The Next Dark Age
We're in it Now
Making Comparisons
Last year, with all of the snow, I ran out of windshield wiper fluid twice. Between oil changes. This had never happened before. It occurred to me a week or so ago that I should really pick up a gallon to keep in my garage, because it looks like it might be that kind of winter again. Of course, who remembers to pick up windshield wiper fluid?
My friendly neighborhood Jewel Osco grocery store had displays built up to the ceiling, in the front and back of the store, filled with gallons of wiper fluid. This is why I love them.
Standing in line to check out, I looked at the label. Will work to -20 degrees.
My boots are better than that!
And Then There Were None – The Video Game
The other night at my friend Noah’s house, we were talking video games. I haven’t played them in a long time. He was showing us Oblivion. It gives me a headache. I told him I liked the old games where you pick up the clues and solve the little mysteries. He sneered:
“The old Sierra games?!”
Yes.
As it happens, I was at Half Price Books and found a game based on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. I read it in high school and it was on my shelf to read again. For 5 bucks, I picked it up and took a couple of days to play.
It originally came out a couple of years ago and the reviews were mixed. Apparently the graphics weren’t good enough for the serious gamers. There are also differeing opinions on the things you “must accomplish” and the “side quests”. The interesting thing is that is has recently come out in a version for the Wii. Here is the trailer:
The other reason I like these older games? Somewhere on the Internet there are always Cheater Notes. The game doesn’t follow the book exactly, as the PC is the 11th person. Thus the ending is also different. Anyway, I had fun. Now I am going to go back and finish the book.
Eloise and Shadow
Taking Pictures with the Blackberry
Reflections and the New Year
This is what I said last January 1:
I think New Year’s Resolutions are crap, but since pretending to have a game plan is good, here is what I expect 2008 to look like:
- Working Full Time
- Volunteering once a week at the parrot rescue
- Volunteering once a week at the library
- Complete at least two (four if I can stand it) courses down toward the master’s degree
- Complete the 50 Book Challenge
- Excercise regularly
- I am going to go away on an actual vacation – haven’t figured out where yet
- I could say I plan to eat better, but we know that isn’t going to happen.
I didn’t do too badly. I stayed active volunteering. I completed four courses toward the degree. Just barely finished the 50 BooksChallenge. Exercise wasn’t great, but not a total disaster. And I took the fabulous road trip to Mt. Rushmore.
Last night, hanging out with some friends, I realized that I hadn’t seen most of them since last New Years. I ought to do something about that. But really, when classes are in session, they take an awful lot of time and what I have left I generally reserve for my nephew. Over the summer, though, there is really no excuse. So. Here is the pretend game plan for 2009:
- Finish the Master’s program
- Keep up with work, reading, and volunteering
- Step up the exercise
- Make my friends a priority again
50 Book Challenge
This was my third year doing the 50 Book Challenge. A community on Live Journal is dedicated to reading at least 50 books each year. In 2006, I just made it. In 2007, I read 72 books. In 2008, I have just finished 50. And completed four courses toward my Masters Degree, not that I am making excuses.
Next year, I plan to post each of my individual reads here, but for now I thought I would put down the complete list from 2008:
50
Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World
Bill Clinton
49
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed
Alan Alda
48
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter
Kim Edwards
47
The Tales of Beedle the Bard
J.K. Rowling
46
The Thorn Birds
Colleen McCullough
45
Portnoy’s Complaint
Philip Roth
44
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol
Tom Mula
43
Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope
Jenna Bush
42
Inside Mrs. B’s Classroom
Leslie Baldacci
41
Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Me
Patti Boyd
40
Dispatches From the Edge
Anderson Cooper
39
Alex and Me
Irene Pepperberg
38
The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader
Ryder Windham
37
Marley and Me
John Grogan
36
My Dark Places
James Ellroy
35
Tropic of Cancer
Henry Miller
34
Love in the Time of Cholera
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
33
How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents
Julia Alvarez
32
Nine Parts of Desire
Geraldine Brooks
31
X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep the World from Sucking
Jeff Gordinier
30
An Unfinished Season
Ward Just
29
A Confederacy of Dunces
John Kennedy Toole
28
The Big Sleep
Raymond Chandler
27
Washington
Meg Greenfield
26
Emma: The Many Facets of Emma Thompson
Chris Nickson
25
Darcy’s Story
Janet Aylmer
24
A Gentleman in Charleston and the Manner of His Death
William Baldwin
23
Mayflower
Nathaniel Philbrick
22
Saturday
Ian McEwan
21
The Winds of War
Herman Wouk
20
Crazy Horse: Hoka Hay!
