tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36880580374094750632024-03-12T20:56:45.984-07:004 Calling BirdsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger382125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-27592309723452172262024-01-01T18:44:00.000-08:002024-01-01T18:47:00.875-08:00True Stories<p>We recently watched two films that are based on true stories -- The Iron Claw and Maestro.</p><p>The Iron Claw tells the dramatic story of a wrestling family that I had never heard of before. Apparently, this family is in the Wrestling Hall of Fame. I heard of some of the bigger name opponents they faced in the film but I don't recall ever hearing of them. The story is at times difficult to watch, and the family faces a lot of hardship and tragedy. Much of it is self-inflicted and largely the fault of the strict father who wanted his sons to fulfill his own dreams which were never accomplished in his youth. By pushing them all so blindly toward his goal, many of them develop a skewed sense of what is important in life. I thought the film was well done and I thought Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White gave strong performances.</p><p>Maestro is probably better known to most people as the story of composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife. It was written, directed and stars Bradley Cooper who gives a strong performance but it felt a bit one-note to me. Bernstein comes off as selfish and indulgent and we don't really have clear understanding of what drove the decisions that he made. Did he really love his wife? In all of the interviews, Bradley Cooper and Bernstein's children say that he did. That this was a unique love story. However, there were many gay people of the same era who married spouses of the opposite sex to "fit in" and seem more acceptable to others. Was this story so unique? For me, a good biopic offers a deeper understanding of its subject, revealing layers that may not be known to the public. I guess this film felt a little distant and didn't really leave me with the feeling of learning so much that was new. I'm sure it will get a lot of nominations when they come out and it was certainly a well-produced film. Note that the lead producers were Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.</p><p>As this is our last blog for the 2023 Christmas season, I wanted to say thanks to those of you who have read along with us. New blog entries everyday for the month of December (and Jan 1) are tough to maintain and I give my family a lot of credit for everyone's contributions.</p><p>Happy New Year to all and here's to a year of happiness, health and success!</p><p>Frosty</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0Lcg5jOamuYPadXAEDbobvHob2l-aatwEqkBTqnuzGmgQ_ChgO-SpTPmkfXOvDnkr4eMIBt9pHefZiNW-Tkna8OfVVgwoNEhiZNM3R0B4eAU85v9xlJgH9z-_Nyau7CaUFzRvxSB04jhMmZAAnAPBAL4IfCL4lvexKDtUG1XI_ONVmnchFNfAvCjALQLX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2025" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0Lcg5jOamuYPadXAEDbobvHob2l-aatwEqkBTqnuzGmgQ_ChgO-SpTPmkfXOvDnkr4eMIBt9pHefZiNW-Tkna8OfVVgwoNEhiZNM3R0B4eAU85v9xlJgH9z-_Nyau7CaUFzRvxSB04jhMmZAAnAPBAL4IfCL4lvexKDtUG1XI_ONVmnchFNfAvCjALQLX" width="162" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-20362682030893736782023-12-31T16:17:00.000-08:002023-12-31T16:17:22.510-08:00Another New Year's Eve<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Apparently my mom wrote something similar yesterday, but I haven’t read it so any similarities are purely coincidental and not eligible for legal action.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration, newness, and excitement. For me, it is a time of stress and yet another year of figuring out what the hell to do. I would love New Year’s if it actually went as promised— crazy party where you’re not too hot, there are places to sit when my back hurts, and someone cute to kiss at midnight in a whirlwind-slow motion moment. But it never looks like that. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Being in New York, it would seem our best option is to find somewhere in the city, but that’s also terrifying on NYE so ultimately not really worth it. Everything is overpriced and watered down, and not enough seating. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">From what I gather, the best option is a house party, but I don’t have enough NY peeps to throw one of those right now, and even if I did I doubt people wanna trek to Westchester. Hopefully next year, I’ll be at a raging house party with my copious amounts of extremely close friends and a few mysterious strangers, but for now, I'm off Brooklyn by myself for a jam session/party thing because I couldn’t find someone to go with me. Hoping to make some new friends and harmonize into the new year, bringing me a 2024 filled with warmth and music. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Happy New Year’s Eve to you all and may you find something worth doing that brings you joy and luck in the new year!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Holly</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJOEDYqBXS7Vd9iGf4rH2yNgTcWZNBVfu3jHNA0ivqD3IIpXvNVBQcORnAToO4nJOI5EvIA2x-P45tpxmU-Ub4dZJCVoajHyih6njcHTg3gfQH7HdJnCbbObSUhocHgUYw6FER8EcjPB1lQp-Fm4imh2NppfyK63mSr3_WjneW5qTqiLB4DmVF7mnWKvA1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJOEDYqBXS7Vd9iGf4rH2yNgTcWZNBVfu3jHNA0ivqD3IIpXvNVBQcORnAToO4nJOI5EvIA2x-P45tpxmU-Ub4dZJCVoajHyih6njcHTg3gfQH7HdJnCbbObSUhocHgUYw6FER8EcjPB1lQp-Fm4imh2NppfyK63mSr3_WjneW5qTqiLB4DmVF7mnWKvA1" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-81862400846468183002023-12-30T15:20:00.000-08:002023-12-30T15:20:11.960-08:00What To Do On New Year's Eve...<p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">I have never been one for big fanfare on New Year’s Eve. If
one goes out, places are super<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">crowded and super expensive. Restaurants slightly alter
their menus for NYE and then majorly<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">jack up the prices. And those giant parties with a huge
cover charge? Ugh don’t get me started.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Therefore, over the years, I have found myself doing many
different things on the last day of<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the year. Yes, I have watched the ball drop from the comfort
of my couch and I am proud of it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But I have done many other things which have been pretty
fun.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Ball Drop</b>: Many years ago I was out to dinner with a
bunch of people in midtown and at the last<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">minute we decided to go to Times Square to watch the ball
drop. It was spontaneous and chill.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Glad I got to experience that before they started the system of cordoned-off people standing in their <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">little section wearing diapers for 12 hours. However, I also got to
watch the conch shell drop in Key<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">West. A much smaller event but nicely reminiscent of home.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>New Year’s Abroad</b>: Unintentionally, I have celebrated the
holiday away. In addition to Key<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">West, I have witnessed the New Year blossom in Las Vegas,
Dallas, Reykjavik, Okemo, and<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Antarctica. Of those, Antarctica was literally and
figuratively the coolest – and also a bit surreal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We were considerably medicated with anti-motion sickness
meds which make a person really<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">drowsy and sporting a drug-induced haze. But on top of that,
the stroke of midnight is in broad<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">daylight! The ship captain had the shades drawn to enhance
the vibe, but one could easy pop<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">them up and witness icebergs in the sunshine. But perhaps
