set up camp the next afternoon, and then move over to the campsite on Thursday. But a re-org at work meant a flurry of phone calls, which pushed back my packing. I didn't get the car loaded up until about 330..at which point the phone rang again, with more work related chat. At about 400, I had to make up my mind: leave now, at the start of DC rush hour, getting upstate at about 10 or 11, or wait until 5 am, or so.
A quick consult with R pushed me out the door, and once I got out of the DC metro, I was moving along quite nicely. Still, it took me til about 11 to get there, and I was beat! Unfortunately, the kids were asleep by the time I got there, and I was still asleep when they went off to camp the next day.

Which was wednesday. R (male) and I were going to go over and set up camp (along with their friend D), while R (female) took care of packing all the non tent and sleeping bag stuff for the 5 of them, and kid duty. We'd been told that the gates would open at 12, and that the line would die down in a couple of hours----and since we were looking for "Quiet Camping," there would be plenty of room, and therefore no reason to head out early. Or at least that's what our friend who's in charge said.

But for some reason, they changed things around at the last minute and opened the gates at 7am. And since this was the first time the festival wasn't on a hill, people took advantage of the flat tundra and set up huuuuuge campsites, grabbing space enough for a dozen families, not the 20x25 plot the festival suggested. We drove around for about an hour before we found a nice couple who offered some of their space....in non-quiet camping. I was about ballistic at this point, mainly due to my fury over the space hogs. A bit of overspill is fine, but really! You should have the size of the campsites. People were allowed to save space for two friends until the next day, but the plots we saw were about 5 times larger than allotted....
Eventually we found a group of 5 nice young men, who told us we could take some of their space. Good thing they were already drunk---they didn't blink an eye when we set up our 3 tents (me, them, and the kids), D's pop-up (for his family of 4) and a tent for our last camper and son, who were showing up on Friday. Oh, we also had a shade tent, but even with all that, we didn't take up any extra space. (12 people in total)

My car? Don't have the before picture, but this is what it looked like when we packed up on Sunday.

I still had a few more things to get in there when I took this, but you can see how little space there is to start with.

Speaking of little, meet my tent.

it's the little one, on the left side. shorter than the rest. Because it's a backpacking tent ---great for when you're on the move, not so great when you're in one place. It's much easier to change clothes when you can stand up in a dome tent. Which is not what I had.
Here's a better look:

The other tents you see in the picture did not belong to our little group, which gives you an idea of how close everyone was. Not to mention the fact this picture was taken around 6p on wed, when only half the campers had arrived.

This is what we saw looking out of our campsite:

I was standing by the portapotty when I snapped this. Which explains why there was a bit of open ground in front of me!

I have to admit there was a bit of ground to the left of my tent. Which explains why 15 drunk high school kids thought it the perfect place to pull up for a smoke at 3am on Friday morning. I was awake in a flash, and asked them to not light up on my doorstep. They replied "Well, we're just havin' a drink and a smoke." So I tried something different: "We're trying to sleep. And there are kids here." "Oh!," they said. "KIds. Sure we'll move." At which point I added "And this is quiet camping, too." "Quiet camping? What's that?" was the response.
But move on they did. All of about 200 yards. Until the next guy yelled, "C'mon, it's 315, and this is quiet camping."
Which was pretty much the way it went each night. Quiet camping and not quiet used to have a tree line between them. NOthing like that here. And the people in non-quiet weren't about to stop whooping and hollering and picking and singing off key until they felt like it. "I'm not doing anything wrong, but being a bit rude," said one. Another said "Why are you camping here anyway? It's a party!"

Why is right. Well, because it was close to an hour from the house to the fest, and we thought this a better idea. And it would have been, if it hadn't been 95 and about as humid each day. With no shade, except what you brought with you. Nights were cooler, but very damp. So damp that you really wanted the rainfly on the tent.

And i haven't even told you that it was about an 18 minute walk to the stage!

more later....

2008-07-14T11:55:00.003-04:00

i do love my car....but it is not the greatest car for a camping trip....

convertibles have teeny trunks...most of the boot space is taken up by the top. I'd say you can fit two small golfbags in there. It's average width, but the height is minimal...so nothing big fits, as you can't slide it all the way back.
And two doors make it hard to get anything biggish in the back. You can take down the top and the windows, and heave stuff in, but nothing too heavy, 'cause you've got to get it out again. And I don't like to leave too much stuff in the back because the canvas top makes it easier to break into than a regular car.
Plus, there's the "flyaway factor"....something every convertible owner learns about early. I've gotten off pretty lucky--- only losing a couple of hats and (lots of) receipts. But you'd be amazed at how many things you'd think were too large, or too heavy, obtain lift off.

2008-07-02T15:52:00.002-04:00

in answer to the inevitable question: i am camping because the friends i usually stay with are also going to camp. Why? well, the festival used to be about 25 min from their home, but the new site adds another 20+ minutes each way. And since the kids are going to take part in a music camp there, it'd mean at least one rt a day. So, they decided to camp. I'm part of the party, so I'm camping, too. We're going to stake out (hah!) two adjoining sites, actually 3, as they have other friends with kids who'll be on the other side.
They were doing a dry run of their gear two nights ago. I've requested a tell all, but haven't heard a word. Hmmmmm.

2008-07-02T11:10:00.001-04:00

will wonders never cease, pt whatever.
I'm going camping.

2008-06-27T16:19:00.002-04:00

I'd like to think we sent M off to Iraq in style. Cheers to her, she's doing a very good thing.

PS---check out the frizz. It took me about 1.5 miles in the heat and humidity to achieve that look.

2008-06-20T11:47:00.001-04:00

not much happening. Big news is that M is in town, on her way out of the country. Or does one say "in country?"

2008-06-09T20:54:00.003-04:00

y'know, i'm not even going to try to explain this.

2008-06-01T11:44:00.004-04:00

Who knew????

My first laugh of the day came when I read my weekly email from Wegmans grocery store and saw the current "cheese of the week." I followed the laugh inducing link, and the joke continued!

Now, I'm sure the store doesn't really believe that (product a) is really (product b), but it sure looks that way. (i've written it that way because I don't want to spoil the laugh.)

I hope you got at least a chuckle out of the "cheese of the week."

2008-05-30T14:23:00.002-04:00

I had quite a shock this morning!

For the first time ever I saw an 18-year friend without his mustache.

edited to add: hmm. no comment at all. Perhaps it's the way I wrote it.

Is this better?

I had quite a shock this morning! Martin has shaved his mustache. I've known him for about 18 years, and this is the first time I've seen his upper lip.

