One Degree of Separation with "Grey's Anatomy"

One of The Wife and my favorite shows is Grey's Anatomy. We didn't catch the very first episodes, but have been faithful ever since. We've laughed at Sandra Oh's sarcasm, and gasped when Kyle Chandler exploded. The one thing that has been driving me a bit crazy is Doctor Addison Montgomery (no longer) Shepard, played by Kate Walsh. Everytime I see her, I had nagging feeling. I find her attractive and see her slight resemblance to Catherine Denueuve. I could not shake this subliminal feeling about her. So what does one do when one is curious about someone. They go to, as our Fearlesss Leader GWB calls it, The Google. Google led me to IMDB.com and pointed me to the answer. Sitting at the bottom of the page, in her filmography, was the connection. Over ten years ago, I worked for Viacom New Media as a Game Designer. I wrote adventure games using that new fangled technology; full motion video. One of the games I designed was called "Club Dead." In the game, you followed a cyber-plumber named Sam Frost who wakes up in a bathroom next to a dead Tooth Fairy. Sam is stuck in the Alexandria, a rich CyberResort where guests enjoy virtual reality. The game was filmed in a Chicago studio. I was on the set for most of the shoot. Well, as it turns out, one of the characters in the game, the femme fatale, Lana Powers, was played by a young actress from the Piven Acting School. Yes, it was obvious that the young actress is the aforementioned Kate Walsh. I knew her when. Now I can get over my obsession and get on with my life.

Doing my part for the election cycle.

Here are some interesting links about some favorite Republicans.
Jon Kyl Rick Renzi J.D. Hayworth John Doolittle Richard Pombo Brian Bilbray Marilyn Musgrave Doug Lamborn Rick O'Donnell Christopher Shays Vernon Buchanan Joe Negron Clay Shaw Bill Sali Peter Roskam Mark Kirk Dennis Hastert Chris Chocola John Hostettler Mike Whalen Jim Ryun Anne Northup Geoff Davis Michael Steele Gil Gutknecht Michele Bachmann Jim Talent Conrad Burns Jon Porter Charlie Bass Mike Ferguson Heather Wilson Peter King John Sweeney Tom Reynolds Randy Kuhl Robin Hayes Charles Taylor Steve Chabot Jean Schmidt Deborah Pryce Joy Padgett Melissa Hart Curt Weldon Mike Fitzpatrick Don Sherwood Lincoln Chafee Bob Corker George Allen Frank Wolf Mike McGavick Dave Reichert

America, F*($ Yeah!

It's been a while since I've posted, but life has tendency to knock you for a loop. I'm not going into it too much. Let's just say that the Buchanan family has moved to a new place without selling the old one, and leave it that.

Anyhoo, the reason for this post is that we got a free Showtime weekend preview at the new Buchanan household and I took great advantage. With DVR control firmly in hand, I used up valuable hard drive space with movies I had never had the chance to see or rent. Some of those movies are not The Wife's cup of tea, so I tend to pass them by, thinking that I would see them at a later date. Because of Showtime's sneak preview, I got record the following: Ichii the Killer, Gamera, Guardian of the Universe, Dexter, the Showtime Original Series, Donnie Darko, and finally, Team America, World Police.

The Wife and I watched Dexter. I had read the books the series was based on and found the show to be pretty faithful. Michael C. Hall is creepy and endearing at the same time. He is definitely not the same guy from Six Feet Under. I watched Ichii the Killer in pieces. (Which seems rather appropriate.) I found that weird and funny with some of the most absurd sound effects put to film. (The swallowing sound that Karen makes after performing an act on Ichii comes directly to mind.) I have not seen Gamera or Donnie Darko, yet, but I will.

After watching Team America, World Police, with Larry Jr, I have found my next must-buy at the DVD story. Yes the movie is sophomoric and stupid. It's from the guys of South Park. It's a movie with marionettes, for cripes sakes. I've been a fan of the TV show "The Thunderbirds" since I was knee high. This is Thunderbirds for subversives. Nobody walks away from the movie unscathed. From the Jingoistic theme song, to the bashing of Hollywood Liberals, Team America is an insane Jerry Bruckheimer actioner with songs. It's timely too, since the bad guy is that wacky North Korean Dictator, Kim Jong Il. He even has his own little ditty, "I'm So Ronery." I really don't want to go into the film too much. Explaining a comedy can give the too much away. All I can say is that there is one scene that truly gave me a "spit-take." For those who have seen the film I'll give you a hint. Here is the dialogue. "Release the panthers!"

