Saturday, May 31, 2014

Outside

Petey Porn Day.


You've seen him this way before. No doubt you'll see him this way again. 

Petey and Sophie - almost always together. 

...except in nicer weather. Petey has been outside more, trying to keep us chipmunk free. Here he is burrowing into a pile of branches we trimmed, after chasing a chipmunk into said pile. 


More outside Petey Porn next week.



Song by: George Michael

Pic a Day in May - 31

Prism


A piece of cut glass hangs in our kitchen. 710 has had it since before we even met. It has hung at either his or our place of residence ever since. Only on certain mornings, at certain times of the year, does it refract light in our kitchen. This month it has happened quite a few times.

Since we're heading into June, which is typically Pride month, I figured why not use this image as my outgoing pic of the month?

Honestly, I'm not a fan of most Pride events, but you've read about that here over the years. I'm not a fan of the gay flag either. Nor do I feel the need to have rainbow patterns on my clothes, under clothes, wallets, stem wear and kooky hats.  I know it has its purpose, but it is not my style.  Still, a rainbow looks like Spring and Summer.




This is it folks. The was last Pic of the Day in May entry.  Not all were winners, but I think there were a few interesting shots. It was fun to do, and not too taxing. I suppose if this meme is brought up again in 2015, and I'm still around and still blogging, I would participate.

Hey, you always have to prepare for the worst, right?

Thanks to Jim for goading me into doing this.



Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Friday, May 30, 2014

My Seventh Rib

It's been a while since I've had a food post. Though it's been a while since I've done much new in the ways of food. I have been rotating some staples, and have not had time for anything creative or new. With grilling season beginning, I might not either. The warmer it gets outside, the less chance I want to heat the inside with the oven.

Over Memorial Day my mother had us over and served ribs. They were ok, but you know, it's pork and it had little flavour. I would say the flavour comes from whatever sauce you slather on the outside and then char a little.  Not that I'm complaining.

She sent me home with quite a few extras since two of my sisters and their families didn't or couldn't show. But reheating ribs is usually a futile endeavour. So I repurposed the meat. (and yes, I've been doing that since I was 12......laugh away.)

Pork tacos.

I stripped the meat from the actual rib, leaving on whatever sauce my mother concocted.

With a tablespoon of oil, I heated some chopped garlic (1 clove), onion (eyeballed) and jalapeño (one half, seeded).  I also added 1/2 teaspoon of sambal oelek.  Then in went the rib meat, maybe half a pound, just to heat through, as it had already been cooked.


I wanted to add a chipotle, but had none at home and too lazy to run to the store. I probably should have though. The adobo sauce would have provided the little more liquid needed.

Perhaps it is my always adding chilies, hot sauce or red hot pepper flakes to my cooking, so maybe I've acclimated to heat - but the sambal oelek and jalapeño, while providing some flavour, added no discernible heat.

Perhaps I should have added the hole jalapeño and another 1/2 t of the sambal oelek, but I didn't.

Don't get me wrong, the flavour was good, but I was going for heat too.

So, we threw some tortillas on the burners......


...dished up some meat......topped with some shredded cheese......

....and ate.

The half-pound of pork (I still have another half pound left), made us two tacos each.

I had left-over potato salad with mine. 710 had my mother's baked beans.  Yuck. I'm really not a fan - and by 'really', I mean 'at all'.  I almost gagged having to dish them up.

...and oddly, it was I who tooted later in the evening, and without eating the magical fruit.  Oh, the irony.

I would say this was simple to make (and it was), but my mother did the heavy lifting with actually cooking the ribs. Though I would say for me, the most time consuming part was taking the meat off the bone. Chopping took no time, nor did just reheating the pork.

...and it was done all in one pan, so, clean up was easy. Maybe I'll get a chipotle and do the rest for another meal.




Song by: the Shins

Pic a Day in May - 30

Ants


Ugh. I hate anything en masse. This includes ants, bees, roaches (though one of those freaks me out), locust, frogs and most people.





Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Dick

.....and you thought 3-D printers were worthless!

They can make houses. Giant printers can make 10 houses per day.

Printers can make candy. They can make toys. Allegedly, they can even make a full-functioning liver or windpipe.

So why not a penis?

Why not, indeed!

