Tuesday – 22 January 2013
Before it’s no longer Tuesday, I’d figure that I’d try to get a Team DiVa picture or two posted:
Ball Pit!!!
Vanessa, not minding being in a picture… too much…
Vanessa… not wanting to take any more pictures.
And there you have it.
Namaste.
Monday – 20 January 2013
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
This past weekend was a good weekend.
Saturday, I judged a HeroClix tournament. I set up an event for my friend, Keith, who is in town on vacation. Keith was the judge for ‘Clix tournaments when I first started playing, so I was happy to do it. There was a good turn out for the game – we wound up with 12 players.
After the game, Sara! and I headed out for the evening.
That’s right, time to break out the tuxedo..
It was the opening night for Utah Opera’s staging of Florencia En El Amazonas:
This is a fairly “new” opera, first staged in 1996. The set design also included a projected background, which changed over the course of the opera, making it appear that the boat (the main piece of scenery) was traveling on the Amazon River.
The Utah Opera costume shop also did an outstanding job of outfitting the cast. There was also a big of… whimsy in some of the ladies’ dress designs. I was particularly taken with the costuming of one of the male leads, to the point of wanting a couple of the pieces for my own wardrobe.
The music for the opera was well-suited to the story. It wasn’t oppressive or heavy; on the contrary, it was lively and, quite frankly, beautiful.
Something else that I enjoyed was that the libretto was amazingly well done. The stories in many operas are fanciful and often rely on some “magical thing” to happen to wrap things up by the coda. That wasn’t the case in this opera. Far from it, in fact. It was easily one of the – if not THE – most realistic bit of storytelling I’ve seen in an opera. The characters were… human, not just characters and far from being caricatures. Their motivations and reactions were incredibly well-grounded.
I haven’t determined exactly where it falls, but this is definitely on my favorite opera list. I highly recommend seeing it to any and every one.
Sunday, or at least the early part of it, was mostly spent around the house. The afternoon, however, was dedicated to football. Brad and Keith came over to watch the AFC Championship Game…
Instant Replay: Football
| Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots |
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| 28 – 13 | |
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The Ravens headed to Foxboro, Massachusetts to take on the New England Patriots in a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship:
There was a lot of expectation that tonight’s game would turn out like last year’s… …but the Ravens and their fans knew that they didn’t want Ray Lewis’ “Last Ride” to end in New England. The game was close in the first half, with New England drawing first blood with a field goal. Baltimore answered with a touchdown in the second quarter. New England put up another FG in the 2nd and the teams went into halftime with the Pats up 13-7. The second half belonged to the Ravens. They put up another 21 points while keeping the Pats out of the end zone and out of field goal range. On the Pats’ last drive, Brady was moving his team downfield well. It looked like they were about to put 6 points on the board until Cary Williams picked off a pass. Joe Flacco was able to take a knee and send the Ravens to their first Super Bowl in 12 years.
Congratulations to the Ravens on a fantastic and well-played game. On to New Orleans, where the Ravens and Head Coach John Harbaugh will face the San Francisco 49ers, coached by former Ravens QB Jim Harbaugh… John’s brother.
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Stray Toasters
Yeah, my team is going to the Super Bowl. Boom!
Namaste.
Tuesday – 15 January 2013
It’s been a couple of weeks, but here is a bit of Team DiVa goodness for you:
Vanessa (l) and Diana
Vanessa (l) and Diana (close-up!)
Diana (l) and Vanessa
Diana helping Mom lower the mattress frame on a crib
Diana
Vanessa
And there you go.
Namaste.
Monday – 14 January 2013
It’s cold here in the Land Behind the Zion Curtain.
How cold? Well, this is what greeted me when I checked the weather before getting out of bed:
What?! I was reading on my iPad before going to sleep; it was right there. Don’t judge.
This was the difference between my car and outside as I got ready to head into the office:
Yes, that is a nearly 70°F difference. So, like I said: It’s cold.
Reeling By On Celluloid: Tomb Raider
As of last Saturday, Sara! and I finished our run of Bond’s movies… since Amazon wanted me to buy Die Another Day. Yeah, that was not going to happen. We decided to start a new run of movies; we just had to decide on a theme. We wound up going with “Action Movies with Strong Female Leads.” That, in turn, lead us to Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
We’d both seen the movie before and knew that it was light on brainpower and fairly full of action. Win. Win. And something that we’d forgotten: Daniel Craig was in the movie. That’s right. James “Double Oh Seven” Bond. Well, five years before he was Bond. And who could forget that Ms. Jolie’s father, Jim Phelps, I mean Jon Voight was in the movie, as well.
