Stalkers...for hire

There are times - not a lot of them but certainly a few here and there - when I wish I were living in a bigger city not out here in the 'burbs of lovely West Chester, and the services of Methodizaz put me in that kind of mood.

See, there is a sever paucity of photos of me as an adult on the walls as Casa del ChemGuy, and Methodizaz (the name befuddles me, too, I don't understand it in the least) claims that they could cure that kind of a thing. They work by getting your private-type information (from you, of course) and find out where you're going to be during your regular days. And then they stalk you. They take professional-type photographs of you in the casualness of your life - trying to show whatever emotion you want them to capture.

For a small fee - specific fee not mentioned on the website - you can act like you've got your own paparazzi.

Mental breakdown and controlled substance abuse not included.

Looking at lists

Because Entertainment Weekly is really just a bunch of fluff...

Their list of their favorite immortals with comments:

• Connor MacLeod of Highlander - one of my favorite films...love it...the Sonnery Spanish/Scottish accent...the weirdo/artsy fades...the great Queen score...how do I not own this?
• Angel & Spike of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" - the strange love between Spike & Buffy left me cold, but the Spike character was at least interesting
• Legolas from those Rings things - in seeing the movies, I never thought of him as immortal...seemed like there was some chance he'd die in the fight scenes, hence wasn't immortal
• Thomas/Tommy/Com Creo of The Fountain - the image that they have on the list makes the makup look horrible, but I enjoyed the film (as my review said)...I don't know that I'd say the guy was immortal, but I can't say difinitively that I thought he wasn't either...there are still a number of things I didn't get about the film
• Orlando of Orlando - I've been obsessing about this film of late as I have the soundtrack and have been listening to it a lot lately...can't find it anywhere unless I break down and buy it...it's one I've seen a couple of times and have very fond memories of - though that's been a while
• Zeus of Clash of the Titans - what an awful movie, one I couldn't tear my eyes from whenever it was on TBS as I grew up...horrible, entrancing film
• Nick Night of Forever Knight - never seen it
• Q of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" - I've only seen a couple of his episodes, but he was an enjoyable if a bit foppish character...truly a throwback to the old-school "Star Trek" episodes when they'd suddenly find themselves on a planet that was stuck in the 1940s or in Anceint Greece...always a bonus
• The Oracle of The Matrix - first movie good, other films crap...she was a near character, but she certainly doesn't make this list for me
• Peter Pan - again, meh
• Grim Reaper of Bill & Ted's various - hilarious semi-foil to the boys...good times in both the flicks...sadly they've fallen out of the rotation
• Pinhead of Hellraiser - never seen it
• Dream of The Sandman - I just finished up reading the second Absolute Sandman volume, and I'd forgotten just how amazing is the run of stories that Gaiman put together...I look forward to getting the next two volumes as they drip out over the next year or so...an amazing tale from start to finish
• God of Dogma - she's just so cute and bubbly...how could ya do anything but love her in this role...
• Satan of South Park - he's certainly got his kinks and weirdities but he can still be pretty fearsome when it's his time to be so
• Adam Monroe of "Heroes" - again, never seen it

I'd take Death over Dream from The Sandman, but it's not a bad list...

Their list of their favorite fairy tale flicks...

• Enchanted - never seen it
• "Snow White: a tale of terror" - never seen it
• Cinderella - ya can't go without a Disney flick on a list like this, huh...I don't know that I've seen this one all the way through in one sitting, though I do remember having a series of Disney treasurey books with stills from this and lots of the other classic Disney films in it...loved the books
• Sleeping Beauty - 'bout the same as Cinderella...
• Legend - now we're talkin'...this is another one from my childhood that I couldn't ever turn the channel from...loved it to death and might be my favorite Tom Cruise film...love Tim Curry's part, love Mia Sara, love the sprites and the brownies...good times
• Aladdin - this one I saw in teh theater, I remember that...entertaining the first time through, though I think the schtick of Robin Williams will make for a quicker age for this than for most of the Disney films of its ilk
• Ella Enchanted - haven't seen it, though it kind of looked entertaining
• Pan's Labyrinth - not a fairy tale, not a fairy tale at all...amazing film, marvelously well done but certainly not a fairy tale in the least...no happiness here
• Stardust - haven't seen it, though the combo of Danes and Gaiman means I probably should
• La Belle et La Bete - that's ferign ur somethin, right?
• Shrek - I enjoyed it, but things got weaker after the first one...and I've seen it too many times to enjoy it anymore
• The Princess Bride - wonderful...a classic of childhood for me...marvelous, note-perfect throughout
• The Wizard of Oz - surprisingly, I still enjoy the heck out of this one...and "Wicked" helped me to enjoy it even more
• The Neverending Story - way too sappy and sacharine to be enjoyable, and it's one of my favorite movies from childhood...don't think I've seen it in a dozen years, and it's probably best that it stay that way...I'm guessing I wouldn't enjoy it all that much now, even though it is basically a puppet show

Let's try basketball movies...

