About to call it another school year

Geoana's school is wrapping up this coming Thursday.  Geogal takes her last final exam on Wednesday. 

Then we can all enjoy one day of respite before Geogal flies out to Alaska at the end of the week. 

That is a summation of the Geohouse life for right now.  We are all very busy. 

Geoana will be saying goodbye to elementary school.  Our school system here seems perpetually disabled between the old-style system of elementary being through grade 6, then 7-9 for junior high, and grades 10-12 designated as high school; and the newer milieu of middle school (grades 6-8) then high school being a four-year long journey through the academic salt mines.  As such, she will be in junior high for a grand total of two years, then on to high school for grade 9. 

I know--it makes no sense to me, either. 

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Geoana and I completed our viewing of the Original Series episodes of "Star Trek."  Tuesday evening we watched #79 ("Turnabout Intruder") and relished Shatner overacting in a couple of the scenes.  And if that wasn't enough we also concluded another series this week, "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."  The DVD had the two-parter that aired in January, 1968, before the cancellation ax hit. 

On to the "Star Trek" movies. 

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Speaking of TV shows, some weeks ago I decided to give "Mad Men" a try.  Since Netflix has it streaming I didn't need to wait for a DVD in the mail.  I've always been interested in the period of the 1950s and 1960s and I heard that the "MM" producers are sticklers for accurate detail.  Therefore I watched the first and second episodes of the series.

And I'll pass.

Just wasn't enough to hold my interest. 

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Geogal will be twisting the knife for the coming five weeks.  She will be in Fairbanks, Alaska as part of her clinical placement to complete her schooling.  But on the weekends she will be free to do as she wishes.  Doing things that will likely include going up the Dalton Highway as far as the Arctic Circle, seeing some of the same route the "Ice Road Truckers" do, and enjoying the flora and fauna of The Last Frontier.

While I work.

It's my own fault.  I encouraged her to go for the adventure.  Alaska is a whole lot better than Peoria, Illinois.  

It's April, nearly May

Things in the Geohouse are as busy and hectic as ever.  Yesterday saw the whole family heading to Colby for a 5 on 5 girl's basketball tournament.  Left the house at 6:45 in the morning.  Got back to the house at 6:50 in the evening.  In between were 5 (yes, 5) games in which Geoana's team came in second overall.  The team consisted of six girls which made for six very exhausted gals come evening.  Geoana is also very sore today to boot. 

Thankfully some things are ending at this time of year.  Geoana's school only has a few weeks left.  BB Gun team is done for the season.  After-school volleyball is also now history.  AWANA is over.  All of these things will make for more relaxing evenings (I hope).  And not a moment too soon since the weather is now warm enough to create the need for yard work.  First order of business is to scatter some more grass seed as last summer's Phoenix-like combo of high temps and no rain took a toll on the turf. 

Since Geogal is still in school, and will be until August, no summer vacation is on the schedule.  However Geoana will get a chance to go to 4-H camp the first week of June (should be a blast).  And Geogal is headed to Alaska for her first clinical of the summer.  Yes, she will be in Fairbanks for five weeks.  Her second and final clinical will be somewhere less exciting but much more convenient.  Kearney, Nebraska, only about an hour and a half drive from here. 

How's the watching of the original series of "Star Trek" going for me and the child?  We're nearly done.  Just have about 8 more episodes to go.  We've discovered that some of the Season 3 eps are not nearly as bad as some fans have made them out to be.  However last Wednesday we watched one that really reeks!  ("The Mark of Gideon")  Just how did that race of people create a replica of the Enterprise that fooled Kirk so well? 

Another topic that I've thought about revealing here in this forum.  My watching of what many consider to be the worst movies of all time.  Over the years I've had the chance to view "Plan 9 From Outer Space" (like many folks of this day and age I wanted to give this one a watch after seeing "Ed Wood"), "Troll 2," and most recently, "The Conqueror."  (You just haven't lived until you watch John Wayne playing a Mongolian reciting dialogue that smacks of Shakespearean English.)   I still need to catch "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" and "Manos, The Hands of Fate."   Haven't even checked Netflix yet for availability. 