the funnest fun fact about that trip<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">is our ship held the distinction of being the most southern
ship of any ship at midnight. The<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">captain made sure of it. Pretty wild!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While all of these adventures are fun and unique and I am
glad that I did them, one of my<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">favorite ways to ring in the new year continues to be
hanging out with a handful of friends, and<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">watching the ball drop on the TV. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Happy New Year all!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Eve</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3jANWuOa634g0eEzuv7QWAufpST9jMc8lqaJCHfnvUPpb4hv7MlJF016LgXzODCZG6bqt-oTeQ4wIJju2paiNbrg_Flp96piECIHY4vLacOEI-y4NUB4g6B1l2F0ksiZzNPKPSaol4eoi6OkFksrkQLcWGq16-HIWv6wWUhVcw1AoEUwqlRdJf0oGlmL/s1600/Times%20Square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3jANWuOa634g0eEzuv7QWAufpST9jMc8lqaJCHfnvUPpb4hv7MlJF016LgXzODCZG6bqt-oTeQ4wIJju2paiNbrg_Flp96piECIHY4vLacOEI-y4NUB4g6B1l2F0ksiZzNPKPSaol4eoi6OkFksrkQLcWGq16-HIWv6wWUhVcw1AoEUwqlRdJf0oGlmL/s320/Times%20Square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /></p><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-20927257368007662582023-12-29T15:38:00.000-08:002023-12-29T15:38:49.457-08:00A Brief and Earnest Reflection of 2023<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Like last year, I’m going to use my last blog post to reflect on the past year. Another strong one! Turns out, most years are pretty good when there isn’t COVID. That’s what I’m deducing.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">We traveled outside of the country twice, for the first time since before COVID. I explored more of California and immersed myself more in the LA community. I used the WGA and SAG strikes as an opportunity to get back into acting classes and to produce my own improv shows. I also finished all of UCB’s improv coursework, in under a year. I made a lot of new great friends that I feel lucky to have. I have some projects lined up for the new year that I’m excited about, too.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rudolph</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRtcNcm-bxRd49b7-YZ8HL3mKzLj8spwP9y2Nj99geB2UZqOMFvr-tjcbCl9vu-mCGSYewx8REtv1YUrDlEjmHtptH4OJV2of8o-g5WDZV_mBrE65r7FuNbPQArBYhXrYaKux1fR7TDeWfStS2ufJDqy08OHP5OiEDR9ek1ZNcxFSBZHR9Ah1h8xmp9kp5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="574" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRtcNcm-bxRd49b7-YZ8HL3mKzLj8spwP9y2Nj99geB2UZqOMFvr-tjcbCl9vu-mCGSYewx8REtv1YUrDlEjmHtptH4OJV2of8o-g5WDZV_mBrE65r7FuNbPQArBYhXrYaKux1fR7TDeWfStS2ufJDqy08OHP5OiEDR9ek1ZNcxFSBZHR9Ah1h8xmp9kp5" width="220" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-23072471300637909472023-12-28T16:18:00.000-08:002023-12-28T16:33:03.724-08:00Go See "Poor Things"<p>If you haven't already done so, I strongly recommend that you make time this holiday season to go see the new film, "Poor Things" directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo.</p><p>The basic premise a retelling of Frankenstein, with Dafoe as the doctor and Stone as the "monster". Other than that, the film really defies description. It is funny, inventive, extremely creative (often bizarre), visually stunning and very entertaining. You've probably not seen another film like it.</p><p>The performances by the main cast are fantastic, with a special shout out for Emma Stone who starts off so simple and child-like, and evolves over the film to someone who is much smarter and worldlier than many people. I would be shocked if she doesn't get nominated for best actress for this film. Her performance alone is worth the price of admission.</p><p>I was initially thrown by the film, not having read much about it before seeing it. Was this supposed to be dramatic, scary, farcical, funny? It quickly establishes its tone and is really quite funny with so many humorous lines, visual gags and physical bits that kept me laughing throughout the film.</p><p>I agree that some of the material is bizarre, and the film may not be for everyone. It is kind of crazy in a similar way to "Everything Everywhere All At Once". You need to accept that anything can happen. But if you are willing to go for the ride, I think most people will find this film super-entertaining. Let me know what you think.</p><p>Thanks for reading.</p><p>Frosty</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8_Aly9J4H4XFc4eQt11NQ0MICeVeN8wFUD7hxaaBDz3WTZ9IoaRowJEjBWblqt_fThZRP127dtPfy-9mMZYslBgXKvC1qKKvA_amapTZaVEmxJkSYv7ZEo6BVsIU12JIR6FyllvFQj-Hg55l8DwZRoVKCkiE9iVbWwp-FRbVulyEkFZWaQmwC-rgYjetp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="510" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8_Aly9J4H4XFc4eQt11NQ0MICeVeN8wFUD7hxaaBDz3WTZ9IoaRowJEjBWblqt_fThZRP127dtPfy-9mMZYslBgXKvC1qKKvA_amapTZaVEmxJkSYv7ZEo6BVsIU12JIR6FyllvFQj-Hg55l8DwZRoVKCkiE9iVbWwp-FRbVulyEkFZWaQmwC-rgYjetp" width="162" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-14872999037611956512023-12-27T17:40:00.000-08:002023-12-27T17:40:38.057-08:00Percy Jackson<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">As someone who has read the original Percy Jackson series and its spinoffs multiple times, seen both movies multiple times, and now is watching the new Disney+ TV show, I feel like I can speak in this topic with relative authority. The books are brilliant in my opinion. I feel the characters grow with us, and they brought me my love of Greek and Roman mythology. There are wonderful, well-developed characters that have faults and gifts and go on real human journeys (even if they’re technically in demigod situations).</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">As for the movies, looking at them as stand alone films and not as adaptations, they’re kind of fun and the cast did a great job. However, as adaptations they are a terrible representation of the depth and brilliance of the books, and should not be used as a tool to teach mythology (this is actually a direct quote from the man who wrote the books, Rick Riordan, if that tells you anything about them).</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’m excited for the potential of the new show. While some of the acting seems a little hokey and Disney Channel-ish (it feels like it could have a laugh track playing after some of the more cliché jokes), I have hope. I’m hoping that maybe it’ll be like the Harry Potter movies, where the kids were younger in the first few movies and got better as they grew up and grew into their talents and their characters. Regardless, I’m enjoying the loyalty to the original material for the most part, and I’m ready to watch more with an open mind and an open heart.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Overall, despite my varying opinions about the movie and TV show, I still very much enjoy them both, and while I may not rewatch them as often as I reread the books, I encourage you all to partake in whatever medium works best for you.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thanks for reading.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Holly</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWGM9KI1OVL_BV5zKTUFc2HyP0z6qS5f1dSwZ1H6WmoXVF-7wDSeLuLT3r6ukUH4teiu8zLooNucgzea_i-dNe-aYTXpy80MYDlZPqzta_g9L4huvId1ZFG6UpOUDFdj8MK--MiD1Tld1avY0KIQEL-bRcwN2-bhdEYxqc2xIyWuA_h_f_oUFoFhAH40w5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="201" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWGM9KI1OVL_BV5zKTUFc2HyP0z6qS5f1dSwZ1H6WmoXVF-7wDSeLuLT3r6ukUH4teiu8zLooNucgzea_i-dNe-aYTXpy80MYDlZPqzta_g9L4huvId1ZFG6UpOUDFdj8MK--MiD1Tld1avY0KIQEL-bRcwN2-bhdEYxqc2xIyWuA_h_f_oUFoFhAH40w5" width="192" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-72306574125415663682023-12-26T18:17:00.000-08:002023-12-26T18:17:32.680-08:00Thoughts on Portugal<p>So my family just came back from Portugal – a rather quick
but jam-packed trip that gave us 5 full days there. One of those we spent in Sintra, the rest in
Lisbon. Herewith are my musings:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Best Christmas-themed thing we did</i>: As Europe is
