Return trip

I'm back in Kansas now. Currently I am in a blissful state of relaxation. The trip is over. I have more time to myself when I'm not working (a mixed blessing). I'm getting my body clock readjusted to Central Time (versus Pacific).

I hear the birds outside and I have some Seattle's Best brewing in the Krups. Life is OK right now.

The plane ride back to Denver was pleasant. Not too full, just about right. The way a Sunday morning flight should be. Not like this. I got to the airport much earlier this time, got the bag checked and cleared security in under 10 minutes.

The rest of the time I spent browsing the Internet and sipping a Starbucks. (About as close to an urbanite as I will be.)

Flight is smooth, nary a bump. Get off plane, call wife, stop at Seattle's Best for another refreshing dose of hot bean juice. Walk casually over to the baggage claim, my suitcase is already on the carousel. Retrieve it, walk out to the curb, and the shuttle bus arrives almost as if on cue.

Does it get any more effortless than that?

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Walking through the Denver airport I begin thinking about one of the many transitions taking place currently. For the past nine years, Sky Harbor has been our jumping-off point and arrival destination for numerous trips (even more for Geogal since she does travel occasionally for her work). Sojourns to Texas, Hawaii, Oregon, Alaska, Illinois, Georgia, Louisiana, and yes, Colorado.

Time to say goodbye to PHX. I have a feeling that Denver International will be the airport of choice for the most part, unless we are flying east. Then we might opt for Kansas City.

Now we will have to be concerned with snow and ice. It's easy to forget just how spoiled one can be after living in the Arizona desert for so long.

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I tend to have a stiff neck once I get off a plane.

I can't help it. I have such an interest in geography that it's nearly impossible for me to fly and not look out the window constantly to orient myself. Of course, if it's nighttime, if there are heavy clouds, or if we are over water than that's a different story. But for the most part my air travel happens in the southwest. Just yesterday I could pick out the San Francisco Peaks, Winslow, Shiprock, Farmington, Durango, and the distant skyscrapers of downtown Denver
--then I knew we were getting close. Until we turn due north and stay in that direction for some time. (At one point I thought we would be landing in Cheyenne--then the plane turned 180 degrees and I knew we were approaching DIA from the north.)

That is one thing I always will enjoy about air travel. Seeing God's creation from 38,000 feet is sometimes a vista of true beauty. Particularly when one flies over the Rockies and the snow-covered terrain looks so unspoiled.

Sometimes it's almost a shame to be back on the ground and in freeway traffic.

Closure

Took the keys off my keychain.

Packing, getting ready to catch the plane in the morning.

One last opportunity to catch some Arizona rays with Geogal. Sit by pool, sit in spa. Return home feeling slightly warm.

This morning, Geogal is quiet, moody. I ask what is wrong. Her answer: "I just want this house empty and the check in my hand."

Ah, moving.

I'm headed back to Kansas. But Geogal and little Geoana don't come with me. Not this time.

But soon....

Already getting the new owner's mail in the box. That's a good sign things are moving forward, according to our agent.

I'll be heading back to my lonely (when I'm not at work) state, but this time I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

June 17. Got a countdown going.

But for tonight I spend my last night in this house. Tomorrow I leave it forever.

Goodbye, land of the Sonoran Desert, hello High Plains.

A Happy Wait

Here I am at DIA, killing some time before the flight.

Scratch that, I'm not killing time, I'm just making some 21st Century use of it.

The last time I was here I had difficulty getting onto the airport's free wifi. (Difficulty? I couldn't get on at all!)

No problem this time. I wonder if they were just having some technical problems some weeks ago. Anyhoo, being able to be online and listen to my iTunes makes the wait go smooth. Plus, I have a book at the ready for when I board the jet. (I don't listen to the iPod in the air anymore. Not until I invest in some noise-cancelling headphones.)

My five-hour-300-mile drive this morning wasn't bad. Sure beats the last time where I was battling gale-force wind and frigid temps, all while trying not to stare at the snowdrifts on the side of the interstate. And trying to put the sight of an 18-wheeler on its side near Goodland out of my mind.

I started early. Really early. Dark early. Didn't encounter any other vehicles for the first hour or so (save for one big rig). In that part of Kansas I learned that if one drives at an early hour, beware of deer. I saw several, fortunately none of them decided to run out in front of me.

I also learned other things on this venture. Colby is a good place to eat breakfast. A few weeks can make a real difference in the weather (see two paragraphs above). Coffee is still my best friend in the morning. And it's easy to dissociate on the stretch of I-70 between Burlington and Limon.

No kidding. I was rather out of it. Maybe my lack of sleep catching up with me. Nappy time! No! No! Not behind the wheel! Save it for later, Geoguy, when you're buckled into your Southwest Airlines seat. Maybe the drone of the engines will put me out.

Obviously I kept my state of alertness at the normal level. However that truck stop coffee, courtesy of the Flying J in Limon helped restore my mood and energy.

That's all for now. Time to wrap this up and surf some other sites. Next post will be from sunny Arizona.

Verdant

I'm eating in a local restaurant this evening. I look out the window, and holy moley!

I see green. Lots of it.

(Not that kind of green.)

This is the part of town close to Prairie Dog Creek. Last time I was over here the trees were bare and gray. Not now. Spring is doing its thing.

As a former desert dweller the greenery is still a novelty to me. Never mind, I'm getting the camera. Now I'll stop the narrative and just let the pictures do the telling.

Igniting an ancient desire

I won't make any argument about the effect of environment and culture on a person.

Take me, for example. For years I joked about how I could never hunt. Not that I had any "sissy-man" objection to killing animals. Rather, it was me making fun of my inherited tremors which result in my hands shaking almost constantly. Made exponentially worse by my caffeine intake at any given time. Taking the humor to its logical conclusion I always would comment about my clumsy nature combined with being unable to hold anything steady meant I should never even get near a firearm.

But wait. Now I'm in northwest Kansas, noted for its abundance of pheasant.

And Geodad already has said I am welcome to have his shotgun.

Do I see myself decked out in camouflage this fall?

Most likely yes.

What's fueling this desire to aim birdshot in the direction of fowl is not only the effect of encountering numerous guys (and no doubt some women, too) who hunt the birds but also having no family life at present. This leaves me no real social options during the evenings, so I've been watching the idiot box. Although I cannot stand just about all of the major network programming I do have some cable channels from which to choose. The Outdoor Channel offers a huge selection of hunting programs.

Jeff Foxworthy has a routine about watching fishing shows. Hunting shows are almost as mesmerizing.

Of course, one thing I learn from these shows is that to be a hunter one must have a lot of patience. Given my restless and borderline-hyperactive nature I'll have a tough time waiting, but I think the outdoors experience might just make up for the lengthy inaction.

We'll see. Come fall I might just have a post about bagging a pheasant. I hear they are good eatin'.

Over the Sunday morning coffee

For the past few weeks I've been jotting down different things regarding my transition to small-town life.

And it's small-town life in a small town that a colleague of mine described as "five hours from anywhere."

Since I arrived here in late March, the most-often question I am asked by the folks from Arizona way is: "How is life in that little town?" Often followed by: "How's the weather?" (Answer--right now it is at the freezing mark, with a wind chill of 24 degrees. But the sky is beautiful clear, and it's supposed to hit the mid-70s today.)

I decided now is as good a time as any to provide the answer. I got up early this a.m., did some laundry, and am now enjoying a cup of coffee while a turkey hunting show is on the Versus channel. (I'll blog more about this subject in a different entry.)

My adjustment to this way of life continues to develop. From area-wide power outages that are caused by raccoons (according to the local paper) to church bells that toll hymns at a certain time of day, going from an urban area to a town of 3,000 is, in a word, interesting.

There is a lot of check-writing here. Geogal and I moved away from using the checkbook save for mailing off bill payments several years ago. Folks around here even write checks at restaurants. As for us, we will stick to cash and the debit card.

TV weather forecasters in Kansas use the term "east (or west) of the turnpike." Regarding severe weather so far I've drawn the long straw, as the eastern part of the state seems to have more alerts, warnings, and get-to-shelter admonishments. Some of the locals also tell me that the eastern half of Kansas tends to have more tornadoes then these parts. However the possibility of twisters still is evident. Just about all houses have basements and I already have been through my first tornado watch. (Turns out the thing hit about 35 miles south of here.)

