An Observation

Has anyone else noticed that as we get older, the metrics we use to define how good a day was have shifted from x beers, or y numbers of hotties, or z banalities, to A miles at B pace?

For those who care...

I am finally getting my iPhone fixed tomorrow.


Though it does bother me a little that I had to schedule it for another day (or for 7 pm tonight). Are the *cough* Geniuses that busy?

Anyway, I am looking forward to being able to see everything on the screen again.

Because I well may be an idiot

I have decided to take part in the Lake George Polar Plunge and while I will publicly blame AP for forcing this on me, I am doing this of my own choice and free will.

That being said...

It is going to be cold.




It very well may be cold enough to freeze my nuts and berries.

Wish me luck, good health, and sanity.

And yes, there will be pictures

Cat People

I am not a cat person. I have had cats in and around my life forever but while I have loved some of them, they never really loved me back...which is what cats do.




This cat does love me.

Which makes a cold morning a little better.

Resolved?

I have yet to make my resolutions for the impending New Year and while I have ideas, I have to ask you, my friends and readers, what should I resolve to do and who should I resolve to become?

And...

What are your resolutions?

Denim Dilemma

I have a problem...

My favorite jeans have become too beat to wear. My fat man jeans are too big, and my skinny jeans aren't fitting right.

Is it now the time for pleated chinos because I am an old man?

Things that should never be said

I meant someone about two weeks ago...someone whom I never had to meet but the way it happened, it just did.

Anyway, upon meeting this person, they told me, "I have heard so much about you."

Considering who they were getting this information from, I had to reply, "Please don't believe any of it," or something equally trite.

The phrase "I have heard so much about you" has been somewhere in the forefront of my mind for weeks now.

Could he have heard that I was called a "monster"?

Could it be that I am completely non-functional these days?

What could it mean?

So...as an object lesson...please refrain from uttering that phrase or I will be forced to ask what exactly you have heard in excruciating and situationally uncomfortable detail.

Not to fixate on this

You can see them now, correct?


Not one, but two goats!!!

This is really odd.

I mean, shockingly odd.

I live downtown in a state capitol in the northeast.

*shakes head*

Not a Father's Day

Via Not a Father's Day

Amusing

I find it amusing when NYT reporters & columnists can have some fun...and I like the little bit of self directed snark...

Happy Holidays

It is Christmas Day on the East Coast now...

Love those whom you love and I wish you a peaceful and restful season.

Even those, like me, who do not believe in a "sky bully" (TM Joss Whedon) can take solace in the words from 2000 years ago...

"I bring you great comfort and joy."

Love each other, forgive each other and may all of us have a wonderful year.

Taking the time to document this

Look closely!

What do you see in the middle of the photo, to the left of the tree?

Do you see a goat?

You should.

I live in the Northeast in an urban area and as I am walking my dog, I can see a goat.

Albany is turning into Calcutta.

What does it say about me...

that on the first day of Winter, 28 feels positively balmy?

Argh

I am not a happy person when I am half way through a fairly snarky open letter to President Obama regarding why he should not sign anything resembling the Senate Health Care "Reform" bill and my blogging application decides to go and die.

Family

My mother had a tree decorating decorating party last night. It was a sweet idea.




The issue was my son and nephew (both seven) were so keyed up (for the Holidays, because it was the end of a long week, because the are both seven years old) that they were banshees.

In order to provide some peace and quiet, I told them that I would take them for a walk.

As we were walking around the ponds in my mother's complex, I looked up and saw adults having a nice cocktail party going on in another apartment.

It made me feel sad for a moment. THAT is what I should have been doing! That is what my life is (or so I thought) and when I got back to my mom's, my mood had changed and I wasn't able to deal with the hyperactivity of two normal healthy seven year olds at this time of year.

I may have snapped at TEA.

I may have been that dad that I never wanted to be.

I was sad about being a dad.

As a consequence, I wasn't able to fall asleep until 4:30.

Everything was moving through my head...what is my life? What do I want?

When I awoke, I made coffee and breakfast and I was still feeling off...and then I looked at my walls, and my the door of my fridge.


I am a parent, and I am a dad, and I need to understand that. The only thing that really matters in my life is my son, and maybe I have to remember that more often.

So, TEA, who doesn't read this, I am sorry and I will try to do better.

More Happiness

When you, Rachel, use the term "white hot fail" to describe a climate change denying Senator, you make me very very happy.

Pictures from the ASCA Holiday Concert

Waiting for the show...



The Wrongly Excited Gingerbread Man



TEA and classmates singing (they are dressed as Holiday Shoppers, and natch, TEA is carrying a Starbucks bag)

He looked at me this morning...

When I went to take him for a walk as if I were trying to convince him to walk into a freezer.