famous for its Christmas markets, we made sure we hit a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ultimately went to two different markets
two times each.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a great way for
us to get in the Christmas spirit while we were away from home. We also did a
night walking tour in parts of town where there were lots of Christmas lights
so that was special.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Most addictive local treat</i>: Pao con Nutella. This is
basically warm pizza dough with Nutella incorporated throughout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it is hearty heaven.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Most delightful surprise</i>: Discovering that Lisbon has
the oldest continuously open bookstore in the world <span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">- the <span style="color: #040c28;">Bertrand</span><span style="background: white; color: #202124;"> which opened in 1732. It’s in the Guinness Book of World Records and
everything. We got to go there twice, and of course purchased a book which they
stamped as such.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Most unusual sight</i>: The Initiation Well at <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">the <span style="background: white; color: #4d5156;">Quinta da Regaleira estate. This “well”
is better described as a gothic spiral staircase that descends 90 feet
underground, apparently to simulate nine circles of hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once you get down to the bottom, there is a
maze of underground tunnels for you to wander around seeking salvation. How
this thing never made it into Game of Thrones is beyond me.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Best last minute find</i>: the Banksy Museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had moved our schedule around a bit and
decided to check out this small museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was a nice break from palaces, castles and larger museums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best part was that each piece of art had
a little explanation next to it giving the context of the art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very helpful considering Banksy’s work is so
politically/culturally/societally motivated.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Best overall fun thing we did</i>: we took a four hour
Tuk Tuk tour of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our guide was
very enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and it was like being outside but still in
a sheltered vehicle. Very easy to pop in and out to look at various views and
sights. It was an easy and convenient way to cover a lot of ground.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hope you enjoyed my comments! Feliz Natal!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Eve</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKhpzJDsyb2LoYcKVUNSI0gOcx0S2zEwrXpItQOt5vQXVlQpuiuIRofEBKhDp9TQV3woa3hUlnTz3-giYhPBn3E9el83LdxgxnJS8ARx_L0T6svXks1Xvu76Nz622Uq7qvEJhvJDEjZF5rXMy3TcAXllqP_YJF30tyIah4sS2PESXaFagAPJ4U0xvxLq3/s640/IMG_6486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKKhpzJDsyb2LoYcKVUNSI0gOcx0S2zEwrXpItQOt5vQXVlQpuiuIRofEBKhDp9TQV3woa3hUlnTz3-giYhPBn3E9el83LdxgxnJS8ARx_L0T6svXks1Xvu76Nz622Uq7qvEJhvJDEjZF5rXMy3TcAXllqP_YJF30tyIah4sS2PESXaFagAPJ4U0xvxLq3/s320/IMG_6486.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-26628628773491710502023-12-25T15:57:00.000-08:002023-12-25T15:57:34.969-08:00What I Read In 2023<p>Before the clock strikes midnight on 12/31 closing out the
year, I’m going to have finished reading 26 books this year. I’m pretty sure that’s a personal best. At least in my adult memory. Better than 2 per month.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So what am I reading?
Primarily, thrillers. Definitely
my genre of choice. There are familiar
names on my reading list like Stephen King, John Grisham, Michael Crichton, Dennis
Lehane, Jodi Picoult (my first book by her) and Anthony McCarten. Interestingly, there are works of fiction
from other famous names like Tom Hanks and Stacey Abrams. A handful of biography/non-fiction works
including Unscipted by James Stewart and Rachel Abrams, Elon Musk by Walter
Isaacson, Being Henry by Henry Winkler and Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
(a recommendation from my daughter). And
of course, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zein which was on
many people’s reading lists this year.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Seeing how long my list was for the year, along with the
inclusion of so many new authors that I’m reading for the first time, I spent some
time thinking about why. Where I’m
landing is that the recommendation engines have gotten better. Every time I finish a book, I have some app
or website recommending new books that they think I’ll like. And I’m actually liking them! The last few books I’ve read have been
political thrillers and I think I’m starting to skew the algorithm in that
direction. While I’ve enjoyed them, they
are not my favorite so I think I’m going to have to choose something different for
my next few reads to rebalance the recommendations going forward.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another reason I think I’ve read so many books is because of
Libby. For those unfamiliar, this is the
app by the public library system which I’ve used to borrow many of my
selections this year. But here’s the
catch – for super popular titles, Libby only lends them to you for 5 days. So for those titles in particular, I’m
powering through them to finish before they must be digitally returned. If not for this dynamic, I might consume them
at a more leisurely pace.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And lastly, I’ve gotten some great recommendations from
friends. So let me know if you’ve read
something really great this year and I’ll put it on my list for 2024. As mentioned, I lean toward thrillers but I’m
open to suggestions if you have found a really great read. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks for your input.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Frosty</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjS-lBXennZerik2VeIyC7uTqqoAeMAHPcwz2iVT12wiTKAJrrmOEkf76jRgIY1guwI2H1xZfFMZsBi0M6_-jPnGLf5UosdxAvQoDDWh77ujvj-gu7-qN8iD6C_iYX7MRarRPAkPyrBXPA8O0-yAPWvAzSVGCPF9arjh5zVBw2AQUhcjPA6Vd4EtLMefOW" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="182" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjS-lBXennZerik2VeIyC7uTqqoAeMAHPcwz2iVT12wiTKAJrrmOEkf76jRgIY1guwI2H1xZfFMZsBi0M6_-jPnGLf5UosdxAvQoDDWh77ujvj-gu7-qN8iD6C_iYX7MRarRPAkPyrBXPA8O0-yAPWvAzSVGCPF9arjh5zVBw2AQUhcjPA6Vd4EtLMefOW" width="158" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-87822459095177803612023-12-24T19:18:00.000-08:002023-12-24T19:18:34.291-08:00The Family Stone<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">It’s Christmas Eve and we’re watching 2005’s “The Family Stone”. These are my live thoughts as we watch it.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">Rachel McAdams? Let’s freaking go. Now we’re watching a movie.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">They don’t make em like this anymore.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Diane Keaton tried to surprise her son when he clearly knew she was behind him. ***</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Craig T. Nelson? Incredible.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">*** I have now realized this was because the son is deaf. I’m sorry.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“That’s a hard time of year to introduce a new girl to the family”. So true.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">SJP couldn’t leave the room to answer the phone?</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Luke Wilson, total horndog</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The family stone is a ring. Of course!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“I am not a completely ridiculous person Everett!”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I like how on and off they are with the ASL.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Movies/shows about adult siblings are great. This movie is a very Succession Christmas.