• Semi-Pro - I'm guessing it's horrible, but it may age well...haven't seen it
• Love & Basketball - not a good start for me, haven't seen this either
• Glory Road - 0-3 so far
• Hoop Dreams - I had a tape of this one a while back from when it was shown on its 10th anniversery on PBS with an update of both focuses of the documentary...it's absolutely heart-breaking and one of the best sports documentaries ever...hands down, ever
• Hoosiers - my favorite film of all time...I cry every time I see it...the original (without the cuts that you can see on the newest DVD version) would've been even better if it existed
• The Heart of the Game - haven't seen it
• He Got Game - with my new-found respect for Spike, I should see this one sometime soon
• Hardwood - never even heard of it
• Coach Carter - never seen it
• White Men Can't Jump - entertaining stuff, not a spectacular film, but certainly a fun way to kill an afternoon
• Above the Rim - never seen it, though the little blurb makes me really curious
• Pistol: birth of a legend - I saw this once on a Saturday afternoon, and it was so sappy but so fun...I'd kind of like to see it again
• Rebound: the legend of Earl 'the goat' Manigault - again, never heard of it
• The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh - I'm embarrased to say that I've never seen this one, either

How have I not seen nine of their 14 favorite basketball films?

Favorite movie musicals...

1. The Wizard of Oz - It is a classic, and I enjoy it. I don't know that it's the greatest ever, but it's top five. At least they ordered things so it's not just "a list of favorites" in no particular order.
2. West Side Story - never seen it
3. Singin' in the Rain - I'd take this over Wizard, not as my favorite, necessarily, but Wizard feels more magical than musical to me
4. Cabaret - never seen it
5. Mary Poppins - too sappy by half to be enjoyable, though the bit about the penny-pinching banker is entertaining...Dick Van Dyke's accent is horrific
6. The Band Wagon - never heard of it
7. A Hard Day's Night - a musical?...I guess it is...it's a lot of fun with the whole plot of the sect trying to steal Ringo's ring...hilarious and fun from the four MopTops
8. South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut - probably the only one of the list that I own and love more than any of the others
9. Meet Me in St. Louis - I have to admit that I had a bit of a crush on Judy Garland in this movie - the fake red hair kinda did it for me...fun songs
10. Love Me Tonight - huh?
11. An American in Paris - meh, never seen or been interested in seeing it
12. Swing Time - I've seen photos of it
13. On the Town - perhaps this list was a mistake for me to run through
14. Grease - ah, back into my wheelhouse...this is a fun bit of kitzsch and throwback to a time that may or may not have ever existed...and it's surprisingly dirty...listen to the words of "Greased Lightnin'" if you don't know what I'm talking about
15. Hairspray - Amellia? any help?
16. A Star is Born - nope, not this either
17. Chicago - robbed, I'd put it at least five spots higher...much better than those other movies I haven't seen
18. The Busby Berkeley Disc - wait, that's not even a movie
19. The Sound of Music - I've been in a production of it, but I've never seen the movie
20. Funny Girl - funny lookin'
21. Beauty and the Beast - interesting, an animated musical...I guess South Park made it...good stuff...saw this in the theater and surprisingly enjoyed it
22. Gigi - nope, not this either
23. The Music Man - never seen it
24. Seven Brides for SEven Brothers - I've seen one of the dance numbers, probably the big one...does that count?
25. Once - G, I promise to see this soon

Where's Guys & Dolls?

We're too long already, so I'll save the 80's teen sex comidies and sinister Satans for another day...'til tomorrow, folks...

Sad songs say so much

As always, I don't know why these are on the brain, but I offer you songs of lost love...stay strong, folks, 'cause we'll all get over it...


SeeqPod - Playable Search

Lessons learned about openness

It seems such a simple concept: tell the people more than you think they need or want to know.

Don't keep secrets.

If you do, you will just create more and more rumors about what you did behind those closed doors...whether you did anything sinister or not.

It doesn't matter, because once you close the doors, the same people who paid no attention to you before will just want to bang the door down.

Morons.

Moments of bliss

I'm a procrastanator and a perfectionist - two traits which don't go together all that well. What it means is that I spend a lot of my free time thinking about what I should be doing instead of just letting go and enjoying whatever it is that I'm doing. For example, as I type this entry, I'm thinking about this afternoon's bake sale and the notebook sitting next to me at the table - the ones I should be grading and will be in a few minutes.

Every now and then, however, there have been and continue to be moments in my life when the brain lets go and just revels in the moment, when the bliss takes over and all is well with the world.

Today I present you with descriptions of a few of those moments...and I ask you to share one of your own, a moment when everything, every thought, every bit of the rest of the world went away from you, a time when you lived purely and totally in the moment...

• Each time I look up at the sky and see Orion - ideally in early morning hours of a winter day. - I've lost touch with a friend (entirely my fault here) out in the City of Angels who loved looking up at Orion herself. And every time I see the belt and the sword, I think of her. It's a shame that I haven't been more regular in my contact with her.
• Senior awards chapel at Wabash when I won the chemistry leadership award. - There was an award for the outstanding student teacher. I expected to win that one - there were only about a half dozen of us student teaching that semester, and I thought I was hot stuff. But when Dr Dallinger began the announcement for one of the chemistry awards by saying (I'm paraphrasing here) "We have an outstanding chemistry class this year with a dozen chemistry majors. Six are headed to chemistry graduate school, two to law school, two to med school, one to English grad school, and one to high school. It is to this last that we present this award." And I went away. I couldn't catch my breath, couldn't hear another thing he said. I received the award in front of the entirety of the senior class and assembled parents - including mine. I've won a few academic-type awards in my time, but this one shocked and honored me as much as any that I've ever gotten.
• After the first few runners come across the finish line at our 5K...in the middle of the second set of Rock 4A Cause. - Our students (especially those of you who make up a fair portion of this blog's readership) do amazing, phenomenal things to raise around $40,000 every year for the LLS (our total this year will be announced in the first week of April). Calen and I do a lot of work behind the scenes and in other ways, and we both tend to be about as tense as possible as our two largest events head toward their dates. But once things are underway and working, you'll typically find me in the lobby of the concert or at the finish line of the 5K with the biggest grin on my face. Everybody is enjoying themselves, and it's because of something that I've helped birth, and they're all having a great time 4A Cause. It's an amazing feeling.
• As I stood there taking my vows at my wedding. - We had an outdoor wedding at Locust Grove on Easter Saturday and had absolutely no decent backup plans at all. If it had rained on us, we'd've been crammed into their reception hall with a very uncomfortable ceremony. It poured on Thursday all day long - until our rehearsal. Friday it was crystal clear, and they mowed the grass. Saturday was gorgeous - 75 degrees with crystal blue skies. On Easter Sunday they had ten inches of rain and horrific flood warnings.
  
