Catching up on some stuff

It's been a busy, and somewhat unusual, July. The biggest reason for this has to do with my decision to plunge into the Great American Dream.

That's right. I'm starting my own business.

Since I want to maintain my anonymity as it pertains to this blog, I will not go into any details about what I do for a living or what business I will be creating. And those details should not matter anyway as any new business endeavor has elements of risk, excitement, fear, and courage. Come to think of it, those descriptors could apply to any area of life that is new and worth having.

Let's just say I am now working harder now than I ever have before in my life. But I'm certain the end result will be worth all the sweat.

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I took a break from my entrepreneur-oriented activities late last week and joined my daughter, her teachers, her classmates, and other parents in the Friday summer swimming time. What a blast! The school goes over to a nearby junior high, which has its own pool. With three diving boards, one of which is a high dive.

Little Geoana asked me to jump off the high dive. And I did.

This was not an act of courage, dear reader. You see, I grew up jumping off the high dive at the community pool just down the street from my house in Houston. And this high dive at the junior high was about the same height as the one from my childhood. However I haven't jumped off a high dive since moving away from Houston in my teenage years.

Turns out the experience of jumping from the high dive is really no different all these years later.

But in the eyes of my six-year-old daughter, the act of jumping off a high dive that to her must look higher than a five-story building, made me cool. For perhaps the first time since she developed her little attitude (all of you who are parents know whereof I speak), she
was very impressed with me.

Now the swimming was fun, but her awe made the effort even more worth it.

Even if my back did end up getting very sunburned. (Note for the future--have Geoana put the sunscreen on my back--she's up for the task!)

It coulda' been worse

I am by no means a grillmaster. But I do take pride in my creations that come forth from the combination of flame and gridiron.

And for today, the Fourth of July, custom almost demands that I cook something outside. This morning Geogal told me salmon was her meal of choice for today, so to defrost status the fish went.

Zero hour. Fish is ready. Cedar plank is very wet. Time to go live.

Start propane grill.

See grill go cool within a minute or two. Diagnosis: empty propane cylinder. No backup.

Plan B: Light charcoal grill.

Learn the hard way that Kingsford Match Light Charcoal will not exactly light easily if it's somewhat old. No lighter fluid on hand, either.

Try to coax fire from a pseudo-chimney setup of newspaper, cardboard, and dead leaves and twigs from the yard. No go.

Almost admit defeat. Go inside and set oven to 375.

Last ditch effort: Cover most of charcoal grill with lid, hoping that heat (from the few briquettes that lit) will make the difference.

A few minutes later--success! Glowing coals. Turn off oven.

The salmon ended up cooking well and tasting pretty good. Nice smoky flavor, for which I was hoping.

Yet, I can look at this with humor. Especially since we had no company for this meal. My wife and daughter tend to be very forgiving.

July rolls around

It's going to be an interesting month for me. Staking out new territory. I will share more details in the near future.

But for right now, it's hot and lazy around here. So much so, that today I am entertaining thoughts about jumping the fence of the house across the street. It's empty. The new owners do not appear to have taken possession just yet. It has a swimming pool, albeit a very shallow one. I can see me and Geogal taking a cue from a "King of the Hill" episode and sneaking over for a swim.

But, the monsoon will begin soon. And NFL teams will head to camp around month's end. And maybe I will figure out a remedy for the Sunday afternoon blues.

Hello, Mister Homer..

Just too funny to not include in my blog.

I guess this week I'll need to darken the doorstep of a 7-Eleven, although they are actually not ubiquitous around here (Circle K has a much larger presence in Arizona).

And, I likely will not go see the movie. Rather, I'll just wait for the DVD.

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Regarding my question from Friday, the iPhone does have a camera. 2 megapixels. Gotta be better than what I have now. I still won't be getting one anytime soon. One article I read stated it will cost the user about $1,000 per year to own and operate. Of course, they might have been referring to just the first year, including the $500 or $600 that you plunked down to take possession...

Having a laugh

Some of my readers may be wondering, will Geoguy be getting an iPhone? After all, anyone who reads this site knows of my affinity for Macs and other Apple products.

My answer, in short, is no.

Two reasons:

1) I can't afford it.
2) My current cell phone works just fine.

While on the subject of my current cell phone, I visited Chandler Fashion Center in the late afternoon yesterday to take a look at the line for the Apple Store. Just for kicks and giggles, you understand.

Longer than I expected. Way longer. All the way back to Pottery Barn.

Took out my cell phone (an LG model I've had since 2004) and snapped a photo of the end of the line. I meant to show the length of the people in queue, but my phone's camera is of minimal quality, as you can plainly see. Still, not a bad pic.

Hmmm, does the iPhone have a built-in camera? What's the quality? Me thinks I'll surf on over to Apple's web site for the specs.....

Hog Heaven

Just this morning I was at the gym, whiling away the time on the eliptical while my iPod pumped a recent Dave Ramsey podcast into my eardrums. One of the e-mail questions he fielded during that hour had to do with how he and his wife ate during the time they were serious about getting out of debt. I won't go into detail about Ramsey's answer, suffice to say he does not care for tunafish even to this day. He did stress the importance of eating at home as much as possible, making the point that in most restaurant settings, 80% of your dollar goes to entertainment while the other 20% goes to the actual food cost.

In most restaurant settings. Not all.

Tonight, we in the Geohouse decided to eat out. BBQ. A place called Waldo's, which opened a location closer to us (cut about 8 miles off the trip to the original location).

Even though I heard what Ramsey said, this eating establishment was one of the exceptions. I don't think I could ever make ribs that good, even if I had the best equipment. Money well spent.

And we paid cash! (See, we do heed Ramsey's advice.)

Little Geoana did well with the wait. Makes me remember a trip in my much younger days, to a fine restaurant called Hausner's. If I recall correctly, it was in Baltimore. Hmmm, let's see.

It was in Baltimore. But it exists no longer. (Look at the entry about a third of the way down the page.) I recall the wait for the table was a long one to my six or seven-year-old mind. Yet the burger and fries I ended up consuming was worth the wait. It had to be burger and fries. I ate little else at the time.

And what did Geoana eat at the BBQ joint? Burger and fries.

Somebody get this guy a map!

Yet another bizzare NCAA-to-pro-back-to-NCAA coaching game of musical chairs, except this time the ball is orange and perfectly round.

Yet I have to laugh when I read his quote: "My heart is in Florida."

Couldn't he have said the same thing if he ended up in Orlando? Which, last time I looked, was also in the Sunshine State.

Notes from the North

If one were to ask me to name my favorite spot in Arizona, I'd be hard pressed for a quick answer.

However I should say that Flagstaff would count as one of the top five, easily.

Geogal suggested we go there this weekend, so here I am, typing this blog entry from our room at the Little America Hotel. Drove up from Chandler this morning. Walked a two-mile trail out behind the hotel this afternoon. Then Geogal continued her immense wisdom by suggesting I go four-wheeling while she and Geoana make use of the hotel's swimming pool.

Didn't have to ask me twice!

Thought I would post only one of my pics from today's drive to whet your appetite. I'll soon post a narrative on my Apple-hosted blog.

An exciting weekend for sports?

Not in the Geohouse. Here is today's poll from ESPN.com:

Which Memorial Day weekend sporting event are you most excited about?

-Nextel Cup series at Charlotte

-Indianapolis 500

-NBA conference finals

-UFC: Liddell vs. Jackson

-Stanley Cup finals, Game 1

Too bad I can't vote "None of the above."

Hey, training camp for the NFL can't be too far off, can it? Or the time of the season when baseball really gets exciting. Patience, patience.

Music to my ears

I read this with some interest.

Makes good sense for Amazon to try this. Since there are three iPods (one Nano and 2 Shuffles--a first and second generation) in the Geohouse, iTunes is the music provider by default. Yet to have to buy the music exclusively from iTunes is sometimes limiting. Since I lean toward tunes that are older and sometimes obscure, not every song I desire is available through iTunes.

Now, if Amazon will offer music I can buy, download, and play on my iPod, they'll get my business. (Not exclusively, mind you. iTunes will still be my music store of choice. But having more than one choice, plus some competition is definitely helpful.)

And the argument about file sharing? Steve Jobs addressed that one in this posting. Good point. I buy my CD's legally, and they are not protected.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. It looks like the large music companies will have to defer to the changing times.

In the meantime, I plan to spend some time this weekend using my USB turntable to digitize some tunes from my vinyl collection. No copy protection there, either.

I've come to the conclusion...

...that I am, in fact, not a redneck.

Given that I was born (and lived some of my formative years) in Texas, and exhibit a "glorious lack of sophistication," (Jeff Foxworthy's definition of redneck), I vacillated between whether I was one or not. Sometimes I took one position or the other, depending on how I would benefit.

But this week, I am convinced I do not fall on the redneck side of the line.

The defining moment? When I saw Dale Earnhardt, Jr's news conference a few days ago (the one where he announced he is leaving DEI.) My reaction: Who cares??