2008-05-29T14:32:00.003-04:00

you know all that money I'm saving? From cutting the gym membership and satellite service? Well, i just spent 42 dollars of it on two new* frying pans on ebay.

le creuset. the bottom one looks like it needs a bit of scouring, doesn't it? I thought that one was 7" and other 9" but when paying noticed the bigger one was 12". As the seller stated "they do have some wear to them but they still cook good."

*to me.

2008-05-27T10:17:00.003-04:00

I love reading The Guardian. Guardian Media gets a look every morning, and when I get a chance I go through the rest of the paper---online, unless I'm in the UK, or see a copy somewhere.
Today there's a lot of coverage of the Hay Festival, a spectacular sounding book festival described once by Bill Clinton as "the Woodstock of the mind") (more info, go here.)

I especially liked a little section of Celebrity Q and A. You can read the entire thing here: if you've to no time, here's one little gem:

"Dom Joly, comedian asks Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

Q Sandi, I've always wanted to ask you: how would we solve the Israel/Palestine situation?

A Do you know, the answer that I like best - and I don't know whose answer it is - is that we should get one side to divide the country and decide where the border is going to go, and then the other half get to choose which side they want. Isn't that a brilliant idea? It's so simple. Maybe in his simplicity, Blair found that too simple. Perhaps I could be an undersecretary of something?"

2008-05-21T11:21:00.001-04:00

Prediction for the day: this story will close 99% of all newscasts today. All over the globe.

2008-05-19T14:46:00.001-04:00

finally---no more coughing. And my voice is almost back. someone said this was payback for missing all the crap this winter, and I fear that is correct!

2008-05-07T14:42:00.003-04:00

how to save 157 dollars a month.
1. cancel gym membership.
2. cancel directv.

At some point I'll probably sign up for fios tv to go along with the fiber internet I've enjoyed for the past 2 years, but right now there's nothing worth watching.* I used to watch one of the local morning news programs for about 20 minutes each day, but gave it up when the upstairs tv went on the fritz, and never got back into it when I replaced the bad cables. That was about 18 months ago.
When I first moved in, I needed cable to pick up the local stations, as I seem to be living in a dead zone. But when they went HD, things changed. And despite the fact I could write off the cost on my taxes, it just wasn't worth it.

*at least on US tv. through the magic of the internet, I enjoy many fine programs produced on distant shores.

2008-05-07T12:27:00.002-04:00

the rest of the trip was downhill from there...a migraine hit on friday, with my meds 400 miles away...i return home in one piece, only to be struck by the crud last thursday. Finally up and around yesterday! Running on about 2/3s power, however....not to mention croaky and snuffly.

2008-04-25T09:36:00.003-04:00

eek. i'm back. down in north carolina for a few days, trying to get some work done while i'm down here. Staying in a motel room wiht new furnishings, we walked in and immediately started sneezing and hacking. They're going to bring the ozone machine up and see if that'll help dissipate the noxious fumes. Figure it's the carpet, as the only room that doesn't make one ill is the bathroom---go figure. (no carpet in there!)

I was very cross by the time i made it here---construction and accidents slowed down my drive....it usually takes 6.5 hrs, took 8-plus yesterday.

and i forgot the vermouth! It's hard to have a martini party without it.

2008-04-01T09:04:00.005-04:00

no, this is not an april fool----it really is me, trying to get back into the swing of random chattering.
I feel this last swing through austin finally did me in---since returning, my allergies have been in full bloom, and I've felt a wreck. But one must soldier on.....

We're having a very cool spring, or at least the days I've been home have been cool. And rainy. Which brings me to this photo, taken yesterday afternoon.

Or maybe I should say "evening." I think I took that a few minutes before 6pm. Shot on the iphone, which could explain some of the color variations. That, or the light was just weird.

2008-03-24T15:54:00.003-04:00

After reading this, I'm looking forward to the book. I found her answers charming, not what I expected at all!

2008-03-11T10:36:00.005-04:00

y'know, i wouldn't blame you if you no longer believed me when I said I'd get back on a regular blogging schedule. Kinda like the little boy who cried wolf.....

I'm now in Austin, back for my 12th sxsw. The weather has been cool and rainy since I arrived, though that is supposed to change today. No big dramas (yet!) like the lost eyeglass crisis of '07, or the string of broken down rental cars that plagued me in the early years.

Instead, I bring you this:

"Recycle or go to Hell, warns Vatican"

Details in The Guardian.

The last two days have been spent nosing around the Film and Interactive conference and festival(s). Music begins tonight, and that's when my work really begins. Though I have been lucky enough to get a bunch of interviews out of the way early in the week----perhaps giving me a chance to actually hear* some music on Friday and Saturday.

*a dream of mine. You might find it hard to believe that, in all the years I've been coming to this confab, I've never managed to have a day when all I do is listen. I always start out by saying I'm going to be smart and schedule all my business for the first couple of days, and spend the meat of the music festival actually hearing music....but it never happens. Why? Well, because I don't rule the world. I usually have a schedule, in ink, but for some reason no one else wants to follow it. My 1030 meeting wants to postpone to 1 because something/someone more important came along. My 1 can move to only 11 or 5. The one event I really want to attend all day is at 5, but does last til 7, so if i do the 1 at 5, i should be able to make part of it. But then at 4, the new 5 gets invited to do live tv, and I have to wait til they're done. Which is 530. And then their phone starts ringing with people saying "oooh, i saw you on tv...." And they have the gall to take the calls, and I don't complain because I want the story. So i walk out at 630, and finally reach my destination at 650...because I walk instead of trying to move the car, which is really the wise idea because traffic is gridlocked by tourists who sure as hell aren't going to pay for parking because that lot doesn't offer receipts and if they can't get reimbursed for the expense, they're damn well not going to pay for it.

So we'll see. Right now I've got a rather full afternoon tomorrow, including a chat with someone known for having a lot to say, but being rather shy and not easily drawn out. However, we've gone through this drill several times, and I've always had good luck getting something interesting from him without it being too painful. For either of us.

More later. Really. In the meantime, entertain yourself with these pictures from New Zealand. These are from Fox Glacier.

This is not.

The meerkat brought out the family for the first time on the day I visited the Auckland zoo. There are three little faces, i hope you can find them all!

(oops, this hotel connection keeps timing out. You'll have to come back for the cuteness!)

2008-02-17T04:21:00.002-05:00

Greetings from Munich. Or Freising, which is where the lovely hotel I got on Priceline is located. (let me just say that the money saved was well worth the commute into the city!

The quality of this photo is amazing considering it was taken on a phone, the subjects are another matter!

I think the salesgirl thought we were nuts when we asked her to snap it, but I knew you'd like to see that I really was in Munich, and that the mmeanderer was alive and well! (of course you'd know that if you read her blog!)