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We’ve observed that SJP and Luke Wilson have similar noses. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Are we going to have a switcharoo here?</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">SJP put her gross casserole into the fridge uncovered. Now she’s really giving the family a reason to hate her. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Did Claire Danes not already have her own Christmas plans? That she just abandoned?</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“I just mean the gay thing”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">SJP fumbling it with politics at the dinner table. Oop, now she spilled. She’s not coming back from this.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I thought the Luke Wilson being into SJP thing was going to be a bit but now it’s the plot. He’s going in for the kill.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“I love the gays”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Now Everett is going in hard on the sister. This rocks.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The pregnant daughter needed more development so I’m glad she’s watching this movie within the movie.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">How are they going to clean this up?</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Chekhov’s disgusting casserole</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Okay I got into it the last half hour. Very sweet. Rip Diane. My heart is full.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thanks for reading. Merry Christmas!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rudolph</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYt8LHnf-_XxHXu6dTH2LIMK4Xoz57cweM4oxQyieIa2mHjZFs65WLkhX4Xvagts23shrqoHYMMPDlJIGMRCYI26NlodobWRp_YQO7ycNPTiG71tB7YCSYU_NiFGgTJRCDbKNvqoLg7Fk-ae9m4nKvnElSmCSPLiTI9UlBfJPyeD8GCbWiXz32fxIr-e36" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYt8LHnf-_XxHXu6dTH2LIMK4Xoz57cweM4oxQyieIa2mHjZFs65WLkhX4Xvagts23shrqoHYMMPDlJIGMRCYI26NlodobWRp_YQO7ycNPTiG71tB7YCSYU_NiFGgTJRCDbKNvqoLg7Fk-ae9m4nKvnElSmCSPLiTI9UlBfJPyeD8GCbWiXz32fxIr-e36" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-84463339919422703232023-12-23T14:04:00.000-08:002023-12-23T14:04:48.889-08:00Happy 90th Birthday <p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">As crazy as it sounds to me, today would have been my father’s 90th birthday. I’ve done the math a few times and it checks out.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">This year, my daughter, who is my youngest child, graduated from college. While celebrating her achievements, I was reminded that my father passed away a few months shy of seeing his youngest child, my younger brother, graduate from college. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">His three sons were (roughly) 26, 24 and 21, just starting or about to start their adult lives. He didn’t get to see us become the adults we are today. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>By most measures, we have all succeeded in many aspects of our lives. I think he would have been proud. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">My own kids are now 25 and 22 and I really look forward to seeing what’s next for them. My father never got to meet them but I know they are source of pride for him too.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Happy Birthday, Dad!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Frosty</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BrDz1-EfGfDNf30SiyEZnrhtjShZHWGSGxfDDwWrfzkhkm9S2iCWwUNau6hQXfFYu7swVd2Oz7piXkfQaNeecvL1vE27qJI8ukuBMhDis1_l3893wydYUfro9TJdT55EbDx-yBP3ESJftgnnLbJoXlJAFBlLW_DuuFb9csu6HOUOfUUl_6dqTefOEln6/s330/Screenshot%202023-12-23%20at%204.57.04%E2%80%AFPM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="192" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BrDz1-EfGfDNf30SiyEZnrhtjShZHWGSGxfDDwWrfzkhkm9S2iCWwUNau6hQXfFYu7swVd2Oz7piXkfQaNeecvL1vE27qJI8ukuBMhDis1_l3893wydYUfro9TJdT55EbDx-yBP3ESJftgnnLbJoXlJAFBlLW_DuuFb9csu6HOUOfUUl_6dqTefOEln6/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-23%20at%204.57.04%E2%80%AFPM.jpeg" width="186" /></a></div><br /><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-19092453802764608792023-12-22T10:50:00.000-08:002023-12-22T10:50:19.963-08:00Mansion Musings<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVdxloJWqPK9yeQPTU9tME4NveMeOpbXa5hr7kZjhBdqeXSVKiIAj_4bSUVvcXFmiYtxcNIEhvzrZl_5nE0eJRJ5LMGPL9e_yXperFpo2APILrlPkEwpSb5CnOoyHkI2S53pk0z7CwklfrLC69dhl8U3FDDCAt2DqO-Eu4D2wrJh40lCxJgEqQ9u5eoK7/s280/IMG_6580.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVdxloJWqPK9yeQPTU9tME4NveMeOpbXa5hr7kZjhBdqeXSVKiIAj_4bSUVvcXFmiYtxcNIEhvzrZl_5nE0eJRJ5LMGPL9e_yXperFpo2APILrlPkEwpSb5CnOoyHkI2S53pk0z7CwklfrLC69dhl8U3FDDCAt2DqO-Eu4D2wrJh40lCxJgEqQ9u5eoK7/s1600/IMG_6580.jpeg" width="280" /></a></div><br />In the past year, I visited some Newport, RI mansions with my family, and now I’m in Portugal visiting palaces of the nobility. I’ve been noticing trends in the designs, largely because mansions like the Breakers were historically modeled after European palaces.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"> </span><p></p><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;">For one thing, many seem to be divided up by rooms of different color schemes— the green room, the blue room, etc. As a person with an appreciation for fine design and attention to detail, I really enjoy when this is done. I would also totally do this to my house one day. I respect people who want consistent theme and style throughout the rooms of their houses, but I feel like there are too many styles and colors and aesthetics that I like, and I can’t commit to just one vibe. </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;">Also, I love all the different types of rooms in both the mansions and the palaces for hosting people— tea room, billiards room, banquet hall, smoking room (although I wouldn’t want that one in my home). I’m a pretty social, extroverted person and I love to plan events, so having all those event spaces (especially in those eras where hosting balls and parties and dinners was such a big part of the social scene) would be ideal for me. </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;">Obviously I do not currently live in a royalty-worthy mansion, nor do I know if I ever will. But it’s still fun to fantasize as I admire all of the intricacy and beauty of these historic places.</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;">Thanks for reading. </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;">Holly</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-20012805759408933342023-12-21T10:47:00.000-08:002023-12-21T10:50:06.349-08:00Favorite Books of the Year<p><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigip5HTqwAXKRbZBawF7-Vy9dlWxK51B5Ef3xvAg-sU8edb5Zp-WSz5YElT2MlrhqVebHXHU5PWwsGlI5v1HF8QW0R7ThrR1_jZT2YiUcjMkHTke8-0URmVVT8LhdpjIP5GoQqj3HC4p7aYg0_-FyTKYdsdnDB8I4VNoWyLxBjtWY2fLEGy27bpmo7PZhO/s1000/IMG_6538.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="646" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigip5HTqwAXKRbZBawF7-Vy9dlWxK51B5Ef3xvAg-sU8edb5Zp-WSz5YElT2MlrhqVebHXHU5PWwsGlI5v1HF8QW0R7ThrR1_jZT2YiUcjMkHTke8-0URmVVT8LhdpjIP5GoQqj3HC4p7aYg0_-FyTKYdsdnDB8I4VNoWyLxBjtWY2fLEGy27bpmo7PZhO/s320/IMG_6538.jpeg" width="207" /></a></span></div><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;"><br />More favorites! Let’s freakin go. Tonight we’re doing books. My goal for the year is 12 and I’m at a scary 9 at the moment. I think I’ll be able to go all the way. Maybe I’ll even update my favorites before the end of the year. Time will tell.</span><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;"> </span><p></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 14.666667px;" /><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;">Circe by Madeline Miller</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 14.666667px;" /><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;">I liked this more than I thought I would. A retelling of the iconic witch from the Odyssey, famous for turning Odysseus and his men into pigs, Circe is an introspective story about an outcast. Sometimes I get suspicious of “modern retellings”, but her story is introspective and every change feels well-earned. </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 14.666667px;" /><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;">“I had not thought him so bold. But of course he was. Artist, creator, inventor, the greatest the world had known. Timidity creates nothing.”