Actually, nothing about NASCAR interests me. I've never watched one of their races, I don't follow the standings, and I could only name a few drivers off the top of my head.

That seals the deal. I remain more comfortable in jeans than wearing a tie, I enjoy outdoor activities, I drive a pickup, I continue to consume beer, and I am often caught listening to country music.

But I am not a redneck.

I'll settle for being a good ol' boy.

Quickly...

...before I dash off to attend to other (more pressing) things of the day.

Last night, Geogal and I had an amusing exchange. 7 p.m. was fast approaching and she turned the channel to Fox. I commented: "I don't even know who was voted off last week."

Her answer surprised me: "Sanjaya."

I still can't believe I didn't hear about that through some means. I never thought I was that cut off from the mass media (although in the realm of celebrities and entertainment that might not be such a bad thing).

I was halfway expecting to see headlines proclaiming: Our Long National Nightmare is Over.

One can even place blame on Messers. Jackson, Abdul, and Cowell for choosing that bizarre character to make the cut of 24. But remember, even the best of professionals can still get it wrong every now and then.

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Good news: The Diamondbacks managed to score some runs in last night's game. Five, to be exact. I think that's more than they got collectively during that entire series with San Francisco.

Bad news: The opponent scored even more runs.

I'm not wailing and moaning. It's still early in the season and I have confidence this team will do OK. Not great, but certainly OK. No cellar-dwellers here.

Sunday thinking

So much, so much, so much.....

So much about which to muse, so little time to sit down and type. What do I share in this forum? What do I keep to myself?

I'll figure that one out as I go along.

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Part of me is enjoying the relaxed pace of a Sunday, while Geogal and Geoana watch “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,” the TV series, not the movie (which we have already seen).

Of course, last Sunday I relaxed by watching my latest Netflix offering, Bullitt, with Steve McQueen. A manly man's movie. And yes, after watching the movie beginning to end, I used the DVD's menu to watch the car chase sequence again.

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Phoenix Suns? NBA? Who cares? We tend to only watch college basketball in our house.

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Work life? Nothing noteworthy. Except that I plan to engage in the Great American Dream in a few months. I'll keep you posted.

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Regarding the tragedy in Virginia? I read this piece, with which I wholeheartedly agree. And shame on the broadcast media for repeated airings of that sicko's video he sent to NBC. My understanding is that the news outlets are now being taken to task by various factions. Good. Yes, I believe in freedom of the press. However I strongly assert a free press also must be responsible as well.

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That's it for now. More entries are forthcoming, of course. Now that April is slowly leaving us, I will plan some off-road and out-of-town ventures which may become featured in my companion blog.

Imus, Idol, and ideas

Clear the cobwebs off the computer--time to blog again.

I had genuine aspirations to do an entry earlier this week, but work demanded more of my time then anticipated.

I've been following the Imus controversy with some interest. Not a lot, but some.

So now he no longer has a radio show. So what? I was always under the impression his listenership was never all that big. And I haven't listened to him since the days I lived in Tucson. You see, radio there was so piss poor (still is) that his show was about the only thing worth listening to in the a.m. After moving to the Valley, I noticed he wasn't even on a station here for several years, and the station that was carrying his program locally, KXAM, is one of the bottom feeders on the AM dial, which is adding insult to injury.
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Do I even care about American Idol anymore? Not for this season. After Sundance and Chris got voted off, I lost all interest. As for you, Sanjaya--two words: Justin Guarini!
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I actually am quite busy these days, earning a living and such. Yet I am in the midst of developing and implementing one of my most ambitious endeavors ever. More about that later.....

The details, per popular demand

It's good to be reminded.

Geosister sent me an e-mail requesting I go into more detail about this entry. Here goes:

During my visit to Las Vegas, I suffered my worst bout of depression in years. Not only that, but come on? Being in a fun city, surrounded by numerous attractions not available in any other U.S. city?

Didn't matter. We got there Sunday late morning after a pleasant drive. I got to fulfill my desire to watch the tourney selection in the sportsbook (already shared that with you). And as eager as I was to visit Vegas, bear in mind that I don't gamble. (I have no major moral or religious objections to it. Gambling just does not appeal to me.) But the next morning, while out on a drive to obtain certain food items and other supplies, I felt sad.

More than the blues. Really down.

This mood persisted for the remainder of our stay. And it lasted until about Wednesday of the following week.

What happened?

Hard to say. Depression is one of those conditions that can have numerous and varied causes. I do keep in mind that it seems to run in my family. In my case, though, there may have been other factors. I'll share them here.

1) Isolation. Geogal was there for a conference (she has about three of these per year, and sometimes I will tag along. There were even occasions in the past where all three of us would travel, and Geoana and I would take in the sights while Geogal sat in meetings. This time Geoana stayed in Arizona with one of her friends, as Las Vegas is not known for being the most child-friendly city. I am an introvert and certainly derive strength from my times alone, but I am learning that I still need connection with other people on a regular basis. So, for most of the days there, I was disconnected from others. Sure, there are plenty of people moving about in these Strip resorts, but it's different from actual fellowship with friends or colleagues. And I'm sure I was missing my daughter.

2) Exercise. (The lack thereof.) I belong to a gym, and my routine nowadays is to drop off Geoana at school, then bust a sweat either doing cardio or weights. And yes, Caesars Palace did have exercise facilities, but with a charge of $20 per day. I did a considerable amount of walking during my visit, but that just isn't the same as aerobic exercise.

3) Disturbed sleep. Happened two out of our four nights there. I already described being awakened by the firework festivities followed by the Stardust implosion. Our last night in Vegas found us at the Mirage (the conference was over and we elected to go for a less expensive room). Advice to the Vegas visitor: don't get a third-story room at a resort. About 3 in the morning, we were awakened by the thump, thump, thump of loud music. Turned out it was coming from one of the lounges. The hotel manager got an earful from Geogal when we checked out. I learned that disturbing my sleep is one of the best ways to effect my mood--this being one of the many lessons learned from the time Geoana was born. That was the last time I suffered from depression of the level I am describing. Not only did I have no clue how to be a father or how to care for a newborn, but was dealing with a very dysphoric mental condition combined with Geogal having postpartum depression. After our sleep pattern was somewhat restored, the depression abated.

4) Spend spend spend. (And be gouged.) I'm trying not to be such a cheapskate, but yeesh! Stay at one of the top Vegas resorts, and it seems EVERYTHING costs extra. Want internet in your room? 10 dollars a day. Want a USA Today? 75 cents. Want to work out? I already mentioned that one. Want a cold nonalcoholic drink by the pool? 12 bucks. Tip not included. I could go on, but you get the idea. Maybe, just maybe my internal calculator added to my despondent mood. Particularly when I think about our road trip last October, when we stayed in medium-level hotels and got used to things such as free in-room wi-fi and a friggin' USA Today being provided at no charge.

5) Unmet expectations. I think this happens to anyone who travels to a particular destination, has a very enjoyable time, but on the subsequent jaunt things just are not the same, in the negative way. Both Geogal and I have been to Vegas previously so perhaps our mental expectations were just not met. I was looking forward to the trip, but as we were leaving for home on Wednesday, Geogal said she didn't feel any compelling need to ever visit Sin City again. I agreed.

Who knows? It may have been a combination of all the above items. Needless to say, Geogal's next business trip is to Colorado Springs in June.

I'm staying home.

Blurred insights

Geogal comes to me, shows me an article in one of the community-based weekly newspapers in southern Chandler. "Look at this," she said as she turned to one of the stories.

It featured my blog, along with some of the photos I used.

"Wow," I replied. "I didn't know anyone beyond family and assorted friends were regular readers of this stuff I just type every few days."

Then suddenly I am no longer sitting at my kitchen table. I am laying face-down on my bed.

The clock reads 3:30 (a.m.).

Just what that dream meant, I do not know. For the record I don't know what the vast majority of my early-morning dreams are supposed to mean. I am aware that our dream life helps us maintain our sanity so judging by the off-the-scale weird factor of a few of my own dreams, I am very likely the most sane, lucid person you may ever meet.

And to have wide readership of this blog? No thanks. I am a private person by nature, and I enjoy the intimacy I have with the visitors to this site. In some upcoming posts I will share more about what was so troubling for me last week, and the insights I gained from the experience.

Hook 'Em!

The game went about the way I expected it to. Actually, back up a bit. The final score was about what I expected. I'm glad the Aggies hung in there most of the game, and made it a contest.

But if they had to lose, well, no one better to take the "W" than the University of Texas.

As I alluded in an earlier entry, I watched the selection show from the sportsbook of Caesars Palace. I'm sure my expression was priceless when I learned who NMSU's opponent would be.

I'll be cheering for the 'Horns on Sunday.

And, since you asked, how was Las Vegas? Not that great, sad to say.

I won't go into much detail, but it was not the best out-of-town trip I had. And no, I didn't lose vast sums at the tables, nor do I have big guys with Italian surnames chasing me. No, I didn't get sick. No, I didn't get sunburned by the pool. No, Geogal and I did not have any conflicts during the trip. I just got broadsided by my own mind and body chemistry, something I never saw coming.