Today a castle. Yesterday lots of walking. Tomorrow, the plane. Wednesday: Memphis! And you'll probably see photos from the Mouse there!

PS: dig my new glasses!

2008-02-13T00:10:00.002-05:00

closer...closer...we are closer to the mammoth new zealand report. I have gone through the 1000-plus photos, and boiled them down to a mere 150.....which will be broken down into "trips." Of course, those who want to see more of my brilliant work will be able to do so.

Next: your day by day report. or town by town. Coming soon. Perhaps some will be completed on my flight to munich this weekend. Where I'll see the meandering one!

2008-02-11T17:14:00.001-05:00

let's see....where was NM flying on the 21st?

"On January 21, a Transportation Security Officer got quite a surprise as he viewed a passenger's bag in the X-ray machine and saw what appeared to be a live animal. When asked about it, the passenger replied, "Yes, I am transporting a monkey!""

( though it pains me to call attention to them, go herefor the, um, rest of the story.)

2008-01-21T04:28:00.000-05:00

things are still a-ok....i'm just sans internet most of the time. I'll update with some photos soon. Tomorrow is my last day on the south island---and it looks like i'll miss most of the trouble associated with the cyclone that's crossing through the area.

at least i think so....

2008-01-17T03:59:00.000-05:00

greetings from te anau new zealand. that's in fiordland national park (yesssss, that's the way they spell it) in the south of the south island. having a glorious time, but not much in the way of internet connections.
wish me luck---i'm doing a day hike of the milford track tomorrow----the real thing is 4 days long, i'm doing just the first day as part of a guided tour.

off to find the ibuprofen ---it's always a good idea to get the anti-inflammatory agents working ahead of time.

2007-12-13T11:49:00.000-05:00

huh! I didn't expect this fine customer service from enterprise car rental:

"On Tuesday, we sent you an email in Spanish by mistake. To apologize, please accept 15% off your next rental at any neighborhood location or get a free upgrade at any airport location. We look forward to seeing you soon."

I'm sure the majority of customers sent this email won't take advantage of the offer, but it is a nice gesture. And they're probably betting on that ---but still.....

2007-12-12T08:44:00.000-05:00

Soon. I promise.

Until then:

2007-11-25T22:28:00.001-05:00

in case you think it really didn't happen....

2007-11-25T22:24:00.001-05:00

Right. Well, it looks all calm now, but believe me....that wasn't the case.

2007-11-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

wish me luck---i'm soon off to IGI (indira gandhi international), and the first leg of the journey home. Sorry that I didn't offer a day-by-day diary, but internet was iffy. Plus---i'd hate to tell the story without the accompanying photos!

Soon. I promise.

2007-11-11T06:22:00.000-05:00

well, here i am in beautiful kathmandu, trying to get into the spirit of things.....i walk into my beautiful room, throw open the curtains, and gaze out---it's gorgeous. mountains, mist, more mountains. And what a great room ---hardwood floors with a native rug, three little ceramic containers full of munchies, some cookies, and a plate of chocolate. And two big bottles of water. And a bottle of beaujolais, which'll be lost on me, as i don't drink red. (migraines)

i decide to walk around the hotel a bit, and return to the room as the sun is going down. i sit down at the desk, find the internet password, start this entry, and am startled by a gray flash. And another. and one more for good measure. then the noise starts....and I am suddenly covered in a cold sweat. why? because on the ledge outside my window are a whole bunch of pigeons. And everyone who knows me, knows birds flying around make me nuts. Away, up in the sky, fine. In the trees, fine....but there's something about that flapping nose, and the movement that causes me to lose it. And the pigeons know it----there I am, walking down the street, minding my own business....and then I pass a bunch of birds, and they all take off.....just as I'm in the middle of the pack.

But these aren't sitting quietly in a pack. They're flying in. They're flying out. They're fighting. THEY ARE FIGHTING ON MY LEDGE. Wings hitting windows, birds squaking, feathers flying, it looked like wrestling on tv.

But I figured I'd be able to take care of the problem by closing the drapes. And i was half right. No longer did i see the pigeons swooping down to the ledge. Or fighting. But I still heard them. Bumping into the glass. Squawking. thumping, tapping.

I really did try to not go green. But after 15 minutes, I realized this was going to negate any positive kathmandu energy I might receive, so I went down to the front desk. And the nice man there told me he'd send housekeeping. I said I really didn't think this was a housekeeping issue (unless housekeeping traveled with a scarecrow), but he just went on that housekeeping would come by.
So, I went back upstairs. And after 15 minutes, walked out of the room again. This time I called in the big guns. I went to the regency club lounge and asked the lovely woman running things if she'd call a manager for me. I explained the problem and, bless her, the girl didn't laugh at the lady freaked out by the pigeons. (and that should show you how upset i was----i used the phrase "those pigeons, they're freaking me out. ") I have no idea what she said to him, as she they weren't speaking english, but I did pick out "pigeons," "diamond*," "freak" and "caw caw."

I then sat down with a glass of water (should have been whiskey), and waited about 15 minutes until a nice man in his mid-30's strolled off the elevator, with his assistant behind him. I begged his pardon, and asked if he'd mind strolling down the hall with me. We (all three of us), went to the room, and this nice man (who turned out to be the food and bev manager ---probably the highest ranking employee in on a sunday night that is also the last night of a big festival), agreed the pigeons were not pleasant.
So, we set off in search of another room. He said he had two to show me, one on the 7th floor, the other on the 5th. (I was on 6, which had the club lounge). We went up to 7 first...which turns out to have only 4 rooms...one of which is the presidential suite.

NM, take a deep breath. I wasn't moved into the presidential suite. But I was moved into the room two down from it....the one between actually connects to the big kahuna's, this does not.

But it does have a patio with a dining table. And a huge bathroom with jacuzzi. And a cute little alcove with a desk in it...that's where I am at the moment. Just sitting here, basking in the glow of my macbook. Because the power just went out.

Just as things were getting hopping, too. I seem to be in a quasi-residential area. It's a holiday, and there was lots of loud music coming from a club. Firecrackers going off (left over from diwali, or deepawalli), horns honking, that sort of thing.

Oops, power back on. I think we must have a generator, because most of the city is still dark. Kinda spooky, because there are still crackers going off. oh wait, more light are coming back on...and in the blocks that are dark, so can see a few lights moving around buildings, so folks must have the candles or lanterns going.

And the horns have started back up. And I'm seeing some fireworks. But the band does not play on!