Rough Weekend

I had a pretty rough weekend, that I am now just getting over. Some people may think it's silly, but I am finally letting things go.

It was one event that knocked me for a loop. Saturday morning was starting out exciting. Little Laurita was going to start her first day as a lifeguard at Waterworld, a huge waterpark in the Denver area. She had to get to work by 9:30. The Wife and I were driving her in, so we could both wish her good luck on her first day. We all hopped into the Jeep Liberty and headed down the road. On 100 Ave, we saw her.

Lying on the far right lane, was a dog. The Wife yelled, and pulled over. We thought she might be dead, but then we saw her head move. I rushed out of the car to check on her. Another gentleman who was walking his dogs rushed over. My daughter also got out of the car to help. I came across the dog first and was horrified. She was laying there on her side with an open wound. The vet latered described it as a degloving injury. I won't go into details, but it was pretty bad. Anyway, I rushed to the car to get a blanket out to cover her up. The gentleman waved other cars over so she would not get hit again. The dog sat up and got her legs. I wrapped the blankets around her. The wife pulled the Jeep bank with the help of the dog-walker, I was able to get the dog in the car. No one got bit, although she was in intense pain. Laurita was freaking out because of the accident. She was also upset because she was going to be late to her first day of work. The Wife had called the police and was trying to reach Laurence Jr. so he could take Laurita to work. (He was still in bed, and his braindid not grasp the severity of the situation. Also, The Wife was yelling quite a bit, so he missed where we were going.) There is a big vet hospital up the road from us. (The Wife actually used to work there part-time.) We rushed the dog to the hospital. I ran inside and got the staff. We unloaded her out of the car and the vets took her. An animal control officer came by and talked to The Wife. The dog did not have tags and we did no know who she belonged to.

Laurence Jr. showed up at the vets, but we ended up taking Laurita to Waterworld anyway.The Wife and I were in a furious mood. Someone had hit that dog and just left her there. It was probably seconds before we had got to the scene. If we had gotten there earlier, we would have chased that driver down. We were incredibly upset.

We found out later in the day that the owners had been found. They were dealling with the extent of their dogs injuries. She was 14 years old. Surgery to fix her would have been too costly and she would most likely not survive it. The owners opted to let her go. They were just waiting for all their family members to show to say goodbye.

Two nights later, after coming home from a birthday dinner at Outbacks, there was a message on the phone. It was the dog's owners. They wanted to know what had happened. I called them back and talked to one of them. She was very upset, but also very grateful that we did what we did. I wanted to do more. I told the lady that I was sure that someplace, there will be a special room for the bastards who hit their dog. I wanted to comfort the lady, but I could not find the way to do it. I also wanted to get off the phone as soon as possible, because I kept seeing their dog behind my eyes; the way I saw her when I first came across her.

It's taken me some time, but I am getting over this weekend. I feel awful for the family's loss. I feel sorry for the dog too. I also want to show whoever hit the poor dog and drove off what a degloving is. OK, maybe I am not as over it as I thought.

Whistling Dixie

In a strange bit of solidarity, The Wife and I decided that with our next paycheck, we would buy the new Dixie Chicks CD Taking the Long Way. We actually liked the last CD, Home, quite a bit. (The Wife is big fan of the song Landslide in any version. I like Travellin' Soldier.) The sound on that CD was more O Brother Where Art Thou, then Garth Brooks. We also really appreciated what Natalie Maines said about our "Fearless Leader" and found the flack around it rather disturbing. It's not like they said they were "Bigger then Jesus." Anyway, I listened to cd through free streaming on Real Networks. I liked it. The country sound has been toned down for a more folk-pop approach. Some people I admire helped on the CD, like Neil Finn, Sheryl Crow and Pete Yorn. It was produced by Rick Rubin, who did some great work with Johnny Cash before he left us. (The Man Comes Around is an excellent single, and a great way to open the Dawn of the Dead remake.) What I really enjoyed about this CD is the anger it contains. The first single, Not Ready to Make Nice, has so much venom laced in superb harmonies and strings, it almost like Eminem meets Jewel. The part where Natalie sings about receiving death threats is pretty chilling. Other songs like Taking the Long Way and Lubbock or Leave It show the Chicks giving a collective finger to the audience that burned their CD's.

Of course, that audience is still trying to give the Dixie Chicks the "Bum's Rush. " Country stations are trying to avoid the CD like it had the "Bird Flu." I haven't really bought CD's in a long time. Too many other expenses right now to spend on anything that seems superflous. However, I will run out and buy this CD. I would hate to feel like I've been lumped into an ignorant lot by not buying.