To quote Forrest Gump: "That's all I have to say about that."

Just another night in Sin City

I had a fleeting thought of attaching an image of the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada” sign, but the only way I could do so would be to violate someone else's copyright, so I won't proceed.

You can imagine it, though. I'm sure you've seen it.

There is nothing like waking up in the middle of the night (actually, make that having noise wake you up in the middle of the night), and realizing you are hearing the sounds of the Stardust Resort hotel implosion. I didn't even know it was scheduled to go down until Geogal clued me in yesterday.

Sure enough, about 2:30 this morning, pop, pop, pop. (Many more pops followed.) Unbeknownst to me, there was a fireworks display before the actual implosion.

There is a YouTube video of it here.

And no, we didn't see it. While our Caesar's Palace room window does face the general direction of the Stardust, not only were Geogal and I not about to get out of our warm comfortable bed, but our north-facing window view was blocked by both the Mirage and Treasure Island hotels.

Only in Vegas.

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After spending a couple of days soaking in the culture of man-made Las Vegas, I will reward myself this afternoon with a visit to the God-made mountainous area west of here.

I think I need it.

Congratulations, NMSU Aggies!

Their ticket is punched.

Outstanding job kudos go to Reggie Theus and all of the Aggie basketball players.

See you at the big dance.

Madness in full gear (maybe)

Go Aggies!

So far, the high point of this Saturday for me was to inform Geogal that Nevada lost last night.

As we will be traveling to Las Vegas tomorrow, I plan to watch the NCAA Tournament Selection Show from the Caesar's Palace sportsbook. Although I am looking forward to the atmosphere I must acknowledge there will be no suspense for me. If NMSU wins tonight, they're in. If they lose, hello NIT. I won't hold out for an at-large berth.

I am not a college basketball historian. Yet I doubt Cinderella has ever been a small school in the southwest United States. Maybe the time is right.

Quiet weekend

Brain is still in slow mode. I can almost hear the message that is being fired from many neurons in the organ between my ears: "He worked hard for the last few weeks, give him the rest he needs."

Tomorrow, I am returning to familiar digs, doing a job I enjoy and at which I am somewhat good. So this Sunday is less stressful than the last several.

I do hope I can muster the needed mental and physical energy for the next couple of months. March features a sojourn to Las Vegas (starting a week from today!) and April contains two birthdays in the Geohouse, plus a third birthday in the extended family. April may or may not contain a visit from said family as well. Everyone reading this blog knows that even if family visits are congenial there is still a concurrent level of stress for everyone involved.

But there's always May.

Slow time

Seems it's that way for everybody in general. Not that there's any real problem or lack thereof. Even those who work in the media can tell you that not every day is loaded with significant events. And for the sports fan, well, this is the down time between the end of the NFL season, MLB just starting spring training, and March Madness still a couple of weeks (at least) away.

Speaking of the NCAA tournament, my beloved Aggies lost last Saturday. So, there goes any hope of an at-large berth. And the chance of them getting the automatic bid by winning the WAC tournament is rather small. Unless Nevada gets too overconfident and is eliminated in one of the early games. Hey, they are playing the tourney in Las Cruces. So...who knows?

I wonder if the Florida Bar is taking notice?

I thought his behavior was a little odd when I saw the news clips.

Yeesh, what some people won't do when the cameras are on. Is conducting oneself like a professional a lost art?

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Not much else to write about this week. My short-term assignment takes a lot out of me (suffice to say, it's not Whopper-flopping). Thus, my thinking-turning-to-writing tank is running somewhat low right now. Perhaps an extended drive outside of my area code will help.

Where do I start?

Chargers coach? Reaction to my Mac blog site? A rant about the decrease of quality in regard to my favorite animated programs?

Nope. Have to start with this.

My take: If it actually happens, it's win-win. The consumer gets more bandwidth, more choices, and can take advantage of XM's superior network of terrestrial repeaters. Combine the talent both of these services offer and create a channel for virtually every genre of music, and the service might just sell itself. Not to mention the appeal of the subscriber being able to listen to MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL games, plus Nascar and the like.

The only losers in this deal might be Opie and Anthony. Get Howard and there's no need to have any of his wannabees in the lineup.

I might have been quiet over the last few days...

...but I wasn't sleeping. Look here. Then click on "First Dirt Trip." It's better than it sounds.

Maybe this Phillips will have more success in the Lone Star State

I'm not as pessimistic as Gene Wojciechowski, writing for ESPN.com. Perhaps this is because I spent some of my drive-around-and-get-things-done time this afternoon listening to the guys on Sirius NFL Radio breaking down Mr. Jones' choice. Yes, time to fall back on the old adage of "time will tell."

Hopefully I'll never become like Hank Hill and talk to my Tom Landry commemorative plate when things get bad. (Truth be told, I don't even own any Cowboys merchandise beyond a T-shirt.)

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My postings are down a bit over the last week or so, due to me working a short-term assignment in the real world, subsequently taking me out of the house during the day and away from my beloved Macbook. Although the past few days showed me a higher stress level than I prefer, I am trying to remember what my dad told me just after I started working my first "real" job as a teenager: "It's all worth it when the paycheck comes in."
Maybe that still holds true.

Or I can just hang in there and remember how the difficult times build character. And remember that next month Geogal and I will get away to fabulous Las Vegas for a few days.

We all need to look ahead to something. And maybe this Saturday I will finally get the opportunity to take my truck (I guess I need to name it) on one of the numerous dirt roads in the vicinity. My plans for last weekend had to be scuttled at the last minute. If I do go, I'll take the camera and share the view with all of you.

You know....

You know your life is becoming trite when you have blogging dreams while asleep.

You know you are under a lot of stress when you ruminate about not having new blog entries for almost a week.

You know you need to switch your blog hosting site when it takes forever to log on, even with a broadband connection. Even if you just want to dash off a few lines of text.

And...congratulations to the Colts, Dungy, Manning, and the rest. Sometimes nice guys can and do finish first.

Vista schmista

My how the times have changed.

Remember 1995? August of that year, to be exact. Microsoft released Windows 95 to extreme fanfare, enlisting the services of Jay Leno and the cast of "Friends," commenting on the exquisite concept of right-clicking.

Now the world is on the verge of another high-level OS release from the Seattle-based-people-who-rule-computerdom. Except this time there is not quite the same level of hoopla and, it seems, less excitement from the consumers. Oh sure, we will see some video of customers running into a store come midnight, but overall the buying public just appears, well, blase to the anticipation of upgrading.

Why? Some good reasons are listed here, but I also think some computer veterans are no longer lured by Microsoft's promises of The Next Big Operating System being "all that." Too many bad experiences with 95, 98, ME, 2000, and XP. And missing the holiday season didn't help.

I think another reason that February of 2007 will in no way resemble August of 1995 for Microsoft is that most buzz these days comes from hardware, not an operating system. If you doubt this, just go to CNET and check out the subjects for most of their articles. (Hint: HDTV, Blu-ray, MP3 players, and the iPhone.)

For the Geohouse, the introduction of Vista will go unnoticed. Most of you know I tap-tap my blog entries using a Macbook. I also use it for my photos, web browsing, e-mail, iTunes, recording and managing music using my cool Christmas gift from Geogal (a USB turntable). Why did I purchase a Macbook last fall? Many reasons, but one of the biggest was my overall disgust over how fat and sloppy Windows-based PC's had become.

I can still recall the words of Geogal when I brought home the Macbook: "Now we live in a divided house." By that, she was referring to our desktop PC, a Dell unit running XP. She has since become a believer in the Mac and in OS X. Now, when it is time to replace the desktop, we will buy an iMac.

That's what we think of Windows. So enjoy this OS release, Microsoft. It might be the last one of this magnitude you will ever enjoy.

Evening snark

As Geogal was out most of yesterday evening, I set the TiVo to record "American Idol." Just got done watching it. New York City. The usual assortment of weirdos and those obviously under the influence. Geogal remarked how watching this episode seemed more painful than usual. I agree. While we watch the early editions of each season mainly to make fun of the "singers," is AI approaching jumping-the-shark territory when the producers focus too much on the post-audition meltdowns?

And are you, dear reader, in fact making fun of me for writing about the episode over 24 hours after it aired? Be more current, you say?

Hey, at least I got this to the Internet before Television Without Pity posts their summary. (Wait a moment. Does that site still exist?)

...a few minutes elapse...

Yep, still there. They have a "recaplet," keeping the sarcasm short and to the point.

Plus, their writer echoed what Geogal said about Carole Bayer Sager resembling Joan Collins.

How a TV series lost a fan

Average morning, flip through the newspaper. Came upon this piece, courtesy of the wire service. I can’t resist sharing my own thoughts about My Once Favorite Animated Sitcom.