2007-11-03T12:48:00.000-04:00

greetings from agra....where the sky was so "hazy" that we couldn't see the sunset at the taj. (hazy, not pollution filled, you understand)

btw, top story: the pakistan cricket teams tour of india is still on, despite the state of emergency. First things first, you know....honestly that was a headline on cnn intl.

2007-10-27T10:38:00.000-04:00

In answer to the questions that have not been flooding in, i can say the trip is close to planned.

I leave dulles at 530pm on thursday november 1, and land in New Delhi at 1-something am on the 3rd, after stopping in Munich (2hrs at the lufthansa international first lounge will do much to revive me) and Frankfurt (5 hrs rejuvenation there). Did you know that munich was voted best airport in europe for the past three years? And that it is the fourth best airport in the world? I didn't either, but that's what they say at skytrax.
Unfortunately, the voting public doesn't think as highly of Del.

we fly into New Delhi, arriving about 90 minutes apart...give or take, considering we'll be on indian time.
My sister arrives first (1145p), and will be met by a driver, and then it's off to a hotel near the airport. I arrive at 115, will be met by the same person, and deposited at the same hotel. We'll be sharing a room most nights, but i told the agent (yes, i've had to use a travel agent) not that night.
Sometime before noon the next day, or at noon, it's off to Agra to see the taj mahal, the forts, the other tombs, and such. The next evening, we take the high speed train back to new delhi. Call me crazy, but there is no way I was going to visit India and not get on a train. We won't get the "whole experience," of course, we're not going to be on a slow, overcrowded, overheated train of the kind you've seen in movies....but i'll still be able to say I was on india rail.

We're in new delhi through the 7th, and then off mid -morning on the 8th (no choice in this ---we couldn't leave on the 7th after the meeting ends because the only flight left at 1030 am!) to Khajuraho, another unesco world heritage site (just like agra).Khajuraho is home to the love temples, 85 temples built between 950 and 1050 dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Jain patriarchs. (you'll notice that i'm trying not to offend the gods, and am remembering to capitalize their names, even if i can't be bothered with place names and the like!) Since I haven't been there yet, I can't speak about it with any authority. But, the state tourism board can: go here for more info.

Around noon the next day, we fly to Varanasi.NKK's trip ends on the 12th, so she doesn't have a lot of time to play tourist. When we started planning this jaunt, I asked what she really, really, really, REALLY wanted to see in India, and it was Varanasi, a city that's been an important religious and cultural center for thousands of years. Actually, it's one of the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. That, and a couple of other vague facts ( Varanasi is a city on the Ganges, and it is where the funeral pyres are set off. And that thousands of Hindi and Buddhist pilgrims flock there each year. ) sums up my pre-visit knowledge of Varanasi.

We stay in Varanasi 2 nights, and back to New Delhi and home for NKK, and on to Kathmandu for me.
I'll arrive late afternoon on the 11th, stay in central Kathmandu for the next two nights, and then go off to the royal chitwan national park, where i break the bank and stay at a lodge that "practices environmentally responsible and sustainable conservation tourism."

For years, I'd been saving my hilton hotel points, trying to get to the magic number of 180000, or 200000, or whatever it used to cost for the two person african safari. It was a great deal, a weeklong trip for two, all inclusive. And then, when i was only about 20k points short (less than it sounds, because i could have bought them for a couple hundred bucks), they discontinued the reward. With very little notice---by that, I mean that they left a very small window between the day they announced they were killing the award, and the last possible day you could reserve and actually go.
So, that was the last serious thought I'd given to any kind of safari. Until I started reading about Nepal, where a few of these still exist.

(that's one of my own photos, btw. I took it at a zoo in Australia a few years ago)

Then, back to Kathmandu for another day, before heading off to one last night in New Delhi, before getting on a plane at the relatively civilized hour of 10am. That's because I'm not able to take the more direct del-fra-iad option, I'm going back the way I came....except that I've now got a 20 hr layover in Fra. Which is pretty cool, because I may get a chance to visit with the meandering one.

And that's it.

2007-10-27T01:17:00.000-04:00

why yes, I am up a bit later. Took my first anti-malarial tablet this evening, and am torn between wanting to quickly get to sleep and find out if i'm one of those who users plagued by nightmares and wild dreams....and, well, not wanting to find out.

I didn't really have an alternative drug choice due to allergies....the doc i spoke with has taken this one several times, and he urged me to take it NOT right before bed, that the patients he's seen who've reported the nastiest side effects all took it soon before retiring. I guess it's better to hallucinate while you're awake.....

2007-10-25T12:37:00.000-04:00

"Start cooking those noodles, first dropping a bouillon cube into the noodle water. Brown the garlic, onion and crumbled beef in the oil. Add the flour, salt, paprika and mushrooms, stir, and let it cook five minutes while you light a cigarette and stare sullenly at the sink."

I grew up in a house with a copy of Peg Bracken's "The I Hate To Cook Book." I remember reading it and hoping that my mother was laughing when she did the same, not taking notes.

Peg Bracken died recently at the age of 89. There's a great obit in the NYT....I wasn't shocked to learn that she'd worked as an advertising copywriter....she just had that golden age of Madison Ave sound about her.

Of course, the Times obit writer is no slouch, either. "Peg Bracken, an advertising copywriter who nearly half a century ago parlayed her irreverent wit — and her passionate dislike of a traditional womanly duty — into a subversive best seller, “The I Hate to Cook Book,” died on Saturday at her home in Portland, Ore."

Go here for more.

2007-10-23T23:48:00.000-04:00

oh, jeez....i'm still here. Apologies. Had a week in Nashville that was too much work. And now I'm swamped..trying to get two weeks of work done in advance so I can go to India.

BTW, I think I'm going to Katmandu. (insert bob seger here.)

2007-10-09T20:51:00.000-04:00

i am back from nashville, a very long and exhausting trip. averaged about 4 hrs sleep, and was really wiped out by the end of the week.

thanks to mony for keeping me somewhat sane! We ended the week with a wonderful dinner out, just the girls ---mony, jean and me.

now...i'm back, fully immersed and i must start planning india.

2007-10-02T11:56:00.001-04:00

it appears that i will be going to india november 4 through 17 or 19. Based in delhi for the first part of the trip, anywhere after that with a return from delhi.

Any thoughts on where to go in the 7 free days I have? You don't have to tell me about agra or varanasi, as they're already taken care of.

2007-09-24T11:13:00.000-04:00

I've never been a huge fan of mime, but did see M. Marceau one time and enjoyed his talent.

The first 'graph of the Washington Post made me chuckle...
"Marcel Marceau, 84, the world's greatest mime, who single-handedly revived the ancient art with his eloquent but wordless interpretations of complex emotions, died quietly in Paris on Sept. 22. "

The rest is quite fascinating. You can find it here!