Oh, before you all throw away your Cialis prescriptions, these don't seem to be fully functioning. It doesn't seem that they get erect with your mind, feel sensation or, you know, ejaculate.

It is more of 'penis as an art' kind of thing. And really, aren't they works of art?

...well some of them. Some are just downright ugly. I think we can all agree on that.

And actually it is an art project. A kinetic sculpture, if you will.  Depending on its mode, it can respond to the viewer's movements, or more interestingly (I think) to the stock market activity.

I guess, after 16:30, they sculpture goes flaccid, unless it starts to pull data over from the Nekkei Index.

I like that the artist's motivation was to 'study one of the oldest and probably the most attractive thing that humans interact with'.

I'm guessing that is a subjective statement.  Though I might not disagree.



Beautiful!



(this is where I thank my cousin for sending me a link to this story. not sure why he thought I'd be interested in dicks, but.........)



Song by:  the Dandy Warhols

Pic a Day in May - 29

Chalk


Sidewalk "art".






Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Out of Time

The day got away from me.

The work day. The short week. Post-Holiday weekend.

I have nothing planned. I have nothing written and it's pushing 12mn as I draft this.

Oh me. Oh my.

I could have left it just at the picture of the day post and called it a day. I'd have gotten credit for blogging 365, but I felt bad.

So here is my non-blog post blog post.

Hopefully I can regroup for something to come your way tomorrow.


Song by:  the Rolling Stones

Pic a Day in May - 28

Rhododendron



We lost a lot of plants and bushes this last Winter.  These survived.





Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

App of the Month

While I haven't played with it a lot yet - and might not, ever - Word Science is ok as a game if it were free.

Now, don't get me wrong, I certainly didn't pay $0.99 for this. If you don't know, Starbucks usually has a card at their check out for a free iTunes thing per week.

Sometimes it's a song, but most times it's a game. Most have never been for keeping. I'm not sure Word Science is either.

Four lines of moving letters, every other line moving a different direction. You tap letters to spell words. As many as you can during a timed period. Since the letters are moving, sometimes you get distracted. Or maybe it's only me. If you throw letters up there (just by touching them on their assembly line) you can rearrange them after they get up to the upper level (where 'zone' is shown).


See that "electricity" between the two conductors?  That's how they make "Weird Science" into "Word Science".  Clever!!!!

Oh, and up in that electricity, they will have a word "suggestion" for bonus points. Naturally, those letters are fewer and farther between, which eats up your allotted time - - and then you run out of it.

Trickery.

It's not rocket science. I mean, there might be levels I have not gotten to, but I'm not all that broken up about it.

Word Science is ok for a time kill, but I do not see it replacing Words with Friends. However, I have used those frequent words we all use in that game for spelling things out in this new app.

I'm pretty sure it's not worth a buck, but if you can still get it for free, that's about all you want to pay for it.

Pic a Day in May - 27

Glass


Groundswell.   Art installation by Maya Lin at the Wexner Center for the Arts.





Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Monday, May 26, 2014

My Music Monday

I opted not to go with a song that contained 'memory' or 'memorial' in the title. I did that last year.

And honestly, there aren't that many - at least that I own.

So, since I had no true back-up, I went with random choice again. My 10th shuffled song would be the one that you'd get.

While it doesn't fit into the holiday theme of any kind, I thought that maybe you'd like it.

I'm not sure if you've ever heard of the Odds. They're a Canadian rock band. I've heard more people perform things they've written than things they've actually recorded.

Honestly, I know more about the song "Heterosexual Male" because of the stars of the video: member of Kids in the Hall, a Canadian comedy troupe. Well, three of the five. ....and in drag.  Partially.

The song has some rocking elements, but has some pop music sensibilities. I know there was no chart activity in the U.S. on this. I'm not sure about our northern neighbors.

I'm guessing most of you have never heard it. Hopefully, you will at least appreciate it a bit.


Pic a Day in May - 26

Memorial


For all who served.

Taken at Highland Park Cemetery, where my uncle is interred. While he served in WWII, he is not buried in the veteran's section. He did not have a flag.






Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Site of the Month

Everyone needs to know what it's like outside. So why not get your daily forecast  at WeatherFrom from a nice Jewish mother?

She'll tell you what it's like out and maybe what you should wear. She'll tell you a story or two. She might even give you a little advice.

What's not to love?

I check it daily, but just to hear her, I might type in other cities to see what their weather is and what story they might be hearing.