Rocky Mountain Low

I've been paying attention to the TV Upfronts just to see what is coming in the next season. In particular, was curious what the new fledgling network, the CW was going to show. I was very happy to see that Tuesday night is an estrogen-fest with Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars. Larry Jr was glad that Smallville was back, and Laurita was even more so to see Supernatural on the schedule. (Of course it is on a death time slot competing with the moved Grey's Anatomy and CSI, plus the new Aaron Sorkin faux-SNL backstage series.)

Anyway, what really chapped our family's collective behind was the CW's decision to change it's mind and bring back the insipid 7th Heaven, after it had it's friggin' series finale. That decision signed the death warrant for one of the few shows we enjoyed as a family viewing experience. I am talking about Everwood.

I'll spare the details on Everwood. If you have not seen the show, you won't be sad to see it gone. It's been on for four seasons, and moved around quite a bit. It's a good show. The acting is top notch. The characters are people you care about. In a rarity for a show, characters would make stupid decisions that actually would have lasting affects through the series. Sympathies could change. Situations were never very soapy, or stupid. Episodes culd make you laugh, or tear-up, sometimes in minutes from each other. Everwood could be very cathartic.

Anyway, Everwood is gone. The series final airs Monday. I'll be watching it the next day on DVR since I work that night. I'm sure I'll smile and I am sure that will cry. I am also sure that I will be removing the timer from my DVR way too soon.

Note: Invasion is also gone. No more Sheriff Tom. Heavy sigh.

TeeVee Question # 3 (I am worried about the Beaver)

Last night's Veronica Mars finale was one of the best episode's of TV I've seen all year. Perhaps I feel justified in my appreciation because I had the mystery solved. (Before the denouement, I had paused the DVR to explain what a clue meant to The Wife and little Laurita.) There was so much going on in that episode, I almost felt exhausted.

My question about the episode is a bit complex. With what happened to Aaron Echolls near the end, do you think that Duncan Kane and Kendall Casablancas actually set-up the reasonable doubt so the Echolls could get free?

Hmmm....

This Blog will self destruct in five seconds...

Last night, the Wife and I headed to the cineplex with kids in tow to see J.J. Abram's MI3. We, of course, got in free since Lawrence Jr. works at that theater. I was looking forward to seeing it. To be frank, I did not see the first two movies in the theater. MI:1 I saw on my sisters laserdisk machine. We rented MI:2. (Although I am huge John Woo fan, I could not get myself to theater to see it.) This one I really wanted to see. Not cause of Tom Cruise, but cause of J. J. Abrams.

The Wife and I have been big fans of the Abrams. We're devoted fans of Felicity, and will sometimes keep the re-runs on if they show up on a remote scan. And who would of thought a character we hated, (Hannah) would morph into Sydney Bristow? We are both sad that Alias is leaving the air. I really don't think I need to add anymore wood to the Lost acclaim fire. Heck, we even like Armageddon. (And The Wife likes Regarding Henry)

So my expectations to MI3 were pretty high. I was not disappointed. MI3 is fun, action packed film. It was a cool movie. It played like a big-budget verions of Alias. (Sadly without a Jack Bristow.) I also had fun playing spot the J.J. Abrams touches.

This is what I noticed.

1.) The movie starts with a whimper and becomes a flashblack. (Just like many an Alias episode.)

2.) A party scene with the main characters showing domesticy, with wine glasses all around. (Added bonus for appearance of Greg Grunberg, Abrams lucky charm)

3.) Keri Russell playing no wimp.

4.) The friendship/team moments of the IMF force that Ethan Hunt works with.

5.) The Benjy character is the British Marshall Flenkman

6.) The quiet moments had the Michael Giacchino score play simple piano keys

6.5.) At least one slow motion scene of people walking, but it did not have a song playing by Sarah McLachlan, so it half counts.

7.) There is a lot of running.

I am sure that there are plenty of other Abrams touches, so I will have to go and watch again.

Notes: I did read that in the end credits, J.J. Abrams gives a special shout-out to The Hanso Foundation. Nice.

Things to Do in Denver When You're On a Lunch Break, Part 2.

After a weekend of 80 degree warmth, the weather gods have dictated that the Denver area should start the week with rain and snow. This makes the lunch time walk a bit short. Today it consisted of a block. I brought a Turkey Burger from home and wanted to get an ice tea to go with it. This means a walk to the the local Rite-Aid. (I could go to the kitty-corner Walgreens, but during the lunch hours, the check-out lines get too long.)