</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 14.666667px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 14.666667px;" /><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;">Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey </span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 14.666667px;" /><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;">In many ways, this autobiography is exactly what you’d expect it to be. I don’t think I know of another being who knows who they are better than Matthew McConaughey. Yes, his public persona is kind of cliched at this point, but his philosophies on life are palpable and grounding. “If you’re not a starter and you think you should be, give me no choice in the decision. Play so well it’s undeniable.”</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 14.666667px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 14.666667px;" /><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;">Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 14.666667px;" /><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;">You don’t see a ton of love stories that feature platonic love. This tracks two good friends from when they’re young kids through when they’re adults working together. They share a love of video games and they come in and out of each other’s lives. As someone who’s played video games his whole life, I particularly enjoyed seeing how the work of the protagonists intersected with, mimicked, and replaced real life video game history. “To allow yourself to play with another person is no small risk. It means allowing yourself to be open, to be exposed, to be hurt.”</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 14.666667px;" /><div><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;">What were your favorites?</span></div><div><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;">Rudolph</span></div><div><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="-apple-system, HelveticaNeue" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-size: 14.666667px;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-84239069426170013612023-12-20T14:21:00.000-08:002023-12-20T14:44:42.448-08:00The Baby Whisperer<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6r7lp1KMuqj6Se8Hv54N6sJOT92sOquNiekVo2qcABj9ZZSPRiELkbYx49Mtd83a7zC9S91UgBJjK2P7kLGCZYnX73E4FU3y2UTqYgytncAqO78P0LgQL5ew3KhsdcP4xD3CmOmQeNd0pteUArUAvzUqJn93WBVAZR-zKoYO3jQ8aXbxZHBnVeNx5sQEY/s3088/IMG_3050.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6r7lp1KMuqj6Se8Hv54N6sJOT92sOquNiekVo2qcABj9ZZSPRiELkbYx49Mtd83a7zC9S91UgBJjK2P7kLGCZYnX73E4FU3y2UTqYgytncAqO78P0LgQL5ew3KhsdcP4xD3CmOmQeNd0pteUArUAvzUqJn93WBVAZR-zKoYO3jQ8aXbxZHBnVeNx5sQEY/s320/IMG_3050.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br />One of my daughter’s jobs is at a daycare center taking care of infants and toddlers all day. To some people, this would be a nightmare scenario. For them, the joy of not having their own kids is in the fact that they can hand someone else’s child back to them as soon as they make a mess, start getting fidgety or start crying.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"> </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Instead, my daughter has this natural ability to connect with babies and toddlers anywhere she encounters them. Here’s a recent example:</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We were in an airport lounge at JFK recently killing time before our flight. My daughter spies a baby and immediately starts engaging with her. She charms the child (who I’ll refer to as Baby X) and the parents and before we know it, these parents have handed my daughter their child and are getting themselves food from the buffet. My daughter brings Baby X over to us to say hello. She has learned that this family is on our flight to Lisbon. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It gets close to flight time so Baby X gets returned and we head to our gate. Fast forward a few hours until we’re on the plane and I come back from using the bathroom to find my daughter holding Baby X and walking up and down the aisle with her. We all play with Baby X for a while until my daughter brings her back to the parents. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Hours later we land in Lisbon and run across the same family in baggage claim. My daughter exchanges contact info in case they ever need a sitter in New York (the family is from Texas and was changing planes at JFK). </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Two days of fun sightseeing later and we are in a taxi to go to dinner. My daughter points out the window and says “oooh look, a baby.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>My wife looks and says, “yes, but she’s no Baby X”. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>My daughter continues to study the kid and says, “Actually I think it is Baby X!” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>She rolls down her window and shouts the mother’s name. The mother turns in the direction of the voice and my daughter says “It’s me, the woman from the airport.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The mother, who is holding Baby X, runs over to where our cab is stopped at a light. Baby X sees my daughter at this point and gives her a huge smile! They chat for a second, the light changes, we wave goodbye and off we go to dinner, all amazed at what just happened. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I use this story as an example of the kind of thing that happens to my daughter all of the time. People she has just met hand her their babies quite frequently. It must be that they sense her calm, confident way around babies and they know their child is in good hands. Such is the life of a baby whisperer. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Thanks for reading. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Frosty</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-62877453647891804552023-12-19T13:54:00.000-08:002023-12-19T13:54:37.088-08:00Today in Lisbon<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;">This morning we got up, feeling intensely jet lagged, and went to breakfast in our hotel. I’ve never understood the paradox of choice more than in that moment. Everything was delicious and there were so many new things for us to try and I got so stressed and ate WAY too much, but it was all worth it. Boy am I glad we’re eating there all week for breakfast because there were still like 30 more things I have to try.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;">Then we went on a tuk tuk tour, which is like a little motorbike-car-thing, around Lisbon. That was great because we got a real flavor of this city (also literally because we got the original pasteís de Belem and it was absolutely nut-worthy). We saw some gorgeous churches, took some family selfies and even visited the world’s longest running bookstore that has been open since 1732. Then we went to lunch, where had veal croquettes that were perfect, and I again ate way too much and was very much in need of a nap. </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;">After nap time, we went to the Tile Museum, which was cool because we got to see some specific tile art as opposed to the tiles on the sides of buildings all around here. I got tile-patterned coasters which were on my souvenir list so yay for that. </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;">Next we went on a “Christmas sweets and treats” tour. We ate a bunch of traditional Portuguese sweets, including pasteís de natas, King’s cake, and sweet potato pastries. We also had hot cocoa, coffee, tea, mulled wine, and these awesome prosciutto and cheese sandwiches from a Christmas market, and saw lots of fun holiday lights and displays. It was a jam-packed day, and I’m so tired and ready for another day of fun tomorrow.