And, in the final analysis: It was fun.
Instant Replay: Football
Saturday afternoon, the Ravens took on the Denver Broncos:
| Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos |
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| 38 – 35 | |
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The Ravens traveled to Denver to take on Peyton Manning and the Number 1 in the AFC Denver Broncos for the AFC Divisonal Game. Going into the game, the odds were stacked against the Ravens:
And, there was also this gem, as tweeted by the Ravens’ own Terrell Suggs:
But, as Han Solo once told C-3P0: “Never tell me the odds.” Because the Ravens went to Denver to make like Big Daddy Kane and Get the Job Done. The game was close all the way through; the score wound up being tied a total of five (5) times! There were amazing plays on both sides At the end of regulation, the score was tied 35-35. Then came overtime. Then, Peyton Manning threw a pass… that was picked off by Corey Graham. That set up a game-winning Justin Tucker 49-yard field goal, sending the Ravens to the AFC Championship game. After the game, two future Hall of Famers met at mid-field for the last time as competitors.
Congratulations to the Ravens on a great game. Hey, Joe…?! How does it feel to go into Denver and handle business like you did on Saturday?
Next stop: New England. |
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Stray Toasters
Namaste.
Friday – 11 January 2013
Today has been a good day. Even with all the snow.
The morning commute was about a half-hour long, give or take. The drive was made a little better with the addition of two fifty-pound bags of salt to the trunk. (I have a rear-wheel drive car that apparently puts out A LOT of torque at low speed.) But, on the whole, it was uneventful.
The evening commute was slower than expected, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as last night’s two-hour journey. I made it home in about 45 minutes.
Stray Toasters
And that’s a wrap.
Namaste.
Thursday – 10 January 2013
Another NBN Thursday in the valley draws to a close.
When I woke up this morning, it was in the low 40s. That means that today started off warmer than it’s been during the day for the past week.
And then a snowstorm blew in.
Temperatures fell.
Traffic got stupid.
Yada. Yada. Yada.
And, I’m not kidding about the traffic. My commute home – depending on the route I take and time of day – is usually about 20 minutes. Today, it was just shy of 2 hours. But, Sara! kept Team DiVa up until I got home, so I was able to end the evening with a smile. And a late dinner. Grilled cheese sandwiches and soup. Tonight was a perfect night for it, too.
Stray Toasters
Namaste.
Wednesday – 09 January 2013
It’s midweek…
New comics (and maybe a ‘Clix or two) day…
And Movie Date Night!
The workday has been… busy. Not cripplingly so, but enough to keep me engaged for the better part of the day.
Last night, Sara went off to Girls’ Night Out, so I stayed home with Team DiVa, had Chinese food for dinner and watched three episodes of the Christopher Eccleston Doctor Who.
This morning, my mother in law posted the following Team DiVa video:
Tonight’s Movie Date Night fare: Dredd. (So far, it’s not bad.)
Stray Toasters
Yeah, that’s going to do it for now.
Namaste.
Tuesday – 08 January 2012
Day Two: Go!
Last night, I decided to tackle some of the clutter in the unfinished portion of the basement. I didn’t make a huge dent in it, but I made a decent dent in it. There’s some And, I was able to move the printer out of the office and hook it up to the Mac that’s in there. I consider that a “Win.”
After that, Sara! and I hung out on the couch, watching Castle. I’d call that a good way to wrap up an evening.
Stray Toasters
For those of you who’ve been following my blog on LJ (via cross-post), please feel free to point your browser to Random Access, instead, as I’ll be terminating my LJ account at the end of the month.
Right on to the friction of the day…
Namaste.
Sunday – 06 January 2013
I have had a great weekend.
No, seriously.
Saturday, I judged a HeroClix tournament at Dr. Volt’s Comic Connection. We had a good turn-out; we had ten players. While there, I received a message from my friend, Jonni. He had a show Saturday night and wondered if I would be able to make it. After consulting the Lady Sara!, I learned that I’d be able to make the show. Win.
I came back home and finally got around to making a fix to the railing and got some help from an unexpected quarter.
>> Fast Forward >>
After Team DiVa was in bed, I got ready and headed to the show. Doing some mental gymnastics, I realized that I hadn’t seen Jonni play – Hell, hadn’t even seen him (other than online) – in over ten years. Yeah. That long.