Relaxing and reading the newspaper? Forget it. Remember when I wondered about which papers may circulate out here? Turns out none of those do. The daily periodical most available is the Salina Journal, which is not anywhere close to a thick or loaded paper. The only big-city one around here is the Omaha World-Herald, which varies in its availability (sometimes those vending machines are stocked, sometimes they're not). Speaking of which, these two only come in the racks that require change, so if all you have is the green currency you won't have newsprint on your fingers.

There are no "Ron Paul for President" signs around here. They were friggin' near ubiquitous in the Phoenix area.

You wave at people when you drive. Doesn't matter if you know them or not. And since I drive a pickup, if I encounter a truck with a male behind the wheel, that's an automatic two or three-finger wave.

On the highways, Kansas drivers tend to wave back more than the folks in Nebraska or Colorado.

That's all for now. To sum it up, I want to buy the Little Big Town song "Boondocks" from iTunes. Once you hear the lyrics, you'll understand the culture here just a little better.

Freezing and sweating

Question: When you are looking at your local area radar map on The Weather Channel site, how do you react when you see a large area in blue, and blue is not on their color key?

That actually happened yesterday afternoon. It wasn't far from quitting time and unpleasant meteorological conditions abounded outside. I checked the Weather Channel's site to glance at the local conditions. Let's see, according to the color key shades of green indicate rain, pink to red is any mixture of rain, sleet, and snow (translation: ice), and snow is represented by gray scales.

Just to our west, and headed in the direction of Norton, was a large area of...blue!

Did this signify the Apocalypse?

Turns out no, it in fact was snow. Apparently the nerds manning TWC's Net deal neglected to update that particular map. This was confirmed by a later check of the radar, with blue clearly explained.

Oh well. Still makes for a humorous blog entry. Not too much else was funny about last night. I saw plenty of the white stuff falling from the sky yesterday evening, but it was a wet and quick-moving weather system, so there was no snow accumulation. No snow-covered truck picture this time. However, the weather service still felt it necessary to issue a snow and blowing snow advisory. And the wind WAS wicked. I think the wind chill temp was down in the 20s. (I can still hear my colleagues saying: "Welcome to Kansas, Geoguy!" while they grin.)

At least I wasn't driving to the Denver airport.

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I'm taking care of myself. I just joined a (pause), a......hmmmm.

How do you describe it? It's not a full-fledged gym, not really a health club. Just a small business where I can utilize their exercise machines, free weights, etc.

The small-town version of a fitness club.

And don't misunderstand me. I'm glad it's here. Both Geogal and I were aware of the lack of a YMCA in a town this size. But at least there's someplace to work out.

And since I returned to a regular exercise regimen, my mind and body are thanking me.

Slowly, I am creeping back to normality after a major life upheaval.

More wandering

I didn't post about my sojourn to Salina, Kansas, mainly because there's just not much to say. I enjoyed the drive! And the topography of central Kansas reminds me a lot of the area of Texas from where my family hails (San Antonio-Austin).

Come to think of it, those places are about the same longitude.

Yesterday I took another lengthy drive, this time into the Only State In The Nation With A Unicameral Legislature. I chose to take the long way to Grand Island, taking U.S. 36 all the way past Smith Center before turning north. Why this route? Two reasons.

One, this was the only direction out of Norton to which I had not yet driven. The highways that approach town from the west, south, and north are now familiar to me. Two, there was something along this route I wanted to visit.

What was it? Click here for the answer.

After I crossed into the Cornhusker State, I noticed an increase in the vegetation and wildlife. Case in point: I was driving along at a reasonable speed and noticed something a little unusual on the right side of the highway.

A wild turkey. He (or she) didn't seem to mind me much.

Immediately afterward, I cross the Republican River and see two deer just right of the highway bridge. Unlike the gobbler, they saw me and made a run for it further down the riverbank.

No wonder so many folks around here enjoy hunting. Hope I get my chance this fall.

Filling in the gaps

Yes, I know it's been over a week since I last posted.

Update: My trip to Chandler was wonderful, albeit a bit short. Sunday morning found Geogal driving me back to the airport. Ever since Southwest Airlines developed their "board by number" regimen I have not felt the urgency to get to the airport way early in order to stake out my place in the "A" line. So I had my two favorite gals accompany me to Sky Harbor.

Pull up to the airport. No problem. After all, it's Sunday morning! Slow time for the airport.

Guess again.

I got suspicious when there seemed to be a whole lot of vehicles at the drop-off area. We finally make our way to the area where I will need to exit. I say my goodbyes, grab my bags, and ignore the long line of folks at the skycap check-in. After all, I'm handling my own bag, it's just one suitcase, no need to do this at the curb.

I head inside the terminal to the baggage check area.

And I nearly defecate a building material.

People everywhere. Southwest's baggage check line is one of the longest I've seen. While it moves along at a good pace I still end up checking my baggage after the 45 minute window before boarding has passed. I see my suitcase get tagged with a yellow "Late Check In" tag, almost as if its a modern-day scarlet letter.

OK, that's done. Wait, I still have to go through security.

I run, yes run, to my gate area, see the long line of people awaiting the indignity to fight terrorism. Heart sinks. Time is passing, and this line ain't moving too fast.

Trudge along. Where did all these people come from? Am I in some weird time warp worthy of the Sci Fi Channel, where it is now actually Monday morning?

No. I strike up a conversation with the fellow in front of me. Turns out there was a NASCAR race at Phoenix International Raceway the day before and now everyone is trying to get home, back East.

The line still isn't moving at a good clip. I am nearly in panic mode. I've never missed a plane before. Haven't even come close. Today might make up for all that. I think of the serenity prayer used by those in 12-Step groups. While I am not a recovering alcoholic or drug addict, the short discourse can be useful in almost any troublesome situation.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

I ask God for serenity, because I sure can't control or change this predicament.

Then He shows His mercy. A Southwest agent begins heading up the edge of the velvet rope, shouting my flight number. I show him my boarding pass, he lets me out of the line and points me to a different security checkpoint.

I get through in less than three minutes.

Then I run for the gate. (All of this airport running reminds me of those old Hertz commercials featuring O.J. Simpson.)

Wait, something's odd here. The gate number written on my ticket looks nearly deserted. I check the TV screen. It's not gate C18, it's C19!!

And they are already boarding.

Thanks to my "A" pass, I get into line in front of the B's and C's. (Hey, checking in early online has its advantages.) But before I head into the jetway I have to confirm this plane is heading to Denver. It is.

I snag a window seat. Cool. My heart rate and respiration are returning to normal. And before we leave the gate, I see another load of luggage ready for loading. I spot my suitcase, replete with that danged yellow tag.

It's on the plane. Now I really rest easy.

The remainder of my day is not noteworthy for anything. I rejoice upon seeing my truck in the long-term parking lot of DIA. It starts right up.

I really breathe easy. Call Geogal to tell her everything's OK.

I'm going back to my old habit of arriving at airports WAAY early for my flight. I can always read or listen to the iPod.

Home, feeling like a visitor

Yesterday morning started out cold, windy, wet, gray, with some snow.

This morning, temps in the 60's, forecast high will be upper 80's, maybe near 90.

That's what driving 300 miles and flying for two hours will get you.

I'm back home, sort of, in Chandler today. I won't go into detail here, but feeling like a guest in one's own home is incredibly surreal. Especially when you barely recognize the place.

One thought I will share: During the slow descent into Sky Harbor yesterday evening, I looked out the window and noticed a ribbon of highway, heavily traveled (headlights are easily visible, even at an altitude of over 20,000 feet).

I immediately identify it: The Beeline Highway. State Route 87, from Mesa to Payson.

That was the first leg of a journey to Kansas. The start of that trip seemed long, long ago. In actuality, it was a little over three weeks ago.

I must be really tired. Today will be a full day, but I have hope it will be restful as well.

Basketball-crazed

Driving around this northwest Kansas town, I notice many folks choose to proclaim their allegiance to their alma mater by some matter of front yard decoration. KU, Kansas State, and Nebraska all have their following here with a numerical edge to the KSU Wildcats.

But this weekend it seems everyone here is a Jayhawk.

Go Kansas!

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I posted a new photo-enhanced blog entry on my sister site. Click on "Breaking In The Truck."

I will do one more Arizona-themed posting with pics, then the blog will focus on Kansas living.