Spring is definitely here.  Last week we had a combination of mild days, one heavily rainy day, a dusting of snow, and then we were treated to a 90-degree this very day.  Geogal and I went for our normal Sunday constitutional and were struck by the oddity of summer temps with most of the trees around here still bare as though it was mid-January.  And there is another cool-down set for about this coming Wednesday.  Rain and maybe even some snow.  Spring is definitely here. 

What I've been doing

Given the dearth of postings recently all seven regular readers of this blog might wonder about my overall functioning.

I'll set the record straight:  I'm not dead.  I'm not dying (that I'm aware of).  I am not being lazy.

I was, however, very busy over these last few weeks.  How busy?  I haven't had a Saturday at home for three straight weeks.  I've logged a whole lotta miles behind the wheel since the end of February.  My stress level reached all-time highs.  And I had a trip home last Sunday following a visit from Old Man Winter in which Interstate 70 had only one lane open between Topeka and Junction City.  Plus that one lane was itself sometimes snow packed in stretches.

Late February--qualifying BB gun competition at Oakley, Kansas (about 100 miles from here).  Long day.

First weekend in March--Drive to Omaha on Saturday.  5 hours.  275 miles.  The following day--drive back home.  Same distance.  Same time frame.  Tiring weekend.

The child and I dropped Geogal off at Omaha as she had a month-long clinical at Creighton University Medical Center.  Just this past Friday the kiddo and I got into our big vehicle and trekked back to Omaha.  Clinical is complete, drove back home yesterday.  At least this weekend is a long one, allowed us to take this Easter Sunday to rest and relax.  Plus this just-ended trip also gave us time to drop into the Apple Store and handle the latest offerings from Cupertino.

(I think yours truly will be getting a MacBook Air plus an iPad mini to celebrate Geogal's completion of her school program, which should wrap up in late August.)

Third weekend in March--head to Rock Springs 4-H campground for shooting sports instructor training.  Placed in a cabin and stuck in a room with seven other guys.  Naturally there are those who snore, and in accordance with the old adage the snorers were the first ones to fall asleep.  Was glad to be home.

Fourth weekend in March--the state BB gun tournament.  I am the head coach and this year we had enough shooters for three teams.  Saturday the 23rd was a very long, tiring day.  And I already mentioned that a snowstorm decided to hit Kansas that day which created the rough road conditions for the long trip home.  Again, was truly happy to see my front door.

Since Geogal was at Omaha all month, guess who got to do the single-parent thing?

Now I don't want this entry to sound like some old guy who does nothing but complain day in and day out.  I had a few high points during this time.  Got to meet several good folks at the 4-H event and even saw a few of them at the BB gun tourney.  (And I will likely see them again since our shooters now have the state 4-H tournament on April 13.)  Also went to an RV dealer in Omaha (actually Council Bluffs, Iowa) on both trips.  This weekend we found a unit that seems to fit our bill.  However we didn't do a deal just yet given there are still several variables in our near future such as where Geogal will get placed for her next two clinicals as well as other smaller details.

Still, I got jazzed realizing our family will soon have some camping ventures, this time in a hard-sided rig with more amenities.

And I will keep on posting here.  I'm not dead, just dead-tired.

First One In Feb.

People who follow this blog know there are periods where I will let a lot of days/weeks elapse between posts.  There are typically three reasons for why this happens.  First, I might not have anything new or significant to share and therefore posting for the sake of posting seems tedious.  Granted, this is MY blog and I am free to express what I desire but I also want to ensure the readers will peruse something that is worth their time, even if the said time is only a few minutes.  Second, I might be under the weather although God has blessed me with overall good health.  And third, I could be so busy and occupied with other responsibilities that sitting down an writing a blog entry isn't even thinkable. 

It's actually a bit of all three that explain the four weeks between posts.  Since the holiday season ended and the downhill cruddy side of winter took hold I have a lack of engaging, interesting material to share here.  Not like the summertime which could involve camping trips or national BB gun tournaments.  Not like the fall where I like to espouse my thoughts on college football.  Under the second category I did have a head cold that came on about two weeks ago.  I'm over the worst of it but still have the drainage and occasional coughing fit that still keep me grumpy.  The third reason is the most relevant one at this time.  Regular readers of this blog know I took a new position at work back in August and this job is far more demanding than my previous one.  Also this is my first year of being the head coach for our BB gun team and that is a task that is more than willing to take whatever spare time I might have left.  Combine this with a spouse who is away M-F and you have the recipe for a very tired and taxed Geoguy. 