2007-09-20T09:21:00.000-04:00

it's taken forever to go through all mail piled up from close to two weeks out of the office and away from home....so apologies for not getting this one up in time for "international talk like a pirate day."
This was sent by one of my favorite 9 year olds:

Why did Captain Hook cross the road?
To Get to the Second Hand shop.

2007-09-15T12:31:00.000-04:00

hello from chez misti in austin. Yes, another trip, and while mark told me i'd regret it, i decided to go ahead and head out to the acl festival.
And he was right. Not because i'm not having a great time seeing my friends and being in austin, but because i'm not working this festival, and i'm no good at just being there and listening. I know that sounds crazy, but there are very few shows I go to just to enjoy!

that said, i am having a wonderful time here. Once I got my wallet back, that is.

yes, another travel horror story. I had a two hour layover in dallas, and i took advantage of the time to walk from terminal d to terminal a...took about 25 minutes, or so because I was just strolling. I got to the admirals club, pulled my license out of my wallet, showed it to the wonderful folks on duty, and then proceeded to a hidden quiet area. (I'd tell you where it is, but you'd just tell your friends who'd take it over with their too loud cell conversations, or whining children. )

I plopped my stuff down, and proceeded to the ladies, and, you guessed it....walked out leaving my wallet.
Of course I didn't notice it until six pm, just as we were about to leave for a party. Why did it take so long?
well, you'll notice i said I took my license out to show when i entered the club. D0 you see any indication that I returned it? No, I didn't. I stuck it in a pocket, and didn't need to dig it out of my wallet when I rented a car upon arrival. And, since I wasn't staying at a hotel, I didn't need to dig into my wallet for a credit card when I arrived in austin.

So, I spent the time from 6pm to 745 on the phone with both the admirals club and fed ex, begging everyone to just get along so that I could get my wallet on Friday. Fedex, the company i have an account with, and prefer to use for all my shipping, was the stumbling block. First they said it was too late to arrange a pickup....so i called aa, and was told they often get 9p pickups. Called fedex, they said "well, maybe. But our drivers won't go through security." called aa, and was told they do walk into the club. But that wouldn't be needed, as the manager offered to go out to meet them at the curb, if they'd call him upon arrival. So i called fedex again (getting still another cs person and having to explain the whole damn thing again as the clock is ticking away), and talked with someone who insisted they can't contact the drivers, and they don't carry cell phones, so they couldn't possibly call the club manager. he had to leave the package at the ticket counter, and that was that!
So I called AA again, and the agent said she doubted he'd do that, as the wallet would just be passed from hand to hand to hand and no one would be responsible for it. So, I called back fedex again, got a cs who could barely speak english and told me he really didn't understand my problem, got transferred to his supervisor, who took care of things and arranged for a pickup. He was 50% sure it would all come off, as they required a 90 minute window for pickups, and the club would be closing in an hour...which meant they could be shuttered before the driver arrived.

I called the club again, and as i was giving all my account info to the wonderful woman on the other end of the line, she exclaimed "oh, he's here, the fedex guy is here."

score one for the good guys.

the wallet showed up at 1030 the next morning.

On the downside, it was now 745, and the party we were invited to was from 6 to 8. Misti offered to drop me off there (i had to meet jill to pick up my passes), as she wanted to head to the festival site to pick up her own passes, and the box office closed at 8. I told her not to be silly, we'd just go to the site and drive to the party from there.

She got there in time, but had a mixup of her own --- the friend that made the purchase for her sent the wrong receipt, but that was cleaned up later that night.

we did drive downtown and spent about 20 minutes looking for a parking space. by then it was 9pm, but i was holding out hope that jill would still be at the party site, as she's a stickler for details, and was likely to be making sure that all those involved were happy with the event.
We raced up the street, and there she was, about to drive off! But she saw us! Another happy ending!

Now it was 915, and we had to move or miss the next event.The day before, I'd sent billy an email, telling him i was coming to town, and asking if was going to be around. He called me a few minutes later, and said he had a show thursday, and I said I'd shown up. but it ended at 10, and we were starved (i'd only had breakfast and was quickly reaching cranky stage)..luckily there was food at the venue, we ate, heard a few songs, and i was able to talk about the show with him when he came over afterwards.

and that's thursday in a very large nutshell. Still to come: day one of the festival. i was hot, without my earplugs (yes, again i forgot the ones I've had made by the audiologist), and tired. but still managed to have fun.

2007-09-05T21:41:00.000-04:00

greetings from dfw, the airport that feels like my home away from home. Mainly because i've been here for five hours and want to take a nap.

I'm sitting in the d concourse admirals club, which has a modern art collection that rivals some medium sized galleries.

it's been a long day....and rather than tell the story again, i'll just lift the lines i emailed nm earlier:
or i would if i could....right now gmail is acting up.

instead, here's the most interesting thing i learned last week----i share my birthday with not one, but two good friends. Several years ago, i was killing time with some of the powerchicks at the bluegrass conference in louisville. one of us had that big, no huge, sun signs book. we all shouted out our birthdays, and when I announced mine Claire shouted "no, that's my birthday." (i never fail to remind her that it's been her birthday longer than it's been mine!) well, saturday, while tromping along the C and O canal towpath with mary sue and jessie, i learned that jessie and I are birthday twins, too. I've known her five years (or a bit longer), but somehow birthdates never came up.

so, there are three of us. And we'll all be in Nashville the first week in november. Of course our birthdays are in may...but we'll still find something to celebrate!

2007-08-27T11:24:00.001-04:00

i should always trust my hunches. Driving in downtown dc late saturday pm, i had to zig-zag a bit because PA ave was closed in the block of the justice department. My first thought was the AG had resigned. I even made an 11pm call to REK, asking if something was going on. He knew of nothing, and even last night we joked about the possibility.

Well, as we all know now, the AG has resigned.

Perhaps we should all go to the races?

2007-08-18T13:14:00.000-04:00

greetings from some small township in suburban philadelphia, where i am attending the annual folk festival. i'm here more for the social aspects than the music, the lineup this year is something of a yawner. i do have a few friends coming in tomorrow, and that's something to look forward to.
i must say the weather is gorgeous today...highs around 80 and the humidity is gone. Yesterday it was thick and damp and gross. Add to that a 2 and a half hour drive that took 5, and you get a pretty good picture of how things are going.

2007-08-14T17:58:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry, but Flossie is no name for a hurricane. It's just wrong! And if we've got hurricane Nan coming up, then "something is very, very wrong here." (to paraphrase Al Pacino in "And Justice For All")

Not that Flossie and Nan were in that film. they are, of course, two of the Bobbsey Twins. Nowhere near a hurricane on the naughty scale.