Time to make the changes

Yes, I changed the title (it's hard to comment on things Arizona when you've left the state).

Depending on when the urge hits me, I also will change the overall look of the blog. Evidently there are ways to make the thing more visually appealing. (For example, look at this one I found when I did a Web search to ensure no one else was using the Bucolic Blogger moniker.)

Everyone is asking me about adjusting to a small town, since I moved here from an urban area of over 3 million inhabitants.

The short answer is: "Mostly OK."

I'm not a sophisticated urbanite, not one who quaffs Starbucks products daily, not one who regularly attends symphonies or ballets, not one who is the first to try the latest bistro.

In other words, I am definitely not a male version of the "Sex and the City" characters.

So in that sense my arriving in this area is not jarring. In fact it seems even more fitting to listen to channel 62 on my Sirius radio (The Roadhouse). Classic country. This is one of my favorite presets on the Sirius tuner, but driving in Scottsdale and listening to Hank Williams always seemed an odd combination.

In fact, I didn't think this was possible, but I appear to be adjusting to the cold temps! I just have to remember to dress in layers and warm up my vehicle before heading out for the day. (Having a non-ending supply of coffee at work doesn't hurt either.)

One last thing of note: I have tried two different churches in the two weeks I have been here. Over this past week I had two colleagues point out they saw me at church last Sunday. Not only that, but two others recommended I try another church this coming Sunday. (Know this-- that previous sentence does not have a negative connotation despite how it's written.)

How cool is that?

I have to admit I do miss some things. I'll save that for another post. Time for chips and salsa!!

Darkness and catches

A few hours ago (about 3:50 a.m., Central Time, to be exact) I am in a halfway state between being awake and asleep. At that time of the morning that's not unusual for me. The fan is humming away (I like to sleep with white noise). Then silence.

A few moments, then I'm fully awake.

It's not only quiet, it's very dark.

Then my mind begins to function. Power outage!

Sure enough. The only source of light in my room comes from the "sleep status" light on my MacBook. Hmmm, I wonder what the view outside my window looks like? Is this a neighborhood thing or is the entire area affected?

Struggle to find my glasses in the dark (took a little time), then slowly and carefully walked to the window (took a little more time, but I didn't crash into anything).

It's dark out there! No moon (yet). The whole town is enveloped in blackness. Somewhat reminiscent of that scene from "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind." Even the red light on top of the water tower is out. The only things with power appear to be the transmission towers south of town, still blinking red.

Anyway, I'm now wide awake and in the dark. And it's cold. What to do now? How about grabbing the (battery-powered) radio and seeing what I can DX?

Let me explain. Trying to pull in distant stations on the AM dial has long been a hobby of mine. Yet I haven't engaged in this activity for many years, mainly due to my move into full adulthood which meant devoting my time to family activities and keeping a household functioning.

But for right now I'm alone in a new town. In an area of the country to which I am new. DX heaven! And having only two truly local signals on the dial is just icing on the cake.

So what do I hear? Some new signals, ones I haven't been able to get doing my early night DXing. Such as WJR from Detroit, plus some west coast signals: KNX, KFI, KNBR. And 620 KTAR, from my old stomping grounds.

Even though I've been listening to stations that I haven't been able to pick up since my days in Houston, I still have yet to catch a couple of "Holy Grail" signals here in western Kansas. One is actually any station from New York. Most likely I would pick up either WABC or WFAN, both nighttime powerhouses. But on 770 (WABC's frequency), I get KKOB from Albuquerque instead. WFAN operates on 660, but that spot on the dial just gives me garbled gibberish. WFAN and KTNN are probably duking it out. I have no hope of getting WCBS, another strong NYC station. You see, I am about 45 to 50 miles (as the crow flies) from the sticks of KRVN, the local blowtorch which operates on the 880 frequency--same as WCBS.

Why New York? Never have caught any of those stations in my many years of DXing. (It doesn't help that I haven't been east of the Mississippi River in over three decades.) I have heard stations from Los Angeles and Chicago, the other two major media markets, so NYC remains a goal for me.

The other desired capture for me would be CKLW from Windsor, Ontario. (Just across the river from Detroit.) Sadly when I tune my radio to 800, I hear XEROK from Ciudad Juarez rather than CKLW. What's significant about this station from the Great White North? A whole lot of history. See here. And listen here.

Speaking of radio, is our local station operating during this blackout? A quick check of both frequencies, and yes, the local AM/FM combo is on. Playing "American Pie." Yeeesh.

I'm glad there's other stuff out there.

What a first day!

I’m not sure of the altitude, but we’re zipping along in the sky.

Wait, scratch that, I just took a glance toward the cockpit, we’re at 18,000 feet.

And it’s my first day on the job.

So what’s the story?

No, I’m not taking flight lessons, nor am I flying commercial. (Pause. Stop writing and close up the computer. We're hitting some turbulence. I am glad Geogal is not here, she'd be freaking out.)

Resume writing. A day later. (Hard at work and exhausted on Monday night.)

I reported to work yesterday and before the afternoon was an hour old I was flying to Colorado with four of my new colleagues. I won't go into details about how all of this came about, let's just say I was in the right place at the right time.

And if Geodad is reading this, I learned the aircraft is a Beechcraft King Air B100.

So I am writing this as I sit in a Denver hotel. Hmmm, wasn't I just here (the city, not the hotel) less than a week ago? Yogi Berra said it best: "It's deja vu all over again."

My only gripe is that I didn't pack my camera. I could have gotten some great pics. (I watched the sun come up over the Colorado horizon this a.m.)

I needed a day of R & R

I meant to do a post yesterday but my body and mind had other ideas.

Yesterday afternoon I did something I haven't done for months--take an afternoon nap. A good move. I also got about 7 hours of sleep last night. That is a significant improvement over the past few nights.

I am enjoying my rested state. Today my wanderlust got the better of me and I headed for Kearney, Nebraska to do some shopping. I think the truck was so thankful to no longer have to pull that trailer that it didn't mind driving into a hard, cold wind.

Incidentally, anyone who thinks this area is flat and treeless has obviously never been here. The rolling prairie sometimes rolls into significant hills and trees abound among the creeks and ponds in the areas. Right now the trees are dormant but I bet in a few weeks they will be a nice shade of green.

Driving east from Denver was not difficult. Plus, it was good to be alone at last! I think my dad and I can probably only tolerate constantly being around each other for no more than two days. Since I had never driven east from Denver before, at least further east than the airport, the newness of the route kept my interest and attention.

Except that for the first few minutes of the "leaving Denver" drive I would look north and see the DIA control tower. A few minutes later, same thing. "Just how far east is the airport?" my inner voice asked. I had visions of being in Burlington (about 12 miles from the Kansas border), looking over my left shoulder, and still seeing the Denver airport!

I did lunch in Burlington. As I was leaving the Burger King, a couple of carloads of teenagers came in, engaging in such discussion as: "Are we still in Colorado?" I'll be glad when spring break is over.

A picture? Why not? How about the Great Platte River Road Archway just east of Kearney? If you saw "About Schmidt," this was where he stopped just before the end of the movie. I chose to not go in during this visit. I'll save that for when I take little Geoana there. She seems to enjoy American history and will love seeing this attraction.

The Big Trip, day three

Made it!

Yes, now I am in the Sunflower State. And I'm really tired. Bone-deep tired. So no detailed posting today. Just relaxation after three long days of driving.

See you tomorrow.

A vast improvement

Ahhh...that’s better.

50,000 times improved from last night.

Geodad and I get to Denver, are able to check in at the hotel with no problem. Their Internet connection works. Their exercise room, pool, and spa are all functional.

The going today also was less stressful than yesterday’s trip starter. You see, yesterday consisted of a LOT of hill-climbing. No problem when you have a decent vehicle. But when you add a large U-Haul trailer and hitch it to the back of your truck, things change. No more going 70 uphill. Try going 40 or even 35. Makes you feel like a big-rig trucker with a full trailer. Except when nearly all the 18-wheelers are passing you going uphill.

But for today, just a few tough hills, not many. Plus today’s route was all interstate which allowed for faster straightaway driving.

But enough about all that. Time for some pics. As alluded in the prior entry, these pictures are all in Colorado. There’s still some patches of snow on the ground, mainly in shady areas. But at one rest area there seemed to be an abundance of the refrozen white stuff. Take a look at one of the pics and you’ll see what appears to be the remnants of someone’s snowman. (Look at the upper portion of that picture for a view of my truck with the trailer attached.)