</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;">Thanks for reading. </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmloKMTrXy_fJJs0-vWkEdDgEsIlwTUM8l1YxAOqQbHM68lU2x_890Xl9CIzejYpsDIv_P4nLsgeQX0XTbSisf_aSbhX55FYbl2NLu2cIe43eYnQ8VG1WZFTg9P25UbtdJ2gQ9O7nwT55lpg6owGd_KRaWqU-kriH93iIR4MfNMRio6IOn7vDaqRE9GvGA/s4032/IMG_4345.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmloKMTrXy_fJJs0-vWkEdDgEsIlwTUM8l1YxAOqQbHM68lU2x_890Xl9CIzejYpsDIv_P4nLsgeQX0XTbSisf_aSbhX55FYbl2NLu2cIe43eYnQ8VG1WZFTg9P25UbtdJ2gQ9O7nwT55lpg6owGd_KRaWqU-kriH93iIR4MfNMRio6IOn7vDaqRE9GvGA/s320/IMG_4345.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Holly</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-32010298829210573292023-12-18T13:33:00.000-08:002023-12-18T13:38:50.450-08:00Hot Chocolate!!<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zymfWQGEw1zEr63rH_yFoDx_zKdzQ_hJsWWQHRHryryT85l-SZCtVbyWReiJQ4iy5m1zUOD3ygzyKMrE47AXzEcJMxK28Ty36ZtyRFJLY0puy9LqbwMNzazAnNp99VjirgpoN2mZz6KlMifusiwLKkxxTyGAu3ytUbySnUiC_9ANh2tRICwNR8Zytw5s/s1800/IMG_6365.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9zymfWQGEw1zEr63rH_yFoDx_zKdzQ_hJsWWQHRHryryT85l-SZCtVbyWReiJQ4iy5m1zUOD3ygzyKMrE47AXzEcJMxK28Ty36ZtyRFJLY0puy9LqbwMNzazAnNp99VjirgpoN2mZz6KlMifusiwLKkxxTyGAu3ytUbySnUiC_9ANh2tRICwNR8Zytw5s/s320/IMG_6365.jpeg" width="213" /></a></span></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><br />Tonight I am thinking about hot chocolate. We feel really strongly about hot cocoa in my family. Now just because I said that don’t go and think I am dissing Swiss Miss - there is a time and place for that. But I digress…so what I mean when I say we enjoy our hot chocolate is we go in for the really rich thick kind. Herewith is a list of amazing cocoa richness we have sampled:</span><p></p><ul class="ul1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; list-style-type: "— ";"><li class="li1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Galway, Ireland: Butlers Chocolate Cafe had all kinds of interesting flavors of hot chocolate. I chose one that I still think about to this day. It had completely crushed Oreos in it. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So rich and heavenly. </span></li><li class="li1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Paris, France: The One, The Only Cafe Angelina. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So dark and creamy. Went there many years ago and became obsessed. Obsessed to the point where, when a friend was going to Paris, I asked her to pick up some for me. I repeatedly would look online to see if the website would ship internationally. *Finally* they did. But even better, they opened a satellite restaurant in NYC! So now we can get a fix whenever we like. </span></li><li class="li1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">New York City: USED to be City Bakery. Their shtick was they would straight up melt chocolate bars, pour it on a cup and plop a homemade marshmallow on it. Liquid gold!</span></li><li class="li1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Lisbon, Portugal: Today we checked out <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Landeau Chocolate - ostensibly for the “best chocolate cake in Lisbon”. And indeed, it was very tasty. But then my son went rogue and got a hot chocolate in the place known for the cake. It turned out to be next level with it’s silky deep chocolate texture and richness. So it appears we have found yet another top notch cocoa. </span></li></ul><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The search shall continue!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Thanks for reading. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Eve</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-51376192483227096142023-12-17T10:56:00.000-08:002023-12-17T10:56:08.840-08:00Favorite Films of the Year<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">It’s time for some favorites of the year! More specifically, my favorite movies of the year. Thanks to a good friend named AMC A-list, I’ve seen a total of 49 movies in theaters this year (so far). I obviously have to get one more. Maybe I’ll sneak a little Wonka in there right before New Years if I’m feeling frisky. Let’s do this.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><b>The Royal Hotel</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Seen @ Telluride. I loved Kitty Green’s last movie, “The Assistant”, and this had something similar to it. She’s mastered the art of making the audience shit their pants without knowing why. “The Royal Hotel” follows two young women working at a hotel in rural Australia. From there, everything builds until it hits the fan. What boggles my mind is how Green directs it so that for much of the runtime, everything is mostly okay until it suddenly isn’t. A must-see.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>How to Blow Up a Pipeline</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A gripping, deeply political thriller. I was on the edge of my seat. I can’t believe that this movie was able to get made? And that it was in theaters? I’m glad both are true. Without spoiling anything, this movie lowkey encourages the audience to engage in illegal climate activism, and I’m shocked that the FBI did not interfere and pull a J. Edgar Hoover. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>The Holdovers</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">They don’t make ‘em like this anymore! A deeply nostalgic “unlikely friendship” movie, that is very good outside of anything having to do with Christmas. You know those movies where a director writes a part for an actor that allows the actor to do what they do best but do it to 100%? That’s what this is for Paul Giamatti. He’s doing his usual thing but to the max level, full steam ahead.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Dicks: The Musical</b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I felt like I was on drugs. A play on “The Parent Trap”, this is perhaps one of the most insane movies I’ve seen that had me laughing my ass off. It does not hold back. Leave the kids at home. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thanks for reading.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rudolph</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqYD3OGQ06JkkITvyVOWhEirTlC6ThBje1XmDSDEWNYc8biutsuwBbZlZNgtADi-j4iGdWXdS1wx2gVPOh1rD0NV7gSj6BdpDmOHyrzDq062JaFrPiiKDFQF4hPSEnbkimQImowKz45-ek2sXm1iVrr5TD_sjoEa83qXYiPDOy51yIr3FntjHfTu8IzyQY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1679" data-original-width="2032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqYD3OGQ06JkkITvyVOWhEirTlC6ThBje1XmDSDEWNYc8biutsuwBbZlZNgtADi-j4iGdWXdS1wx2gVPOh1rD0NV7gSj6BdpDmOHyrzDq062JaFrPiiKDFQF4hPSEnbkimQImowKz45-ek2sXm1iVrr5TD_sjoEa83qXYiPDOy51yIr3FntjHfTu8IzyQY" width="290" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-16236912953333729732023-12-16T17:31:00.000-08:002023-12-16T17:31:53.982-08:00Real vs. Fake Christmas Trees<p>OK, friends. It’s
time for us to talk about the pros and cons of having a real Christmas tree or
an artificial one. I know I’m wading
into some controversial waters here – some people I know feel very strongly
about this topic. Without further ado,
let’s get into it.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">REAL TREES</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Pros</u></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Smells great – there is nothing like bringing
that pine scent into your home for the month of December.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->More eco-friendly – if it is grown sustainably<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Biodegradable – breaks down naturally<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Supports local tree farmers – gives business to
the few remaining farmers in our area<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Beauty – nothing matches the beauty of the real
thing<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Cons<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Pine needles everywhere – there is no
escape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Resistance is futile.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Watering – Needs to be watered daily, even if