First, my Simpsons fan credentials: I began watching the show in early 1990, while still in college. I remained an avid viewer until the end of last season. I own several seasons worth of DVD’s (one though three, then five and six–I do plan to add season four at some point, plus I will likely own seven and eight). My wife enjoys the series, although not to the extent of yours truly. Several Simpsons-esque expressions are now common in our household: “A little from column A, a little from column B;” “I spent last night in a ditch;” and “You promised to limit your servings of pork to six times per week.” I am a frequent visitor to The Simpsons Archive, and I own CDs of "Songs in the Key of Springfield" and "The Simpsons Sing the Blues."

I am (or at least, was) a big fan of the show.

But not presently. I was having lunch with a friend the other day (he is almost as big a fan as I am) and he asked me if I was looking forward to the Simpsons movie. I think my answer surprised him, as I said no. I pointed out how the writing has deteriorated over the past several seasons, and added I am no longer watching the new episodes on Sunday nights, given my disappointment over last season’s offerings. He listened, then offered his slight agreement. And after reading the aforementioned article, I am even less inclined to plunk down my green at the box office to see the flick. Apparently there are MANY creative people working on this movie which doesn’t give me great confidence in the final product. Just watch the 1967 James Bond parody “Casino Royale,” for a movie where there were too many cooks in the kitchen.

And James L. Brooks is either hopelessly optimistic or self-deluded when he said: “I think the last couple of years...have been among our best.”

Cough.

Maybe just the reverse, Jimmy Boy. Although I cannot blame Brooks specifically for the series’ decline, he is culpable if he keeps it on its present course.

Why the decrease in quality? There likely are many reasons but I can enumerate a few right here.

1) Age. Time is taking its toll on the Simpsons universe. Face it, a series that exists purely for entertainment purposes just cannot remain consistently good for 17-18 years. In this respect, being an animated series is now working against the creative heads. Yes, the kids won’t ever grow up (as child actors in a live-action series do), but this has the reverse effect of the story-idea factory straining for every possible, but-not-necessarily-plausible plot. How else do you explain how the early seasons featuring stories that could easily have been developed on a live-action show, with the later seasons highlighting plots and storylines that are more outlandish and fantasy-inspired? Plus, many of its early fans have now moved on to other interests, including becoming middle-aged adults (yes, I am referring to myself) and I’m not sure if the series is attracting any new, younger viewers.

2) Recycling of plots. The Simpsons is not the only series guilty of this (“Frasier” was notorious for reusing some storylines in its later seasons), but do we really need to see another episode where Our Favorite Family sees itself in the future? (“Lisa’s Wedding” was the first future-oriented episode, and it was a gutbuster. All of the others fall well short in comparison.) I also am disappointed that the writers are falling back on the “let’s tell well-known stories from the public domain, and have three different stories in the three acts we are allotted” formula. And even though Sideshow Bob is one of my favorite characters, his shtick is wearing thin (see Point #1).

3) Topicality. The earlier seasons hold up well in reruns or DVD viewing. Now that the writers and producers aim more toward poking fun at current events (with inconsistent results), I cannot see most fans of the series laughing at jokes about the Iraq war when they watch the episode in, let’s say, 2021. Come on, there is a reason once-popular shows such as “Laugh-In” or “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” are not being rerun on TV Land or FX.

4) Lack of interest from Hollywood. Remember seasons two through six? Many of the biggest names in the entertainment industry wanted (and got) guest appearances on the show. And what other program featured guest appearances from all three (at the time) of the living members of the Beatles? And I have a feeling that had Lennon not been assassinated, he likely would have been a guest voice as well. But note the names listed in the article. Of those, only Natalie Portman could truly be considered A-list. And when James L. Brooks and Matt Groening appear as guest voices, you know the well has just about run dry.

I’ll leave it at that. And sometime in the near future, I will fire up the DVD player and laugh loudly at a Simpsons episode that aired when the series was still good. Will I even watch the movie when it comes out on DVD? I’ll answer that question later this year.

Yep, sometimes the NFL is interesting beyond the games

Remember my earlier post about putting a bag over my head, as I am a Cowboys fan? I just cut me some eyeholes when I heard about this.

Already talk radio is buzzing about the replacement. Names such as Dan Reeves and Wade Phillips are being kicked (no pun intended) around. I personally would not want to see either failed Denver Broncos coach on the sidelines in Texas Stadium. Norv Turner might be a good choice.

Of course, whoever is hired will be going into the job with the knowledge of having to deal with the biggest discipline problem in the NFL. (I am referring to Terrell Owens, not Jerry Jones.)

I take solace in knowing the situation could still be worse. At least I am not an Oakland Raiders fan, nor am I a follower of the Mug Shot Team.

Brevity of Tuesday?

Not much to write about over the last few days. Or is there?

Cold snap is hitting us in Arizona just as it is in the rest of the country. We just don't get the ice storms although it seems some residents of the Valley of the Sun awoke on Sunday to frozen and/or burst pipes. Not at the Geohouse, though. You have to love the newer housing developments. What they lack in character they make up for in modern amenities. And Geogal is right. Since the time we bought this house, numerous retailers (both chain and locally-owned) opened up shop in our little area. At present, we really don't have to leave our own ZIP Code for any shopping.

Last night Geogal and I watched G4's first showing of Star Trek--The Next Generation, 2.0. If you've never seen it and are a Trekkie, you really must check it out.

While watching the aforementioned program, Geogal commented: "It's cold outside and I'm watching Star Trek--TNG. I feel like I'm back in college." Yes, except we live in a nice house versus crummy apartments; drive two nice late-model vehicles rather than the tempermental gas guzzlers of our youth; and have money in the bank account rather than having to make the small paycheck stretch beyond human comprehension.

Whenever I feel depressed or sorry for myself, I need to remember to step back and look at the bigger picture.

New (used) wheels

What was occupying my time and energy over the last couple of days?

A vehicle change. Geogal and I spent the last several months looking to replace our aging Oldsmobile with a newer, more reliable vehicle. Plus, following a picnic jaunt to Roosevelt Lake in the late summer of 2005, I was desiring a vehicle that I could take off the road.

Finally found the truck that meets our needs (and our price range). A 2004 Toyota Tacoma crew cab, with four-wheel-drive.

No, the world did not stop turning. (However, I am no longer watching new episodes of The Simpsons, as the show’s quality has deteriorated significantly over the last several seasons. That subject will be reserved for a future blog entry.) Why am I referring to buying a Toyota as something that people thought would never occur?

A little backstory: In 1985, I was REALLY wanting a pickup. But, I wanted it to be an American pickup. A full-size truck. At the time, I was really enamored with the Ford trucks. (I still think the Fords from 1980 to 1986 were great-looking. Shame they don’t make ‘em anymore.) Yet it seemed that everyone who knew I was looking would ask the same question: “Are you going to get one of those little Japanese jobs?”

I bristled at the question. I was a patriotic American. I still am.

Take the following into account: These Toyota Tacomas are built in Fremont, California, and now, San Antonio, Texas. I bought this truck used, meaning none of my money went to Japan. I wanted a reliable vehicle, and Toyota Tacomas have a tremendous reputation for being reliable and long-lasting. I remain a proud American and will continue to own numerous American-made products. Yet, GM, Ford, and Chrysler trucks just don’t seem to hold up as well as the years go by. I have owned vehicles from all three of the Big Three. Now I am ready to try something new.

Plus, you cannot deny this is one cool-looking truck!

Plodding along

I don’t know if some of you were wanting to send me antidepressants after reading my last entry, but I assure you I just needed to vent a bit that day. It helped.

I’m not suffering from dysphoria currently, just quite tired. I spent some of today in a car dealership, working on one of my 2007 goals. So far all the ducks seem to be in a row. I’ll write more about that as the information develops. Lets just say that even if you are not financing a vehicle, the stay inside the dealership can become lengthy (apparently doc preparation does take some time). I don’t particularly care for being inside dealerships for any length of time (I really am becoming my father), but with my increase in years also comes an increase in tolerance for nonpleasant situations. Gotta keep my focus on the end goal.

However, once I got home I experienced a feeling of extreme fatigue, the likes of which I haven’t felt for some time. Mentally exhausted, plus not having eaten for several hours took their toll. But this evening, after some downtime and watching the penultimate college football game this season, I feel better. Old Geoguy will be sleeping well tonight!

Ennui

Maybe I am more susceptible to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) than I realize. So it must be a type of blessing that I live in the Arizona desert. Despite my recurring desire for occasional changes in weather conditions, I noticed over the past two weeks that my dysphoria seemed tied to cloudy, rainy conditions.

But sometimes the weather can produce beauty, even in the setting of suburbia. Hence the picture for today. Sunshine through the gray.

I need to learn from this observation. I don’t know if my sour mood stems from stress over Geogal’s medical condition, the rise and fall of the holidays, my ongoing existential crisis, the humdrum routine of the Geofamily life, but there must be a solution somewhere. Perhaps I need to shake up the normal pattern of my (and our) life, but not disrupt it too much. After all, some segments of our life are very healthy and supportive. Gotta make sure the cure isn’t worse than the illness.

