Friday Night: Dinner and no Movie

Dinner at the usual place, Steak vs Rigatoni

No movie tonight. Nothing on that we wished to see and the Toni Collette movie In Her Shoes doesn't open until next week.

So I ended up getting malled instead. Random shopping in the mall.

A Night At Fenians - Ceol na n'gael

We visited the Traditional Irish Music Session held every Wednesday evening. All of the people pictured on their web page were present as well as quite a few more. We were roped into attending by my wife's Dulcimer teacher, though neither of us brought our instruments. And, yes the Guinness was good.

All told there were 20 active musicians accounting for 1 Harp (other than that on draft), 1 Accordion, 1 Concertina, 2 Hammered Dulcimers, 2 Bodhrams, 2 Open-Hole Wooden Flutes, 3 Fiddles, 3 Mandolins, 4 Tin Whistles, and 5 Guitars. There were so many musicians that there was hardly any room to dance.

The drive there wasn't bad. We saw three wild turkeys along side the road about two miles from the Pub. The drive home was hampered by driving rain and moderate winds. Not fun on country roads.

An Afternoon of Dulcimers

The afternoon was spent at a jam-fest gathering of Hammered Dulcimers. The hammered ones are trapizoid shaped, not to be confused with the stretched violin shaped mountain dulcimer.

There must have been at least 14 Hammered Dulcimers, plus 2 Guitars and a Cello. It was held on the back deck of one of the player's homes.

I may post a clip of some of the music if I can find a place to put it.

Update: Here's a clip of Bluegrass version of Beethoven's Ninth (2Mb)

Just Like Heaven - Friday Night: Dinner and a Movie

Dinner at the usual place, Lasagne vs Rigatoni

Just Like Heaven is either a strange ghost story, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, or a twisted retelling of Snow White without the dwarves. Jon Heder has a central part in this film and he doesn't dance. Donal Logue provides some comic interludes as a shrink (not counting the bit about JJ and The Tongue). Dana Spybey-Waters is just the cutest thing as the sister Abby (in an Ith sort of way). Her character's handling of her rambunctious daughters is inspirational, especially where she fields the thrown ball with the serving spoon. My wife was not interested in going but was advised to go by our eldest.

Worth going to. It only had one small Sit-Com-ish scene that made me itchy to leave the theater, but then I am sensitive about that. That part passed quickly.

Yes I Did Say Camping

Tent Lit with Rope Lights, Screened Shelter Lit By Coleman Lantern

Happy Birthday to the King

B. B. King is 80 years young today. May I be in as good shape when I reach that age.

No movie tonight, we're going camping.

Pool Closed

Only took four hours, but it is throughtly cleaned, shocked, and covered. The solar cover is rolled and hanging in the garage. The solar heater is rolled up and waiting to be moved into its corner of the garage with the filter tank and tools. The pipes are removed and need cleaning and re-marking before being stored in the garage rafters.

Every part of my body hurts.


(Picture from mid-summer a couple years ago before we added all the hanging plants.)

The Man - Friday Night: Dinner and a Movie

Dinner at the usual place, Lasagna vs Rigatoni

"The Man" (PG-13) set in Detroit with Samual L Jackson (ATF cop) opposite Gene Levy (dental equipment salesman/Turkish Weapons Dealer). Gene's characters tend to be a little over the top and that grinds my nerves. This wasn't too bad and Gene's character really drove Sam Jackson's character up the wall, even though he ended up being a civilizing influence (F*** Crying Out Loud).

Miguel Ferrer plays a supporting role.

Probably worth saving as a DVD.

The G Stands For Walter

Rest In Peace, Bob Denver.

I'm old enough to remember Bob playing Maynard G Krebs on Dobie Gillis. Correction, make that "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis". Maynard was beat version of Gillian, just add the chin beard, remove the bucket hat, and slow down all his thought processes.

The show must have been shot on film rather than performed live. The indoor shots all had flat lighting like a stage production and the outdoor shots always had an edge to them. The edge must have come from using a different type/speed of film for the outdoor shots.

Someday I hope to see "Dobie Gillis" on DVD.

My Delivery Cost How Much?

We celebrated my birthday today as the daughters were home from college for the Labor Day weekend. The neatest gift I received was the Hospital Statement for my delivery way back when. My folks found it when they were sorting through their papers. They are trying to reduce the collection so that someday they can move into a place that requires less upkeep. Someday.

Anyway the statement reads as follows:

Delivery Room	$17.50
Labor Room	$ 6.00
Operating Room	$ 5.00
Medications	$13.20
Room - 5½ days	$77.00
Nursery- 5½ days	$22.00
Total	$140.70

As you can guess, it was a few years ago.

Of Course I'm Bill Powell

As referenced at Boudicca's, The Classic Leading Man Test.

William Powell

You scored 14% Tough, 47% Roguish, 9% Friendly, and 28% Charming!

You are the classic rogue, a stylish rake with the devil of a wit and a flair for mischief, and you shake your martinis to waltz time. You are suave and debonair, but slightly untrustworthy, and women should be on their guard. If married, you are simply a bit of a flirt, even if it's just with your own wife...but if you're single, watch out. You usually rein yourself in to concentrate on one lovely beauty at a time, but with you, we never know. You're not a bad guy, but there's a playful devil behind your eyes, and those trying to get close to you should know they're playing with fire. You're stylish and fun, but you follow your own course, which may or may not include a steady gal. Co-stars include Myrna Loy and Carole Lombard, classy ladies with an adventurous streak.

Find out what kind of classic dame you'd make by taking the Classic Dames Test.



My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 5% on Tough
You scored higher than 94% on Roguish
You scored higher than 5% on Friendly
You scored higher than 47% on Charming

Link: The Classic Leading Man Test written by gidgetgoes on Ok Cupid

Drowning New Orleans

Scientific American - October 2001
By Mark Fischetti

Oh.My.God.

The problem has been germinating in the 120 years since they started "taming" the Mississippi.

Like Florida's Sink Holes caused by drawing water out of the ground for normal use, southern Louisiana is sinking because when they pump out the water that ends up in the city they are pumping out the water that is holding the city up. As the muck below the city loses water, the city settles even lower below sea level. Now that the Missisppi River level stands 30 feet above the lowest level of the city there aren't any good options.

Read the whole thing