This was taken 10 January 2002 at the release party for his second CD:
This was taken Saturday (05 Jan 13) night:
And, it was a lot of fun. We’re trying to figure out a time when we can get together for lunch or dinner or something.
Instant Replay: Football
Today, I got to watch the Ravens-Indy game. Brad and Dave came over to watch the game, as well.
| Indianapolis Professional Football Club at Baltimore Ravens | |
| 9 – 24 | |
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| The Ravens played their first playoff game of the 2012-2013 season today…
…the same day that Ray Lewis played his last game as a Raven at home.
The first half was mostly a defensive struggle, but the Ravens went into halftime with a 10-6 lead. In the second half, the offense went to work, racking up 14 more points and holding Indy to just another field goal. Baltimore wound up with the ball as time wound down and for the final play, Ray Lewis came in at running back…
…and after the clock ran down, he treated Baltimore to a final dance.
After the game, Ray took one last celebratory/congratulatory lap around M&T Bank Stadium.
Next stop: Denver. |
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And, to wrap up the weekend, Sara! and I are watching Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
Stray Toasters
Namaste.
Tuesday – 01 January 2013
Welcome to 2013: The Year of the Snake.
Today is also the seventh day of Kwanzaa; today ‘s principle is “Imani” or “faith”:
To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.
I hope that everyone had a safe and fun New Year’s Eve and that you have a prosperous 2013.
Be well and be good to one another.
Namaste.
Monday – 31 December 2012
The end of the world year is here.
Chew on This: Food for Thought
Today is the last day of 2012. Some of the experiences of the year include:
…and, as I said a couple of years ago: “…these are all part of ‘life.’”
On the whole, 2012 was a good year. I am thankful for the many new people I met and I am grateful for the many wonderful things that I got to experience. If you were part of my year – no matter how big or small a part – thank you for the pleasure of your company and for being a part of my journey.
Stray Toasters
I wish you a very happy and prosperous 2013 and beyond.
Friday – 21 December 2012
…or as I would write it in short form: 21 Dec 12.
…more to the point: 21 – 12. (With an extra “12” for good measure.)
And this is the last 21-12 of the century.
And with that in mind, I give you: 2112
“Overture” and “Temples of Syrinx”
…and…
The whole “A” side of 2112:
According to the Mayan Calendar, the Fourth World ends today and the Fifth World begins. (Sorry, Jack Kirby.)
Last night, Sara! and I watched Men In Black 3 for Movie Date Night.
I thought that it was a fun romp and a nice way to wrap up the series; I think that Sara! thought that it was alright. (It was better than MIB2.) And, Josh Brolin does a very good Tommy Lee Jones.
Stray Toasters
Book and artwork (c) Thom Zahler
Namaste.
Tuesday – 18 December 2012
Christmas is nigh upon us.
Sara! and I finally got our Christmas cards back from the printer. We are quite pleased with them. Last night, before addressing envelopes, I may have put a loop of track and a trolley under the tree. Tonight, I may put a few buildings under there. We shall see…
Vanessa surprised me last night with a new phrase: “Chocolate milk.” It came out more like “Chah-mick,” but she was pointing at my then-full glass of chocolate milk when she said it… and then, along with Diana, proceeded to drink about half of the glass of milk before I got a sip myself.
Vanessa (l) and Diana
Stray Toasters
Quote of the Day
From a conversation with Sara! yesterday:
Jackie Chan in Expendables 3.
Hmm… which makes me think Jet Li won’t be in it… you certainly can’t have two Asian actors in the same action film.Kind of like the “No Two Black Guys” rule on The Walking Dead.11:01amExactly! Come to think of it… there’s only one black guy in Expendables…Also true.
Wednesday – 12 December 2012 Sunday – 16 December 2012
Midweek. Check.
New comics day. Check.
Movie Date Night. Check.
Everyone seems to be going ape over the 12/12/12 thing. Personally, I’m waiting for the 21st. (Rush fans will understand.)
Yeah. This post started on Wednesday. Then I figured that I’d just finish it on Thursday, which didn’t happen because things went eight kinds of sideways at work. How bad? Think: “Sixteen-hour-day.” Yeah, it was like that.
And Friday? Yeah there was some busy-ness there, too. Not as bad, but still some running around.
Yesterday, I had a tournament and by the time I got home, all I wanted to do was veg. I was so tired that I barely made it through last night’s Action Movie Saturday fare: The Living Daylights.” It was, I think, the last Bond movie – other than Skyfall – that I haven’t seen. It wasn’t a great movie. In fact, I thought that it was at least as cheesy as – if not more cheesy than – the later Roger Moore Bond films.