But what has been going on? 

The lack of significant free time and the winter season combine for me to get creative in how I will relax.  However I think I've found something leisurely with which to occupy myself. 

Research. 

A fun type of research. 

Readers here know that we sold our pop-up camper last summer.  We learned quite a bit about camping from having that rig.  We learned what works and what does not work for us as a family.  For me it also was a good introduction to towing, backing up, and how to efficiently store one's gear. 

So what is next for us in the wide world of RV-ing?  (as some now call any type of vehicle camping)

Travel trailer.  Something that will accommodate the three of us as well as allow space for a fourth person since Geoana will likely want to bring along a friend.  Something hard-sided.  (A hybrid trailer would definitely fit our needs and would be well within the weight limit of our tow vehicle but since we have camped in bear country and likely will do so again, that rules out a hybrid.) 

I've been looking over material that's available online but also last weekend Geogal and I traipsed to the library (which now has both fiction AND nonfiction books--shout out to the Geo bro-in-law).  I picked up a tome titled "How To Select, Inspect, and Buy an RV."  Yeesh, I have a lot of stuff to learn.  They definitely are not all created equal.  And even going with a reputable brand name doesn't guarantee no problems or issues. 

Since we won't be buying until next year at the earliest I have plenty of time to consume and digest the necessary information so we don't end up with buyer's regret.  And maybe it's good that I have that much time with which to work as the subjects are numerous.  What is the maximum weight for our vehicle?  (And the owner's manual only tells you so much.)  Will I want to go with a weight distribution hitch?  (Probably so.)  Do we want a rig with a slide out?  (At present I'm inclined to say no, but that might change.)  What about an anti-sway mechanism?  (With as windy as it is around here I'm inclined to say yes.)  New or used?  (Likely the latter, but sometimes private parties want exorbitant prices for the rigs they are selling, so who knows?)  How does one go about emptying the gray and black water tanks correctly?  How do you light the pilot?  Just how does the refrigerator run on propane anyway?  What other gear will we need to buy once we actually make a purchase? 

I'm sure these things will work themselves out.  And I have the assurance that Geomom and Geodad knew virtually nothing about these things before they bought a fifth-wheel rig after Dad retired.  And they had plenty of positive camping/traveling experiences so I know none of this stuff is rocket science. 

In the meantime I'm enjoying myself with the reading and the learning.  And the looking at rigs on eBay or any other "for sale" sites.  Plus none of this costs me a doggone dime.  Hopefully the work I'm doing now will save me many dimes down the road. 

Back to normal?

Geogal is back in school.  So is Geoana. 

No back-to-reality for me.  I've worked steadily throughout the holidays, being home only on Christmas Day and New Years Day. 

But things now do have a secure sameness to them.  Even though Geogal is still 80 miles away during the week both Geoana and I have our daily routine and the adjustment we had to make during the early days of September is paying off now. 

I'm enjoying a relaxing evening at home for the first time in several days.  Yesterday was BB gun practice, the day before that we were taking Geogal back to Colby, the day prior was an all-day basketball tournament for Geoana and when I got home that early evening I felt I had been beat up six days from Sunday. 

And by the way, I learned the hard way that I cannot sit through several hours of kid's basketball without aggravating my back. 

Uh-huh, when I got home I could feel the inflammation in the same old place.  Reminded me of the bed rest I had to undergo after the doc "cut on my back," as my supervisor puts it. 

But fear not, family members.  I may have had a small setback but I've taken things easy for the past two days and the pain seems to be lessening.  Ice and ibuprofen also help.  Geoana has (possibly) another tournament coming up on January 19.  I've got to figure something out in the meantime.  No way am I sitting that long on a relatively hard surface again. 

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Other thoughts: 

Black Monday was indeed that way for several NFL head coaches.  Some of those I saw coming, some I didn't. 

And Andy Reid will bid "goodbye" to Philly cheesesteaks and say "hello" to BBQ. 

A story I saw (but did not read) on yesterday morning's ESPN main page.  "10 Reasons The Irish Will Win The BCS Championship."  Not surprisingly, that piece is nowhere to be found today. 

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I will NOT be going to the RV show in Wichita this weekend, much as I want to. 

Probably a good thing, too. 

Maybe next year. 

Happy New Year 2013

Covering two cultures today. 