Anyway, I went to the back of the store to get a diet Snapple when I heard a hub-bub of activity. It seems that the store security guard caught a shop-lifter. The police were on their way. The shop-lifter was giving the guard a hard time, but was not going anywhere. Listening to the store staff, I discovered that the shop-liftter was caught lifting mouthwash.

It reminded me of the guy I saw being carted out of the Market Street Station with an empty bottle of mouthwash in his hands. That idea is to extreme for me. I could not even imagine swallowing that stuff.

TeeVee Question #2

I know Lorelai on Gilmore Girls is a student of popular culture, but is she a Battlestar Galactica fan? She actually used "fracking" in a sentence.

I "heart" Lorelai.

"Why Don't You Put Her In Charge?"

We don't really celebrate Easter in the Buchanan household. The kids are older, so they don't need all the Easter Bunny trapping. A few chocolate bunnies and Cadbury Mini-Eggs do right by them. We are not every religious. We were Unitarian for a while until we moved. My in-laws became Born Again, and are always asking us to go to their church. (We went once at Christmas. It fulfilled an old obligation, and we don't plan on going back.) So how did we celebrate the start of spring?

We had a "Bill Paxton" Easter.

It started when The Wife and I sat to read the paper. For some, odd reason, The Wife picked up the lastest issue of Entertainment Weekly. Inside was a one-pager about the immortal actor. It gave a brief synopsis of his career; from director of the video "Fish-Heads" (Eat them up, yum!) to his defining role as Corporal Hicks in Aliens to his lead in the new HBO series, Big Love. Tis got The Wife to thinking. We had watched Big Love when we had a free HBO weekend. She wanted to see some more. Through some unnamed sources, I actually had the latest episodes. We sat down and watch two. (The one where Second Wife Chloe Sevigny throws a nightmarish birthday party, and the one where Bill takes his son hunting.) We both actually like the show; we find it kinda funny. I also think that lifestyle is way too exhausting. So instead of huntng for Easter Eggs, we watched Bill Paxton as a polygamist.

After a very early (2:00 PM) Easter dinner at the in-laws, we came home to wind-down. The Wife suggested going to McDonalds to rent a movie. Something the whole family could watch. After searching the DVD kiosk, I came home with The Greatest Game Ever Played. It's a Disney sports movie about golf; in particular the 1913 U.S. Open. Shia LeBeouf plays Francis Ouimet, a caddy who can really play, who takes on the top British player. Although on one level, it is a typical underdog sports movie, in actuality it's about how through perserverance one can actually rise above one's station. Since he was a caddy, Francis Ouimet was looked down upon by all the Upper-Crust who claimed golf as their sport. On the other side of the ocean, the top British Player, Harry Vardon (played by Stephen Dillane) is greeted with fame and fortune, but is denied membership into the Elite due to his family background. The movie is very good. Everyone liked and found it very entertaining. So what has it have to do with Bill Paxton?

He directed it.

That's how you have a "Bill Paxton" Easter.

Sleepytime Tee Vee, Part Deux

I must have needed to write about falling asleep watching the tube, to stop doing it. Ever since I posted about my condition, I've been awake through everything.

Strange. Maybe if I write about not having any money, Dame Fortune might come to visit. That's something to ponder.

Blue Flu

While sitting at my desk, trying to get some semblance of work done, The Wife called. She was hanging out at Peaberry's with Laurita and my mon-in-law. Anyway, The Wife called and asked if I knew the name of the "Sleeping Smurf." I drew a blank. I rushed to Google and Wikipedia, but it ended up that she figured out the answer herself. (Lazy Smurf)

I realized that I know a lot of geeky things. I have a ton of junk information in my head. That area could be used to come up with a cure for cancer or something. Instead I can name members of the "Legion of Super-Heroes." I discovered that I do have a deficiency. I know nothing about the Smurfs. I never watched them. I know they are blue and that there is some wizard called Gargamel. Otherwise, nothing. So if I ever get on Jeopardy, you know I'll never pick the Smurf category.

The CW: The Early Years.

Next year, the WB and UP will converge into a new uber-network called CW. There is a lot of debate on what shows from each netlet will carry over into the sleeping giant. One bit of rumor-mongering is that one night on the CW schedule will consist of Gilmore Girls, followed by Veronica Mars. When that happens you will see a veritable estrogen-fest full of snappy dialogue, snarky quips, and sullen mood swings. That will be a great night of TeeVee.

So, UPN must see the writing on the wall, and moved Veronica Mars to Tuesday nights. So a viewer can catch GG on WB and then switch over to VM on UPN. (Also Veronica was getting clobbered by Lost on Wednesdays.)