Things have been good on the home front. Team DiVa has been full of surprises lately. They’re learning to climb on more things. Their vocabularies are growing, too. They both surprised me the other day when they looked at my cup of coffee and said, “Cocoa?” (They’ve had – and liked – hot chocolate, so it wasn’t a stretch for them t0 assume that I was drinking cocoa.) Clever girls.
Stray Toasters
Quote of the Day
Today’s Wednesday’s quote actually comes from a few days ago. What?! I’ve been busy.
After the new trailer for Star Trek: Into Darkness came out, there was a lot of buzz about who the villain would be. Khan? Trelaine? Someone new?
I was chatting with John, my brother-in-law, and we had this exchange:
(12/8/2012 5:55:32 PM) John: http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/06/15736805-khaaan-maybe-star-trek-2-movie-teaser-wont-say-or-will-it?lite
(5:55:36 PM) John: what say you?
(12:02:46 PM) Rob: And I say, “Gary Mitchell.”
(12:02:54 PM) Rob: Seems to be the prevailing thought at this point.
(12:03:01 PM) John: No Khan, eh
(12:03:33 PM) Rob: Don’t think so.
(12:03:43 PM) Rob: We had a alot of discussion about it Thursday/Friday
(12:03:53 PM) John: At first I was kind of excited by the possibility…then I got kind of annoyed b/c I think they’d probably screw it up after all this time
(12:04:03 PM) John: Sometimes you have to leave the classics alone
(12:04:04 PM) Rob: And it seems as though Karl Urban let it slip in an interview a couple of weeks ago.
(12:04:30 PM) Rob: I’d be okay if Khan was in the movie… as long as they spun the story in a different direction.
(12:04:53 PM) John: Bingo. I don’t want a damn remake
(12:05:12 PM) John: I’m kind of biased…ST2 is in my top 10 movies
(12:05:25 PM) Rob: In my Top 5, I think.
(12:05:42 PM) John: Also has one of my top 10 movie lines ever too
(12:05:46 PM) Rob: It’s a solid piece of movie-making, with a sci-fi candy-coated shell.
(12:05:58 PM) John: KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN goes well with “KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!!!” and “Time…to die”
(12:06:11 PM) Rob: heh
(12:06:14 PM) Rob: True enough.
(12:06:18 PM) John: (the latter STILL my favorite movie scene ever)
(12:06:43 PM) Rob: For me it’s: “You… you, I do not know. But you… I never forget a face. Mr…. Chekov!”
(12:06:52 PM) shadorunr: (even though they never met on the original show.
(12:06:57 PM) John: Details.
(12:07:02 PM) shadorunr: Exactly.
(12:07:13 PM) Rob: It happened during a commercial, as far as I’m concerned.
(12:07:17 PM) John: lol
(12:07:31 PM) John: Maybe they ran into each other at the bridge’s urinal line. Who knows.
(12:08:25 PM) Rob: to the Bat-IMDb!
(12:08:28 PM) Rob: Khan says to Chekov, “And you – I never forget a face. Chekov, isn’t it?”. Although Chekov was not a bridge officer in the TV show that first featured Khan, it should be remembered that when Khan first took over Enterprise, he started with the engineering deck. Chekov was engineering ensign at the time, according to the movie’s novelization.
(12:08:34 PM) Rob: Tada!
(12:08:50 PM) John: Eh…I like the urinal explanation better.
(12:08:54 PM) Rob: Ditto.
(12:09:08 PM) John: “Oh yeah…well…he was in…engineering. Yes, engineering.”
(12:10:21 PM) Rob: From Wikipedia:Pavel Andreievich Chekov is a young and naïve ensign who first appeared on-screen in The Original Series’ second season as the Enterprise’s navigator. However, The Wrath of Khan established that he had been assigned to the ship sometime before the first season episode “Space Seed”, since Khan remembers him in the movie. Koenig joked that Khan remembered Chekov from the episode after he took too long in a restroom Khan wanted to use
(12:10:46 PM) John: hahahaha!!!
(12:10:50 PM) John: See?
(12:11:01 PM) Rob: So it is written, so must it be.
And for the day’s final miracle: As of 10:03 PM MDT, the painting of the train room is complete!
Namaste.
Congratulations to the Ravens on a job well done and “Thank you” to Ray Lewis for an amazing career and legacy.