On my stove, all day long, are two stockpots simmering.  One has posole (that's hominy stew seasoned with red chile, for those of you not in the know), the other has black-eyed-peas.

Posole is a traditional New Year's Day dish in northern New Mexico, eat it for good luck.  Same for black-eyed-peas in the South.  Since both sides of my family hail from Texas I was raised with the belief that one eats black-eyed-peas for good fortune in the new year.

Yes, I'm hedging my bets.

And they both taste good on this cool January day.  It snowed again yesterday and dumped a couple of inches, enough to make things look pristine once again.  These dishes cooking simultaneously also make for a rather pleasant smelling domicile on this first day of 2013.

Just for good measure I also roasted up some green chiles I bought a few days ago.  Now this place really smells like a restaurant in Las Cruces, New Mexico.   

Will this be it for 2012?

Depends on if I have anything meaningful to say/write tomorrow. 

Now on to other things.  We did have a white Christmas, courtesy of a winter storm that dropped a few inches of the snowy stuff on our burg just a little less than a week before opening the presents.  And then Mother Nature decided to give us her own little gift on the Big Day in the form of another dusting.  Just enough to cover up the slushy-then-frozen-again glop that was prominant in the streets.  Since last week the temps have hovered somewhere between 0 and 20 so not much of this wintry mix has melted off.  Makes driving interesting in some areas.  Fortunately I have two vehicles that are equipped with four-wheel-drive so the slippy slide isn't much of a problem. 

Yes, 'tis the last day of the regular NFL season.  Yawn.  I'm already wondering which coaches will be pink-slipped tomorrow.  ESPN is already reporting Andy Reid will be shown the door.  I'm supposing Norv Turner will be added to the list as well (if he isn't than that is definitive proof he has incriminating photos of someone or someones up in the high levels of the Chargers organization).  Rex Ryan probably will not go which is a major mystery to me.  And, since Al Davis has gone to that great owner's box in the sky I presume the Raiders' coach (whoever that is) is safe for now.  Jason Garrett?  Maybe. 

And on the subject of football I am looking very much forward to the Cotton Bowl.  Like I told someone a few days ago, it's not the Red River Rivalry but the fact remains Texans and Oklahomans simply do not like each other much. 

And sorry, my purple K-State friends.  I just don't think Collin Klein and company will be able to keep up with the pace of Oregon.  The rest of the bowls?  Naaagh, who cares? 

However I did get quite a laugh over seeing yesterday's New Era Pinstripe We Had To Come Up With Some Creative Name Because Seriously Who Would Have Ever Thought Teams Would Want To Play Here In December Bowl, which featured wonderful Big Apple wintery weather replete with snow showers.  Just wait long enough and you might see the same thing for bowls in Boise, Albuquerque, Washington D.C., and even Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Hell, I'm still waiting for a group of civic leaders to announce the creation of the (insert corporate sponsor name here) Mile High Bowl to be played every December in Denver.  It could happen. 

Another Day After

Yet one more Christmas is in the books.  I'm not breathing a sigh of relief, nor am I feeling great sadness.  Given everything else happening in our lives it seemed this year that Xmas was merely a small diversion from our busy existence. 

Are we all happy with the gifts?  Of course.  And while Geoana is not Ralphie Parker, she did get a BB gun for Christmas.  Not a Red Ryder carbine, but an Avanti model 499, the kind they use in competition. 

Yes, her own gun.  She's already got designs (no pun intended) on how to customize it as only she can.  Possibly involving the use of pink camo tape on the stock. 

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In thinking about my past two road trips I decided for 2013 I am in need of a FUN jaunt.  I don't know yet about the destination but given my prior two ventures (Kansas City at the beginning of November, and Texas in early December) I decided I am sorely desiring a time to just enjoy hitting the pavement for the sake of the travel.  While neither journey was unpleasant in itself, my back pain prevented me from fully enjoying the KC experience (even though I hit Arthur Bryant's for BBQ) and the length, the post surgery issues, and me being the solo driver for three states and almost 900 miles one-way took away from a Texas venture I normally cherish. 

Shared these thoughts with Geogal earlier today.  I also challenged her to come up with a fun destination.  I imagine we will compare notes sometime before she completes her school program. 