2007-08-10T15:33:00.000-04:00

whoa! has it been a month since I shared anything of interest...or not of interest?

guess that shows you what things have been like around here.

actually, there was a bit of excitement. I received an abandoned property notice from my mortgage lender, regarding an escrow refund they'd sent me in 2003. Somehow, I'd missed cashing the 141 dollar check. Think of all the interest I've missed!

I'm driving to WV tomorrow, to watch a friend race his car. Luckily, the 100 degree heat has broken, and it'll only be in the 90s. Imagine what it'd be like on the track! I'm glad I'm not going to be down there....

2007-07-09T11:41:00.000-04:00

there i was, minding my business in taos, talking with my friend about her new company....when suddenly the photographer she'd hired ordered us to pose.

it's a fisheye-d view of friendship!

2007-06-29T11:20:00.000-04:00

i made it....and even in style. AA came through with a seat for me, the second to last person to get one on the 350 flight that actually left at 730. Well, left the gate that is. we got in line to take off, inched a long, and then suddenly made a turn and sat in the penalty box. Turns out the pilot noticed that there was a discrepancy in some of his paperwork regarding the weight of some cargo. Very important when figuring how much fuel is needed for a flight.
It wasn't so bad for me, because that seat AA found for me? Was 6E, last row of first class. I'm sure they'll remove some of the 500 mile certs from my acct for the honor, but I really didn't care about that last night.

Made it to a hotel, and was asleep by 12am. or 2 am my time. Now I've got to visit the Frontier for breakfast (thanks to nm's reminder), and then make a stop at costco for a memory card for my recorder (knew I'd forgotten something), and then head up to Taos.

2007-06-28T11:06:00.000-04:00

well, maybe i'm not going to taos. I'm here at dulles, my flight to dallas is delayed enough that I've now got a five minute connection. Which probably won't be a problem, as my outbound flight should also be delayed....but if i miss it, there is no space on any flights to abq for three days. Nor could they get me back to DC for two days.

hmmmmm.

2007-06-25T09:25:00.000-04:00

it's true. those rumors are true.

get out of the way, stampede of rabid fans are headed your way!

I will not be the first in line. nor the second, nor the third, nor...well, you get my drift. Yes, the family gets a cut. yes, they're for sale on ebay, but a quick glance at the web shows that folks are already finding this prize at low end retailers. (photo found on junkfoodblog)

2007-06-21T09:24:00.001-04:00

oh god, how can i stand it? I have to travel for work next week. To taos. For five days. I don't know how I'll manage.

2007-06-18T18:14:00.000-04:00

NM asked how new york was. new york was just fine. I took the train up saturday...thank you amtrak for the quiet car on the acela. I could have saved 15 bucks by taking a different train, but sitting in a car where cell phones are banned, as is loud talking is work twice the fare. Especially on a saturday, when every train seems to be sold out. Quite a contrast to this afternoon ---- my noon train had about 15 people in the quiet car. there were 16, but when she heard it was the quiet car she bolted. "I don't want a quiet car!" she exclaimed.

Of course I don't know how she managed to get seated with out knowing she was in the QC. A service rep is standing right by it, directing people to 1st class, pointing out the QC, and then explaining that all the other cars are regular. Oh, and there are signs in the aisle, too. About every 4 rows. And the conductor makes an announcement when the train pulls out, explaining where the cafe car is, what the next stop is, and that there is a quiet car.

Anyway, back to my trip. Train up was fine. Got to the Barclay at 48th and lex with no problem, did ask to change rooms since i was just next to the elevators. Too bad, as it was a very large room, too. I was moved to a different floor, slightly smaller room, right next to what sounded like an elementary school class. But they checked out the next morning, so it wasn't so bad.

Wandered around a bit, met Liz for dinner, and then we set off to see "10 Million Miles," a new play based on the songs of Patty Griffin. A relatively new friend of mine is one of the stars, and while the show itself got so-so reviews, hers were raves. (I wasn't sure "friend" was the right word to use, but that's what she used in introducing me to people. Oh, and the lady at the box office said "oh, she said "make sure my friend knows to come back after the show...") And every bit deserved, I say. Liz agreed. We thought the show was better than the reviews, but not perfect. I'd take out two song, or so...it dragged a bit at times.
It's running through july 15th, and probably will continue through the month...so if you're a fan, consider making the trip. We went backstage to say hello, met the rest of the cast, walked out, watched my friend be quite gracious to fans who wanted pictures and autographs, talked for a bit, and said our goodbyes. Until Sunday, when we'd catch up at her concert.

Then, since it was so nice outside, Liz and I walked down to little italy for some decaf and dessert. Everything was packed, which was good for the merchants, but not so wonderful for us! But we finally got situated, and the next thing I knew it 130, and they were rushing us all out. then it was off to the subway, and the hotel.
Sunday started off with a visit to chinatown for lunch with another friend, and then I walked back to 48th and lex, stopping in at various shops along the way. Only purchases were a couple of bottles of water, in case you're wondering.
Sunday night was spent at Joe's Pub, where my friend had a show. Half of the club seemed to be people from the theatre, along with a few industry types.

A very good evening, and weekend!

2007-06-13T10:29:00.001-04:00

I like the White Stripes enough to recognize them when I hear a song, but not enough to have ever bought a record. And that's the acid test with me....I rarely have to buy music, but I will every once in a while.

That's changed. I'm going to go get the entire back catalog after reading about their UK album release party. Which was held at a pensioners home in Chelsea. See for yourself! The photo below is from The Times coverage...which can be found here!

And if you're too lazy to click that link, here's my favorite bit:
"On a small stage in the opulent Council Chamber of the State Apartments, overlooked by enormous oils of the Hospital’s founder, King Charles II, they played five numbers that at first had a few hearing aids being adjusted, but by the end had silvery heads nodding along.

The inclusion of two traditional numbers, You Belong To Mr and Bo Wevil, combined with Jack White’s parting joke, “We don’t want to take up too much of your time, we heard it was your cocktail hour”, ensured the oddball band had their audience charmed.

Norman Mitchell, 87, of the Gernadier Guards was particularly impressed. “I love anything hillbilly like that. Down in the physio here they play Roy Rogers, we do our exercises to him. It was marvellous.”

2007-06-12T11:21:00.000-04:00

who'd a thunk it?
i mean, this is a real baseball blog.

Jack sent this to me, and i thought it was a joke. turns out it's not.

2007-06-06T06:29:00.001-04:00

oh, you liked that clip? should have said so here! Anyway, 'cause you asked so nicely here is one more:

Paul Merton's China (18) - The most amazing videos are a click away

but that's it...you can find the rest. it's out there, floating in the ether(net).