I only have one complaint. Gilmore Girls seemed like it had more commercials and less show. I could swear one break was 10 minutes long. (It had a two airings of the "First Bank, the Colorado Bank for you," in one such block.) Veronica Mars, on the other hand, was so densely packed with information, I think even the commercials had clues to the bus crash mystery. ( I have developed a theory, and other people seem to concur, but more on that later.)

I do hope that next year, there is a CW night of GG and VM. I could do with a double dose of Lauren Graham and Kristin Bell.

Sleepytime Tee Vee

First of all, let me qualify this by saying I love watching television. I think I've said before, I believe we are in a quality time for TV. I have a Dish DVR with 100 hours of recording space, and half of hard drive is filled. (Or is it half empty?) I like the shows I watch. What I don't understand is this.

I fall asleep watching most of them. At some point, while watching television, I will nod off. It tends to happen around the 9:00 PM MST hour. It can happen any time. I get all comfortable on the couch. The Wife is by my side. I watch any show, Bones, Veronica Mars, Battlestar Galactica, Gilmore Girls, whatever. At some point I will nod off. Sometimes The Wife will notice. She'll tap my arm. She'll yell my name. Other times she won't catch it unless I am sleeping through the commercials. (We usually watch shows on the DVR, so we can usually skip commercials.) I pop awake and act like I was paying attention the whole time. The Wife usually laughs at this. I end up watching the show the next day, fast-forwarding to the parts I missed. I can usually stay awake during Sit-Coms. Usually. Of course, The Wife has her own TV Ambien. All I need to do is put on Saturday Night Live or Real Time with Bill Maher and she is dead to the world.

One way to help with this issue is that I watch shows on Sunday Morning, especially shows that I have to pay attention: Lost, Veronica Mars, 24. Another way is that I will watch the shows on my lunch hour at work. Tuesdays and Thursday I can telecommute, so I can plant my butt with laptop and play TV catchup on shows I slept through the night before. Finally, I just play catch-up on the web. There are plenty of ways to do so.

Oh well, I better get going. I got two hours of Doctor Who to sleep through.

A Free Night of the Creeps

Late last year, Lawrence Jr. got a job at on the local movieplexes. He works about 20-some hours a week. He likes the job fine. Of course, the benefit is that the Buchanan family gets to get into movies free. Last week, while I was at work, he took The Wife and Laurita to see Failure to Launch. (Which was fine by me, cuz I had no interest in seeing another lame rom-com.) Me, I got my free movie tonight. Lawrence Jr and I went to see Slither. (The Wife and Laurita sayed home and rented a movie on the Dish. I think they saw Just Like Heaven. Lame Rom-Com.)

Slither is a horror-comedy directed by Kirk on Gilmore Girls brother. It stars that guy from Firefly, Betty Brant from Spiderman 1 and 2, Henry the Serial Killer and that annoying doofus that Mel Gibson needed to kill in Payback. (With special guest appearance by Pam from The Office, and voice cameo by Rob Zombie.) It's basically a 80's horror movie, the type I would see with my college room-mates at the local cineplex in Barb City.

It's a pretty simple story.

Man meets Woman. Man marries Woman. Man gets infected by meteor-riding-alien-needle-worm, and turns into a raw-meat-dog-cat-possum-devouring squid monster while still carrying a torch for the Woman. Man gets another Woman to become a breeding womb for a butt-load of red squirmies, which the red squirmies infected townspeople by going down their gullet. Other Man who likes the first Woman battles zombie-hive-mind-townspeople to save the Woman from the raw-meat-dog-cat-possum-human-devouring squid Man.

See. It's that simple.

Slither is a fun movie. The characters have some good lines. Only one is a teenager. The rest of the cast are actually actors who have personality. There are pleny of in-jokes and winks to to the horror fan. (I won't spoil them, but for me, I love the name of the Lodge in the movie.) It does remind me of the Fred Dekker classic, Night of the Creeps. Slither's director, James Gunn, said he did not know of Creeps until after his movie was done. I just chalk it up to the sub-genre of films where slimy creatures crawl into people's orifices and take them over. (The Hidden, Star Trek 2: Wrath of Khan, Fahrenheit 911)

For a free movie, Slither was pretty good. I heard that it is not doing real great at the box office. I think it will be one of those films that will have quite the life on DVD. It's the Tremors for the 21st century. People will always watch it.

TeeVee Question #1

So...

Would the Bones team be able to figure out what happened to Thumper on Veronica Mars?