Vinson Brown
19
Letters from Yellowstone
Diane Smith
18
The Children’s Blizzard
David Laskin
17
The Master Butcher’s Singing Club
Louise Erdrich
16
Measure of a Man
Sidney Poitier
15
Bodily Harm
Margaret Atwood
14
The Diana Chronicles
Tina Brown
13
The Dumas Club
Arturo Perez-Reverte
12
Who Killed the Robins Family
Bill Adler
11
Democracy
Joan Didion
10
Rosemary’s Baby
Ira Levin
9
V: The Second Generation
Kenneth Johnson
8
I Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans
Jason Berry
7
Streetwise Marketing
Don Debelak
6
Citizen Marketers: When People are the Message
Jackie Huba and Bill McConnell
5
One Dead in Attic
Chris Rose
4
Turn of the Screw
Henry James
3
Fraternity
Bob Greene
2
March
Geraldine Brooks
1
Rhett Butler’s People
Donald McCaig
I have just learned that Blogger does not take Excel spreadsheets.
Shoes Again
I have been on a mission from God for a pair of decent boots. I have cute leather ankle boots, but last year’s attempt at something warm and relatively waterproof that did not involve the word Ugg failed miserably. I looked online and found some stuff, but I really have to try shoes on before I buy them.
Famous Footwear: Nothing in my size.
DSW: Nothing in my size.
Carsons: I called my mother. I was one of the horrible people on her cell phone in the shoe department.
Me: I could spend $70 on a warmish pair of Naturalizers or go to Dick’s Sporting Goods and spend $100 on some rock-solid-not-a-flake-of-snow will get through them boots.
Her: Or you could spend $170 and get both.
Not helpful. I went to Dick’s. Nothing. In. My. Size.
Finally, I get to Sports Authority. Their boots do not come in half sizes, which was terribly inconvenient. Know what is even more inconvenient? The pair that I bought was not on the website, so you have to settle for my picture:
You probably can’t read that tag, but it says “-25° F”. Meaning that my feet will not get cold until it is 25 degrees below zero. $55 after taxes and my cool coupon. But once I traipse through the winter slush in them, I can hardly wear them around the office. So I went back to Famous Footwear for these:
And because they are still running BOGO ½ OFF, I picked up a gift for Alex. His fourth birthday is next month. He loves basketball and I am pretty sure his next Rite of Passage is the Tying of the Shoes. I’m being encouraging and stuff:
Seriously, how cute is that?
The three combined still cost less than $100, thank you very much. Why am I telling you another shopping story? Because it took me over a week to find a pair of boots!
No Way.
Just now, when she was doing it, I heard a second whistle: Kiwi the Grey chiming in. Maybe I am going all anthropomorphic, but I think Kiwi is trying to learn it.
The Great American Popcorn Company
Galena, Illinois is a little town in the northwest corner of Illinois, right on the Mississippi River. Galena is famous for two things: the home of General U.S. Grant and the most historic homes per capita in the United States. These homes are all Bed and Breakfasts now, so Galena is also a very serious weekend getaway spot for Chicagoans.
My sister-in-law, Becky, grew up the next town over from Galena. So every year, someone brings us a bottle of the local sparling wine, Merry Merry Cranberry. And this year, Becky’s mom sent us some popcorn from my favorite place, The Great American Popcorn Company. They makes tons of flavors of popcorn, so if you are a fan, you must check it out.
My favorites are French Vanilla, which is a caramel corn with vanilla flavoring, and Zesty Ranch, which is a cheese popcorn with Ranch seasoning. My friend, Rich, swears by the Rootbeer Float. It has root beer flavored caramel and is covered in white chocolate. I find it tasty, but a bit too much to eat for real.
I have used the online ordering and been pleased with the speed of processing and shipment. But seriously, if you are anywhere near Galena, you should visit!
Late Sort of Christmas Present
Over the holidays, my Chief IT Guy e-mailed to ask me to come into the office while I was on vacation. He was going to be in town from Washington and wanted to set up my shiny new Blackberry.
I didn’t really need a new Blackberry. But apparently they want to upgrade us all at the same time. Want to see what my new Blackberry can do?
Yeah. It’s a crappy picture, but that’s because of the lighting. I have a Blackberry that takes pictures!
I love my job.
The Next Dark Age 