  But for us, it was perfect. I was surrounded by the people who meant the most to me in the world, and I was marrying a beautiful woman. It was one of the best parties I've ever been to, and easily the best one that I've ever thrown. It was so beautiful, in fact, that the photographers kept the album as an advertisement for the next year...and that certainly wasn't because The Girl and I are that gorgeous as far as people go.
• Sitting on the beach at 4am on my last day in Aberdeen, Scotland. - I'd spent nine months in Aberdeen - eight, really, with the rest around Scotland, England, and the continent. And I'd never seen the sun rise over the North Sea. I got up at 3:30, knocked on Luke's window but let him sleep as he was enjoying the company of a lass who he'd finally worked up the courage to chat up the night before, so I headed down to the North Sea alone - a fifteen minute walk in the darkness. And I waited for the fun to rise on my last day in Aberdeen. I have a gorgeous panoramic of the sunrise to keep the memories fresh, and my parents had it mounted for my Christmas present that year.
• This weekend during warmups for New Albany's game against Brownsburg. - I've left the nest and headed two hours upriver from The Family Manse. I love where I live now and wouldn't trade my life for anything. But there is something so familiar and wonderful about going home from time to time, and this weekend screamed that at me as I stood up and cheered for the home team, surrounded by 7000+ Hoosiers in a high school gymnasium. The blind fervor, the excitement, the feeling of being part of a seventy-year-old tradition. It was amazing and so comforting, and I felt at home, something that I rarely connect with. I'm the one who left, and there aren't a lot of times when I miss home, but I missed it palpably this weekend.

And when have you been in bliss?

In honor of GG

We have a passage to note, folks - something that TL has already done for us but that I'll be doing in my own little way.

"d20 Love"


an old-school D&D commercial


Dungeons & Dragons: Satan's Game


What do you do with a level-2 ogre?


A documentary about two gamers


Breaking down stereotypes left and right


From the classic cartoon


Celebrity D&D (part 2's here)


The trailer


Again with the stereotypes

The king is dead, long live the dream

Over the past week or two, I've mentioned The Hometown's high school basketball team. They made it through the regular season undefeated (22-0) and then won their first four post-season games, making it to the final four of 4A teams in Indiana.

On Saturday (today as the date of the blog suggests, yesterday as I type this entry) the dogs ran into a buzzsaw and couldn't recover from their poor (6 of 19) free throw shooting in a 51-41 loss to an unranked Brownsburg team at the Southport Semistate.

Much sadness around here, and The Blog will be wearing black for a while in mourning.

Feel free to check out more details here, here, or here and photos here, as well.

Because it's easy

And the random ten with minor comments...

"Rocky Mountain Way" by Joe Walsh

Another bit of proof that I like the individual Eagles way better than I ever liked the collective...the group sucked...the guy weren't all bad

"In the Garden" by Van Morrison

The entirety of Astral Weeks is marvelous, looping back and forth on itself time and again, making for a great listen. The Girl hates the whole album and pretty much won't let me play it even once while she's around.

"Just a Kid" by Wilco

From the Spongebob Soundtrack...one of the more entertaining kids' movie soundtracks in a while.

"Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" by Wham

Forever tied to the tragedy that can come from gas fights for me now.

"Tainted Love" by Soft Cell

This is the short version, without "Where Did Our Love Go". For trivia, feel free to learn that the album from which this came is called Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.

"Beautiful" by Smashing Pumpkins

Tough one to classify because it's sort of pretty but not identifyable as anything in particular to me. I do wonder why the Pumpkins had to self-destruct.

"Cry on Demand" by Ryan Adams

Amazingly sad song that just sounds beautiful is you're not paying attention.

"Scarlet" by U2

Very early U2, jangly guitar, almost a gospel feel with the repeated "rejoice" line.

"Waltzing's for Dreamers" by Richard Thompson and Shawn Colvin

This one's from the live boxed set that any Thompson fan should have. Amazing collection of his work.

"1979" by Smashing Pumpkins

They return and present a blast of an upbeat song. Great stuff...

Nothing says lovin' like...

So, you see a woman (or man, you make the call) across the room. She catches your eye - probably has some sort of visual thing goin' on that got your attention in the first place - and you wander over to her. You're not looking to make any sort of love connection or anything, just maybe pass a few minutes' time and perhaps make a new friend.

But as you get closer to her, the scent hits you again, suddenly like ape scent gloriola - she smells like WAFFLE CONES.

Before you know it, you're desparately in love and helplessly at her feet begging you to marry you that instant.