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Speaking of the Texas drive, a thought occurred to me somewhere on the road where fatigue was beginning to take its toll.   Should I follow through on a childhood dream and learn to fly a single-engine plane?  With the end result of getting a pilot's license? 

There.  It's public now.  Now I will have to, if just to save face.  Once Geogal completes her schooling we should have the funds to make such a goal possible. 

Merry Christmas!

From the Geohouse to your house (or whatever dwelling you reside). 

Forget trying to be cool in front of the family

Last weekend, during the family visit to the homeland (a.k.a. Texas) I briefly brought up the latest cool iPhone app I found. Spy Mixology. Grabbed my phone and was going to give them a demonstration. And the app doesn't work. Doesn't do anything. Just stays on the opening screen. A visit to the App Store suggests the reason: it's been updated and has a new name (The Covert Cocktail). Updating it, plus the other apps that boasted of newer versions, brought back the list of drinks that appear in the James Bond movies, the recipes for each, and the required liquor cabinet for any die-hard 007 fan wishing to imbibe just like ol' Jimmy. Unfortunately the update process came about a bit too late for my family visit. So much for impressing them with my electronic advances. There's always next time.

RIP another one

Some time back I shared my thoughts on the passing of songwriter Hal David. Then on Wednesday Geogal texted me asking if I heard Dave Brubeck had died. (For the casual reader, I listen to a fair amount of jazz in my spare time.) Since Geoana doesn't listen to the genuine American form of music I decided to have her listen to a segment of "Blue Rondo A La Turk." She liked it. Now we are on a road trip. I brought along my boxed CD set, "Time Signatures." Yesterday along our journey the little one got to hear the entire tune, she REALLY likes it. Of course, that piece was just one of many I listened to while cruising down the interstate in The Lone Star State. Seemed like a fitting tribute. I first heard Brubeck's name in elementary school music class. The music teacher played a piece of his for all of us, then we broke out into groups to come up with some type of routine to be set to the tune, called "The Unsquare Dance." It's a two-minute-long song but as with most things Brubeck, it's anything but simple. The teacher used this to, among other things, teach us what a "coda" is. My classmates and I came up with a few routines to do to this piece, but obviously nothing matching the skill and technique of these two professional dancers:

Twas the Sunday after Thanksgiving

And the house again smelled of roast turkey.

I wasn't cooking up another bird.  I was, however, making turkey stock from the bone remains of our feast of a few days ago.  Pressure cooker makes it easy.

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I normally am not one who posts YouTube videos on his blog.  I think that smacks of laziness.  However this evening I tried making my case to Geoana that the theme from "Hawaii 5-0" is one of the best TV tunes of all time.  Took her to the iMac and brought up the YouTube of said opening.

And then I found this:



Which then led us to view this:



And finally, this:



I was laughing so hard by this time I was snorting.  Child wanted to know if I was OK.   Just fine, no asphyxiation here, just appreciation of 80's TV with some Star Trek mixed in. 

Post-turkey

Speaking of the fowl normally consumed on Thanksgiving, I noticed Syfy started their James Bond marathon yesterday with a true turkey--Octopussy.

Should I say the Texas Longhorns also acted like gobblers out on the gridiron last night?  Nah, I'll take the high road.

Geogal returned to her dorm today (fewer distractions so she can get her research paper done).  She left orders with the child that I am to be closely monitored so as to decrease the inflammation around the part of my back where the doctor did his work.

I'll never take normal functioning for granted again.

But anyhow, today will be more of watching college students break each other's bodies (football) and reading.  And watching DVDs and/or Netflix streaming.

Pray that I get better soon.

I'm Still Around

Reason for my absence?  Medical.

I've already blogged here about my back issues but unfortunately the problem didn't respond to either the physical therapy or the spinal epidurals.  So on Nov. 12 I underwent surgery.  I've been home bound ever since given I don't see the doc again until next Wednesday.  And yes, I am a bit restless.

So anyhow, my pre-surgery pain and post-op restrictions mean sitting at the computer keyboard is out of the question.  Today I decided to invoke parental privilege and use Geoana's iPad.  I'm in the Laz-E-Boy recliner tap-tapping out this piece on the virtual keyboard.

Rather than compose a piece that is very lengthy I decided instead to just put out short entries that will update you, dear reader, on the latest goings-on around here.

But for today's entry, how can I not refer to tonight's college game?  Texas versus......TCU?