Two states down, one more to enter. Tomorrow will be the most interesting part of the drive, i.e. unfamiliar territory. Save for a portion of Arizona Highway 87 and Interstate 40 from Winslow to Holbrook, I have previously traveled the roads of this trek. Tomorrow that all changes. Tomorrow also means no significant hills!

The Big Trip, day one

To all readers who were expecting an entry yesterday (first day on the road-kind-of-thing), I apologize, although my Internet absence was not of my doing.

It seemed simple enough--check in at the already-reserved hotel. Nope. I walked through the door and was told there were no more rooms available. This, despite Geogal having made the reservations online several days in advance. No dice. Still nothing available. The guy at the front desk said it was an unforeseen issue handed down by management. Whatever.

Went to the next hotel over and was able to secure a room. But their key-card creator wasn’t working, therefore a staff person would need to let us into the room each time. Whatever.

I ask about the pool/hot tub area. The guy tells me those are “out of order.” Whatever.

Get into room, fire up the Macbook. No ‘Net. No wireless, the Ethernet connection also was dead. Whatever.

It’s already getting late into the evening. I’m tired. Geodad is tired. Walk over to Denny’s (it actually was a good meal), then return to the room, watch a little bit of the idiot box, then fall asleep.

I don’t think I’ll be overnighting in Bernalillo, NM again.

No photos for this entry. There just wasn’t much for me to snap on this leg of the trip. However, for the next set of prose I promise some pictures of beautiful Colorado snow-capped peaks.

Time to go eat then work out, to be followed by a dip in the spa.

No lazy Sunday here

Time’s getting shorter now.

Time to leave, that is. I start the great Kansas expedition in less than two days. For the past few days it seems I am doing nothing but saying goodbye, packing, and doing the few thousand other small things that a relocation requires. Add to this the reality that no matter how well I prepare I will definitely need something during the trip that will require a stop at a Target, Wal-Mart, or hardware store. But that’s OK, I can recognize the fact that this is 2008, not 1908. No covered wagon for this guy.

Some distantly-connected thoughts:

Geogal told me Kansas raises the best beef cattle in the country. This after downing a T-bone steak last night (gotta get in one last round of cooking dead animal over an open flame).

Thank you, Dave, for the great good-bye lunch at Fogo E Brasa. If you are a carnivore, this is your Shangri-La.

Today is Sunday. I wonder what Sunday paper I’ll be reading one week from today. The Kansas City Star? The Wichita Eagle? The Denver Post? Probably not the last one. Something to do with state lines.

The Madness is starting. My team didn’t close the deal last night. At least they played Boise State to three overtimes. Not too shabby, even in a loss.

I’m getting pumped about the road trip. A lot of preparation, but I think the effort will pay off well.

More to come....

Does that mean I can no longer be called Arizona Pundit??

NOTE TO READERS: The following was originally posted on March 1, 2008. I removed it quickly as this post dealt with news of relocating and job changes. At that time not everyone involved knew of these developments and both Geoguy and Geogal decided it was better to tell people ourselves rather than have them learn it from reading the blog.

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You see, I am moving to Kansas fairly soon.

The process leading up to a job offer that will require relocation to the Sunflower State has been the cause of my high stress (alluded to in my previous posting). And now that previous stress is replaced with a new variety of tension.

Yet I'm certain everything will work out OK. And I have to admit I am excited about the prospect of setting down roots in an entirely new place. (Since 1982, I have lived either in Arizona or New Mexico, and always in a desert clime.)

And don't anyone give me guff about Kansas being the middle of nowhere and not on anyone's radar scope. Case in point: I turned on ESPN this morning to catch up on the sports news. Where was College Gameday coming from this date?

Lawrence, Kansas.

Microfilm, magazines, and mucho calories

Today was one of those odd days where I had no work commitments. The Geohouse is also quiet, as Geogal and little Geoana are both in the Lone Star State while I hold down the fort.

So I decided to visit a place I have known of for years, but have never visited. The Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix. I admit it, I’m a nerd and the opportunity to look up some old newspaper and magazine articles proved too tempting.

I started with trying to look up a story from 1982. I was unsuccessful in finding it--if it was in the paper at all--I saw the item in one of the Wallace’s Book Of Lists (see I told you I was a nerd). While looking for the story in question, I noticed the ads. Lots of them, just as there are a lot in newspapers now.

What struck me is that just about all of the businesses are gone now. Some simply went out of business, others were taken over. This also was before Wal-Mart arrived in Arizona (that would not happen for another two to three years).

Then there are the gut-busters. Such as seeing how much electronic items cost in ’82. (Want to buy a stereo system with an 8-track player?) Or the ads for cars back in those days. Electronic items were so expensive, vehicles were so cheap.

I’m not nostalgic for those days, by the way. It wasn’t a good time of my life.

Anyhow, back to the ads. I did see some for Mecham Pontiac. One of the “Holy Grails” for my living in Arizona was to see a car with a decal or plate frame touting the fact it came from the dealership owned by a man who became governor, was impeached and removed from office, and passed away a few days ago.

However I (to this day) have never seen a “Mecham” Pontiac. Probably never will. Those cars don’t age well and I have no idea how long that dealership has been defunct.

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After my library visit, I went to the TexAz Grill for a chicken-fried-steak lunch (in honor of the rest of my family being in you-know-where).

I wasn’t hungry again until late into this evening. That includes an afternoon where I exercised and did some yard work. Let’s hear it for good Texas food!

Return quickly, my two favorite gals!

What's happening?

Way too much.

Stuff I won't get into here. I've been very busy of late and only this morning did I find some time to relax, peruse the Internet and catch up on my blog-reading. Now I'm doing my blog-writing.

The story about security being relaxed for Obama's appearance in Dallas is making the rounds this morning. Seemed to be a friendly crowd? Reminds me of a line from one of Geogal's favorite movies, "Miss Congeniality," delivered by Candice Bergen:

"The guy was carrying a gun? This is Texas! Everybody carries a gun. My florist carries a gun."

So, security folks, you might want to tighten things up next time. (Translation: Do your flippin' job!)

And don't mistake me for an Obama follower. I'm not. I just don't want any candidate to be shot at or otherwise endangered.

And speaking of which--This is truly the most interesting presidential race I've ever witnessed.

And why not? For the first time in my life, and since the 1952 race, there is neither an incumbent president nor a sitting vice president campaigning for the top job.

And barring some very bizzare turn of events, this will be the first time a member of the U.S. Senate will go straight to the Oval Office since John Kennedy did it in 1960 (again, before my time).

The times, they are still a-changin'.

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I did it.

I broke down.

A few days ago, I applied online to get one of those $40 digital TV converter box coupons from Uncle Sam.

Why? (After all, the two sets I have in my home are both connected to DirecTV.) Two reasons.

One, curiosity. Several of the channels in my area are multicasting, and I'm wanting to see what's on these subchannels. My DirecTV service carries practically all of the local channels, but none of the .2, .3, or .4 transmissions. I'm guessing the satellite and cable services will eventually have these channels available to their customers, but why not see them now? Plus, I want to see how clearly these over-the-air transmissions come across.

Second, backup. The DirecTV service is reliable. More so than cable, which is forever plagued by service outages. The only time I lose the satellite signal is during a heavy rainstorm, which doesn't happen often here in the arid southwest desert. But you never know what will happen in the future. What if DirecTV suffers a systemwide problem resulting in significant loss of signal? You never know.

So, I'll keep the readers posted. Geohouse continues to embrace new technology! (within a tight budget)

Clear direction

Every now and then I receive a clear and direct revelation.

For this past week, that piece of information is as follows: “Geoguy, you will never have a career in I.T.”

I know my way around computers well enough, but troubleshooting and repairing the devices demands more patience and fortitude than I possess.

For some reason, about a week and a half ago my Macbook started having problems with the wireless Internet connection. No problem with using an Ethernet cable to surf the Net, but the wireless had me baffled. Then I go to several discussion boards and realize the problem is likely due to an operating system update which seems to confuse the Airport card.

The next issue? There’s apparently no fix for this, yet. (Are you listening, Apple engineers???)