A Lost Prison Break

It was all flashbacks on last night's Prison Break as we saw where everyone's background. Let see. Lincoln was a loser. Michael got his tattoo idea from a delivery person. Sucre only wanted money for an engagement ring, but was set-up by his cousin. C-Note actually is a guy with integrity. Dr. Sara was a morphine addict. Everyone's favorite T-Bag may have been turning a new leaf before getting busted by John Walsh. (I don't believe it. Theodore is just evil, which is why he is such a great, slimy character.) Most interesting is the fact every Prison Break fan knew; that the Veep's brother was still alive, and looking to be a toothless wonder.

I am not sure how they can sustain the show over a few seasons, but I'll keep watching it.

Arrested on Mars

It was great seeing George Michael and his cousin Maebe on the latest episode of Veronica Mars. It also made me a little sad. I was not a fervent follower of Arrested Development, but every episode I did catch, I would laugh out loud.

Actual, this Veronica Mars episode made me laugh out loud, too. It was during the party scene, when Veronica finally dealt with the score-keeping frat boy. The Wife and I both hooted at that.

Though not as funny as Tobias's business card.

The Light At The End...

Seems like the more you try to solve your problems, the more obstacles step in your way. We're in some dire straits in the Buchanan household. It's the type of straits where we can lose everything we worked for. We put ourselves into the situation. We will work out hardest to get out of it. I don't know why I am putting this up here, but I guess if I see the words, I can believe it

This sweater itches, because it has fleas.

Lately, I've browsing the local news sites. I take a bus to and from work everyday. Well, the Denver RTD employees are in contract negotiation, and there is a potential strike looming. That would be dang inconvenient, since The Wife is working out of town. Transportation to work could be limited. It's a good thing that I can telecommute.

Anyway, I came across this story on the 9 News Website. Some woman was weaving dog hair and turning it into sweaters. She says that Poodle hair does not work well, but Golden Retriever works fine. After reading this bit of information, I stared at our three mutts. I honestly don't need a dog sweater. I am sure that I wear enough of their hair as it is.

Now cat slippers. That has potential.

Ewww? Or touch my pooper?

I have to say that Seth Cohen has been a bit weak this year, but in single moment, he reached the stars. That line was the most hi-lar-ious six words I heard on network TV in a long time.

Ok, it tickled the adolescent in me. Sue me.

Why Am I Writing This?

Sunday morning, I received a phone call from my mom. It was her weekly check-in. She is back in Illinois, living with an older gentleman in the northwest suburbs of Chi-town. In this household, she pays her way in groceries and other living expenses. One thing she does not have to worry about is paying the phone bill. The Wife and I got her a Sprint phone during the Holidays (Yule, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Chanukkah, Chrismakkah, whatever.) She is a bit of technophobe, but she is getting the hang of it. Anyway, I digress. I am talking to mom on the phoen, and she tells me that I should go and see pictures of my brother's puppy. It is found at oakhaus.blogspot.com.

I hang up the phone, (after the assorted give kisses to everyone finale) grab my handy Toshiba, and go look at the site. Now I have great love for everyone in my family, but we are fairly private people. So I go to the site and find my brother has been blogging for 5 years. Now it is possible that in the past, someone told me he was doing this. It is very possible, because I am so spacey and self-centered in my own pocket universe (which includes The Wife, The Kids, The Dogs, The Cats, and The Bird) that I knew about the blog and promptly forgot it. That is the most likely excuse.

So I check out my Brother's site and read...and read...and read. My Brother has always had the writing bug. To some extent, so have I. Reading his site, Pop Culture Gadabout, I was struck how he always had something to say about something. He writes about what he loves. TV, music, movies, comics, his wife, his pets, anything that strikes his fancy. He put it down on his site. He even had people comment on things. I guess he had gained some friends in the blogverse. It got me thinking.

(And I will get to my point. I hope)

The Wife has been pursuing a new career in insurance sales. She has discovered that she has a knack for it. It is not great income yet, but it has potential. She's been driving around various hickvilles of Colorado, pursuing leads and knocking door to door. While driving, CD's by Sales Guru Zig Ziglar are playing. Ziglar is very entertaining, and has a great voice for motivational-type CD's. (It's deep Texas with a bit of preacher intonation.) Anyway, Zig says that if you want to do something you love, but have a hard time getting of your dead butt to do it, you need to make it habit. You need to force yourself to do that thing every day, for 21 days. At that point, it will become the habit you need to succeed at it.