Yeah, kind of the sentiments of my family.  Regardless what the sports writers and announcers on ESPN postulate, Texas versus Texas Tech is NOT a new rivalry game.

Shoot, I don't even know who Texas A&M is playing this weekend.

Other parts of the country are suffering the same issues due to conference changes.  Colorado versus Utah (instead of Nebraska); the aforementioned Huskers playing Iowa instead of CU; no West Virginia against Pitt.  Lots of folks will just have to "deal with it.".

But members of my clan will be at Austin for tonight's game.

Have fun.

First Frost

Got the first frost of the season a couple of nights ago. 

But one night before that, Geoana and I went to the homecoming game.  The usual: I want to see football that's fun to watch and moves quickly with no TV time-outs and she wants to hang with her friends. 

But this past Friday night followed the arrival of a cold front and I sat in the stands for three hours in temperatures that were not unusual for the inside of a refrigerator.  Even Geoana came to me just before the end of the game and complained she was cold as a popsicle. 

Did I mention it also was my birthday?  Hurridly opened my gift before we headed out to the game.  An Apple TV.  In just a few minutes I had it connected and running a beautiful picture to my bedroom television. 

And while I am becoming Frostilicus at the stadium Geogal texts me:  "Watching Netflix on Apple TV very very cool." 

My body is in permanent shiver and wifey is at home enjoying my birthday present.  Just seems like there's something wrong with all of that. 

By the way the home team won.  In overtime. 

Next time I need to bundle up even better and not try to be macho man. 

I Stand Corrected

The other day I wrote about the latest electronic gadgets.  In my usual snarky way I inferred Barnes and Noble responded with a "whimper" when being faced with Amazon's new Kindle offerings. 

Then yesterday I learn B&N rolled out new models of Nooks.  Turns out they were not asleep at the switch after all. 

Looking at the specs it seems the latest Nooks are definitely comparable to Amazon's products.  However they still won't dislodge the iPad from the numero uno position.  But if I was in the market I would give the Nook HD or HD+ a shot.  Being ad-free (as the Nook products are) would seal the deal for me. 

That sound you heard

...was NOT the earth stopping its rotation. 

Or hell freezing over. 

Yesterday I decided to sit down and do a math story problem just for fun.   You heard that right. 

(For the non-family member readers of this blog, please know I've been locked in mortal combat with arithmetic since elementary school.   A scholar of algebra, I ain't.) 

But at Geoana's orientation a few weeks ago the teacher had a problem on the board that intrigued me.  This weekend the child brought it home as a handout labeled "R-U-Up 4 The Challenge?" 

"Farmer Jensen has some geese and some goats.  Between them they have 86 legs and 60 eyes.  How many geese and how many goats does Farmer Jensen have?" 

Took me only a few minutes and some pencilwork to figure it out.  Mainly utilizing some Mr. Spock logic.  (Actually, the real Mr. Spock would have quickly figured out an algebraic equation for the solution.) 

However Geoana said she cannot get any outside help for this question and took a stab at figuring it out herself.  I figure we can compare answers tomorrow evening. 

And shoot, it wasn't that hard of a problem.  Nothing at all like this:


The Simpsons _ Aptitude Test Cheater by hulu

Weekend report

All's quiet here.  I am doing nothing of excitement this weekend, which is likely a harbinger of the next many weekends to come.  No major projects in the works but a whole lot of responsibilities stemming from my recent promotion at work and simultaneously heading up the local BB Gun team. 

And for today it amounts to laundry, some light cleaning, and scraping the outdoor window frames before I give them a touch-up coat of white paint.

No hunting in the near future.  I haven't yet read the state's forecast but I wouldn't be surprised if the pheasant population is down this year given the drought and high temps.   Hmmm, maybe Geoana and I can just get out to the gun range and blast away some clays. 

Upgraded the iMac to Mountain Lion.  Like it, but some of the features will not see any use from me.  Such as the share button in the Safari browser that can immediately link what I am currently viewing into a Twitter or Facebook post.  I don't have accounts on either of these services and never will.  That's a subject for a whole different blog entry.  However I am enjoying some of the other tools built into the OS, such as Dictation (did just about a whole blog post a few entries back via the Mac's built-in microphone with only light editing needed from the keyboard).  I also find iMessage useful, I can text with Geogal right from the Mac.  The notifications panel is much improved and overall the entire interface is very smooth.