Turns out I’m not the only one who peruses these discussion boards. Today’s Lileks entry reveals he also is a lurker.

Anyhoo, I’m just about on my last nerve trying to figure out a fix that will be acceptable to the Geohouse. Keeping the router open (no password protection) isn’t palatable right now. But securing it with WPA locks out the Macbook.

Sigh.

I guess it’s goodbye to using the Macbook at the kitchen table for a while. (Are you reading this, Apple engineers???)

Let’s hope they’re reading and heeding this. After all the company is touting its latest product’s wireless Internet ability to perform nearly all tasks related to communication.

Imagine if this device has the same hardware/software problem. Yikes!

Yes, this is about The Game

I'll join in the post-Super-Bowl-comments. (Blogging does have its privileges!)

Yet I will not add my voice to the cacophony of those in the Valley of the Sun saying to the football and golf tourists: "The game and the tournament are over. Now get the hell out!"

Both the Super Bowl and the FBR Open took place far from my neighborhood. During last week my lifestyle was unaffected by the added people. I'm not a partier, never have been, so I stayed far away from Scottsdale watering holes.

So come again, spend your money here. The locals can use the boost to the economy.

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My two favorite commercials? The Bud Light "fire breathing" spot and the Diet Pepsi Max featuring Troy Aikman and Joe Buck. (Did you catch Aikman's deadpan expression right into the camera?)
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Brothers who are quarterbacks win Super Bowls in consecutive years.

And both are named MVP.

These two men are humble, family-oriented, and dedicated to their craft. They appear to both have a healthy sense of humor and are not afraid to laugh at themselves.

Neither one is caught up in the celebrity lifestyle. Nor are they ones to engage in assignation with actresses or supermodels.

I could go on, but you get the point.

Archie Manning, a person of whom I was unaware until Peyton Manning hit professional football, has my utmost respect as a person and a father.

Archie and Olivia obviously did something right.

Geoana's big night

So what’s been happening in the Geohouse lately?

More than the usual dreck. Last Tuesday, little Geoana went to her first concert. Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus, to be exact. Geoana attended courtesy of her uncle, who was able to score tickets, although not meet-and-greet passes. But going to the concert was good enough for all involved.

And I didn’t go, which was fine with me. The group that went included Geoana, Geogal (sans earplugs), and another mother-daughter combination with whom we are friends. And a good time was had by all.

Plus, the little one was able to show off her concert T-shirt the following day. Sigh. They grow up so fast.

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What did I do all that evening, at home alone? Cooked man food (red beans and rice) and watched a manly man movie (Apollo 13). And yes, the astronauts did make it back OK! (This is an inside-family joke, dear reader.)

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Our house seems to be one of bizzare DVD viewing coincidences involving death.

Christmas Day, 2006. One of my gifts was The Simpsons, Season Five DVD. I opened it and the first episode from the set I watched was “Bart’s Inner Child.” (Be like the boy!!!) One of the guest voices was James Brown. Either during, or just after viewing that episode, the news came over the wires of the death of “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business.”

Hmmmm.

Now, lets go back a couple of days. Geogal and I are watching our latest Netflix arrival, “I Love You, Alice B. Toklas.” (I’ll give you my opinion in a moment.) Shortly after the movie is over, Geogal is online and mentions the just-reported death of Christian Brando. Included in the obit was the mention that he had a small role in, you guessed it. ILY, ABT.

Double hmmmmmm.

The movie itself? If you haven’t seen it, don’t bother. I tried to look at it while noting its time and context and the flick still seems to be lacking. Does one “drop out,” or not?

Thank God I wasn’t a young adult in those days (1968). Hitting my 20’s during the 1980’s was weird enough.

Still, Geogal and I are using Netflix to watch several of the films of Peter Sellers. I’m sure we will end the Sellers track with “Being There.” His last film, and from what I’ve heard, his favorite.

Resolutions revisited

Turns out I did better than I initially thought.

For the three goals I listed on January 2, 2007, I achieved two of them. The third, going to Las Cruces in the fall for NMSU's homecoming game, was a matter due to lack of finances, not desire.

No matter. The Aggies play a homecoming game every year.

Goals for 2008? Sorry dear reader, those are for the private use of Geohouse only, not to be shared with the general public.

OK, I will share one. Have written, posted goals (like on the refrigerator or mirror) for this year. Keep them in the forefront of the mind. Let's see how well that works. I'll let you know in January 2009.

The digital world slowly approaches

Yes, this blog has been quiet. But I haven’t gone anywhere. Just keeping busy and musing.

For example, I recently flicked on my bedroom TV to just the antenna and noticed one of the low-power channels was out.

A visit to the Internet told me the station is not out, it just flash-cut that signal to digital.

Since this is one of the local channels available via my DirecTV satellite dish, this move from analog to digital really doesn’t affect my viewing. Still, snow on analog channel 27 is indicative of a change about to head our way.

A BIG change.

If you have any interest in consumer technology or you are just one of those nerds (like me) who enjoy reading about the latest in broadcasting, you no doubt are aware of the big switchover to digital television come February 17, 2009. For the layperson, it means your way of viewing over-the-air TV will permanently change.

The reason there is not a huge panic about this is because people who receive their TV via cable or satellite dish will not be affected. This, of course, is the majority of U.S. TV viewers. As I noted earlier, the now-digital-only signal for KAZT-CA is a non-issue, as I can still watch the station over DirecTV even though I only own analog TV sets. (A flat-paneled LCD or plasma TV is way down the road for the Geohouse.)

However there is still a part of me that will mourn the loss of the old analog signals.

I recall the thrill of seeing out-of-area channels when I was a kid (an early indicator of my budding nerdiness). This excitement lasted well into my adulthood, when I lived in Casa Grande, watching KNAZ, Channel 2 from Flagstaff fade in and out through snow, courtesy of my rooftop antenna. One day KNAZ faded out completely and a station from Spokane, Washington (KREM-TV) appeared. Nirvana!

With digital, such things just won’t happen. And it’s not limited to TV. I also engage in radio DXing (again, just more evidence that I am a true nerd). The word around the DX hobby world is how HD radio is interfering and affecting one’s ability to DX other AM stations due to the “bleeding” into adjacent frequencies the HD signal causes.

(If you didn’t understand that last sentence, don’t worry. It’s not important to the world at large.)

So, I am aware that I am seeing the end of an era. And soon, my set channels in both TV’s (always set those channels in case the satellite signal goes out): 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 27, 45, 51, and 61 will all show snow in a little over a year.

Yet with the digital switchover headed our way, I can’t help but anticipate the advantages of the digital channels, namely multiplexing and HDTV. Interesting times are still to come. Plus, I have to wonder which of our local stations will rebrand themselves due to a channel change. (Channels 52-69 will be vacated, as will channels 2-6.)

“CBS 5” becomes “CBS 17?” Or CW 6 becoming “CW 49?” We’ll see. (The latter is not likely, the former more so.)

Meanwhile it seems the big box retailers need to step up and help educate the public about the switch. This article was interesting. You would think a company such as Best Buy would want to rise to the challenge.

But that’s big business for you. (“What? Educating the customer? That cuts into our profit margin!”)

Monday, Monday

...but I'm surprisingly not melancholy!

Not even with a Cowboys season-ending loss.

Let's just get the post-mortem going, OK media hacks. No doubt Tony Romo will be castigated repeatedly for the Mexico trip with Jessica Simpson. My take? That's just a red herring.

Face it, Romo still needs to grow in his role and learn from experience. The Giants were able to pressure him nearly all the second half, and his attempts to hang onto the ball while being chased rather than chucking it toward the sidelines further magnifies Romo's inexperience. Then we see Romo tossing the ball out of bounds while still in the tackle box, resulting in an intentional grounding penalty. Sigh.

How about we give Romo a chance to grow into the job, OK? He may surprise us yet.
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Did you catch NBC's alleged Golden Globe awards announcement telecast? Geogal and I tuned in for a few minutes to see how horrid it could be. Kind of like every instinct telling you not to look when you pass a car accident, yet you look anyway.

Oh, the humanity! I'm curious where this travesty will rank in the week's ratings.

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I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to Sunday's Packers-Giants game. Think the football gods will bestow another snowstorm on the frozen tundra?

And yes, it is a New year!

Just enjoying some leisure time. That’s a summation of my life over the past week and a half.

And I’m OK with that.