Maybe I need to work this into a New Year’s goal. (See entry from earlier this week.)

The sports world is a weird one

You've gotta feel for the fans of the Miami Dolphins. First the Ricky Williams debacle, now this.

What a liar Saban turned out to be.

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On the subject of football, the gods of that world must be getting their share of laughter from messing with the state of Arizona. I can almost hear the conversation: "Let's saddle this state with the worst-ever NFL franchise, tempt them with occasional, but not sustainable, bouts of greatness from the Sun Devil and Wildcat gridiron squads, then let the bowl games they host in late 2006-early 2007 be among the most memorable in history."

For 2007...

It’s nice to return to routine. By that, I mean Geogal returning to work, taking down the Christmas tree (which has the resultant effect of furniture placement back as it should be), and being able to do the weekly Target shopping without having to endure lines 8 people deep at checkout.

I am no Grinch, but the holiday season can get a little wearing after a few weeks.

Did I make any New Years resolutions? No. I am, however, setting some goals for 2007. I have increased confidence as both Geogal and I decided to join a gym at the beginning of 2006. We stuck with it. Speaking only for me, I have since lost about 20-25 pounds, am back to wearing 32-inch jeans/slacks (for the first time since my college years), and am enjoying seeing my more-toned body in the mirror.

Knowing I could achieve all of this gives me impetus for more goals. So far, Geogal and I are committing to visiting Las Cruces this fall to attend NMSU’s homecoming game. I will return to work, in some capacity, doing what I enjoy. I will replace my aging Oldsmobile with a four-wheel-drive pickup. So there you have it (so far). Small, medium, and large goals.

Football Watch-And-Wait

It's just after 8 in the morning here and I'm wondering how much time will elapse before we hear the news of Dennis Green's firing.

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The New York Post has this analysis of the NFL Network's calling of actual games. (Hat tip to the Jock Report.) Yes, Bryant Gumbel should be anywhere but in the broadcast booth. Keep Cris Collinsworth. Better luck next year. However, fate was a factor in the vapid level of most of the NFL Network games this season. Many of their contests were just boring, or didn't matter much in the playoff picture. Hey, it happened to Monday Night Football in years past.


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Overheard on last night's NBC coverage of the Packers-Bears game: "If Brett Favre has tears in his eyes, he's retiring. If his eyes are dry, he's staying." How about this-- what if Favre hasn't yet decided?

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I'm making a paper bag to put over my head this playoff season, as I am a fan of the Dallas Cowboys. Did any other NFL team go from the talk of the league to a laughingstock so quickly?

I enjoyed watching the broadcast media and reading the print pundits this week. Usually not much happens during the holidays, and many in the business are on vacation. (Particularly radio talk show hosts, as ratings are not gathered during this period.)

Who anticipated the death of a former president and the execution of a well-known despot? Even with the 24-hour news cycle that permeates most Americans’ existence, these two events provide more than enough analysis and commentary.

I’ve written it before in this blog, and I’ll write it again. I’m glad I don’t work in that field any longer. I am thoroughly enjoying the slow pace of the past week and a half, with my family at home. It’s nice to have a life.


On a slightly related matter, yesterday while watching the Sun Bowl, CBS switched over to coverage of President Ford’s casket arriving at the church in Palm Desert. My 5-year-old daughter watched with a level of attention that was unusual for her, considering this was not a program on Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel. She asked what was happening and why the people were all dressed in black. I explained (very briefly) about the significance of a presidential funeral and mourning protocol. I am not sure if she will remember much about this, but who knows? I can remember December 1972, riding with my father (just a leisurely drive during the holidays) through the rural areas of Maryland and, most likely, southern Pennsylvania, listening to Harry Truman’s funeral on the radio. Or maybe it was just one segment in a memorial process that took several days. Either way, I knew this was something that didn’t occur often.

The things I can remember. That’s my noggin for you.

Busting my brain

ESPN.com has an interesting story/chart regarding football ranking by state. Texas comes in at number one. The ESPN writers tag it with 10 Division I college football teams. Wonder if I can recite them by memory? (In no particular order.)

1) Texas
2) Texas A & M
3) Texas Tech
4) Baylor
5) University of Houston
6) Rice University
7) TCU
8) SMU
9) UTEP
10) North Texas!

Exclamation mark added 'cause that last one took awhile. Nice brain exercise for this holiday period.

Where did Arizona end up? Don't ask.

No like-eeee

I almost choked on my Christmas-evening ham sandwich when I read about this.

The Arizona pundit's opinion? Don't. Why should the team trade young talent for a man whose best baseball days are behind him? Need I remind everyone Johnson taking the mound isn't a lock for a victory (remember the 2004 season?). Not to mention the way he left town for the Big Apple. It's hard to say whether the Diamondback fans will forgive and forget.

Merry Christmas

The gifts are ready. The tree is ready. So is the fire! (Courtesy Channel 45.)

Hard to believe, it's 7 on Christmas morning and Geogal and Geoana are still asleep. I remember wanting to be up as early as possible on the Navidad mornings of my childhood. Then again, I am the only morning person in this household.

As far as I know, the gifts to the nephews and nieces made it to their intended destinations in time. And my iTunes Christmas playlist? As follows:

We Need a Little Christmas-- Percy Faith
The First Noel-- Frank Sinatra
Silent Night-- Johnny Cash
Up on the Housetop-- Gene Autry
White Christmas (1947 Single)-- Bing Crosby
O Holy Night-- Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer-- Gene Autry
Away In a Manger-- Celtic Woman
Sleigh Ride-- Leroy Anderson
The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)-- Nat King Cole
I Wonder As I Wander-- Jewel
Adeste Fideles-- Il Divo
Angels We Have Heard On High-- Don Grusin
Jingle Bell Rock-- Bobby Helms

OK, so some of these are newer, but they still stay true to the traditional arrangements.

Merry Christmas!!!

Happy Christmas Eve eve!

Woke up this morning to fog, an unusual sight around here. The heavy humid air was courtesy of a steady drizzling rain yesterday afternoon/evening. It was just one of those perfect days to sit inside the house, engaging in casual activities and drinking warm beverages (with and without caffiene).

Here in the Arizona desert those kind of days are rare. As Geogal commented, it finally felt like the holidays had arrived. Chilly, gray skies, and a warm feeling that can only take place inside one’s own home. The only thing missing was a fire. (The Geohouse has no fireplace.)

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My relaxed feeling was aided by the knowledge that as of 11 a.m. Thursday morning, I completed ALL of my Christmas shopping, even the stocking stuffers. I cannot recall when I had the dreaded “S” word finished this early, save for out-of-town holiday trips.

The exchange of money for merchandise was fairly easy this year. More on that after the big day.

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My last big project for Christmas? I will create a list of favorite Christmas-themed songs, download them from iTunes, then burn them onto a CD for easy enjoyment. So far, it will contain works from Gene Autry, Bing Crosby, and Nat King Cole. You may already have ascertained that I don’t care much for the newer stuff, and you’d be right! I’ll have my playlist posted here, probably by tomorrow evening.

This Christmas season is somewhat odd for me. For the first time in I don't know how many years, buying gifts for Geogal is actually EASY.

She is, after all, one of the hardest people for which to buy. A lack of hobbies and general eschewing of "girly" things make gift-giving a difficult task for me several times a year. This time of the Christmas shopping season usually finds me having already entered and left several stores with a slowly-increasing frustration. Not so this time!

I should enjoy this feeling while it lasts. I don't know if I just got fortunate this year, or if I actually am improving on extracting genuine, affordable gift ideas from her. Probably the former.

On the other side of the coin, I shipped off the gifts for the nephews and nieces last Tuesday. Two families, two packages filled with wrapped presents.

Two families that received each other's packages. I'll never use that UPS Store again. Stay tuned for the resolution of this mess. If there is any upside to all of this, at least I sent the packages early enough for the switcheroo to be made prior to the Big Day. I'll just dwell on that for now. No need to raise my blood pressure at this time of the year. So there, family members! Don't call me Scrooge!

Just some random lazy Sunday thoughts

Arizona State could have done worse. After all, Erickson should have a solid recruiting base in the Pacific Northwest and he has a good track record in Pac-10 football.

That's pretty much all I will say about that issue. Since my alma mater is among the bottom-feeders of Division I college football, it is interesting to watch the actions of a school that has a strong local alumni base and extremely devoted fans. In fact, I interact with so many people who bleed maroon and yellow, I have to usually hold my tongue when I feel a need to express my gut-level emotions about ASU. (Hint: these aforementioned feelings tend to not be positive.)

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I noticed this article, then this one, regarding satellite radio.