Next order of business is to upgrade my iPhone and Geoana's iPad to iOS 6.  Geogal already has done so with her iPhone and immediately noticed not only is the native YouTube application gone, but she couldn't install the one offered by Google currently (her system said "you already have this app," or something to that effect).  Probably just a bug the nerds in Cupertino can fix before too long.

Now that fall's here the tech news is heating up.  Not only did iPhone 5 just hit the market but Microsoft is planning an event for late October, likely to roll out Windows 8.  Is this also when the Surface will be released?  Or even give a release date?  With pricing?  With demo units that won't freeze up while onstage?

You already know about Amazon's new line of Kindles.  (With the tech press so eager to declare something, anything, "the iPad killer!")  I'd say Walt Mossberg at All Things D is more accurate when he deemed it topnotch for watching or reading Amazon's content, but not great as an overall tablet.

My guess about reactions to the new Kindles?  Apple:  "You don't even know what we have up our sleeve!"  Google:  "We have deep pockets."   Barnes and Noble:  "whimper"

And if Apple will indeed roll out a product that will fall between the iPod touch and iPad, (the iPad mini, perhaps?  Or iPad nano?)  you can bet it will not be long before said creation hits the market, what with the holiday season approaching and all.

Interesting times. 

R.I.P. Hal David

Going through several of my regular sites yesterday I learned of the passing of Hal David.  Not unexpected, given he was not well enough to accept the Gershwin Prize along with Burt Bacharach in May of this year.

I suppose now is as good a time as any to confess I've been a closet Bacharach/David fan for a lot of years.  I liked their songs before Mike Myers (in the guise of Austin Powers) and "My Best Friend's Wedding" made the songwriting duo retro-hip.  I distinctly remember mom and dad's record collection containing some of Burt and Hal's hits.

Whether it was a Top-40 song such as Naked Eyes "There's Always Something There To Remind Me" or a mega-country hit "To All The Girls I've Loved Before," I had the surprise, years later, of learning David created the lyrics.

And, one of my last days in high school I took my rather large final wood shop project home in the family Suburban.  As I took it out of the back of the truck I had the radio going (naturally) and KRST played a song I had never heard before, a country oldie.  "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence" by Gene Pitney.  Years later I learned it was written by you-know-who.

And now in my DVD wish list is "Lost Horizon."  Not the 1937 flick with Jane Wyman but the 1973 musical from Columbia Pictures.  I want to see it if only to watch what amounted to the last nail in the coffin for the Bacharach/David duo.  The fact that the movie was a total bust sure couldn't be blamed on the tunesmiths.  And some of the user reviews on imdb.com indicate that the picture really isn't all that bad. (Maybe it was just a victim of bad timing.)

Farewell, Mr. David.  Rest assured I have an iPod full of your compositions that will keep my mood upbeat all day.
 

The National Pastime can really hurt sometimes

The other day news hit that the Houston Astros fired their manager.  Not a big surprise given their season but also this is another reminder of the long-standing pain associated with being a fan of that franchise.

Well the pain ever end?  Yes I remember World Series not that long ago where the Astros were the participants from the National League but lost four straight games to the Chicago White Sox and I do recall 1980 where the Astros made it to the playoffs only to be dispatched by the Phillies.  

But this very same season the hot team in the National League is the Washington Nationals.  The freakin’ Washington Nationals.  This is a team that was moribund not that many years ago.  Anybody remember the Montréal Expos?  When major league baseball was talking about contraction what was the team at the top of their list?  

Yes, the franchise that (at this writing) has the best W-L record in baseball.  

Why can’t this type of thing ever happen to my beloved Astros?  So sorry to see they’re flirting with a 2004 Arizona Diamondbacks-type season.  

How bad is it for the Astros?  Even the Macalope took a swipe at them in today’s piece.  

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With a little less interest I also noticed that the bicycling authority (or whatever the USADA is) decided to finally revoke Lance Armstrong’s victories.  Vacating wins seems to be the in-thing for sports authorities these days whether it’s bicycling (Armstrong) or college pigskin (Penn State). Sticking with the baseball theme of today’s blog piece let me ask: When is major-league baseball finally going to do the right thing and return the career home run record to Hank Aaron as well as restore the single-season home run record to Roger Maris?