I also do the Random Forecast too.

Of course, "Gigi", the Jewish mother / grandmother isn't actually a mother or grandmother.  Or even a woman. Though he is Jewish.

"She" is David Krumholtz. If you look through his IMDB profile he's been in a few things, most of which I have never seen. I remember him from his brief time on Newsroom (as Will's therapist), but I don't remember him from Serenity at all.

For the most part the forecasts - and stream of consciousness talking - work. There are a few times s/he goes 'blue' and it's out of character and honestly, not needed. That part is for slight shock value and add nothing to the humour of the bits.

S/He has the moves down though, I love the shaking of the hands when s/he talks.

It's good for a laugh, though there are only 30-some pre-taped, so depending on your weather you might seem them all in a brief period of time.

Or do what I do, just type in other cities where you know the weather is extreme to see what goes on.

Pic a Day in May - 25

Framed


....or rounded.





Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Saturday, May 24, 2014

A Dog's Life

My easiest posts of the week - Petey Porn Day. 

When he goes out, he goes out hard!

I love that Sophie doesn't mind. Secretly, I think she loves it. 

Watching the squirrels. 

See what I mean about going out hard? 




Song by: Elvis Presley

Pic a Day in May - 24

Lamb


Whole lambs at Coscto, or leftovers at the Dahmers. Or possibly Chita Rivera's legs.






Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Friday, May 23, 2014

Fountain of Sorrow

I expected it to be more solemn of an occasion. I expected silence. I expected reverence. I expected tears.

I expected something. Or at least something else.

The site has changed. Even since we visited three weeks ago.

I worked under the shadows of the twin towers. I saw the remains three weeks after they were brought down. I've seen the 9/11 Memorial and Freedom tower in various stages of construction over the last decade.

When we arrived for the finished Memorial, we were directed blocks away to obtain tickets if we wanted faster entry. Those without would wait hours. Even with, you went through a maze of ropes and lines, then metal detectors, all of this while being under scaffolding with wood planks.

In a mere few weeks, all that is now gone. People can now just walk up and into the site. No security checks. No tickets. No lines.

No doubt to coincide with opening of the Museum.

But then, we were herded like animals for slaughter. At least till you got onto the site. But while in line, people were talking, joking, laughing, taking selfies. Not me. Not us.

Coming onto a site that way, both 710 and myself later discussed that we lost something in the perspective of emotion. It just wasn't there.

I have been so interested in the design of the tower and the footprints that there wasn't much (ok, anything) anyone there could tell me that I did not already know. Not that guides were readily available for questions or direction. I actually had to use the 9/11 Memorial site app to locate Kit's panel number.

We had seen so many broadcasts and read so many articles on the design and construction, we probably knew more than any guide. Maybe that is why we felt so little. It actually took us weeks to admit that to each other.

People milled around and chatted. When 710 and I did, it was in very hushed tones.

I pointed out that people had thrown things into the pools, clogging the flow and disrupting the streams going over the edge. I was mortified. Apparently people throw coins in as well, as if it's a wishing well of some kind.

I used the time for remembrance: the stories I've seen, the tales I've read. All coming down to these two footprints. I don't know what others were thinking or felt. I wanted to care, but didn't.  Or couldn't.

I did flash back to the dozen or so times I've been to the Vietnam Memorial. It is so quiet there, you can hear a pin drop. I expected something more along those lines when it came to the 9/11 Memorial. It was not meant to be.

Perhaps it is harder in the heart of the city versus the Mall in DC, but I don't think so.

We expected to be down there a few hours (minus the wait time) but in reality we were done in less than one.

People are lazy. You entered at the south side of the South Tower and that's where people stood. Crowding. Pushing. Waiting for a view.

Walk to almost any other side, or over to the farther North Tower imprint, and you had complete freedom to walk up to the panels and to the pools.

I am glad we went, but I feel a tinge of guilt for not feeling more when being there. Maybe it was the combination of crowds and the way you entered that took away from the experience. I'm sure I'll be back. Crack of dawn or at twilight seems a good time for that.

That all said, I have always been impressed with the design of the footprints and pools. They are so aesthetically pleasing, at least to me.



I'm also a fan of the new WTC 1 building.