I'm not positive about a merger. Yes, the FCC likely will block it. However, I wonder if satellite radio (both providers) are presently lacking a "killer app." Something that will make it highly desireable to the general public. Remember how th e IBM PC was introduced in 1981, with Apple's version already on the market? While spreadsheets were the killer app for business users, the home user had no real counterpart until about 1995, when the World Wide Web took off. Suddenly even Grandma was buying a computer in order to get online. The corporate heads of Sirius and XM should both be thinking about what they can offer that nearly everyone would want. I'm sure it's out there. Time for some creative thinking.

College Gridiron Contests: Out With A Bang

And I thought I was just going to passively enjoy some end-of-the-regular-season matchups. Without Texas playing for the Big 12 Championship, I wasn't too invested in these games.

But whoa! I got caught up in the USC-UCLA grudge match. While I did obtain a certain amount of pleasure in seeing the Trojans lose, I should admit my disappointment that they will not be playing Ohio State for all the marbles. That would have been a good game.

Still, I won't bog myself down in the Michigan-Florida quagmire. It may still be a good championship slugfest regardless of who is chosen. And a close game won't hurt, either.

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Cooked two porterhouse steaks on the ol' propane beauty last night. Not grilling perfection, but not bad eating either. Geogal paid me the ultimate compliment by not reaching for the steak sauce. I look ahead to some more uses of the grill after this week, when I will have more time on my hands. (More about that later.) And yet again, the grilling tome did not let me down.

(It's good to be able to insert hyperlinks into my blog. I can't blame Blogger for this one. For some reason, the Safari browser does not give the hyperlink option in the menu. Thank the computer geeks for Firefox!)

The Day After, and Questions Answered

Watched plenty of football over the past two days. I did eat turkey yesterday, although I may go ahead and let the "dirty little secret" out: Turkey is not my favorite food. Probably had something to do with being served bone-dry and flavor-lacking white meat pieces at numerous family holiday functions. But, as with most things to my 10-year-old mouth, the gustatory limitations were remedied by a dose of ketchup. I can still recall the disgust expressed by various relatives.

What made me think of that, I don't know.

Yet the dark meat turkey I ingested yesterday hit the spot. Moist, plenty of flavor, and the side dishes weren't bad, either.

And the Cowboys won.

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How did those beef ribs from a couple of weekends ago turn out, you ask? Not bad. Six hours on the grill was just about right. For next time I will need to marinate them overnight, as the flavor was just superficial. I have to keep reminding myself that perfecting these dishes takes practice. Plus trial and error.

How was Mexico? Pretty good. Neither of us got sick. No problems with U.S. Customs. The transportation was wonderful (I would definitely use those folks again!). And it was nice to be "unplugged," just sitting on the balcony, reading. No iPod, no background music of any kind. And no going to the computer every half-hour to check on the latest news. I still must reveal that it was still nice to return home and have all of these gadgets at the ready.

No need to abandon the world we live in on a permanent basis. And no need to stay in that world 24/7/365.

Anticipation...is (not) making me wait

This morning, Geogal and I leave for a few days in Old Mexico. Just needed to take a few minutes and do some quick blogging.

Geogal, of course, read the previous entry. She agreed with my self-questioning, but added her thoughts that once one becomes a parent, the wanderlust usually subsides. Yesterday, as I was discussing this subject with a colleague who is, well, more mature than me. (I don't want to say she's older, although she is a grandmother.) She had the same conclusion as Geogal. And she encouraged me to just relax and have fun. It's nice to be reminded of the basics at times.

By the way, no photoblogging for this trip. I am taking the camera, but will leave the MacBook at home, along with my iPod. Two reasons. First, I don't want to risk these things being stolen, even though they were just at much as risk during the recent Texas sojourn. Second, it might behoove me to be less "plugged-in" during this journey, to allow myself to just soak up the local culture, and spend some time reading as I sit by the sea.

I'll have fun.

...but probably no tequila and lime

OK! Gotta make time, sit down, do some writing.

What do I write about today? Elections/politics?

Nope.

My latest gadget?

Negative. Don't even have one that I haven't written to death in this blog. Except maybe for my recently-purchased three-burner propane grill, which has been feeding the Geofamily well. Plus, my mom and dad gave me a tome: Weber's Big Book of Grilling for my recent b-day. I've already tried two recipes from it, with pleasing results. Today I am experimenting with true BBQ (which means cooking the meat slow over low temps). Beef ribs, with some hickory chips to provide a true smoky flavor.

I'll let you know how it turned out.

Something that is occupying my mind of late. Next week, Geogal and I will be going south of the border for a couple of days. (She has a work-related gig in Rocky Point, aka Puerto Penasco.) So why am I not excited about this, an upcoming road trip? I'm not sure. Am I becoming an old man, scared of change and finding comfort in the routine and familiar? Dear God, I hope not. Do I have trepidation about an international sojourn, even though this does not involve air travel or a return stop through customs? Maybe just a bit. Never mind that hundreds of Arizonans do it every day. And that Rocky Point, even though it's about 60 miles from la frontera, is still considered a border town.

I also need to remember that gringos head there to have fun. So why can't I?

And it seems just about everyone around here goes there. Case in point: Geogal just called me, as among her errands today was to go to the Alltell store to ensure our cell phones would have international service. The sales guy's response? "I was just there last weekend. (The coverage) is hit or miss down there."

I really should just relax. It's not that big of a deal. Not nearly the situation my brother-in-law faced some years back, which involved he and some friends getting ready to visit a Central American country, then a coup occurred.

I'm pretty sure that's a true story. Maybe I should get some more details from him.

As for next week, we'll be fine.

All Hallows Eve

I don't remember halloween being that much work!

Work. Pick up Geoana. Head home, change into workout togs. Work out at gym. Return home. Prepare evening meal. Hope Geogal gets home soon. Take out pumpkin. Have Geoana use her markers and draw a jack-o-lantern face. Spread a great amount of newspaper. Continue to work on evening meal. Get old knives out of the garage and cut jack-o-lantern (not too scary!). Reserve the pumpkin seeds. Receive call from Geogal who says she's caught in traffic and won't be home for a while. Ask Geoana to separate pumpkin seeds from the top portion. Listen to Geoana get dainty about how her hands shouldn't touch the pumpkin slime that happens to be attached to the seeds. Get tired of listening to it, and choose to ignore it. Light the grill. Put beef kabobs on grill. Set the timer so I won't forget and burn them. Take clean dishes out of dishwasher. Start putting the dirty dishes in. Timer goes off, flip the kabobs. Ask Geoana to get her costume on. Hope to God that Geogal gets home soon. Get candy bowl ready. Take kabobs off the fire. Tell Geoana very firmly that she needs to get her costume on. Cut up beef kabobs for Geoana.

Lose sanity.

Actually, I survived it. Halloween went off without a hitch. Geogal got home, took Geoana trick-or-treating, and the rest of the evening was fairly relaxing. Sitting here writing is therapeutic, in that I am finally off my feet.

I hope Halloween gets easier as the child gets older.

Weeellll.......

....that was a whiff. (See entry dated 10/21)

That's why I don't hang out in Las Vegas sportsbooks. Well, that, and I don't smoke, either.

The Cardinals. I am rather indifferent to them and like most Americans I didn't really root for either team in this Series. Didn't even watch much of the Series. My view today? Hey, at least it wasn't the Yankees.

But I already know who will win next year's Series. The Texas Rangers. Why am I so sure? Because they just fired manager Buck Showalter. He was fired by the Yankees, they win it all the following season. He was let go by the Diamondbacks, and...yep, you know the rest.

Back to a little sports bloggin'

So another team I like heads down the field in the final seconds. Only this time they make the field goal.

All things considered, I would rather have a Texas victory today instead of a Cardinals victory last Monday.

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World Series? Don't know if I'll be watching. I'm going with the conventional wisdom on this one. The Tigers might just sweep. Or, at the most, it will go five games.

We'll see.

Am I becoming an optimist?

Yep, lots of hand-wringing and tears in the coffee this morning around the Valley.

See that game last night?

Actually, there's not much of the above going on right now. Remember, we're talking about the Cardinals.

In our home, I said to Geogal: "It's the end of the first quarter. Let's just watch something else, cause it just won't get better than that for the Cards." I was wrong. Better, than worse.

Yet, in the midst of all the sports talk this morning, did anyone notice that Matt Leinart looked really good out there? Just like he was back in a Trojan uniform. The offensive line did a better-than-adequate job of protecting him. The defense only allowed three Bear points. Yes, the Edge didn't get much yardage, but remember he was running against one of the best defenses this season, anchored by a guy from Lovington, New Mexico with the last name of Urlacher.

This is not the worst team in the league, and last night they showed potential to become better.

I'll stay in reality. The Cardinals won't be going to the playoffs. They likely will not have a winning season. But we've seen much worse in past seasons.

Lazy Saturday?

Ahhh. Cup of coffee. Backyard door slightly open. Somewhat cool temps outside. Dawn. Quiet. Just me and my thoughts.

I really should cherish times like these.

Summer is OK, and I am well used to the blast-furnace heat. Yet after a few months it does wear out its welcome and I'm ready for the slow change of seasons that is fall in the Arizona desert.

Nice.

