Future Poltergeist

Update: actually I like this one more . . .

Relia and I sitting at the dining room table as she continues her quest to understand how knock-knock jokes really work. Relia: Knock-knock. Me: (wearily) Who's there? Relia: Um, um, (long pause as she thinks up a joke) - DF: (running from the other side of the house) KNOCK! KNOCK! (collides with my leg while looking supremely pleased with himself) Me: Hey buddy, who's there? DF: KNOCK KNOCK! We're trying hard to figure out humor over here.

This is from today's Astronomy Picture of the Day.

(Note, this post contains some politics but is meant in a light tone. Please take it as such.) An interesting post at NRO about what each of the candidates favorite movies are. The list is as follows: Herman Cain: The Godfather Michele Bachmann: Braveheart , “or maybe Saving Private Ryan ” Newt Gingrich: “Probably” Casablanca Rick Santorum: Field of Dreams Ron Paul: “I don’t watch many movies” Gary Johnson: Dr. Zhivago Mitt Romney: O Brother, Where Art Thou? Rick Perry: Immortal Beloved Barack Obama: Casablanca , The Godfather , Lawrence of Arabia , and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest If someone handed you this list and asked you to match it to the candidates it would be pretty tough to do so. As it probably should be. Both Obama and Gingrich like 'Casablanca' (as do I) but it almost certainly has to do with the witty writing and the love story more than any possible political reference. It made me think about what I'd answer if I was a candidate (don't ...

I'd like the kids to learn that when I open the refrigerator door to get them something it is not an invitation for them to jam their way in or open the door to it's widest possible angle. Not sure how to teach them this but as God as my witness; they will learn.

A couple of months back I had a conversation with my dad about our various e-readers. I made a point to him that old, classic books were usually free. To illustrate this I used the example of the Great Books of the Western World series. All of this, I proudly told him, was now free through my Kindle. Well, almost all of it. If you're not familiar with the series, back in the 50's a collection of the important books of Western civilization was put together by Encyclopedia Britannica. It stretches back to the ancient Greeks and is as far forward as the 19th century, ending with Freud. We had it while growing up and dad gave it to me about ten years ago or so. Here is wikipedia on it . The only thing not out there for free was the introductory book, called 'The Great Conversation' and two volumes that index the set by ideas. After talking to dad I cracked open the Conversation just to see what it gave me. To my great surprise it had a suggested reading plan. The s...

A few months back I ran across this concert on TV and DVR'd it. What a gorgeous and lush version of 'Roxane' here! Simply wonderful. This is my 'Calgon, take me away' video. For when the the kids are driving me a bit nuts. All you other at home parents have these types of things too, right?

I was able to watch most of today's game. The first half pretty closely, the second half had a lot of family stuff and then work. From what I saw I was very happy with the play of Ponder. The Vikes are not on the same level as the Packers but they certainly gave them a game. They obviously have some building blocks in place. After this loss they are 1-6 and certainly not a playoff contender. This has some fans dreaming of draft position for next year and I can't say that it hasn't crossed my mind too. At this point last year there were only five teams with either zero or one win. There were also five teams with two wins. Here is the list and their eventual draft position: Buffalo 0-6, drafted third San Fran 1-6, seventh Carolina 1-5, first Dallas 1-5, ninth Detroit 1-5, thirteenth Denver 2-5, second Cleveland 2-5, sixth San Diego 2-5, eighteenth Cincinnati 2-4, fourth Minnesota 2-4, twelfth After this week there will be six teams with either zero or one wins. There will als...

DF is picking up more and more words and the pace is accelerating. This means more conversation, some of it very funny. The best part is when you ask him a question and he very confidently says 'Noooo'. Occasionally he gives you a 'yeah' but not that often. If he bumps heads he pulls back and says 'sorry' (more like 'sah-ee' but you can tell what he means). He is also very clear about wanting 'up' or 'down' or 'outside'. Very, very clear. With this you can also do some basic bargaining. Things like offering food or reading a book instead of going right to bed. It also lets us reassure him that, yes, he too will be getting a snack when Relia does. My favorite bit is that he sometimes sings along with the music. Not often and he still has a lot to learn, but it's pretty sweet. We were kind of afraid that with Relia being so aggressively verbal, DF would be kind of quiet. If he didn't have to talk, why would he? In...

I remember we used to lay out the track when we'd have a snow day from school. Nothing like this though.

(We had tacos, not Ritz crackers. And DF learned how to say 'taco'.)

The latest Booker Prize winner was awarded yesterday. Congratulations to 'The Sense of an Ending' by Julian Barnes. I haven't read it nor any of the others this year so I have no opinion on its quality. From what I understand the author is very well regarded. I also take it that this years shortlist was widely panned. This has prompted quite a bit of soul searching as to what the Booker Prize should actually be looking for. Here's an intriguing answer from Jeanette Winterson. There are plenty of entertaining reads that are part of the enjoyment of life. That doesn't make them literature. There is a simple test: "Does this writer's capacity for language expand my capacity to think and to feel?" As I said, it's intriguing. Under this definition two of my favorite authors, Heinlein and Stephenson, would certainly qualify since they fit that exact quality. Each of them has expanded my 'capacity to think and feel'. I think Stephen Ki...

I should have mentioned that Nano starts in a couple of weeks. I'll keep the sales pitch brief and just send you to their site here . If you've ever been tempted, well, give it a try.

I just wrote out a post for CWT's travel blog regarding my bucket list of future travels. Don't remember when it will be published but I'll flag it when the time comes. It's a little embarassing because the whole thing reads like I've been watching too many of those retirement commercials where people have vineyards and backpack the silk road. Yeah, without winning the lottery, my list will go pretty unfulfilled. While I was mentally composing the list it struck me how different this list would have been just five years ago, before the kids started arriving. Back then I could dream of longer trips and riskier venues. If I was gone for six months the FP Gal would miss me. If I left her with three kids for six months, she'd probably kill me. Not that I'm complaining. There are compensations. The cross country road trip and the stay at Yellowstone will be different and better. Even the trip to DC will be better because I'll get to tap into their youthful wo...

After I picked up Relia today she quizzed me on her lunch. Relia: Guess what I ate today? Me: What? Relia: Peaches and pizza. Wanna know what was on the pizza? Me: Sure. Relia: Goop [our family word for sauce and cheese] and meat. Me: What kind of meat was it? Relia: Pizza meat!

Today, willfully and happily, Relia wore jeans to preschool.

Gorgeous shot from Vienna.