Song by: Jackson Browne

Pic a Day in May - 23

Skyline



Downtown Cleveland





Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Record of the Month

I figured I'd do a monthly 'what I'm listening to' kind of thing. This could be viewed as a lame placeholder kind of post. And probably it is. But it's my blog! So there! 


Poor Deb.

Blondie has a new album out. Two, actually. New/Old and New/New.

The New/Old are new recordings of their bigger hits.

I totally get why Blondie needed to do Redux. The record companies have stiffed most artists for years on their recordings and royalties. Artists like ELO (aka Jeff Lynne) and Suzanne Vega have been re-recording and re-releasing their material for the last few years on their own labels, by-passing the ever-gouging big label system. Now folks who purchase those versions, the artist gets the money more directly and more of it.

Blondie just did the same with the Redux portion of their new double disk Blondie 4(0)-Ever.

Yet I have so many versions of 'Best of' that it probably wouldn't be worth it - and it isn't.

Still.......Poor Deb.

Since they are re-recording, they are not re-imagining the songs. The music is, for the most part, true to the original versions. I'd have been happier with cool new arrangements, but that was not meant to be.

Let's just say the songs come off as a mediocre-to-bad Blondie cover or tribute band.

I know Ms. Harry is 68, but I can't get past on the familiar tunes where it sounds like her Super Poligrip isn't adhering well enough. "Heart of Glass" "One Way or Another" "Sunday Girl" and "Dreaming" get almost into slushy esses territory.  Oddly (or maybe not) "Maria" comes out the best of the bunch. Maybe it is because it is from a later release (1999).

The second half of the release, Ghosts of Download, is new material.

Ghosts has its moments, but it is never going to meet the apex of the band's talent.  Clem Burke, whose drumming used to be such a driving force of the band, is now so muted, it could be anyone playing. And I know I should embrace change, but with half of their classic line-up gone, anyone could be playing this marginalized electronic based music.

While Blondie certainly incorporated Ska or Caribbean moments into their earlier works, it is becoming so prevalent on Ghosts that this sounds like outtakes from a No Doubt record from 15 years ago.

I'm loving "Rave".  Their first two singles, "A Rose By Any Name" and "Sugar on the Side" fail to deliver. The latter is better than the former, but then the "guest vocalists" just ruin it. Completely.  And if you're going to pick a duet partner (Beth Ditto on the "A Rose..."), then they should have a distinctive voice and not just blend in.

But there are moments on this record that have so much potential:  "Can't Stop Watching", "Take it Back" and a few others, but the songs miss the mark more often than hit it.

To me it comes down to the music. There are too many over riding electronics and sounds to make me care. It seems they spent more time programming computers and synthesizers than writing or recording the music. And while Harry has never had the strongest of vocals, she was distinctive. That still comes across here, but through a series of electronic filters and auto-tune.

I have everything Blondie has recorded, but next time I won't pre-order. I will listen to what they're selling, because I might not be buying.

Pic a Day in May - 22

Eggs




Not a cooking post. Just scrambled eggs with arugula.  ...and cheese.  It's a good combo. 





Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Forget Me Nots

Her name was Kit.

Or at least that's what she went by. She always had as long as I knew her.

Of all the people I knew who worked in and around the World Trade Center, I am kind of amazed that I only knew one person who perished, or was even injured, on September 11th.

The irony being that Kit lived in Colorado and had a training session in New York, that happened to be on the 106th floor of north tower.

Her remains have not been found.

Kit was younger than I, but I was really friends with her brother and have known him since the 4th grade. She would hang around whenever we would play - as kid sisters tend to do.

When we were in NYC a few weeks ago, we purposefully made our way down to the 9/11 Memorial site. Besides wanting to see it (thoughts on that in another post), I was really wanting to see Kit's name.

Of the almost 3,000 names on the panels, you start to think of how many people just look over them as a blur. The printed names are to remember them - and as I looked at them, I started thinking. And probably too much.

Outside of family and friends, how many people ever saw Kit's name there? Or looked at it twice?

Kit was not married and had no children. Her brother had his children after 9/11 (even naming his son 'Kit'), though her sisters had some kids prior to her death. Kit's father just passed away a few weeks ago, her mother years ago.

It kind of hit me that in another generation or so, anyone who knew Kit would be gone. Anyone else would cease to know her as a person, and only a name on a panel.  That is, if they took the time to even look.