I want to be a writer. I used to write PC and video games for years. I actually was very good at it. (Not that I made any great money at it. Another time, another story.) I wrote freelance for some magazines. Heck, I even spent time in the trenches writing abou hig school sports for a local paper. I like writing. I just hate the process.

I have ideas that I want to write, but life and all its fears made me hide instead. I got lazy, and complacent. I found excuses to avoid it. I can't write, I have take care of my family life. I have to work. I have to... So when I saw my Brother's blog, and saw what he had done, I woke myself up. He has a life, with all it's pitfalls and small glories. He even told of some of those triumphs andtragedies, amongst the reviews of Robert Crumb Comics and Punk Rock Cd's. He could still take the time to write. So, the next day, I decided I should leap. I created "Stripe the Gremlin" so I could develop a habit. I can write something in this site for 21 days. I know I can. I can get over my myself and my doubts.

Like I say in this post's title, I am not sure why I am writing this. I just know that I am going to write it anyway. 19 more days to go.

Spring has Sprung!

Photo of Harley in the backyard by The Wife
(Ok. so maybe this picture is from last year, but you get the idea.)

Be-dazzled

Speaking of The Apprentice.

The Wife and I were watching TV on Sunday when we happened to catch a commercial that made our collective jaws drop. Tana, the runner-up from the third season of The Apprentice was shilling for a product called The Bedazzler. This nifty invention adds rhinestones to clothing. On one of The Apprentice tasks, Tana was searching all over New York to find one of those things. (A point she mentions in the commercial.) All I can say is that if Tana wants to add more time to her fifteen minutes, more power to her.

TV Headache #1 - Tell Me Why I Don't Like Mondays.

Here in the Buchanan household, we likes our TV. We likes it fine. We got a Dish; a Dish Network dish. It has one of those boxes where you can control two different tv's in the house. It also has a hard drive, which can store 100 hours of programming. Let me tell you, that hard drive gets used...alot. I do think it's because that like Entertainment Weekly says, we are in a Golden Age of Television. There are so many quality shows, you really can't go wrong any day of the week. We don't want to miss anything.

That's why I am so mad at Monday's.

Ok. Here's the deal. Starting this week, the WB has brought back a Treat, with the return of Everwood. I think it's one of the best shows on the tube. It started out kinda quaint, but it has improved over the years. All the actors shine on it. (Everyone in the Buchanan family likes Everwood: The Wife, Lawrence Jr, and Laurita.) It is a show where you can laugh and cry in a hour, usually within in minutes of each other. Good stuff. So the hard drive stores it in TV#1. Meanwhile, in stark contrast on Fox, is "T-Bag Time" and the "Jack Bauer Power Hour" (Prison Break and 24) Those are can't miss, and fall on to TV#2 on the drive.

Now...here is the thing. I don't watch reality shows. I don't care for them. I find them irratating and self-serving. American Idol, The Amazing Race, Surivivor...and whatever, I can do without. So can The Wife. She faces enough reality trying to sell insurance to trailer-park people. So who needs'em

Except.

For some unknown, ungodly reason, The Wife and I are fans of The Apprentice. We started watching it while waiting for E.R. one night, and we've never let go. We've seen the triumphs of Bill, Kelly, Kendra, and Randal (That Rat B...well never mind.) We watch Caroline and George bow to "The Donald." We marvelled at how "The Donald" can think any product is "just great," all so that it's parent company can be used for some lame sales-marketing task. It amazes the both of us how these supposed business brains can make the stupidest mistakes.

Now here's the thing. The Wife is working late, so we really can't watch anything. One part of the hard drive is taping two hours of "non-stop" suspense. The other is taping two hours of heartbreak and joy. Where does "The Donald" go?

Nowhere it seems. We are Donald-less. Next week, the same problem.

Oh great. I forgot about the VCR. I could of taped it.

Oh well. I guess I'll have to look elsewhere.

A Watched Pot

Man.

The one thing about living near the Rockies is it takes way too long to boil water for spaghetti.

A Tail of Two Bunnies

Ok.

The day is over. It's finished. Kaput, they might say.
You walk to the RTD Bus Station with backpack full of hardcover books and a glazed expression on your face. You got two minutes to catch that bus, or it's a thirty minute wait. You're standing at the traffic light; waiting for the appearance of the "white man" telling you it's ok to cross. Suddenly, you feel a large presence next to you. It's encroaching on your personal space. The lines have been crossed. Your bubble has been burst wide open. You turn to look, thinking you'll just make a casual glance. You see fur. Lots of white fur. And teeth. Big teeth. Square teeth. White Teeth. You see them in pairs. It's two large Bunnies.