2007-06-06T00:42:00.001-04:00

all along, the plan had been to go back to tasmania in february. and revisit this sunset.

And then maybe back up to the barrier reef, to take more photos like this one.

but then i got that great deal to new zealand in UAL biz class during the mistake fare extravaganza...you may have read about it. They left a 5 off the biz fares, and they wound up costing a couple hundred less than the coach fares. So what could i do but buy one? and then cash in a few miles to upgrade it to first. I mean, when is that going to happen again?

So, where to go? dates are jan 14-feb 4, in case you want to come along.

2007-06-05T23:54:00.000-04:00

you've got to love a guy who politely defies his assigned minder by refusing to visit the great wall of china, in favor of checking out Mr. Wu and his homegrown robots. Amazing stuff ---paul merton has come up with the antidote to your typical (and tired) celebrity travelogue. His joy here is infectious! (and do watch the kitchen scene carefully...keep an eye on the window.)

2007-06-05T12:58:00.001-04:00

let's see, on the old show Name that Tune, the cry was "I can solve that in five notes."

well, I can solve the problem below in 1 email. So I did. Easy-peasy, as they say. Next?

Read the sad story here. I'll let you know if they print a follow-up.

2007-06-04T13:54:00.000-04:00

And here's one more reason that I heart keef.

You probably have heard that the current Rolling Stones tour already holds the record for highest grossing music tour ever. And there are now guys out there carping that the Stones are in it just for the money.

Keef says that's untrue, telling Uncut: "I don't think you could get these guys to do it just for money."

"It's still a bloody adventure. Every time you set sail on these things, they're never the same and I love to see the world, and I hope the world loves to see me."

He added: "You get this insane idea that you can only do this between 17 and 25, but y'know, I'm not a tennis player. I'll show you how long it can be done."

2007-06-04T11:11:00.001-04:00

We all know that i don't spend a lot of time watching american tv, but have quite a fondness for the stuff produced in the UK. In fact, I just realized that I'm paying 45 bucks a month for a lovely satellite picture that I haven't seen in about four months - - - and I'd cancel it, but the penalty would cost me more than paying out the rest of the contract.

But that's not what this is about, it's about simon cowell. I've only seen 1 edition of American Idol, but the Washington Post writes about it weekly, so I know what's going on. But I know all about Simon Cowell because a couple of years ago I sat next to someone on a plane who'd worked with him years and years and years ago at EMI. And he loved him. Said he knew what was good, and what was bad, and also knew that the public often confused the two. And that he worked awfully hard, and was good to the people he worked with. That sentiment was later echoed by someone who'd "taken a meeting" with him, and was quite impressed with how Cowell treated everyone on the production team of his television show. But not just his employees and co-workers, the same went for valet parkers, servers, and the fan who came up and asked for an autograph. everyone was treated with respect. Probably because he understands that those you kick on the way up, kick you harder when they zoom past you.

Which is a very windy way of setting up this q.i. (quite interesting---that's for lee) article from the Sunday Times. UK, not NYT. Go here, you won't regret it.

2007-06-04T09:49:00.000-04:00

hmmm, i didn't intend to remain silent here...only on the phone. (if you're not a regular phone chatter, you didn't get my email regarding a bit more vocal rest. that's all I'm talking about, nothing really exciting.)

I'll try to do better, I promise.

I did hear something today that caught my ear. For years, people have always worried about how things will play in "middle america." You know, in the fly-over zone. Today I heard a new one: "this stuff is HUGE where the map folds."

I can't decide if it's more obnoxious than the others, or just more amusing.

Of course it did come to me from a guy who, when wanting more information, says things like "Let's get the inside baseball on ....."

2007-05-22T11:29:00.001-04:00

and the winner of the award for least successful restoration project goes to:

The Cutty Sark. Which caught fire while in drydock. Where it was undergoing an approximately 50 million dollar restoration.

2007-05-22T11:11:00.000-04:00

something useful for a change: here is a list of common expiry dates for stuff. You know, foodstuffs, healthstuff, beautystuff. I vaguely knew much of this, but couldn't tell ya where I got the info from. Probably my mom, but she's been dead for more than 10 years, and I have a feeling some of her advice is past its sell by date, if you get my drift.

Anyway, go here. I am not a fan of the mag, but I am a fan of the nice person who sent me the list.

2007-05-21T19:33:00.000-04:00

question of the day:
if you learned that your favorite sports sandal was being discontinued, and you, after much time spent searching, located a cache at about half price, how many pairs would you purchase??? Remember, once these are gone, you're going to have to find something else that works.

These are sandals intended for running, hiking, or walking, and I've worn them in several continents and logged a couple hundred miles in the pair I've loved for three years.

I bought one pair, but now I'm thinking about getting two more. The ones I have are shot*, that's what prompted this search in the first place.

*no, you can't replace the soles/footbed. I asked.

2007-05-16T17:13:00.000-04:00

the top story on my neighborhood listserv this week:

"We found a lovely parakeet in our yard just as our cat caught it.
The bird is not hurt at all and is eating and drinking well in a
cage a bird-loving neighbor loaned us. It is clearly someone's pet.

If you are missing a parakeet, please call...."

So, what set this in play? My money is on either little suzie feeling guilt over keeping little Tweetie in a cage, and set her free. Or little simon was finally getting around to cleaning the cage and decided to let charlie fly around the room....forgetting that the slider was open.

You may wonder why I picked the names "tweetie" and "charlie." It's because they're the two most popular budgie names. really. see for yourself.

And once you've stopped laughing, check out the rest of the statistics on budgie names. The most reassuring thing i learned? that the site is updated on a regular basis. and don't forget to check out the anniversary budgies. no, go look. i'm not telling you what an anniversary budgie is. nope. just go here!

2007-05-11T16:43:00.000-04:00

The Kool-Aid Pickle.

Without a doubt, this is the most disgusting thing I've ever heard of. Yes, worse than rocky mountain oysters, and all those things you eat, but can't recognize.

Judge for yourself. I feel dirty just reading about it.

2007-05-03T09:07:00.000-04:00

and another thing....start planning for a road trip to vegas. why?

Yup, the divine miss m. is setting up shop in Vegas next year. c'mon, it'll be fun. Read more here!

2007-05-03T09:02:00.000-04:00

OK! I'm back, it was a wonderful festival. Doc Watson is still a force of nature. However, he is 84...so if you've ever dreamed of seeing him perform at Merlefest, put that plan into action.

Everyone's been asking what my favorite show was. Tough call. I might have to go with this guy, simply because seeing him brought back so many great memories.