Of course, then I started thinking, that this is true of all of us.

Save some remarkable people, we are just passing through here, with few people to remember us shortly after we are gone. We might be a name on a census or somewhere on ancestry.com, but we are blips in time.

Deep down, I already knew this. I've been watching Cosmos!

Still, I think that is what made it more important to head to the 9/11 Memorial and see Kit's name and to touch the letters.



Song by: Patrice Rushen

Pic a Day in May - 21

Coffee ?


Pet friendly Sweet Corner Bakeshop in the West Village.





Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Mr. Disco

Thump. Thump. Thump.

...went the music as David and I walked into Transformer Station for a community yoga class last Saturday.  (yes, another yoga post!)

This was not the meditative music of some yoga classes. This wasn't even the folky, artsy female artist or the fartsy redone versions of old New Order songs or a lullaby version of "Thrift Shop" (no, I"m not kidding).

Nope, this was full-on House music. I wanted to go to this practice for a number of reasons.

  • As you read last week, our normal Saturday venue is not doing yoga this month.  
  • I also wanted to try out a new space, even though I'd been there to see "art" (oh yes, it's in quotes). 
  • I like mixing it up and having male instructors now and again (yes, to be totally sexist, they do (or can) provide a very different workout than female ones).
  • And I'm not above wanting to go to a practice where the instructor was Scott.

I could have provided you his last name and even hyperlinked him, but I don't know what you people would do with that information, so no, you're not getting that 4-1-1.

Scott is not hard on the eyes, at all. As a yogi, he has a great form and a great practice. But honestly, the real reason I wanted to go to his class was he provides a killer workout. And it was free (never underestimate 'free').

As much as I was sweating in Insanity last week, you could double that for his 75 minute session a few days ago.

While we were the first ones to arrive (and without signing up, which we didn't know we had to do), the music was thumping playing. We said 'hello' to Scott and I might have said, "it's like I never went home last night".

Then I might have asked him if he knew where I could score some coke.

At least he laughed - at both comments. It could have gone either way. But honestly, the music, while more current than the gay bars/parties I used to frequent (and recreational pharmaceutical comment), took me back to some days/nights/back-to-day of my "youth".

Mind you, we arrived only 15 minutes before class, but again, were the first folks there. People were still coming in after class had started - and we even started 15 minutes late. It was packed. But these folks came to this place because they knew where to sign up (and that they had to) and let's face it, they were Ohio City Hipsters.

One in Cleveland is defined by if you're an eastsider or westsider. It's very odd.  Since Scott teaches on the east side, I can almost guarantee you that no one ventured over 'to that side of town' to ever know of Scott, his studio or his style.  I would say many eastsiders venture to the west, but few go the other way.  Cleveland is weird that way.

Halfway through the practice, I looked around and determined that David and I were the two oldest people there. And since I'm older than he, that made me the fucking oldest person in the room. Bummer.

Three minutes into an already challenging practice, David turns to me and says "only 72 minutes to go!". 

Honestly, we worked so hard, there was little time for our normal "two drink minimum comedy routine".  Yet, I went for the more difficult workout and got it. But I pushed myself too. I find in the harder classes, instead of modifying just to get through it, I challenge myself to more, harder or better. I don't know I succeed, but I feel like, on some level, I do.

We signed up for this upcoming Saturday's class, but we have no idea who is teaching.  I'm looking forward to June when they plan on practicing on the roof of a 5 story loft down the street. That should be fun {no sarcasm, honest}.



Song by: New Order

Pic a Day in May - 20

Tea


One Black. One Green.  Post-yoga beverage at Cleveland Tea Revival.

Dr. Spo would love this place.






Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Monday, May 19, 2014

My Music Monday

This week I'm going with the 2006 release, "Phantom Limb" from the Shins.

Save James Mercer, the lead vocalist and guitarist, no one else from arguably their biggest hit remains in the band - Mercer dismissing them before the follow-up album.

It's not that I think much of the Shins one way or the other. They have some decent material, and I loved Mercer's duet with Aimee Mann on her last solo album.

And to be truthfully forthcoming, I don't "officially" own one album of theirs. My nephew ripped me a copy of their disk, Wincing the Night Away.

I know that to some, music is more important than the lyrics, and to others the opposite is true. Personally, I think it's more of an equal combination. But to me even if the lyrics don't mean anything, I would like to understand what they're saying / singing.