Or at least I would be...but I'm kind of a sucker for a fresh waffle cone.

And luckily, Demeter Fragrances has a full line of colognes for you ladies to snare a super stud like me.

There's all of these options and much more:

• Angel Food
• Play Doh (which I think I've mentioned before)
• Mango Pineapple Salsa
• Laundromat
• Hot Fudge Sundae (from their Jelly Belly line)
• Wet Garden
• Basil
• Condensed Milk
• Funeral Home
• Mushroom
• Paperback
• Holy Water
• Clean Windows
• Stable

C'mon, I mean who wouldn't be vulnerable and open to pretty much any suggestion if it was made by a woman (or a man, again, you make the call) if she smelled like condensed milk?

And they're all available in colognes (1- or 4-oz containers), bath & body oils & gels, and a room spray.

Be warned, folks, that next time you come over to The Homestead it may smell like Dirt, but that'll be intentional.

Aw, yeah...

Check, check, check it out...

Goly help me...Calen sent me a link to the work of a former student of ours - now posted on YouTube - that I'm about to include here...

The goly help me comes about because of the fact that I taught this young woman about six years ago, and how she's showing what God gave here in a video with some trashy Disney pop lothario...but here goes nothing...



...the video isn't anything bad enough that MTv is going to ban it, and that beat of the song is catchy enough, but the sight of seeing a former student in such a situation is very odd...I knew she'd gone into modeling (she was doing that while she was at good ol' PHS) and some acting (hold on a moment for more on that), but...well...this is just icky...sorry to be so vague...

...as is the experience of seeing the same young woman in the film Acts of Death (also known as The Final Curtain)...and which you can see in full streaming video right here...before you check out the film, however, be warned that she meets her end during the final reel (apparently splatter killed with some sort of caustic substance that her chemistry teacher - that'd be me - can't seem to understand just what it would be)...and to give further warning, here's a synopsis of the film's lengthiest review online...

ACTS OF DEATH is an above average low-budget slasher flick whose only flaw is it's slow pacing and to another extent, it's weak ending. The DVD itself features nothing in terms of special features , so I wouldn't recommend buying it... but if it's a slow night at the rental store and you're looking for something halfway entertaining (and you've seen just about everything else) then pick this badboy up... it won't blow your mind, but the kills are cool and well worth it.

After having watching most of the film myself (skipping around through some of the slower parts), I think the reviewer was being kind.

All that being said - and no matter the ickiness of seeing Niki in the Jesse McCartney video - it's awesome that she's apparently doing what she's wanted to do for years, that she's in the career field that she wanted to be in, and that she's apparently doing well enough for herself that she can send word of her career accomplishments homeward.

Congrats, Niki...

Probably more thought than the topic deserves

When all the archetypes burst in shamelessly, we reach Homeric depths. Two clichés make us laugh. A hundred clichés move us. For we sense dimly that the clichés are talking among themselves, and celebrating a reunion. Just as the height of pain may encounter sensual pleasure, and the height of perversion border on mystical energy, so too the height of banality allows us to catch a glimpse of the sublime. Something has spoken in place of the director. If
nothing else, it is a phenomenon worthy of awe.

Just under a year ago, Mike B of clapclap.org wrote a phenomenal piece on the prevelance of "Hallelujah" in television and movie sadness montages.

The piece is amazingly well written, phenomenally thorough, and a work of absolute genius. It is a bit long, I warn you, but it's well worth it.

And it got me to check out Mike's full blog with other writings about post-80's cartoons, a masters class on a single scene of Freaks and Geeks, an analysis of That's My Bush, and lots more.

Outstanding stuff, man...and intermittent enough that I can follow along.


SeeqPod - Playable Search

Check it out, folks...

Why yes, that is The Old Man there (in the white sweater over the blue button-down shirt - yes, I do have outstanding genetic fashion sense, thanks for asking - and I am destined for a life of glasses forever) giving out tickets to this year's hometown team's state tournament run...

Good luck to the boys with their rescheduled game tonight.

In case you're curious, the Bulldogs did win Monday's game and are now 25-0. If they win tonight's game (against the team that gave them their toughtest test in the regular season), I'll be busy Saturday.

Music of the people, by the people, for the people

I've been checking out the old folkies of late thanks to the release of the Best of Hootenanny DVDs, so you get to share in the joy and pain...

First, with the trailer describing the series...


Then, The New Christy Minstrels - pay special sttention to the racism at about 2:15...


The Kingston Trio tells the tale of Charlie on "The MTA"


Bob Dylan doing one of his most moving songs, "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol"...


And Dylan in his early days of doing folk covers...


Pete Seeger with "Guantanamara"...


And a bit too polished up, the Weavers sing "Goodnight, Irene"


"Eat at Joe's" from A Mighty Wind...


Peter, Paul, and Mary...


Phil Ochs - "I Ain't Marching Any More"

The reason for Thursday

I started last Thursday's post by wanting to put together a playlist of state songs. I'd just listened to Lyle Lovett's It's Not Big, It's Large album and was really enjoying "Up in Indiana" - no luck finding it on Seeqpod, however, so the playlist ended up being Ohio songs...

But, that doesn't preclude today's list post...

Songs with states in the title...let's find the best song for each state, many of which I've still got blank...

And just for the fun or it, I've bolded the ones that I'd say might qualify as the best state song ever...and I've put the ones added since the original post in italics...

