Just like that the week is over! Poof! A birthday, some phone calls, some revising, two Klondike bars, a little laundry, lunch out on somebody else's tab, and now it's time to head for the highlands. Big weekend ahead but I'm trying not to get freaked out about it. Mostly I'm looking forward to snow and cold and hopefully getting there and back without any blog-worthy episodes. And, at the very least, Cinnabon for breakfast tomorrow at CVG. That's what I'm talkin' about!

posted at 3:49 PM - comments

Without a doubt this weekend's big event was the 100th game between the Wolverines of Michigan and the Buckeyes of Ohio State, and I'm not sure that things could have been any better for yours truly. Big time win, with plenty of chances to play The Victors on my stereo. Before the game I took care of some business and afterwards I just kinda crashed out - rented some movies and generally behaved like jello. Sunday was church and a trip to Selby Gardens and then "Master and Commander," which was good.

posted at 1:20 PM - comments

What's great about Wednesdays is West Wing. My thoughts on the show are now well-known internet lore, but today I'm filled with Democratic vim and vigor following last night's episode. Even though we don't always agree with him, sometimes it's good for POTUS to arch his back and dig in. Who doesn't love ultimate, unwavering power? Isn't the struggle for it pretty much at the crux of everything we do? In other news, I learned more about arguments and data sufficiency before and after West Wing...whew, I prefer TV.

posted at 1:29 PM - comments

A haircut was the highlight of my evening last night, but it always feels nice to be lookin' lean and mean after waking up so shaggy the day before. I seemed to have reached a state of mini-Nirvana in my apartment...with new artwork and a sense of calm about furniture acquisitions I'm really able to relax and listen to some chill tunes and just feel comfortable there without any mental distractions. Plus, I have a McIntosh apple-scented Yankee Candle, so it always smells like a perfect fall Saturday now, which I'm sure is helping.

posted at 12:56 PM - comments

Quiet weekend of prepping dominos and watching football and being the A/V guy. My knee has been sore lately so no pedaling, which was a set back. Friday night I saw "Secondhand Lions" and thought it was pretty good - clearly somebody wanting to do a movie to make some money, but still entertaining and fun to watch. Alec Baldwin tore up SNL for the 11th time, but I can't say that Missy Miss did much for me in her two numbers. What happened to rockers? I mean other than The White Stripes.

posted at 12:44 PM - comments

Ceaser salad at Patrick's today so it has been a garlicy-good afternoon around here. Last night was all about upscaling things: cooked dinner in my work clothes and apron, had a glass of white with dinner, listened to Norah Jones, didn't do dishes. Thomas Crown you got nothing. Looking forward to escaping this week's 3d-modeling drudgery this weekend, but on a positive note I found a good contact to the north who's really helping me stack the dominos.

posted at 3:57 PM - comments

Time just keeps on keepin' on. Laundry and West Wing and a phone call last night, plus got a package from my friend Eddie Bauer. Who doesn't love the internet? I mean seriously, I sit at my desk with a credit card and then 6 days later clothes arrive at my house. Magic. Having evenings filled with other productive pursuits has really cut into my recreational reading habit, so I'm hopeful that this weekend there will be time for a small book, perhaps a novella, or a collection of essays to busy my mind with something fun. Today I'm bitter about weather - I've realized this week that the single thing I miss the most in Florida is the chance to actually use covers. I mean a just a sheet? In November? That's real pain.

posted at 12:58 PM - comments

Busy evening last: headed to the library after work, then up to Anna Maria for my final soccer coaching event of the season, then home to watch MNF, eat some dinner, clean some dishes, and head to bed. I'm going to miss coaching but not the drive back and forth to the island. Tonight it's a First Friday meeting then who knows what...I'm finding my nights get fuller and fuller with the same stuff. How can that be? Discovered a great new lunchtime distraction, too: StripeOut. It's by The White Stripes. It's fun.

posted at 12:51 PM - comments

Pleasant weekend here, even with continuing summer weather. Was pretty productive at home, had a soccer party on Anna Maria Saturday that also turned into 50 miles of bike riding, did the AV thing at church, checked out a bit o' football, and even zipped through a local (get this) ski swap. Also wedged (so to speak) in there was the Saturday evening observance of a near-full lunar eclipse. I wouldn't call myself an astronomy buff, but there is definitely a very high amazement factor when you are really confronted with our sky. This looks to be a busy week and somehow I think that trend is going to continue until the holidays.

posted at 12:48 PM - comments

A very surprisingly busy evening last night: a muis productive library trip then home to catch a pair of phone calls with "Scrubs" in between. It's good to hear from people; sometimes they share advice and sometimes they need it, but everybody wants reassurances and that's a blade that cuts both ways. It's good to be distracted, too. Even when we're strong enough to hear the news and go forward it's nice to have a place to hide from it where it really goes away - even if only for a few minutes.

posted at 12:57 PM - comments

Made the journey north to Anna Maria for Animal Clinic's final game of the year, once again under the lights on the fresh grass of the community center. It was a rough 3-2 loss to the league champion, but Adina got a hard-earned goal and there was ice cream afterwards. Then it was home to catch the tail end of "The West Wing" and brush up on some stuff that I hadn't seen in awhile.

posted at 3:23 PM - comments

Tuned in to "8 Simple Rules" last evening just to see what the writers did with a tough situation...pretty sad stuff. Also revised a little, cleaned up the leftover mess from the weekend, and got an early bedtime.

posted at 12:48 PM - comments

So here's the rundown. Left Sarasota at 5:30 Thursday, drove to QuarterDeck bar and grill in Fort Lauderdale, where I ate and drank with Anthony and Jamie and Gwen and John and Upde. From there I went to the DoubleTree, rendezvoused with Karyn, then departed for Jamie and Gwen's where we stayed late catching up with folks. Friday was a day at the boat show, then in the evening rather a lot of partying at Jamie and Gwen's and then downtown at RiverWalk. Saturday was boat show time again, lunch at Cheeburger! Cheeburger!, back to the hotel to catch the end of the UM game, off to the beach with Anthony, then back to the hotel. In the evening (after some frantic shopping at the adjacent mall) Karyn and I headed to Bart Roberts for a very VERY upscale cocktail party. We wined and dined with the boat industry elite and pretended, like Jack Dawson at dinner on the Titanic, that we belonged. Sunday was laid back: brunch in the morning, dropping off folks at the airport, then chillin' in the hotel before a great dinner at Crepe Christina's with Karyn in the evening and the drive home in the late hours of the day. It was a novel weekend...four years ago I would have given anything to see the boats and attend the show but having come through Webb and been in the business I realized this weekend that I could have skipped the boats and spent more time with friends and been all the better for it.

posted at 1:00 PM - comments

The great weekend just passed somehow needs a day or two to set in - details tomorrow after I've rested and grocery shopped and have picked up some perspective.

posted at 12:46 PM - comments