With the benefit of hindsight, I have to wonder how we made it through the days that led up to Xmas. Considering I was working nearly 40 hours a week (Geogal was working 40 and then some), plus the additional stresses of little Geoana performing in two musicals, preparing two dishes for a company holiday pot-luck, swimming lessons for Geoana, ensuring we were prepared for the Christmas meal, and sending off the gifts for nieces and nephews, it’s a wonder we’re still sane.

Not to mention when the workday ended the evening of December 21, I still had not started my gift shopping. (Cue the high-stress music now.)

We can thank a merciful God.

So I do not feel guilty due to spending the past few days relaxing in front of the idiot box watching bowl games. Or for sleeping in slightly for a few days.

I’ve earned it. So has the whole family. And, the adults in the house did return to work during the last two days.

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Speaking of being leisurely, Geogal and I spent the past Sunday afternoon watching various programs that were accumulated on the DVR (just DirecTV’s version of TiVo). Just call it a “Torchwood” mini-marathon. And yes, I have admitted on this blog before that I am officially a Torchwood fanatic. For those of you who haven’t seen it or are not aware of its existence, just think X-Files, Doctor Who, Mission Impossible, and various soap opera elements all rolled into one. Who cares about a writer’s strike? They do have TV writers across the pond, you know.


Now, an unpleasant task. Review my New Year’s resolutions for 2007 and see just how well I did, or how badly I missed the mark. My material for 2007 is already out there for the world to see. Just give me a little time to review...

After many months, a solution?

Reading James Lileks’ blog today I took note of his recent visit to Las Vegas, complete with photos.

The pics engaged my brain into a recall of this past March.

If you’ve forgotten, here is an entry that states clearly that this was not the best out-of-town trip I have ever had.

Maybe now is the time to truly process what went on for me there, and why I had such a substantial case of the blues.

Findings? Several.

First, unmet expectations.

I recall planning the trip then ruminating during the drive there about how it would be grand to watch the NCAA selection show in a sportsbook. Now, I don’t need to say much more about this as previous blog entries detailed the subject. I think I also was looking forward to sunning by the pool (one of several at Caesar’s Palace) and relaxing with Geogal at my side. Combine all this with being able to enjoy the leisurely pace of Vegas and taking in the offerings of the hotel, and I would be in a state of euphoria.

Ha.

I did catch some rays by the pool one afternoon. A crowded pool. Almost wall-to-wall humans. And I quaffed a non-alcoholic smoothie which set me back $12 (see number three below). Was this a privilege? To barely be able to find a chaise lounge and have to pay through the nose for a drink that would cost me around three dollars at Jamba Juice?

Plus, I forgot just how much walking around crowds of people is a part of being in one of the larger Vegas hotel/casinos.

Second, too much isolation and alone time.

I’m sure some of you know the meaning when I say I can feel very alone in a crowd of people. I am not energized by a gaggle of humans, particularly when they are drinking, being boorish, and overtly selfish. “Nuff said.

But since Geogal was away at her professional gathering most of the days (and evenings), I was alone. Isolated. Cut off. Not around my loved ones or friends. Not good for my introverted self. And being able to connect to the Internet (another daily charge by the hotel--see number three below) does not make up for face-to-face interaction.

And I was away from my child during this time. I’ve been away from her before, but when you’re lonesome or need an uplift, there’s nothing better than playing with your own kid.

Coming in at number three, the green stuff. No, I’m not talking of gambling losses (though I did burn up a dollar in the slot machines). Rather, I felt as if I was nickeled-and-dimed to death in Sin City. Want a beer at the sportsbook? Overpriced. Care for a meal at one of the lower-level restaurants at Caesar’s Palace? Cough up the dough. Complimentary breakfast? Nope. And I haven’t even gotten to the tips.

My sisters are probably reading this and thinking I am a cheapskate. Yes, sometimes. But come on! Everywhere I turn? And forget about Vegas being a bastion of low-priced meals since the gamblers pay for everything. It might have been that way a generation ago, but not in 2007.

Last, sensory overload. The picture at the bottom of Lileks’ blog is a perfect summation of how my being overwhelmed with man-made creations induced dysphoria. I can admit it. I’m a nature guy. To my credit I did take a drive to Red Rock Canyon (see my pics, above). But by that time, all of the aforementioned factors had taken their toll. Again, even in spite of the beautiful vistas, I was sad and alone.

On New Year’s Eve, my family spent the evening with some friends. My friend Steve made a comment during the festivities, saying the only two places he wants to visit are Australia and Alaska. The rest of the world holds no importance to him. While I may be more diverse in my future travel destinations, Steve’s point was well-made. He likes nature, the outdoors. No cities for him.

Ditto for me. While I may visit Las Vegas in the future, probably for professional conferences, I’d rather see the works of God (nature) rather than the works of man (everything else).

Ahh, the benefit of hindsight.

AZ Pundit's Official Holiday Bowl Pick

Certainly there is much anticipation of tonight's Holiday Bowl matchup featuring the Longhorns and Sun Devils.

My pick?

Texas Fight, Texas Fight,

And it's goodbye to A&M. (or ASU)

Texas Fight, Texas Fight,

And we'll put over one more win.

Texas Fight, Texas Fight,

For it's Texas that we love best.

Hail, Hail, The gang's all here,

And it's good-bye to all the rest!

And no, I am not cowering to the demands of my immediate and extended family. I just think UT wants it more. Should be a good game.

And to my Sun Devil colleagues, fellow churchgoers, and neighbors who read this blog, sorry. We can still be friends, right??

If this isn't irony

As my busy morning routing is somewhat less rushed than usual this a.m., I had time to peruse the newspaper. I came across a wire story about the WGA strike, which has not affected my life in the least (more on that in a future post). Also included was a picture showing the actors from "Reno 911" showing support for the striking writers.

Funny, when you consider "Reno 911" consists almost entirely of improvised dialogue. No need for writers on that set.

Looking for the photo on the net, I came across something better: a video.

By the way, Tom, I do enjoy talk radio. And my Sirius radio. And blogs. And the several hundred channels I get on the satellite dish.

It happens to famous folks, too

In leisurely evening reading, I noticed this article about a certain baseball player-turned broadcaster-turned author and his travails with a busted hot water heater.

I feel better.

And I have to admit I like the tankless heater.

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Other stuff: The Arizona Cardinals are still the Cardinals, but at least they're not the Falcons.

I know I'm a layperson when it comes to these mega-dollar contracts, but how is a guy like Petrino just allowed to walk away?

A Saturday morning laugh

In the process of doing casual beginning-of-the-weekend web browsing, I came across this. Being the Microsoft hater that I am, I just had to click and read.

Watch the YouTube video and laugh out loud.

Water in the desert

And in our house, no less.

Yesterday, while moonlighting, I notice Geogal called twice. I checked the voice mails. Not good news, but thankfully not tragic stuff.

Apparently the hot water heater decided to call it quits. And start leaking out significant volumes of H2O. In the garage. Into the house.

Geogal discovers this, takes a quick look, then takes action. By the time I am finished working, she has already pulled up the carpeting from the room adjacent to the garage, had the fan blowing on the floor, tried to use our wet/dry vac (to no avail), and enlisted the help of one of our friends from the next street over. So, the hot water is all drained out of the heater (we think) and we are more or less ready to call the plumber and the water extraction professionals.

Then today, the crew arrives and the news gets worse, then better, then worse, then better. The water damage was not as extensive as first thought. However, we now have the drywall and insulation removed from a large section of wall inside the house. Plus, the heater is again full of water (cold water, at least) because the shut-off valve was stripped, therefore the heater leaked water all through the night.

And I don't want to tell you how much a tankless water heater will set us back.

So, in the midst of all the drama, I still find time to keep to my morning routine of exercise at the Y. Afterward, I took advantage of where I was to take a shower. And I likely will do the same tomorrow. You just take certain things for granted until they are suddenly taken from you. I think after this experience I will be thankful for my hot water for many weeks to come.

And having the endless supply of hot water will be nice...

New entry with pics!

After much procrastination, I completed my latest off-road driving story on my other "fun" blog. Look at it here.

And, to follow-up with my previous entry, congratulations to Hawaii and LSU. Tigers, beat the Buckeyes like a bongo drum!

A Saturday to cheer and to cry

Wow!