While I am doing chores, he is content to just sleep and relax...




I often wish that I led the life my dog does...of wait...I kind of do.

Oh, Albany!

Yes, it is very cold.





Please stop whining about it.

My Favorite Things

Starting my day with Rachel Maddow makes me happy.

There has to be a story here

I just don't know what it is.

Try captioning it for me.

In other news, I have turned into one of those people who walk into parking signs while dicking around with my smart phone. Yay me!

Chosen

This (MP3) has become my favorite piece of music to listen to as of late.

It was composed by Robert Duncan for Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Seventh Season

With a Tie..

You asked for it, you got it...

Just in case you were unclear where I stood

As if I needed a sign...


But it is important to say sometimes.

Books and Such

Look at these books.












Now, do you really need to wonder about why I am not dating?

Sartorial Question

For the last couple of years, my basic wardrobe has been a black v-neck sweater with a t-shirt underneath and such...

To switch it up, I would wear a shirt and tie, with jeans (doing the personal assistant thing) and I liked that look.

Last night, my housemate said that she prefers the tie look.

So...would that be something I should try?

Do I need to provide visual reference?

Dreams

My series of weird dreams has continued. They are still in the same vein but just a bit more violent in a bit more scary and I don't know what to do.

Consequently I'm sleeping like a baby. I am up every three hours and I messed myself twice.

Fun stuff!

An Odd Find

I was looking for something to read...something interesting but not speculative fiction.

It has been twelve years since I read "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" by Annie Dillard and it seemed like a good idea.




So, as I said...twelve years, but look what I found.




I had been using it as a book mark and it just struck me as weird and funny that this film that no one remembers (but has my surname) existed as something more than a memory.

I am trying to remember who I saw this with...

As I sad, it is odd that this item provides some memories but none that are definite.

Anyone want me to send a post card to them?

After the Storm

We did not get the ice and rain.





But we do clean up well.

Beauty in the Snow

Without the snow, there would not be pictures like this...




Taken on Elm Street.

Rachel on Uganda

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It is Winter

First of all, if you live in the Northeast, and you like living in the Northeast, you are going to have to deal with some snow. If you don't like it, Arizona would perfect for you.

Anyway, pictures from downtown Albany this morning.


The View Up North Pearl


Up State Street



The Empire State Plaza

Down Eagle Street
Up Madison Ave
Greetings from the Mansion Neighborhood!

You are kidding me, right?

No, Morning Edition, TARP does not refer to "Troubled American Recovery Plan" even though that is hilarious.

Hah!

"You tricked me."
"Tricked implies that we have a playful relationship. I decieved you."
"Fair enough."

Holiday Time

For the first time, it being so close to the Holidays made me happy.

It is a brisk day, I am drinking Christmas Blend coffee, I had a cookie, I have to pick up something that it is particularly Holiday-ie today, and at Starbucks, they are playing some of the music from "A Charlie Brown Christmas".

Dreams

I am still having the recurring organized crime dreams.

This weekend featured George Clooney and and a pair of gloves that I purchased in 1998 (Doe skin with red polar fleece linings) which made me very happy (As Curly has destroyed them).

I really don't know what is causing these dreams, but the recurring motif of organized crime (peopled by incompetents) shows that my psyche is being run by Seth Meyers writing a skit about the Departed with me in the lead.

I am having this comical (but occasionally very violent) life going on in my head for no reason, and they are happening every single night.

My hope is that when my head is in a better place, these dreams will stop.

Like an Indie Rock Love Song

I was having a conversation with a friend the other day and I made the statement that I want to live my life as if I were in an indie rock love song.

I thought about which song I would want to be in for a couple of days and I have decided on this:

Winterpills - Handkerchief

I don't know but...

Post Secret is becoming more and more banal to me, which is sad, because it used to be a Sunday morning ritual.

Global Climate Change?

It is December 5th.

It was 60 on Wednesday.




It is snowing now!

Can I get a "what what" on Global Climate Change?

Albany Food

FAU and I were discussing dining options in Albany and he made the statement that Italian and Indian are the two best represented cuisines in the city.

While I do not disagree with the statement, it seems wrong to me.

Does anyone else have an opinion?

In addition, Burger Centric is brilliant in concept, and the service was attentive, the food, while tasty, was not worth the effort.

With better bread, a lot of things would be forgiven.

For the record, I had the Curry Burger, while my friend had the Surf and Turf Burger.

Poll of the Day

Really?


Well, I suppose it is okay. I mean, the rules are different for those who have achieved a certain amount of "celebrity".

Those people have earned their fame...Like those Kardashians.

The Understatement is Wonderful

Unfortunately for Monserrate, the judge left in place an order of protection which prevents him from seeing the woman, whom he wants to marry. And everyone knows how painful it is when you're told you can't wed the person you love, right?