Alabama

"Sweet Home Alabama" (Lynyrd Skynyrd), "Alabama" (John Coltrane), "Alabama Song" (Bertold Brecht and others), "Alabama Bound" (Leadbelly)

Alaska

"North to Alaska" (Johnny Horton)

Arizona

"Arizona" (Mark Lindsay, Paul Revere & the Raiders), "Arizona" (Alejandro Escovedo)

Arkansas

"Arkansas Traveler" (public domain)

California

"Going to California" (Led Zeppelin), "California Dreamin" (Mama's & Papas), "Californication" (Chili Peppers), "Goin' Back to Cali" (B.I.G.), "California Girls" (Beach Boys), "Hotel California" (Eagles), "California Sun" (The Rivieras and The Ramones), "California Love" (2Pac, Dr Dre), "California Stars" (Wilco & Billy Brag), "California" (Low), "Dani California" (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Colorado

-none-

Connecticut

"Connecticut" (Judy Garland, Bing Crosby)

Delaware

"Delaware" (Perry Cumo)

Florida

-none-

Georgia

"Sweet Georgia Brown" (various), "Georgia on My Mind" (Ray Charles)

Hawaii

"Blue Hawaii" (Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley), "Hawaii" (Beach Boys)

Idaho

"Idaho" (Yonder Mountain String Band), "Idaho" (Jesse Stone and others)

Illinois

"Illinois" (Dan Fogelberg)

Indiana

"Up in Indiana" (Lyle Lovett), "Back Home Again in Indiana" (Hoagy Carmichael), "Indiana" (Louis Armstrong)

Iowa

-none-

Kansas

-none-

Kentucky

"My Old Kentucky Home" (Stephen Foster), "Blue Moon of Kentucky" (Elvis and others), "Kentucky Woman" (Neil Diamond), "Kentucky Rain" (Elvis), "Kentucky Waltz" (Bill Monroe and others), "Kentucky" (Everly Brothers)

Louisiana

"Louisiana 1927" (Randy Newman), "Louisiana" (Count Basie), "Louisiana Lady" (New Riders on the Purple Sage), "Louisiana Man" (Doug Kershaw and others), "Louisiana Blues" (Muddy Waters), "Louisiana" (Percy Mayfield), "Louisiana Bayou" (DMB)

Maine

-none-

Maryland

"Maryland, My Maryland" (various artists), "Maryland" (Vonda Shepard)

Massachusetts

"MTA" (Kingston Trio), "Massachusetts" (Bee Gees), "Massachusetts" (Gene Krupa)

Michigan

"Say Yes to M!ch!gan!" (Sufjan Stevens)

Minnesota

-none-

Mississippi

"Mississippi Moon" (John Anderson), "Mississippi Moon" (Jimmie Rogers), "Mississippi Queen" (Mountain), "Bright Mississippi" (Thelonious Monk), "Mississippi Mud" (Ray Charles), "Mississippi" (Bob Dylan, Cheryl Crow), "Mississippi" (Red Foley), "Mississippi" (Pussycat)

Missouri

"Missouri Waltz" (Glenn Miller and others), "Missouri" (Merle Travis)

Montana

-none-

Nebraska

"Nebraska" (Bruce Springsteen)

Nevada

"Reno, Nevada" (Fairport Convention, et al)

New Hampshire

"New Hampshire" (Sonic Youth)

New Jersey

"Jersey Girl" (Tom Waits), "Jersey Bounce" (various artists)

New Mexico

"New Mexico" (Johnny Cash)

New York

(not the city, specifically about the state)-none-

North Carolina

-none-

North Dakota

"North Dakota" (Lyle Lovett, again)

Ohio

see Thursday's entire post, "Ohio" (Neil Young), "Ohio (back to Texas)" (Bowling for Soup), "Ohio" (Over the Rhine)

Oklahoma

"Oklahoma Hills" (Jim Reeves and others), "Oklahoma" (Rodgers & Hammerstein)

Oregon

"Oregon Trail" (Woody Guthrie)

Pennsylvania

"Pennsylvania 6-5000" (Andrews Sisters and others)

Rhode Island

"Sweet Rhode Island Red" (Ike & Tina Turner)

South Carolina

-none-

Tennessee

"Tennessee Sucks in the Summer" (Ryan Adams), "Tennessee Stud" (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), "Tennessee" (Arrested Development), "Tennessee Waltz" (Roy Acuff and others), "Tennessee" (Carl Perkins)

Texas

"Texas Flood" (Stevie Ray Vaughn), "T for Texas" (Jimmie Rodgers)

Utah

-none-

Vermont

"Moonlight in Vermont" (various - in my head, Willie Nelson)

Virginia

"East Virginia" (public domain), "Oh Virginia" (Blessed Union of Souls)

Washington

-none-

West Virginia

-none-

Wisconson

-none-

Wyoming

"Emperor of Wyoming" (Neil Young)

Oh, and to quote The Girl, "compulsive much?"

Back to the chaff

If I'm going to hang back with the blogging, I might as well link blog from time to time...

• The video for "The Sweater", a song I've loved for a decade and a half now
• Lennon & McCartney pre-Yoko
• No Country Birthday Fun
• "Where is My Mind?"
• How the Star Wars titles should have been
• Hey, Calen, wanna go for a ride?
• I love a good library
• When Geeks Go to a War Protest
• For Caroline in 1st bell
• Further proof the Japanese are bonkers
• 80's credit love
  
  
• The True Cost of War

I know what I want

I am totally going to send away for my fontified handwriting.