The Shins didn't publish their lyrics with the disk. And often during this song, you can't really tell what Mercer is singing. To look on-line, if you view 10 different sites that post supposed lyrics, you'll get 10 different takes, at least by varying degrees.

Still, it works.


Pic a Day in May - 19

Literature



Honestly, I don't know why Rebecca can't get another novel published.  It doesn't look that difficult.

The idea is to stop looking at it as art, and start looking at is as commerce.




Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Sunday, May 18, 2014

An Ordinary Soldier

It's possible we are the last people on Earth to see Captain America: the Winter Soldier.  I mean, if the theater with 11 people in it were any indication.

It's been out about a month and a half, which means it should be on Blu-Ray in another six days.

Honestly, the only reason I really wanted to see it was because it much of it was filmed in Cleveland.  Some of it was filmed in a house down the street from us.

While they were in town for six weeks, I was unaware how much actually ended up in the movie. Cleveburgh was everywhere - doubling for Washington DC.  While the Avengers was partially filmed here, there was only two scenes (one extended) that were known to Clevelanders.  Winter Soldier there was much much more.

For me, that was the most exciting part.

Overall, I see it got good ratings (89% from Rotten Tomatoes), but I see it as all more of the same. Like the Avengers before (and the Star Trek reboot), there's lots of action and zero suspense.

Well....to be honest, I wasn't sure if the black guy was going to get killed or not. You know, in movies like this, it's always the heavy set guy or the black guy to get off'd in the movie. At least the character wasn't just one day away from retirement - that's always a dead giveaway.

I know people swoon over Chris Evans. I don't see it.  Scarlett Johansson has better appeal (and I would say she's getting a little better at acting too).  But has anyone bothered to tell Samuel L. Freeman (yeah, it's a joke......kind of) that he is a one-note actor? I get that you've nailed the role of 'angry black man', but c'mon.

The story was predictable, but you knew it would be. I mean, they're all back for the next Avengers movie. And they're superheroes. and no one sees a superhero movie where they don't save the day.

Oh - that was a Spoiler Alert.  My bad.

And Robert Redford? Does he have it in his contract for no one - and I mean no one - to touch his horrible fucking hair? The colour? The cut? The style?  It distracts you from his bad skin for about 0.8 seconds, but that's it.  But there ain't enough vaseline and gauze to make that look good.  Yes, it's petty, but I had to look at it in 3-D and paid extra for that. It doesn't seem like a fair trade.

I did get one thing wrong. The swarthy guy, who seemingly started off good in S.H.I.E.L.D. but wasn't, I thought would have a change of heart and turn on the bad guys.

Oh yeah - very minor Spoiler Alert. Ooops.

I also passed time every time Cobie Smulders was on-screen, I pictured Billy Eichner running through the streets of New York screaming, "what's going to happen to Cobie Smulders????"  That made the time pass with a smile on my face.

And to add to it all?  If the scenes that were filmed on our street were actually movie, I missed it, though I'm pretty sure they ended up on the cutting room floor.

The movie was a fine way to pass two hours (plus!) on a chilly, rainy Saturday, but it is not going to win any awards (though MTV will give it something for some reason).




2014 Movie Count / Goal:   2 of 12. 



Song by: Jennifer Kimball

Pic a Day in May - 18

Debt



....as of May 3, 2014 at 14:45.   That is 17 TRILLION (+), by the way....






Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Making Mirrors

Another day of Petey Porn.

Contemplative, or just bored?

On the hunt.  ...as beagles usually are. 

Paws. 

Before getting his nails clipped. I'm a bit skittish about doing it. Always afraid I'll cut too far back. It's worth the $10 to have Petco do it for me. 



Song by:  Gotye

Pic a Day in May - 17

Kiss


Iconic Life V-J Day photo re-imagined.   Taken from the High Line in NYC. 







Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Friday, May 16, 2014

Knocking On Heaven's Door

Here's the problem with trying to draft a blog post before an event. Invariably things will be different than you think they are.  Like last night when I went to yoga.

Yes - another yoga post.

If I had a life outside of family, work and yoga, you'd get more out of me. But I don't.

I do try to keep it to just the interesting classes. Actually the locations. Since yoga is a few thousand years old, there's not always tons new in the actual practice.