Lee will testify seeing Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds, along with Graham Parker at that show in 1978 changed my life.

2007-04-26T08:47:00.000-04:00

where oh where have i been? well, i'm sure it wasn't half as exciting as mony's trip to austin (she hasn't resurfaced yet)...but i did take a little break with two work pals. we jaunted up to a very rustic little retreat/spa for a two day break on sunday and monday. it twas up on the way to z's i believe...we were not that far from home, about 3.5 hours up near state college, pa. (no, we didn't have time to visit the dairy bar --- too bad. I'm not a big ice cream eater (call me un-american), but even i can appreciate the good stuff. when i taught at U of MD, friends would ask me to tote home pints on a regular basis.)

yesterday was spent getting ready for merlefest, the last of my annual spring travels. I'm sharing a room with Ann this time, as her company is making the best of the festival available for live music fans all over the globe. check out her stuff if you haven't, just go here!

I'll be hitting the road in just a bit, but had to share this bit of news. Al Gore has done the impossible. He's convinced one of the greatest rock bands EVER to reunite for his summertime Live Earth concert.
Can you guess who's reuniting to save the planet? No. Nope. Think bigger. I said BIGGER. Like up to 11.

Oh, come on. Even you can get this one.
You want a hint? I just gave you a big one.

that's right, it's spinal tap. As the Times puts it, "Christopher Guest, the actor who portrays Tap’s lovably clueless guitar hero Nigel Tufnel, evidently feels that he can do more to sway the global debate with a Wembley Stadium gig and a 15 minute film short than he ever could by taking up his rightful place in the House of Lords as Baron Haden-Guest." Click here for more, including some classic clips.

Now, don't you feel better?

2007-04-20T10:42:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of The Zimmers? They're the oldest rock band in the world. Do yourself a favor and read the complete description of this video, which comes from an upcoming BBC documentary.

(they probably get their name from "zimmer frame," which is british english for "a walker."*)

*the kind of walker used to make you more mobile. Not the kind who escorts old ladies to lunch.

2007-04-18T12:27:00.000-04:00

under 30 bucks. That's how little I'd have to spend to erase my carbon footprint. Or become carbon neutral when it comes to yearly driving.

Driving Green makes it very easy for you to figure it out.

Terra Pass is another site doing similar stuff.

2007-04-13T10:48:00.000-04:00

you know how much I enjoy planning trips....after giving it some thought, I think it's probably more cost effective to fly.

Check my directions,and tell me what you think. (those with short attention spans are allowed to read the first couple, and then skip down to number 18)

2007-04-10T11:04:00.000-04:00

Before I owned my first volvo, I drove all different kinds of cars. The last before I joined the "volvo saved my life club" was the taurus my mother owned. I never liked it. But I inherited it because the car I was driving at the time was only OK. And her favorite nursing aide needed a car, so I "sold" it to her when I got the taurus. I'm putting "sold" in quotes because even though we agreed on 1200 dollars (for a 5 year old lebaron), I only saw 600 of it. And, on top of that, it had some cooling failure on the way to Florida, and I had to pay to fix that in order to finish the drive. If I remember correctly, that was a 350 dollar charge, which was to be reimbursed to me.

Anyway, bottom line was I never liked the Taurus. I used to joke that it always cost me about 700 dollars when i took it in for service.

When I switched to Volvo, my friends tried to convince me that I was going to be paying even more for service. Hah! Not true. Actually, I think I'm paying less in car repairs ever year.

Of course, I'm not driving that much these days, so I'm not getting service as often. I do change the oil every 3500 miles or so, but haven't really put much money into it in the past 18 months. (except for the 1k deductible when the crazy person hit me last year)

Well, in keeping with my former average, I wasn't shocked when they called to say it'll cost me about 1100 bucks today. Most of the expense is for a rear brake job,including rotors. I think that was about 500 bucks.

Then it's about 205 to replace the large plastic air intake thing that sits behind the bumper. I've got a low front end, and whammed it when i was backing out of a dippy driveway a month or so ago. Saw it hanging low last week, and figured it needed to be checked out. I'm told they often get whacked out of place, and can sometimes just be reattached, but I did a number on this one and it's a goner. (and since it's not something that is super common, they've got to airlift one in from somewhere, which means I'll be driving the loner until tomorrow afternoon)

OK, we're up to about 700 and change. The upper engine mount is cracked and should be replaced, i can't remember if you need to remove the engine to fix that, but it's about 200. Of course it is covered under my warranty (which was extended to 6 years when i purchased a pre-owned volvo), so it'll cost just the deductible - - - either 50 or 100 bucks. so, we're up to 850 now. The other 250? Regular maintenance is 165, and I can't remember what else is getting done.
Called my garage, and they said i wasn't going to save much by having them do the work. And since I also had a recall item to take care of, I might as well have volvo do it.

So, april 2007 will go down in history as the month of big checks.

Oh, and I'm figuring that 1100 bucks, without a major auto expense since december 2005 means that I'm still under my usual payment when I drove the taurus.

And, i don't think there is such a thing as "the taurus saved my life club."

2007-04-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

I am a whore for miles, part 1.

I don't usually have a large tax bill. I pride myself on usually being within 250 dollars one way or another of my witholdings. after all, why should the feds be getting interest on my dollars all year?

but not this year. The sale of the florida house means large dollars flowing out of my accounts in the next few days. So, tempted by a double mile offer, I decided to pay my fed bill with my UAL visa. Yes, I do pay a 2.9% fee for the honor, but I figure the 300 or so dollar fee is worth the almost 26000 miles I'll receive. (wish AA had such an offer, but no such luck). Anyway, I happily clicked away...and only then decided to check how much credit i actually had on the card. Oops...

Yes, my greed sent me over my credit line! I've never done that before, but I knew a hefty fee was in the offing. What to do? My first thought was to goonline and pay the entire amount upfront to the card company, figuring with a huge balance, there's no way I'd get dinged for spending an extra couple thousand. But no----that's impossible. You can only pay the balance due...which was 187 dollars.

So I looked at the other card acounts I have with this bank, and realized I had enough to pay the bill twice over, but spread out over 3 cards. Perhaps I could move a few thousand bucks in unused credit from one card to another.
so I got on the horn, only to find out i had to call back this morning when the credit line adjusting people were back at their desks. I just rang back, and the problem was solved in about 30 seconds.

Now...time for the state payment. Hmmm....that's worth about another 11000 miles....

2007-04-05T17:20:00.000-04:00

you know that video I posted yesterday? Two other people sent it to me today. Both in the music business - - -one in the position of signing contracts, the other someone who has written a few.
everyone loves it!