I've always wanted to be able to type in my handwriting - actually in my printing because my handwriting it just shy of chicken scratching.

At nine bucks for the font, I'm tempted to buy a few and type up all of my worksheets in the new fonts. Students and former students, what would you think / have thought about that?

Back home again in Ohio

As The Girl just asked - "so, you're listening to Ohio songs?"...

Yup...enjoy 'em...


SeeqPod - Playable Search

Caption contest #1

The official caption was as follows

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) looks at Russian pop singer Fillip Kirkorov (R) after awarding him the title "National Artist of Russia" during a governmental award ceremony in Moscow's Kremlin on February 21, 2008. Putin gave out state awards of heroism and friendship among others.

...

but I'm thinking that it looks ripe for something much better than that...

keep it clean, though, folks...

The oldest stump I know

See that stump there?

The one floating in the lake?

Yeah, it's currently floating in Crater Lake in Oregon. It's called the Old Man of the Lake, and you could go out to Oregon and see it yourself if you wanted to.

Sure, the weather at Crater Lake's a bit rough this time of year with a bunch of snow on the ground, but it's above freezing during the days now that March has rolled around.

The neat thing about the aforementioned stump is that it has been floating in the lake (a pretty amazing lake in its own rights) for a documented 112 years now. It's been bobbing along through the lake - making pretty good time from what I can find - for longer than just about anybody on the planet could possibly remember. It's been drifting with the wind - with one notable exception...

Since he can be seen virtually anywhere on Crater Lake, boat pilots commonly communicate his position to each other as a matter of safety. At two feet across and four feet high, the Old Man would not be someone to meet when traveling by boat across the lake. During the submarine explorations in 1988, scientists agreed to the idea of tying up the Old Man off the eastern side of Wizard Island. They reasoned that this navigational hazard had to be neutralized until the day and night shifts of research work had ended. Strangely enough, the weather went from clear to stormy and even scientists get nervous when this occurs on the lake. It seemed as if the weather was poor so long as the Old Man remained bound. Once the log was freed, however, the weather settled.

...since Grover Cleveland took office the second time...since before my great grandparents were more than a twinkle in the eye of their parents.

And I'm thinking that I need to get out to Crater Lake sometime if he'll agree to bob along a couple more years.

The crappier of two craps - and a request

Tomorrow is the day, folks...it's vote or die time.

There are issues close to my heart, votes that I've already commented on, and even a candidate for whom The Parents are stumping.

And then there are the typical trashity-trash politicians of my now home of Butler County.

Two recent incidents have really thrown the Butler Co Republican party - a party that holds almost total and absolute control of politics here - into some horrible lights. There's the pathetic tale of the two candidates for county commissioner. From the article linked, you can see that one is accused of lying on her resume - twice, being arrested, not registering her dog, and being fired for pushing a political agenda and that the other is accused by an admitted cheater (more on her in a second) of ethical breaches such as using county buildings for campaign meetings, blowing a million or so tax dollars, and by budgeting poorly.

In comparison, he sounds like a real winner. And if the Republicans in Butler Co hold true to form, one of these will be the office holder come next January.

Then there's the tale of County Auditor Kay Rogers who just resigned after pleading guilty to filing a false income tax return and conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud. Nice stuff from an auditor.

---

Our government was designed a couple of hundred years ago to be successful and to protect the people in spite of the people that we elect to office. There are to be enough checks and balances to keep any person from ever becoming too powerful enough to do any sort of permanent damage to us and to our nation.

But we have to exercise our rights and get out there and vote. Otherwise, we allow the scoundrels that we put in office to stay there.

So, do me a favor folks and rock the vote...educate yourself via the League of Women Voters or SmartVoter.org websites.

And vote...

Don't miss a single election...ever...

Thoughts on the afterlife

We're not talking heaven or hell here, just what to expect if you end up in limbo...

Your drink would always be either just a little too hot or just a little too cold...close enough to right that you'd go ahead and drink it.

Your clothes almost fit right...not so wrong that you'd change, but almost right so you'd go ahead and wear them anyway, but you'd spend the day fidgeting with the clothes.

Every television show would start five minutes into the episode or twenty minutes in if it's a two-hour movie.

Your fingernails wouldn't grow anymore, but they'd be just a little longer than you'd like them to be.

The music would be tolerable - but not good - cover versions of songs that you like.

Fruit would be permanently on the verge of being ripe but never would quite get there, and if it ever did, it would be just a little overripe.

You'd never be first in line - but there wouldn't be enough people ahead of you that you'd give up and come back later.

The vending machines would always pay up, but it would never be what you wanted.

The weather would change daily but would never give a full day or sun or rain...just a constant threat and intermittent drizzle...not cold but not quite warm either.

You wouldn't have to wash your clothes because they wouldn't get any dirtier but they'd always have just a slight smell to them - as though you'd been wearing them for three straight days.

The humming of the fluorescent lights would be the wrong pitch - and it would change every few days so you couldn't get used to it.

And the chocolate would've bloomed.

Matt Damien

I'm thinking that Matt Damon is way funnier and more talented than Ben Affleck. My proof...and this is also background for the recent back and forths between Jimmy Kimmel & Sarah Silverman - neither of which I'm able to post here...

Elegent presentation of musical things

Who doesn't love the combination of great music and data analysis?