Yes, I parked myself in front of the TV for the better part of yesterday afternoon and evening, watching college students break each others' bodies. (That's Geohouse slang for football, except in the case of the NFL, where it then becomes "Grown men breaking each others' bodies.")

Sure, some contests were boring (such as UCLA-USC). But thanks to having numerous choices due to DirecTV, I watched the Civil War (Oregon-Oregon State)--2 overtimes, then Arizona-Arizona State (still came down to anyone's game in the closing minutes). I just couldn't stay up to watch Hawaii come back and beat Washington.

Now, let's see what happens at 6 p.m. God's time, when the BCS bowl lineups are announced. I'm glad I am not one of the decision-makers in that process. Given this season, I wonder if the "experts" will just toss darts to make the selections.

Whatever. One of the joys of having graduated from a perennially-losing-football-team school is not having to sweat buckets over polls or bowls. I don't really have a favorite team from among the BCS conferences, save perhaps Texas.

But some (metaphorical) tears yesterday. I realize yesterday was truly the last college football Saturday of the season. There's just something about college football that the pros and the other collegiate sports can't offer. Tailgate parties, marching bands, crisp fall temps (everywhere but here in AZ), fresh air, anticipation over the holiday season. And while I have no loyalty whatsoever to The Ohio State University, who else can come close to performing something such as "Script Ohio?"

So, now I can watch the several episodes of "Torchwood" that are on the DVR. And I'm making a pot of elk chile. Sundays do not have to be miserable if one chooses to be constructive.

Post not-exactly-turkey-day musings

No turkey for us yesterday. You see, due to illness we did not visit the in-laws, where the big bird was defrosted and ready for roasting. That freed us at the Geohouse to call an audible. So, we wound up at Monti's La Casa Vieja, where Geogal had fetuccine, I had prime rib, and little Geoana had a burger. Who said you have to stick to the traditional stuff on Thanksgiving?

We ate there two Thanksgivings ago. Maybe we need to start a new family tradition.

Decided to turn on the old idiot box to see what the crowds were like at various shopping centers. I haven't watched local news in some time (I get virtually all of it these days from radio, newspaper, and Internet). It turns out I haven't missed much. Since it was after 7 in the morning, the Big Three network affiliates had already gone to the national shows. Therefore I was left with KTVK and Fox 10. Oh, the humanity!! Anchors stammering through scripts that obviously never saw a proofreader, video for a hard news story consisting of a static camera shot of a computer screen showing the Fox News.com site, and a spastic weather-reader-comedian humiliating a 13-year-old girl who buried her face in her mother's chest (having the good sense to not show her face on television).

I continually read how the Internet is killing print news. If television news continues to take the lowest road possible, the Net might just deal the death blow to the TV variety as well.

Fast thoughts

Yet another reason why I am not a gambling man.

Yesterday I thought to myself: "Oregon will show up to play. There's no way Arizona will beat them two years in a row. Final score--Oregon 28, Arizona 3."

Imagine my shock when I picked up my newspaper in the driveway this morning. What a whiff!
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The Dolphins obviously think things cannot get any worse for them.

Dumbest quote of the day, even more outlandish than anything that came from Barry Bonds' attorneys, is courtesy of Miami linebacker Zach Thomas:

"He won't be a cancer in the locker room. He has always had a good work ethic."

Say what?? Hey Thomas, do you not recall what took place in July of 2004, when Williams suddenly announced he was retiring from the game? That his timing could not have been worse for the team? Bailing out just before the beginning of training camp? Leaving at a time when all the talented free agent running backs were already signed by other teams?

What kind of work ethic is that?
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I still have a hard time believing next week is Thanksgiving. Where did this year go?

Reflecting in a fast-food joint

About a week ago I had occasion to be in Apache Junction, which some Valley residents might refer to as "dogpatch" or "the town that smells of manure and cigarette smoke." Epithets aside, AJ has its own brand of uniqueness that sets it apart from the other East Valley cities.

But enough about the town. If I'm there around the lunching hour I will stop at the Whataburger at the corner of Apache Trail and Meridian. Years ago, my job used to take me to AJ frequently so I am well familiar with the eating options. So, I decided to again nosh at this Whataburger, even though I haven't eaten there in a good four years. (Plus, Whataburger appeals to my Native Texan blood.)

The burger is just as good as I remember. What I didn't anticipate is that being in this establishment would bring back a flood of memories. I remember distinctly heading in there to eat in the summer of 2002. Geogal and I were preparing to move away from Casa Grande and set up residence in the Valley. The house sale was going well, no snags with the contract. Yet I was very stressed. We still didn't have a mover. Time was getting short. While having my lunch (a Whataburger, probably with bacon), I managed to make a call to a guy with a Valley-based mover, who was agreeable to the job. So, leave Whataburger with a little less stress.

Back to present-day. I have new stressors, big ones. Yet the moving issue has long since been resolved. Maybe there is a lesson here for me. I will always have items (internal and external) that will affect my stress level. However, these things often come and go. Very few stay for the long-term. And chances are high that I will be around to fight another day. Stress can have a positive effect. But I have to remember not to let my stress get the better of me.

And I'm wondering about eating in that same Whataburger a few years down the road. What will today's stressors be then?

The most wonderful time of the week

No, don't start humming the Christmas song with a title similar to today's blog heading. Since Halloween is gone, we'll all soon be bombarded with holiday tunes as it is.

Saturday mornings, especially in the fall, are just grand. I'm always the first one up in the Geohouse. Cool temps, hot coffee, overall quiet. Plus Friday night-Saturday morning sleep is some of the most restful I get all week.

The above tend to congeal into a mental condition that in turn causes me to think reflectively at the very start of the weekend. Today's thoughts? Meaning. Drive. Happiness. All of these were subjects of my musing during the past week.

What drives me? I wonder. I am not a Type A person. (Sometimes I believe I'm Type B minus.) Achievement has its place, but it is not my ultimate goal. I'm more oriented to my interests and hobbies than my livelihood. And I don't think that's wrong. Please do not misunderstand me, I work hard at my profession. I am constantly reading and attending workshops in order to learn new and different ways in which to ply my trade. I do network. And I am enjoying some of the freedoms that come with being self-employed, even if I am engaging in a little moonlighting for the time being. The outside work is OK and I am always reminding myself that doing the extra work is not a long-term plan.

Happiness? I know enough to know it doesn't come from money. Money can certainly buy fun, for the short-term, but it cannot buy sustained, chronic joy. Vacations and journeys have their place but often I am OK just tending to my own home. My favorite sports teams? Politics? Entertainment? Nope, goose egg on all three. Happiness does not come from outside circumstances. (OK, not my idea. Stephen Covey communicates this in "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," and Rick Warren relates this concept from a Christian perspective in "The Purpose Driven Life," both good reads.) I think my father had it correct when, in a recent phone conversation, he reminded me to take time and do some outdoor grilling and take my truck out to explore Arizona. (This, in a response to how stressed I felt at that time.)

So this morning I am feeling upbeat, optimistic. Now, can I take this attitude and sustain it throughout the weekend, perhaps even (yikes!) the week to come?

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Now, moving away from the reflection, here's a short Geofamily reference to a current event. The photo today (from 2005) shows Geoana at the Anchorage zoo, in the background is (or was) their resident elephant. Who was moved to warmer climes this week.

Monday morning second-guessing

So Joe Girardi will be offered the job of Yankees manager.

Not that it matters greatly to me overall, but I was looking forward to enjoying more "Simpsons"-induced irony.

Remember my list of the top ten episodes? (Of course you do, it's just below this post.) In "Homer At The Bat," toward the end of the episode Mr. Burns throws Don Mattingly off the team due to his sideburns. (Adding to the humor is that Mattingly was not sporting any hair on the sides of his face, nor have sideburns even been in style for over a generation--Beverly Hills 90210 notwithstanding.) As Mattingly walks off the field, he says, sotto voce, "I still like him better than Steinbrenner" (referring to Burns).

Oh, if Don had wound up as the Yankees skipper...

Speaking of baseball, let the pundits start typing and yakking about how the Rockies were overrated, the Red Sox were unbeatable, the series was boring, etc. My take? The same thing that happened to the Diamondbacks in the NLCS took place with the Rockies in the Series. Bats went quiet, pitching wasn't quite good enough, momentum ran out, and the result was a sweep by the opposition. And in my humble opinion, that's what makes the game fun. You just never know...