A voice comes from somewhere, gravelly and worn.

"Hey, Easter Bunny. Give me a hug."

A dirty man with clothes streaked in dust and road, with hair as scraggly as barbed-wire is aproaching. What do the Bunnies do?

These Bunnies turn. With shiny plastic eyes, they stare at this wreck, this scruffiness, this refuse. Softly, the Bunnies tap their fuzzy slipper feet on the ground, and with no other sound, they embrace the man in their cottony arms.

The man walks away.

You continue to the bus station. You only got a minute left to catch it.

Things to Do in Denver When You're On a Lunch Break, Part 1.

I've been on this eating plan for a while called the Six Week Body Makeover. It's been taking longer then six weeks, but I do feel madeover. One of the things they recommend is taking a 45 minute walk. You should do this 5 or more times a week, they say. So come lunch hour, I bug out of my office and walk the hub of downtown Denver, otherwise known as the Sixteen St. Mall.

The Sixteen St. Mall is a closed street; the only vehicles allowed are these Hybrid Shuttle Buses, cops, and the occasional "whoops" driver. It travels from Wynkoop to Broadway and according to Downtown Denver Partnership, it is sixteen blocks and a mile long. My office is is somewhere in the middle. On some lunch hours, I walk down to Wynkoop to the Tattered Cover Bookstore, one of the largest Independent stores in the good ol' U.S. of A. (I'll talk about this store sometime soon.) On the other end at Broadway is my favorite sammich place, Jimmy Johns. In between, there are stores and food places and hot dog stands and pushy necktied business people and street corner musicians wearing Mouse ears and plenty of homeless. There are also a few empty buildings that could use some life. Some sly entrepreneur or Trump-Apprentice Wannabe (but not Brent) should come in an open up some sort of business.

So, after walking this street for 15 months now I thought I would do is bounce an idea around and see if it sticks. Here is what I would like to see in the mall. Entrepreneurs and money-men take note. This business will do great!

An Ice Cream Shoppe/Parlour/Place

It surprises me that someone has not opened up a Cold Stone Creamery or a Baskin Robbins or even Dairy Queen. I can only thing of two places in the Mall where you can get some. The first is Sonic. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good Sonic Shake once in a while. I still want the pure ice cream experience; frying meat does not get me in an ice cream mood. The second is some Deli with some name that I can't remember. It's a deli; what more can you say. Oh and I guess you can get Ice Cream at McDonalds. Still, there is no place that offers 20 or more flavors, like "Cake Batter" or "Pink Bubble Gum." When I walk into an Ice Cream Parlor, I want to smell the vanilly whiff of waffles baking and curling. I want to walk into the door feel the cold circle around and embrace like a favorite aunt. I want to see teens in paper hands handing out tasty samples in little pink plastic spoons. Is it really to much to ask?

So all you Denver entreprenuers with your venture capital and open accounts. Let's get cracking. This is a gold mine; a veritible Denver Mint. Any lunch hour you can see lines at Starbucks and Jamba Juice. An Ice Cream Parlor will have them there all-freakin-day! Listen to Larry. He's got ideas. He can't follow through with them cause he is basically po' white trash, but he is an idea man.

Consider this one a free-bie. Heck, they will all be free-bies, cause as I said. I am broke. I can't even finance a gumball machine.

If you do take this ball and run with it, let me know. A place like that needs good counter help. I'm available after 4:30 and on weekends. Since I'm on week 29 of the 6 Week Body Makeover, you won't even have to worry about me touching the merchandise.

They must call you "Campbells", cuz you're "mmm-mmm good"

Great.
It's my second post, and I am going to look like a perv.
I just read that FHM named their Top 100 Sexiest Woman, and that their number one pick is "Scarlett Jo." I would have to put my two cents in and agree whole-heartedly. She has a certain old Hollywood type glamour, yet you get the idea that she would gladly sit with you in your purple Chevy Cavalier waiting for an Italian Beef at the drive-thru lane of "Portillo's". She definitely has something, and my inner "Gollum" wants it.

(Of course, I am happily married, with a lovely wife and two great kids. So really, I can look at the menu, I just can't order.)

Welcome to Stripe the Gremlin

A big howdy to ever takes the time to read this. Not sure why I decided to this, but I've had too many crazy thoughts in my head lately; I need to get them written down somewhere. Anyhoo, welcome to Stripe the Gremlin. I have no idea what will go up here. I am not even sure it will be interesting to anyone but myself. Well, let us get this show on the road, and see where it takes us.