Ah, but therein lies the difference

Somehow I don't see the firing/resignation of Kelvin Sampson spurring the same freakish, angry loyalty among IU supporters as did the firing of the General.

There might be protests against the morons who hired Sampson, but I'm doubting there's a lot of anger over IU cutting ties with the cheatin' so-and-so.

Like a regular post...only unexpected

First off, I have no idea what day it is.

Last weekend saw me (and The Girl) head down to Pigeon Forge for our annual weekend in the chalet (indoor miniature golf, how much cooler can that be?) which consumed everything from the moment the workweek ended until 'bout 3 o'clock Monday afternoon. Back to work on Tuesday. Snow day on Wednesday. Back to work on Thursday - but with a shocking early release at 1:15. Ended the in-school collecting part of the Pasta for Pennies campaign (feel free to make an online donation here or to read this post from last year if you don't know my feelings about the campaign). Snow day on Friday.

And I think I'm about to start the weekend this morning...after a work week consisting of one and three quarter broken-up days and about ten thousand dollars raised in that week.

This coming week could be really tough if we actually have to work five solid days.

---

Speaking of somebody having a rough work week, check out this story of a high school basketball ref who laced 'em up for her first game officiating varsity boys and was told to go home. Apparently the co-educational religious school at which she was about to officiate the game believed (and this is a direct quote from their official statement regarding the incident):

This formation of adolescent boys is best accomplished by male role models, as the formation of girls is best accomplished by women. Hence in boys' athletic competitions, it is important that the various role models (coaches and referees) be men.

In addition, our school aims to instill in our boys the proper respect for women and girls. Teaching our boys to treat ladies with deference, we cannot place them in an aggressive athletic competition where they are forced to play inhibited by their concern about running into a female referee.

Her officiating partner supported her and walked out as well.

I'm happier to have read this part of the ESPN story:

St. Mary's isn't a full member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association, and competes against mostly private schools across the state. Gary Musselman, executive director of the activities association, said St. Mary's is on the association's list of approved schools, which means it can compete against other member schools. Next month, at its regularly scheduled meeting, the KSHSAA will discuss whether to keep St. Mary's on that list.

And I don't see that there's any place in today's world for such discrimination.

---

I was hoping to congratulate my high school alma mater in completing their first undefeated boys basketball regular season since 1980, but there was apparently a bit of a weather delay, and the game'll be taking place tonight.

Here's to hoping I haven't jinxed 'em.

By the way, if you're looking to check out Indiana basketball, check John Harrell and Matt Denison's website.

They outstanding.

Quick ones...

In other quick hits...

• U2 3d impressed the hell out of me
• Wicked was excellent
• Apparently somebody's making a movie called Cornhole: The Movie
• Take time to vote before March 1
• Paper or plastic?
• Art from LPs
• Thousands of awesome Lego photos
• Cool design blog
• There Will Be Blood might be a great film, but I'm closer to agreeing with this review

Look to the skies tonight

A second snow day in a week...amazing...

More amazing, however, will be tonight's fifty-minute total lunar eclipse - starting around 10pm here in the Eastern time zone.

Check out NASA's page for all the details, but do make sure to look to the heavens if the weather's clear by then.

A thoughtful endorsement

As time goes on, I find myself leaning further and further toward Mr. Frazier.

I think I'm ready at this time to put my endoresment firmly in the Frazier camp, and I thank Lawrence Lessig for articulating many of the reasons why.

These are my people

I had this one already done, so I'll go ahead and throw it out into the electronic ether...

I checked out YouTube to see what Princeton stuff I could find out there, and here's what I've found...

We've got a bond issue coming up to build a new high school and middle school...


This past fall we had an incident where rumors spread very quickly...thanfully, nothing at all happened...


The same television station was out at the school to film a piece about the school...


I recognize this kid from the hallways but don't know him otherwise...


Here you can see our mute football team playing a big game...


Apparently that football team used to be some kind of a big deal...Thansk to Joey for hunting this one down...


This year's football team was pretty good - plus there was the Viking Rap...


Like most schools, we've got some choirs, too...


This year's senior class is a little goofy...let me also recommend the Food Drive Trailer from the same director...


Our Princeton Entertainment Group puts on some impressive shows...


Hey, I was in charge of this show...and you can see more clips from these guys here...


If anybody knows of any other YouTube videos about good ol' PHS, I'd love to highlight them another week. Drop a link in the comments...

C'ya in March, folks

I'm a week into a campaign - about $15,000 raised so far, in case you were curious, thanks for asking.

I'm nearly that far behind on my grading.

I'm whupped, and it's just Monday.

This coming weekend doesn't look to promise any more rest than the presvious one gave.

I missed one of my favorite annual events this past weekend.

And I forgot my dad's birthday yesterday.

I'm thinking that I need to take a bit of a break from the blog - and the blogosphere - for a few weeks while I try to keep my head above water.

Thought I'd give you the heads up that posting will be negligible - if even at all - for the next few weeks. I promise to come back in March, though, better than ever.

My goal until then is not to check a single blog, not to turn on the Wii or the PS2 until March...and to call my folks more frequently.

I will probably drop that annual plea for a campaign donation sometime late this week, though, so keep your wallets handy, folks.

Thanks for understanding...

Check it, suckas!

From the various parts of the web that I pay attention to...

