Argh

I can't believe I didn't realize--and no one told me until dinnertime--that it was Talk Like a Pirate Day yesterday. This is made more unbelievable by the fact that the woman I was sharing a bed with at the time and my own dear hubby both knew! Oh well, there's always next year....

Bonds away

Did you think that once Barry Bonds broke the homerun record you'd heard the last of the story? There's more, and this time it's interactive. The successful purchaser of Bonds' 756th homerun ball would like to hear from you! Your votes will decide whether the ball he paid $750,000 for goes to the Hall of Fame or into space. Space, people. Barry Bonds has some things to say on the subject. (If I was Bonds, I'd totally take Ecko up on the t-shirt offer.) Check out your choices for the ball's fate and vote here.

Back to Beaumont

For my 200th post, I will redirect you to Virginia's blog to read about our adventures in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park. That's right, after a full day of school/work and even waiting until after dinner we drove 90 miles--each way--to Beaumont, Texas mere days after the city was hit by an unexpected hurricane to go to a cemetery. Oooh, a cemetery at night. If that doesn't encourage your reading on, how about these tidbits?

1. We were pulled over not once but twice by police ("But officer, we're not doing anything illegal").
2. I saw a lot of cockroaches.
3. I sort of cursed Jesus. His wasn't the life-size statue we were seeking in the dark of night, but from a distance we couldn't tell that.
   
4. We never located the gravesite we were looking for (the desire to see this started with a Beaumont journalist's blog postings I read earlier this year).
5. We passed through Babyland and lived to tell the tale.

If that doesn't motivate you, I don't know what will.

We called my brother afterwards, still on our mad adventure high, and I was counting on him singing "No more scooter rides in the cemetery...", but he didn't. A missed opportunity indeed.

Summer

I finally processed a bunch of my pictures from this summer and posted to my webpage. Pictures run the gamut, from Houston to Virginia's and my road trip, the family adventure aboard a gulet in Greece and Turkey, to a few recent ones of my nephew here in California. Go now, or you might end up in a fog, like Virginia....

Undisciplined

Here's what's going on in my life, for those who want to know...

No, I've not yet found a job. (I won't say "Not that you've asked, but..." because, yes, you have asked. I thank you for your concern and well wishes.) I have submitted resumes for various positions in the Bay Area for which I am eminently qualified. I've heard back from two, one before I left Houston (was very encouraging, then...nothing) and the other a standard "You're nice, but no thanks" reply. I need to work my contacts to get in with organizations. I'm not comfortable with schmoozing and working people, thus I am not a good networker, and I need to be. I always like having something to work on.

No, I've not yet finished resizing pics from my recent travels in order to post them here. Believe me, I am more sorry about this than you are. Must do, must do, must....

In the meantime, I have indulged in some delightful amusements which I would like to recommend.

• Little Children by Tom Perrotta is a riveting novel about life in suburbia among restless stay-at-home adults. It was turned into a movie last year, and I look forward to watching it, but I suspect book is better.
• On DVD now is the movie version of another book, this time a nonfiction piece about Northern California's own Zodiac killer. The movie Zodiac stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey, Jr., in a good dramatization of the seemingly random series of killings begun in 1968, as recounted by Robert Graysmith in his two books on the subject.
• If you've not yet seen The Bourne Supremacy, go to it. Yet another book based on movie, though I'd guess this is the loosest translation of the bunch. The movie is action packed and just suspenseful enough to keep you entertained throughout. Come on, do we ever think Jason Bourne is really in jeopardy? The Bourne movies are all about seeing how he will manage the latest onslaught of bad guys (he's extremely good at it). And no, you don't need to recall what happened in previous 2 films to understand this one.
• If you're in the mood for something more fantastical and sorta sweet, go see the movie Stardust, based on book by Neil Gaiman. It's a romantic fantasy that David described as incredibly cheesy, and yet he smiled all the way through it. Claire Danes' character is a tad grating, but the male lead is adorable and Michelle Pfeiffer plays wicked with glee. Memories of the goat guy still brings me a chuckle.
• Finally, in music I highly recommend The New Pornographers to alternative/indie pop music fans. Unfortunate name if you are a timid listener, but the music is definitely not from the adult film industry and it is often just heavenly. A former obsession of mine, alt country singer Neko Case, is one member of the oft-changing lineup of musicians associated with the band. TNP might be old news to many music fans, but I am slow to find new music these days and tend to fixate for a long while before seeking anything different. Anyway, I recommend their album Challengers. Naturally TNP will be playing in SF when I am in Houston. Virginia, you must keep me very entertained that evening so I will not think about it. (The perfect night to get started on your 30 Things to do list!)

I hope this note finds you well (body and soul), amused with your own entertainments (do share), and content with life (or doing something about it).