Now, you might be wondering how I can blog so close to my own backyard. Simple. I finally broke down last weekend and made the Geohouse wireless. Not with an Apple Airport Extreme, as I cannot find any at my friendly local retailers. Apparently the decision-makers at Cupertino can't manufacture these fast enough, as my local Apple Store always seems to be sold out. As is Comp USA. Order online? Only if I want to wait about 5-6 weeks. This product seems to be the Tickle-Me-Elmo of the techno-geek set.

So I visited Comp USA and purchased a Netgear router instead. (I had this option, as the desktop is a PC.) So far, no complaints. And it's always gratifying when I've done my homework and know more about the products than the salespeople. Hand to heart, one of them told me I might have problems with my MacBook recognizing and logging onto a wireless network that uses a PC platform. Should have seen the look on his face when I casually mentioned I had just taken it on the road and was able to get onto every wireless network at hotels and coffeehouses. Plus being able to log into my neighbor's unsecured Wi-Fi, which is most likely not Mac-based. Shut that guy up.

Anyhow, got to run. Need to take Geoana to gymnastics.

Post trippin'

How 'bout some Q and A?

Q: Geoguy, were you successful in all your Texas culinary pursuits?

A: Not exactly. I did get to partake of some good Tex-Mex, and the BBQ was decent. However, no chicken-fried steak met my standards this time around. (See the entry from Ozona.)


Q: Geoguy, I thought the purpose of taking your new laptop was to write entries from each of the cities in which you stayed. Why was there nothing for Midland-Odessa?

A: Remember when I indicated that all Wi-Fi is not created equal? The La Quinta in Odessa had a functioning network when we checked in, but by the evening it was down. The problem persisted into the morning. I then had the bright idea of using the Wi-Fi always available at Starbucks to access the Internet (yes, there is a Starbucks in Odessa, surprisingly). However it prompted me for a password, which I was not expecting. I just got frustrated, and decided it was better for all of us to just get on the road ASAP. Plus, the positive effect of the caffeine had not yet kicked in and I am known for not having the best mental faculties until that initial jolt of java.

Probably more of an answer than you were expecting.


Q: You make reference to Odessa. Did you drive by the high school from "Friday Night Lights?"

A: Yes


Q: Would you make this trip again, even though it seemed drawn-out toward the end?

A: Sure. Overall it was a very positive experience.


Q: So when's your next road trip?

A: Don't know yet. Sometimes they are dictated by Geogal's business trip happenings, other times they are in response to family-related events (such as the journey we just completed). Our own desire to go to new areas seems tertiary at this time. Hmmmm, perhaps that needs to change.

I think I'll get out the atlas.

Picture wrap-up

For those of you who live in verdant or tropical areas, these pics might seem stark and lonely. But for me, these were steady indicators that I was nearing home with each passing hour. I just wanted a good montage to illustrate what one sees heading west from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. (Remember, Fort Worth is known as the city "where the west begins." The things I remember from seventh grade Texas history.) And, for those of you wishing to be critical of the picture quality, just remember these were taken by either me or Geogal while the vehicle was pushing anywhere from 70 to 80 mph on the open interstate. The final shot is of the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces, where I lived for 7 years and where Geogal and I met and eventually married. Sadly, there are no pictures from the last day's drive (Las Cruces to Chandler), as all of us were tired and just wanting to get home as fast as possible. Besides, there's always the next trip.

Finally, the front door!

That's better.

Home. Nice to be here.

(I used to dread coming home from a trip. That was back in my much-younger days when "home" was an apartment, usually one that fell somewhat short of my expectations for a nice dwelling. But now, being a homeowner, sometimes the best sight in the world is my front door.)

As expected, the MacBook turned out to be an excellent road warrior. On the second-to-last-day of the journey, we powered it up at every Texas rest area (needing to stop at every one on the way that morning due to my penchant to indulge in large cups of coffee--but hey, it kept me alert and improved my mood to boot). Texas, perhaps like some other states, is equipping all of their rest areas with wireless technology. I was able to check the e-mail while Geogal and Geoana tended to business. I can only dream of what a road trip ten years in the future will entail. I'm reasonably sure it will include the ability to watch DirecTV or Dish Network in one's vehicle (while moving) with only a miniscule antenna magnetically mounted on the vehicle roof. And that will just be the start. Should be some interesting journeys in my family's future.

Just in case you were wondering, the final trip odometer reading was (drum roll please...): 2,691 miles. I would guess only about 100-150 of those were non-highway miles.

I'll start going through some of the pics we took over the last 2-3 days and post the ones we deem postworthy. Then, this blog will return to my usual rants about sports, culture, and sports. And technology.

Thanks for the nice comments, Geocousin!

Homestretch

Dateline--Las Cruces,NM

Just a few more hours...

...and we're home.

Some of the things I learned during this trip. Not all wireless networks are created equal. Free breakfast at hotels gets old after a few days. There's still no beating strong, good quality coffee.

And the New Mexican food in Las Cruces is still just as good as it ever was.

Once I return to the Geohouse, I will post more pics with some snark-laden commentary.

Big Tex and Big D

Dateline--Dallas, TX

Just a short entry for today. The entire family went to the Texas State Fair (a first for your Arizona pundit, even though he was born and lived much of his childhood in the Lone Star State).

A relaxing, refreshing, and rejuvenating drive from Houston to Dallas yesterday. The top picture was taken near Huntsville. Stopped there with the intent of enjoying small-town barbecue, but alas the place I found online was closed on Mondays. However, in the "life's not all bad" department, this same business offers a hamburger joint adjacent to its BBQ restaurant, so we did enjoy wonderful burgers that put any of the fast-food outlets to shame.

Geogal showed mercy on me and found a BBQ place near our hotel in Addison, Texas. Spring Creek Barbecue. A larger, urban operation, but it served its purpose. Good meat, although pork was curiously absent from their menu.

I'll share more thoughts about the Dallas area in subsequent postings. In the meantime, the fair activities tired all of us out. Hasta manana.

My suburbia can beat up your suburbia

In the interest of keeping my health and well-being intact, I will make no disparaging comments about members of my family of origin. Why? I'm surrounded by them presently, and will be until tomorrow morning.

But seriously, this visit is mighty good, and I have no beef about which to vent. It probably takes a visit to Southeast Texas to refresh my appreciation for living in the Arizona desert (dry heat!). And I am using my accrued knowledge to remind myself that a visit to Houston does not have to lead to pathos (not EVERY time, at least).

The entire reason for this trip was to be present to celebrate a milestone birthday for my mother (the exact age will not be posted here). Today's picture is indicative of the classy nature of this party (took place last night) and everything went off without a hitch. Which is no small statement considering the presence of two small children amongst pricey china and Waterford crystal.

Onto other subjects: Namely, the title of this entry. In preparation for the festivities, Geogal and I (and numerous other family members) made frequent trips to the local grocery store. Grocery store. Something of a misnomer in this case. I've been in Wal-Marts that are smaller than this place.

(pause--Geoana slammed her fingers in a door and is wailing. Must go now)

I'm back, Geoana is OK, just one of those childhood occurrences (although they are known to happen to adults, which is when they are more painful and embarrassing).

Where was I? Right, starting my rant about really really large grocery stores. I believe the correct term is "Big Box," at least that's how they're known in AZ. This one, though, I think, is representative of how grocers are reinventing themselves for the suburban shoppers. I don't mind a large selection of items, but different kiosks with store employees wearing the Garth Brooks-in-concert microphone giving pointers on how to correctly cook this or that? Numerous other businesses offering their wares or services in the front of the registers? It seems to me this is better limited to the aforementioned Arkansas-based mega-retailer

Perhaps I should not be so quick to criticize. After all, this was just my first experience with this type of a grocer-retailer and they apparently don't exist in my corner of the world. Yet. But I am certain this is not the first Really Really Huge HEB store in Texas and this might just be another indicator of what suburban life is becoming. More offerings, bigger store footprints, more businesses under one roof. Soon these stores will offer more square footage than the larger Las Vegas casinos.

But overall, is there anything wrong with this? After all, the consumer is getting what they want. However, will these places lose the personal touch? Even though I know it's fake, I still like it when the employees of my nearby Safeway still take time to greet me and ask me if I'm finding everything OK. I guess I should enjoy it while it lasts.

Maybe I just need to spend more time in the rural areas to remind me that suburban living is really not so bad.

Two more shots

Just outside of Las Cruces, NM. The old stomping grounds, as both Geogal and I have degrees from New Mexico State Cow College.

This is a rest area, with the sweet smell of creosote. I had seen the roadrunner sculpture from far away, but had never really taken a close look.

Sure enough, it was made out of garbage!

Pictures as promised

Pics from a service station in Deming. Yes, a service station, not a gas station. The guy actually gave me the full service (which involves him pumping the gas and washing the windshield--these are actions I have not seen since childhood).

I take that back. I have visited Oregon, where it apparently is the law that a professional has to gas up your vehicle.

Geogal took a look at the pumps and had a similar flashback.