• Mr. Frazier's speech reworked
• Apparently you're still really bad at Photoshop
• Every part of the web has a video from Sarah Silverman to Jimmy Kimmel, but I can't link to it - though this Sunday will be inspired by it
• Look, JESUS!
• 50 articles I need to read through
• Improv Everywhere has struck again
• the perfect food made more portable
• This doesn't make me wanna see the film any less
• Such a simple combination
• I want a cookie
• A simple investment opportunity
• A perfect gift for Calen
• Juvenile humor's still funny - shock!

Late night public television

I've been down with The Red Green Show since I was back in high school, and not nearly enough people know the joys of Possum Lodge, so today I provide you with a bunch of Red Green clippage...

There's Red's weekly how-to bit. Here he teaches us how to make a perpetual motion machine...


They also visit with their friend/neighbor Bill...


Some of their visits with Bill go better than others...


The show sometimes goes with a clip theme - usually around the times of Pledge Week...


Red always does a little monologue to start the show off...here he's joined by his nephew, Harold, and one of the other regulars...


From time to time, the Lodge members dust off some word games...


I particularly enjoy the Ranger appearance at about three minutes in...


From time to time, Hap shows up and tells a few tales of the old days...


Red's favorite tools is pretty clearly duct tape...


The sewage guy's also a regular...


That guy's apparently been doing the same character for nearly thirty years...

And if you dig the clips, you can go and buy swag from the Red Green online shop. You can even get your own pair of suspenders.

Anonymity might be more revealing

From Weekend America today...

Weekend America gets a lot of letters about coverage of the campaign, and one complaint keeps coming up about media coverage in general: too much focus on the personalities, not enough on the issues. So we decided to run a little experiment. We've taken the remaining candidates for president, given them pseudonyms, and summarized what they stand for. Rollover the fake names to see the candidate behind the position. [Actually, in this case you'll have to go to the original website to find out who each one is.]

I'm Shirley Winslow and I approve this message. A vote for Shirley Winslow is a vote against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I also support a mandatory cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions as a means of fighting global warming. I think there should be a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants including learning English and paying fines but I do support a fence on the Mexican border. I have promised affordable health care for every American in a Winslow administration but I oppose a mandate to get there and I think we can do it without raising taxes. Over in Iraq, I think we need more troops and I oppose a timeline for withdrawal. When it comes to Iran, we should form an alliance with European countries to apply economic and diplomatic pressure. No military action without congressional approval. I'm Shirley Winslow and thanks for your time.

I'm Fred Frazier and I approve this message. I would abolish the Bush tax cuts for households earning more than $250,000 and use that money to fund health insurance for children. Illegal immigrants should have a path to citizenship but it might include paying some fines and learning the English language. I've supported the construction of a fence along the Mexican border. We need to get out of Iraq, something a Frazier administration would accomplish by withdrawing one or two brigades a month, finishing within 16 months. I wouldn't rule out the use of force against Iran to stop them from obtaining nuclear weapons but I would be fine meeting directly with the president of Iran. I'm Fred Frazier and I hope I've earned your vote.

I'm Vicki Hampton and I approve this message. We've got to get rid of all federal income and payroll taxes and replace them with a 23 percent national sales tax on everything but education. That will happen in a Hampton White House. As far as health care goes, we can make it more affordable through tax credits and cost controls. I think we need to move away from fossil fuels and into a culture that embraces alternative energy sources within ten years. To tackle the immigration issue, I say give illegal immigrants 120 days to register and then go back to where they came from, after which they can apply to return. I supported the idea of invading Iraq and I oppose a timetable for troops to return. As for Iran, I favor direct diplomacy. I'm Vicki Hampton. Thanks for listening.

I'm Doris Franzi and I approve this message. I think corporations should have lower tax rates and taxes on unearned income for middle class families should be eliminated. The Franzi administration will take that business friendly attitude into health care as well, favoring a free-market consumer-based system. In our quest for greater energy independence, I support alternative fuels, including biodiesel and ethanol, as well as nuclear power and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I don't believe in giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship and I oppose a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Oh, and I also support a constitutional amendment against gay marriage. I'm Doris Franzi and I'll see you in Washington.

I'm Phillip Gronko and I approve this message. On the subject of immigration, I support illegal immigrants learning English as part of a path to citizenship. But I also favor tougher penalties in a Gronko administration for those who hire illegal immigrants and I support the construction of a fence along the US-Mexican border. I think everyone in America should be required to have health insurance even if it means that insurance is subsidized by the government. On the subject of Iraq, a Gronko presidency would mean a phased withdrawal within my first 60 days in office with the goal of most troops being out by 2013. Meanwhile in Iran, I would engage in direct diplomacy. I wouldn't rule out using force but I would get congressional approval first. I support the death penalty and lobbied in favor of a bill that would expand the list of capital offenses. I'm Phillip Gronko and thanks for your support.

I'm Lou Crandall and I approve this message. I think we should withdraw all troops from Iraq immediately and shut down Guantanamo Bay while we're at it. As for Iran, well, they have a right to nuclear weapons if they want them and the Crandall administration will engage in direct diplomacy. Domestically, I think the economy can be improved by ending the war, balancing the budget, and getting rid of the income tax. Illegal immigrants should not have a path to citizenship and I support the fence along the border. I'm firmly pro-life and also firmly opposed to the death penalty. I'm Lou Crandall. Thanks for your support.

In case you're curious, based purely on these summaries, I'm leaning toward Mr. Frazier.

And at the APM website's Select a Candidate chooser, I also aligned myself with Mr. Frazier.