But there was a class last night, taught by Bri (you remember her from her Whole Foods Yoga) and it was at the Museum of Contemporary Art (which I wrote about back in 2013).

I still like the building and location. I still have not changed my mind of the actual amount of space to show art. It's limiting at best.

The yoga posse was going, but that wasn't going to be a deterrent from supporting Bri. It's petty of me, but some of the posse has just gotten on my nerves. It's a little judge-y of me, but I'm ok not practicing with them every week.

I also got my friend Geoffrey to attend - along with his partner, Craig. They restarted yoga a few weeks ago but weren't sure about doing it in a public forum like this - or out in the showiness of nature.

Last week they were dining alfresco when we were practicing outside. Watching. Eating. ...but not participating, except in the art of mockery via text message.

Geoffrey wasn't sure he could be comfortable practicing in a courtyard at an outdoor shopping area. I get that. But I gave up that ghost long ago. Except for someone's horrible cologne wafting in the breeze, I didn't notice any of the people milling about - though it was hard to ignore their snot-nosed kids running around right next to us, with nary a word of reprimand from their inattentive parents.

Anyhoo - yesterday's practice was entitled: Expressive Movement, which worried me.

Bri is all about the movement. The dance! Or attempting to get me to.  Attempting.

I'm happy to dance around the kitchen while I cook, but that's about it. It's for a maximum audience of three: 710, the dog and the cat.  In Winter, with the leaves off the trees, maybe someone driving down the street can see, but at 35 mph, they won't actually be sure of what they thought they just saw.

And yes, Bri incorporated movement into our 75 minutes. Lots and lots of movement.

The part that deviated was her talk of death.  Death. Death. Death.

Sure, it was in the context of how you live now and what you will do with your life. But it kept coming back to: one day you will die.

Lighthearted.

I love Bri, but it got to the point when she brought up death, I couldn't stop laughing uncontrollably. At one point I even asked, loud enough for all to hear, "are you off your anti-depressants?" 

Still, she committed to the theme: "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" was on the playlist. And then some song about the bones going to the wolves.

It was a decent enough of a work-out. I was sweating. Though there was touching of other people, on purpose. I'm never sure about that.

Afterwards, David and I went around the museum with a guy we've seen in a few other classes, Jo(h)n.

This was just a video of a person walking in front of a freighter.


But then there was an interactive project where you took a ball peen hammer and some metal letters. You'd hit the letters with the hammer onto a 3x5 white card - and then you'd hang the cards on a display. 

Mine didn't go very well and I gave up.  

But Jo(h)n made his.


I don't know what he ended up writing, but I did enjoy one card more than the others:



Seeing Bri off at the end of the evening, I did tell her, "You killed it!"  She laughed.




Song by: Bob Dylan

Pic a Day in May - 16

Marble



No matter how hard I work out, my butt will never be this hard. 


I might not have been focusing on the same thing as Canova. 




Other bloggers I follow are also doing the Pic a Day in May:

Jim - Jim's Stuff
Sean (kind of) - Just a Jeep Guy

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Cycle

Tomorrow is National Bike To Work Day.

I'd love to, but my bike won't go up the stairs to my office. It is more of a walking / climbing commute.

To be fair, even when I was working downtown, I never participated in this event, though I always wanted to.

I could forgo the shower. I mean, if I was in town, I wasn't seen any clients - none of which are in Cleveland.  Only some co-workers might have to smell me. That is, if I ever smelled.

As it turned out, I was rarely in town for this day - always on the road. Actually, it is a full week, but one day is truly designated for the ride.

The one day I was in town for it, there was a deluge. And yes, I get that people on bikes ride in the rain all the time, but I'm not equipped for that - carrying a laptop and such. If I rode to work more often, I'd have the appropriate gear.

My biking is relegated to either neighborhood rides, long tow-paths and yes, the occasional ride downtown, but on the weekends.

Hell, I haven't even pulled my bike out this year yet. I have got to check the tires, gears, brakes and chain before I ever put one foot upon it.

But I encourage others to take their bikes out tomorrow, whether it be to work or for fun.

Like many biking events, including Critical Mass, the organization is fractured. While I linked to some article on Bike to Work Day, there are dozens out there - each for individual cites or areas. I get each city is different, but there should be one hub and some spokes in this endeavour.



Song by:  Beck