you go away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise it gets dry and
brittle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Expensive – Real trees are not cheap and it is a
recurring cost each year.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Did I mention the needles??<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">ARTIFICIAL TREES<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Pros</u></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Nothing strapped on the roof of the car – Just
pull it out of storage and you’re off to the races.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->No needles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I repeat, no needles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Lights – If you get a pre-lit tree, no need to
spend hours putting lights on and taking them off again after Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->No watering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, it is discouraged.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Cheaper – less expensive in the long run if your
artificial tree lasts you several years.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Cons<o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Stays in landfills for decades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those suckers will not biodegrade no matter
how much time you give them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Requires storage space – need to box it up and
haul it down to the basement or up to your attic each year.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Doesn’t have the awesome smell of the real
thing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So there you have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which way do you fall out on this subject?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Of course, you can always do what we do and have one of each
in our house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Problem solved.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks for reading.<br />-- Frosty </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgw0VOzA0vU_amuC3ExVXr-MZNG956OYCr5JMzB2MIBIJ7CtV-LbHCFn74Jk66HzVNbbolVyPfAZI8kHV4o3G5K_YwbiH-KnW8mnEOQKtamzRkYm0uJoHC0-hjRMPgHxUV-GxqqTmAzQ_8-oUafR1MRx9eGsR0v0TaivH4BAqJq-GlZoUF5c_DujR8jp8zc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="900" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgw0VOzA0vU_amuC3ExVXr-MZNG956OYCr5JMzB2MIBIJ7CtV-LbHCFn74Jk66HzVNbbolVyPfAZI8kHV4o3G5K_YwbiH-KnW8mnEOQKtamzRkYm0uJoHC0-hjRMPgHxUV-GxqqTmAzQ_8-oUafR1MRx9eGsR0v0TaivH4BAqJq-GlZoUF5c_DujR8jp8zc" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-30609702933287498232023-12-15T16:30:00.000-08:002023-12-15T16:38:30.687-08:00The Last Man In The West<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">A lone rider gallops into the sunset. His horse follows closely behind him, confused.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">They arrive at a small dusty town, with one long road stretching down the middle. A pack of stray dogs chew on a dead pack of stray cats. The rider slows when he reaches the bank, the largest building in town. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“Come out with all of the money in the vault, or you’ll find out why they call me ‘The Last Man in the West’”. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The mayor lumbers out, wearing suspenders and a tall black hat. He points at the rider with his long shiny cane.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“What is the meaning of this?”, he bellows.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“Mr. Mayor, that’s a cane. Now where’s the money?”, the rider bristles.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The mayor furrows his brow. “You won’t be seeing any money from me today, you street rat!”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The rider drops his trousers.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Last Man in the West</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">-----------------------------</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thanks for reading.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rudolph</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQUECK4C3MYDIQ3ddWA5kp-H1CSaWlsBQ8OquM1gAZY7B6kTxlyTg_W4IZkuNHgq2T5_psW0G9IwJ26Ti0BsX1V7PBAnenIyLz67mbYZQK-jyQjoTz5AvSDMGERt6jweX8-8gkKg1EZMqE3LP3M5qIZErTlWoc9iEz2e7vTBG_5UkD66s-tZHCi7dRyd7t" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQUECK4C3MYDIQ3ddWA5kp-H1CSaWlsBQ8OquM1gAZY7B6kTxlyTg_W4IZkuNHgq2T5_psW0G9IwJ26Ti0BsX1V7PBAnenIyLz67mbYZQK-jyQjoTz5AvSDMGERt6jweX8-8gkKg1EZMqE3LP3M5qIZErTlWoc9iEz2e7vTBG_5UkD66s-tZHCi7dRyd7t" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-36025276043267497612023-12-14T18:42:00.000-08:002023-12-14T18:42:43.133-08:00My Lukewarm Take<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I know this isn’t some huge revelation, but it might be controversial so I’m throwing it out there. There are some movies that are considered masterpieces by the film community that I simply just find boring. I’m not good at sitting through the same confusing dramatic establishing shots for way too long periods of time. It’s just not my style. And there are some “bad” movies that bring me complete and utter joy and I could rewatch a million times. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sometimes I want my cinema experience to spark a rousing psychological debate, but sometimes I just want to recount the stupid jokes and look up the cute actors. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Even though cliché, bad writing can irk me sometimes, I love the predictability of Hallmark movies. Clichés are clichés because they work. Just because you know exactly what’s going to happen as soon as every character is introduced doesn’t make it bad. I love a good plot twist but I’m not against knowing which characters are sus right from the start. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">At the end of the day, I believe that it’s better to watch a “dumb” movie that brings you real joy rather than a technically “good” movie that makes you want to gouge your eyeballs out, film critics be damned.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thanks for reading.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Holly</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC1EXiGZr9yN8EMEHRmffpOba7YECM-KB6tfjPRCqAg4_11quzOdY71Vw4ixVECLs9rSPQgVOCEC2oq4b-Wt1bJM5ewczCikA4lx7Wu3_buoy5UOnNjTApeFzHnZmjbC4Y3kjF9ve6zgILxNQEytx4Qj0dGQ-bz1Ylm2QMuQ1wwFD_3xH3RGmBcOon5Wr5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC1EXiGZr9yN8EMEHRmffpOba7YECM-KB6tfjPRCqAg4_11quzOdY71Vw4ixVECLs9rSPQgVOCEC2oq4b-Wt1bJM5ewczCikA4lx7Wu3_buoy5UOnNjTApeFzHnZmjbC4Y3kjF9ve6zgILxNQEytx4Qj0dGQ-bz1Ylm2QMuQ1wwFD_3xH3RGmBcOon5Wr5" width="307" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-73388337408457399812023-12-13T14:10:00.000-08:002023-12-13T14:10:08.573-08:00Better Than Wordle<p>For day 13 of
our blog, I thought I would share a little chuckle. My kids are now grown, but when they were
little, we were often reminded of how they looked at things with fresh eyes.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">A good example
of this is our son one day commented on how he kept getting emails from this
same person and he had no idea who the person was. Of course, we were concerned
and asked him the person’s name. He said
Donut Trepply. Not knowing anybody named
Donut, we asked to see his email. Turns
out it was “DoNotReply”. A fun mishap
that we still tease him about today.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Another fun
example comes at our daughter’s expense.
She said she could not smell something anymore and declared she had “old
factory fatigue”. We incredulously
responded “do you mean <i>olfactory fatigue?? As in your nose? And no longer
being able to smell something?”</i> She defended her term stating it made
complete sense – like an old factory would be smelly and you are tired of
smelling it. I get that.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">It's always
nice to have a new perspective. On a
similar note, I thought this would be a good opportunity to plug <b>Planet Word</b>,
a relatively new museum in Washington DC.