The Awl

Desert Island Discs

If you have some free time, please listen to BBC 4's Desert Island Discs for last week.

Come on, it is Morrissey!

There are only two days left.

You can also download it from iTunes.

Some Photos From Last Night's Protest/Rally

Watching Mayor Jennings come out to "talk" about how the protest may interrupt his tree lighting was...comical.

Aside from that, there was a good crowd, and the organization didn't suffer as much as I had thought it would.

I suppose the point of these rallies is not to show outrage, but to allow people to feel like that have a voice.

That being said, I would think that a concentrated lobbying effort would work better than a protest the day after the fact.

Coverage from CapitalNews 9 and All Over Albany

Doing What I Do Best

Listening to Radiohead, drinking Starbucks, and dicking around on the internet!

MENY's Rally in Albany

Link to Google Calender

Come one, come all.

There There

Radiohead - There There

in pitch dark i go walking in your landscape.
broken branches trip me as i speak.
just 'cause you feel it doesnt mean its there.
just 'cause you feel it doesnt mean its there.

There's always a siren
Singing you to shipwreck
(Don't reach out, don't reach out
Don't reach out, don't reach out)
Steer away from these rocks
We'd be a walking disaster
(Don't reach out, don't reach out
Don't reach out, don't reach out)
just 'cause you feel it doesn't mean its there.
(theres someone on your shoulder)
(theres someone on your shoulder)
just 'cause you feel it doesn't mean its there.
(theres someone on your shoulder)
(theres someone on your shoulder)
There there!

why so green and lonely?
and lonely
and lonely

heaven sent you to me
to me
to me

we are accidents
waiting waiting to happen.

we are accidents
waiting waiting to happen

Hello, December!

You treat me so well!

Thank You!

Carl Kruger, Bill Stachowski, Ruben Diaz Sr., Joe Addabbo, Darrel Aubertine, Hiram Monserrate, Shirley Huntley and George Onorato

You are all wonderful people. Seriously.

You are now some of my favorite people on the planet, aside from you, Monserrate, you are a violent douchebag who should not be sitting.

My hope for all of you is that you find happiness in another life, because you are clearly unhappy in this one.

Which is not a threat implying violence in the least.

I just want you to know that I neither respect any of you nor your vote, because, bigotry on an institutional level is never cool, and it is NEVER right.

Your lack of backbone, and respect, for your party, for your fellow members, and for your lack of respect for the citizens who elected you is inspiring.

The Power of Prayer

Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss of Monsey, N.Y., said he traveled to Albany to remind the Senate "that the world belongs to the Almighty, and they have to reckon with his rules and his law."

From the NYT

I am sorry about this, but I really doubt that the Almighty is that petty and evil.

But, what does that say about me?

Reaping What You Sow

Okay, happy now? The vote was forced and you knew that you didn't have them.

It will be the same Senate next year, so..,2011? With this be enough of an issue to force a primary in certain Senate districts? Really? You think so?

Way to set up disappointment.


Of course you did...

Marriage Equality Clears A Hurdle

Well, it made it out of rules, but it does not have the votes to win on the floor. So, what's the point?

To disappoint millions of New Yorkers...that's the point, I guess, and a number of advocates do not understand that you do not force an issue unless you have the vote.

Test

Test Post, please ignore.


A Futile Mistake

Uganda to Execute Gays If Law is Passed

The African nation of Uganda is weighing a bill that would impose the death penalty on HIV positive men who have committed what it calls "aggravated homosexuality."

Via The Raw Story

Rick Warren will not take a stand on this either way. (Via Daily Kos)

Oh, yeah, and guess who may be behind this?  Oh yeah, The Family.

Rachel did a piece on this last night...

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This is How Animals Should Be Treated

After that, Richmond High was blasted with anonymous e-mails saying the school — and the whole city — should be quarantined. The message struck a nerve, says sophomore Lizette Franco.

"We don't want it to be our identity, because there is so much more to Richmond than what they're portraying in the media. We're not animals. We're not savages," Franco said. "We're students striving to be better people."

Rape At School Brings New Despair To Richmond (Via NPR)

No, when you are trying to determine if a dog is rabid, you test, and then you quarantine it until you determine if it is safe to be among decent animals and people.

This community has failed, and much like Hashima, it should be abandoned, or at least separated from the rest of the world.

Listen to the story on NPR, listen to the nonchalance in the voice of the 9-1-1 caller after this young woman had been gang raped for two hours, in the view of a crowd and within distance of four homes.

No, Richmond, you have failed...and you may need to be put down. 

The Last Movember Update

At 10:00 AM




At Midnight:




Thank you to everyone who donated!

Please donate to Movember!

http://us.movember.com/mospace/392590