How occupied was I? Busy enough to not notice the Blazer for sale (?) in the second picture. Would have given it a quick look had I known.

For the reader, how long has it been since you saw a "Master Charge" (sted Card) sign?

If it wasn't for the gas prices, one might think we did a Marty McFly back to 1978.

18 Wheelers, pump jacks, and local color

Dateline--Ozona, TX

Not the greatest wi-fi connection at the Deming hotel, that explains the double posting from this morning. We are staying tonight at a Best Western, which seems to have a far superior wireless signal.

The search for true, unbleached, cracked-from-the-unforgiving-sun Texas has begun. Found some of it at Chuy's Restaurant in Van Horn. Pretty good Mexican food along with sports-related items that canot be called kitsch, because this is a male-dominated eatery. Word has it that John Madden stops and eats there at least once during the football season. The owners of this West Texas restaurant aren't hesitant to mention this, and use Madden's name and likeness in much of their marketing.

The rice is really good. (And the rest of the meal wasn't bad, either. But that side item was definitely the standout.) We knew this was worth a blog mention as Geogal ordered her salad with the dressing on the side (which is her standard procedure, as to avoid salads that are more dressing than greens). The dressing came on the side. The bottle, that is. Not a generic restaurant-grade salad dressing bottle, either. A bottle of HIdden Valley Ranch, label and everything. The same bottle that occupies your grocer's shelf.

You just won't see that in Scottsdale.

The evening meal was sufficient, but not outstanding. I ordered chicken-fried-steak, shared it with Geogal. The crust on the meat was nicely flavored, but the cream gravy had never been introduced to pan drippings. The result? Let's just say paste has more flavor. So, the search continues...

Pictures in the next post. (Wait till the A.M.)

Rock and roll!

Dateline--Deming, NM

A good morning indeed!

Regarding my entry from yesterday, it didn't even take a whole 30 minutes. Just after writing that, I got back to packing and organizing and soon realized I was finished. Finished in the good way!

Geogal got home earlier than expected, and loading took little time. So, in about 10 minutes I felt de-stressed. It's nice to enjoy the drive.

So, on to some pictures. Due to the time we left Chandler, we drove through Texas Canyon just prior to sunset. It was one of those "happy happenstances," in which picture-taking conditions were almost perfect. I am no aspiring photographer, but I am aware that sunrise and sunset are excellent times to get out the camera, due to the angle of the sunlight on God's creation.

So...I asked Geogal to take some shots while we were moving. Geoana had conked out in the back seat, and we didn't feel like stopping at the rest area in the midst of this rock garden. So, enjoy these pics. I promise more tomorrow, as we anticipate totally during daylight hours.

Rock and roll!

Dateline--Deming, NM

A good morning indeed!

Regarding my entry from yesterday, it didn't even take a whole 30 minutes. Just after writing that, I got back to packing and organizing and soon realized I was finished. Finished in the good way!

Geogal got home earlier than expected, and loading took little time. So, in about 10 minutes I felt de-stressed. It's nice to enjoy the drive.

So, on to some pictures. Due to the time we left Chandler, we drove through Texas Canyon just prior to sunset. It was one of those "happy happenstances," in which picture-taking conditions were almost perfect. I am no aspiring photographer, but I am aware that sunrise and sunset are excellent times to get out the camera, due to the angle of the sunlight on God's creation.

So...I asked Geogal to take some shots while we were moving. Geoana had conked out in the back seat, and we didn't feel like stopping at the rest area in the midst of this rock garden. So, enjoy these pics. I promise more tomorrow, as we anticipate totally during daylight hours.

Countdown

Just 30 minutes, that's all it takes.

30 minutes.

No, I'm not talking about a pill, although this does involve some pain relief.

Most of you will agree with me that the hours just prior to leaving on a trip lasting more than a day are the hours that tick by the fastest.

Gotta get this packed. Gotta make sure we have this on hand. Gotta remember to unplug nearly everything at home. And continually remind myself to not forget ANYTHING!

All of this, even though my family and I are on no real time schedule for departure. (Hey, we're not catching a plane or anything!) But still, the stress befalls me even though I have been doing this routine a few times a year for the past 20 years.

However, there is a sure-fire cure for everything aforementioned. Just get on the road. Get on with it.

For me, about 30 minutes on the road and I become a new man. More relaxed, very euthymic. All of the pre-trip stress is over.

So I just keep reminding myself: "30 minutes, 30 minutes. That's all it takes."

Cue the James Bond Theme, with steel guitar, please

The Big Trip is getting closer.

By a stroke of luck (actually, it was more Geogal's foresight to ask), we are borrowing a minivan for this particular sojourn. A nice one. A very late-model Chrysler Town and Country with some nice features (such as a built-in DVD player).

The in-laws brought it over yesterday to explain how some of the features worked. I had to resist all my urges to clown around with the gadgets on board while speaking in a British accent. (In my mind's ear, the male owner of this vehicle was sounding like Q, with numerous interjections to "pay attention, 007" while he explained how this latest miracle of spy-must-have technology was achieved by years of painstaking work from all members of Q Branch. Of course, that meant I would return it from the field severely damaged, if I even returned it at all. Maybe I'd just better stay in the real world.)

For numerous reasons, I am looking ahead to this journey with great anticipation. A wonderful vehicle, satellite radio from both providers, on-board DVD player with wireless headphones, plus our normal collection of ease the trip luxuries such as iPods, the portable DVD player, and the challenge I issued to myself to photoblog the entire spectacle.

But the excitement about what is ahead is more than the above. I am returning to an area of Texas I have not visited for years and am hopeful that I can share some recollections of my childhood years with my wife and daughter, neither of whom have much Texas visit time logged onto their brains. Driving through the verdant Hill Country; following the Colorado River from Austin to Columbus, eating at small-town establishments where chicken-fried-steak is the house specialty; seeing how many BBQ joints we can point out; huge oak trees; and sharing with them what has changed in these many years, and what has stayed the same.

That, and I promise Geogal and Geoana that I will not listen to too much country music along the way.

the best laid plans....

Further adventures with the new toy.

First, decided to get the Apple Airport Express to create a wireless network in the house. It worked perfectly, save for the fact it is not a router. Which meant we still could have only one computer on the Internet at a time. (For those of you who are scratching their heads, we have a Wintel PC and the new MacBook. Therefore the PC is not wireless, unless I wanted to splurge for a wireless card which isn't going to happen...)

Easy enough solution, right? Pack up the Express, return to the Apple Store, get a refund and buy an Airport Extreme, which IS a router.

Except they were sold out of the Extreme and would not have more in stock until October.

The MacBook is still without a wireless connection, unless I want to be a dishonest, law-breaking Bad Person and use one of the neighbor's wireless network that they left unsecured. Nope, won't be doing that.

I'll just wait, as I, and the rest of the Geo family, will be on the road in a few days.

But I'll bring the MacBook, and an Ethernet cable to boot, to take advantage of the hotel's Internet options. And one of my projects today will involve seeing how well my digital camera will talk to the MacBook.

Maybe I will do some blogging (with pictures!) while on the road.

Monday thoughts and celebration

Why the celebration? I got a new toy!

A MacBook, to be precise. This is my first notebook computer in 10 years, and to say I'm thrilled with it would be a vast understatement.

Of course, the Mac OS X Tiger is a more sophisticated operating system then the ones used on the Macs during my college years (I was a fixture at NMSU's Mac lab during 1989 and 1990). The learning curve is a bit more steep than what I expected, but overall, it's areally awesome machine. Nice screen, too.

Just got it hooked up to the Internet this morning, and I'll have to scrape up about 70 dollars to get the Geohouse a wireless router for the cable modem. That's OK, I can wait a bit.

I will end this post now, as I'm still unsure about the current wireless connection.

Monday thoughts and celebration

Why the celebration? I got a new toy!

A MacBook, to be precise. This is my first notebook computer in 10 years, and to say I'm thrilled with it would be a vast understatement.

Of course, the Mac OS X Tiger is a more sophisticated operating system then the ones used on the Macs during my college years (I was a fixture at NMSU's Mac lab during 1989 and 1990). The learning curve is a bit more steep than what I expected, but overall, it's areally awesome machine. Nice screen, too.

Just got it hooked up to the Internet this morning, and I'll have to scrape up about 70 dollars to get the Geohouse a wireless router for the cable modem. That's OK, I can wait a bit.

I will end this post now, as I'm still unsure about the current wireless connection.

Bring it on!

Enjoyed most of the football I saw over the weekend. This, despite many of the games being the big school playing the smaller, weaker, sometimes Division II institution. For many squads, the REAL games begin this coming weekend. Ohio State visiting Texas will be interesting.

Speaking of the Longhorns, regardless of how they play this season, you must give them credit for having a starting quarterback with the name of Colt McCoy. I don't think central casting could have created a better name for a Texas QB.

Go Aggies (the NMSU variety), Cowboys, Cardinals, Longhorns, and anyone playing USC!