How is it that USC loses on Saturday but only drops one point in the AP poll?

Top Ten Simpsons episodes

As promised, the top ten Simpsons episodes as decided by yours truly.

My fan credentials? Let's see, I began watching in 1990, shortly after the series' debut. Only recently did I cease watching new episodes (see here for the explanation). I own several of the DVD's, all the way through Season 6. (I plan to own Seven and Eight, but I might stop the DVD purchases after that, as the quality of the series really began to nosedive in Season 9.)

I actually composed this list just prior to the movie's premiere, but never had the time to write the accompanying narrative until recently. Without further ado, here goes:

10) Some Enchanted Evening
I know what you're thinking. A Season One episode in this list? Sure. In my humble opinion, the first season did have some high points even if the animation was a bit rough and the characters were not yet fully developed. This is a well-constructed story that sets the stage for numerous episodes to follow (largely Homer's lack of basic intelligence). And Penny Marshall's voice work as the Babysitter Bandit is classic.

9) The Boy Who Knew Too Much
This is an ep that doesn't seem to get much airing in syndication. Still, the plot starting with Bart ditching school and being chased by Principal Skinner, followed by a courtroom satire, concluding with Bart having a rare case of ethics is a laugher from start to finish. Look for the parody of the Kennedy family, plus a side-splitting reference to "Westworld."

8) Deep Space Homer
Those who know me know I enjoy movies dealing with the space program, such as "The Right Stuff" and "Apollo 13." So this episode was a natural for my list. Hail Ants!

7) Marge Be Not Proud
My favorite of all the Christmas episodes. I'm not a big fan of the "hugs and lessons" shtick but I'll make an exception here. Plus the characterization of Marge in this episode reminds me of my own mother.

6) Lisa's Substitute
Another somewhat sentimental episode. In this one from Season 2, Dustin Hoffman (uncredited) showed celebrities to follow just how a guest voice can add superb dimension to Our Favorite Family.

5) Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming
Kelsey Grammer appears as Sideshow Bob nearly every season, but this jewel from Season 7 is the topper. Too many priceless moments to mention here, from "the esteemed representatives of television" all the way to "the Stingy and Battery Show!"

4) Who Shot Mr. Burns?--Part Two
Part one was good drama (such as it is for an animated comedy program), but this one, the Season 7 opener, has so many references to other cult television creations that it compensates for the anticlimactic ending. "Speedway Squad--in color!"

3) Homer At The Bat
Nine of the best players in Major League Baseball (at the time of this episode's production) as guest voices. How could I leave this one off the list? And a bonus--the closing song: "We're Talking Softball."

2) Marge Versus The Monorail
For many years this was my all-time favorite. A short description won't do this one justice. Just one line, courtesy of Homer: "I call the big one Bitey." Also featuring the voice of Leonard Nimoy, who also appears in....

1) The Springfield Files
This one is just about perfect. A solid storyline, beginning, middle, and end. Guest voices engaging in the right amount of self-parody. "X-Files" parody supreme. Fox-network-bashing supreme. Is Homer right, or is Homer a dope? "Keep watching the skies!"

Others that didn't quite make the Top Ten:

Bart On The Road: "That's it--back to Winnipeg!"

Call Of The Simpsons

You Only Move Twice: Marge--"I think owning the Denver Broncos is pretty good." Homer--"Marge, you just don't understand football."

Trilogy of Error

Girly Edition (Lisa does the best slow-burn ever)

You think I missed one, or you could make a better list in your sleep? Use the comments section and throw down!

Dry Well

It sure feels that way today.

And it's not just me. Take a look at the front page of your local newspaper. Not much going on in the news right now. And these things happen from time to time--a phenomenon known as a "slow news cycle."

Plus I don't believe I have anything to add that's of substance. Not much happening at the Geohouse for the time being.

So, to other blogs I go. Checked out Hugh Hewitt's entries over the last few days. This one really caught my eye.

As the regular readers of this site know, I used to work in the broadcast news business. So the Howard Kurtz book and interview piqued my interest. I put the interview from Hewitt's show onto my iPod and an amazing thing happened. It held my interest for the entire length of the Hewitt-Kurtz conversation. There's nothing wrong with my attention span, but I do tend to "zone out" from time to time listening to the same types of podcasts, usually while I am at the gym. Not so this time.

Plus, the Hewitt blog entry also had a link to a Wall Street Journal story about the flop that is Disney's California Adventure. You see, Geogal was born and raised in Orange County, and lived there her whole life until she left for college. As such, I have heard numerous stories of how Disneyland visits were the norm in her family. Along with these stories I also am subject to wailing and gnashing of teeth about how Disneyland is just a shell of its former self. And don't ever get Geogal started about California Adventure. Suffice to say, she did not approve of its creation or construction.

So, I've got to direct her to that article....

Hmmmmm. That turned out to be a longer blog entry than I expected, this being a dry well day and all. I might not be so lucky for the next try, so I will pull out one of my evergreens. Next entry: The Top Ten Simpsons episodes (as determined by yours truly)!

Random stuff

No theme tying all of this together, just musings from a stressed mind:

Latest Netflix choice was "Stagecoach," widely considered to be John Wayne's first successful starring role. Good flick. I watched it Sunday while doing laundry (Geoguy is domesticated!). It triggered long-latent desires to live the life of the Old West cowboy, plus the thought of "when do I next get out of town and take a drive through aforementioned Old West?"

Answer: When you get a couple of new tires and some front-end work done on that truck, Geoguy. Not to mention a free Saturday.

No wonder I have Walter Mitty-esque fantasies of living the cowboy life.
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It's amazing to me how the Arizona Cardinals are doing a few things right. Most folks didn't know how much of a coup it was for the team to sign Tim Rattay when Matt Leinart went down. When you see the other injured quarterbacks around the NFL, plus Vinny Testaverde putting on a uniform once again, it makes you wonder just how many teams are sending representatives to Idaho, looking for Jake Plummer.
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Is it just me, or does Diana Krall sound like a guy when she sings? Really. Listen to her rendition of "The Look of Love" and tell me I'm wrong. (Or, better yet, go here and listen to the "Cry Me A River" ringtone.)
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Another season (or series, as they say across the pond) of Doctor Who is over. Fortunately, I have several episodes of "Torchwood" on the DVR awaiting my viewing. I just watched the first one yesterday. Whoa! Apparently British TV allows for more swearing than here in the U.S. (Just a few profanities and obscenities--we're not talking "Deadwood" here.) Looks to be an interesting series, though. If they manage to keep up the quality established in Doctor Who, then they just hooked another fan in yours truly.
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The Diamondbacks? Let's just say Colorado has me worried...

Not getting overconfident, but...

...it's still gratifying to see the Diamondbacks win games in convincing fashion.

Yes, I'm well aware the NLDS isn't over yet. And now the series is headed to Wrigley Field.

But what a difference one week makes! Last Friday, I was sitting in a barber shop in downtown Chandler, waiting my turn for a haircut. While waiting, I perused a copy of the Arizona Republic. The sports section contained a page listing all of the possible scenarios regarding the National League playoffs. (Remember, the teams in contention at the time included the Mets and Padres.) Yes, there was a small blub which stated the Arizona players might be "going fishing" come Monday. Yes, mathematically they had a chance to not make the playoffs. But by the next morning, the D-Backs were in.

Now let's see if they can close this one out.

Yet regardless of how the Diamondbacks do in this postseason, I consider it all gravy at this point. My only real wish for the end of this MLB season is that the Yankees do not win it all.

Besides, the Colorado Rockies look REALLY, really good. How long can they sustain this momentum?

Living in the real world

Little Geoana is a huge fan of Hannah Montana.

But she probably should not set her sights on going to the "HM" concert, which will hit town on November 9. Why? Because of this.

Geogal and I are just a couple of working stiffs. And we certainly do not feel the need to indulge our child's every whim. Fortunately for us, Geoana has not made any requests or demands to see Hannah Montana in concert--yet. Perhaps this will blow over without incident.

I just think it's early enough that we can tell the little one "no" to certain things. Geogal and I believe in some old-fashioned things, such as delayed gratification and the importance of working hard. Hopefully the two of us will have the fortitude to follow through on our convictions.

After all, Geogal and I still have not seen Steely Dan in concert and we're functioning OK.