A museum about words you say? How boring! But it really is very fun and high tech and
great for both young and old. Consider checking it out.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Peace out!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Eve</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjs0mnnZeH0kNHCo8G94lKM5pnBsIUNZAe_aYsnHKpZf9K8oz6V-kRphNSWjRsNuF9lXsildKnSaN3OjAoZvrM0Z6h5oMBY4DWF9sZBTNAax1zBRFr4Kb7KtCMZ2eD0R5InQtJEyGj0Wb91uxKG2WEynI6R-eSYG4PU1aNAWGOW8BtXp312MXukk4SGlNSs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjs0mnnZeH0kNHCo8G94lKM5pnBsIUNZAe_aYsnHKpZf9K8oz6V-kRphNSWjRsNuF9lXsildKnSaN3OjAoZvrM0Z6h5oMBY4DWF9sZBTNAax1zBRFr4Kb7KtCMZ2eD0R5InQtJEyGj0Wb91uxKG2WEynI6R-eSYG4PU1aNAWGOW8BtXp312MXukk4SGlNSs" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-77364195535817532982023-12-12T19:38:00.000-08:002023-12-12T19:38:33.924-08:00I'm Walking Here<p>Is it just me or have people lost the ability to share a
sidewalk?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I spent the day in New York City today and was amazed by how
difficult it is to navigate the sidewalks these days. Families of four people walk four abreast –
basically covering 90% of the width of the sidewalk and preventing anyone from
passing or walking past in the opposite direction without stepping off onto the
street. Sometimes groups have decided to
stop dead in the center of a sidewalk and conduct a meeting. I don’t care who is going to dinner where and
I’m more than happy for you guys to have that conversation, however, can’t you
just pull off next to the buildings and have your meeting there so the rest of
us can pass? Is it too much to ask? I kinda feel like it’s not. There's a reason the word "side" is part of sidewalk, am I right?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sure, we could put yellow lines down the center of the
sidewalks like our roads, but that feels so excessive. Is it so hard to understand that sidewalks
are two-way? What do we need next,
traffic lights for the sidewalks? All I’m
asking for is a little courtesy.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m glad people come from all over the world to take in the
splendor of our city. There is always so
much to see and do. Happy to share
it. As long as they learn to share our
sidewalks.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks for reading.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Frosty</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXBCorEF6e4MitelPr7fFmYMhX4lIekoprfCrXyF_81kg-aRrcAn77MOyLT1IXyyZNFiVhidmJ3AV8tkWC-s0rUoL6-C6i_frwm6DamyATvvjdXrsvhKhkU3o_8HQNASbX6nNqlN8XIIue4nhsR9gTt8zNqUJhkwDHjOGQd8yZpxDWi_f8D5T03hhIpe48" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1055" data-original-width="1500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXBCorEF6e4MitelPr7fFmYMhX4lIekoprfCrXyF_81kg-aRrcAn77MOyLT1IXyyZNFiVhidmJ3AV8tkWC-s0rUoL6-C6i_frwm6DamyATvvjdXrsvhKhkU3o_8HQNASbX6nNqlN8XIIue4nhsR9gTt8zNqUJhkwDHjOGQd8yZpxDWi_f8D5T03hhIpe48" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-19659923869115681412023-12-11T16:39:00.000-08:002023-12-11T16:39:53.155-08:00Fan Mail<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">To my faithful followers and readers,</span></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I am regularly humbled by the amount of support and the levels of sheer loyalty that you, our fans, show our Holidailies blog. Holidailys? Holidailes. No one knows how to spell it.</p><p class="gmail-p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">You are so loyal that, every December, I receive tons of fan mail every week! And I am so grateful for that, believe me. I merely want to take some time today to address the content of said mail. In just the past couple of days, I’ve received the following:</p><p class="gmail-p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><ul class="gmail-ul1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: hyphen;"><li class="gmail-li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="gmail-s1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>A top-heavy cross that always turns upside down, no matter how you hang it</li><li class="gmail-li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="gmail-s1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>A heavily used Santa suit</li><li class="gmail-li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="gmail-s1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Chocolate chip cookies with thick Italian arm hairs.</li><li class="gmail-li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="gmail-s1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>A rabbit’s foot, still warm and bloody (how did you get it to stay warm?)</li><li class="gmail-li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="gmail-s1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>A stuffed Reindeer toy. If you squeeze it, it says “Um, Santa’s right behind me, isn’t he?”</li><li class="gmail-li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="gmail-s1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>A highly detailed drawing of my face with extra wrinkles (what the hell)</li></ul><p class="gmail-p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">And I am so grateful for these! But also, don’t send them anymore. Instead of these eclectic items, I’ve assembled a list of alternative gifts that you can send:</p><ul class="gmail-ul1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: -apple-system, HelveticaNeue; font-size: 16px; list-style-type: hyphen;"><li class="gmail-li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="gmail-s1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Cash</li></ul><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We look forward to your future contributions. Happy Hanukkah!</p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rudolph</p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><img height="191" src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/3677053f-1633-4b1e-9d6c-679c68800091" width="264" /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-29993363382369576742023-12-10T14:53:00.000-08:002023-12-10T14:53:09.913-08:00Raiders of the Home Depot<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">I ended up visiting two different Home Depot stores in my area yesterday. The first time was to pick up assorted items for projects around the house. Then, while doing those various projects, we realized that something we thought was a “fix” project is actually a “replace” project.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I started calling around to several stores to see if they had what we needed in stock. Such a different experience from store to store. In some cases, I was transferred to the right department and got a knowledgeable representative who checked inventory on the computer. At another store, I got transferred around from department to department for more than 20 minutes before finally getting the information that I needed. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Once in the store, I was again reminded of that final scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark with rows and rows of wooden crates stacked floor to ceiling in a warehouse. It amazes me that they can actually find things in a Home Depot. They sell so many items, and stock all of the sizes and colors of each item. Not even Macy’s does that anymore. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Still, if I ever need to hide a priceless archaeological relic, I know where I’m stashing it. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Thanks for reading. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Frosty</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgF3M42aGvKf-oNacEmyM39cdsbtlgNHsm9Zmb_m1wtl5ug5iyFKovlDzWF5_JdN4_-7iemgm50uk_jnnXVHg2_BTSnk9UeRQGBdgw4HfLXW8VnvylKe6TfWN7twdDACO7G5DxXrcdHWIha8O161N6k04xCeEhFDO88RVExErIU27gUlu7Ldrlbeqf6Mg9S" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1600" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgF3M42aGvKf-oNacEmyM39cdsbtlgNHsm9Zmb_m1wtl5ug5iyFKovlDzWF5_JdN4_-7iemgm50uk_jnnXVHg2_BTSnk9UeRQGBdgw4HfLXW8VnvylKe6TfWN7twdDACO7G5DxXrcdHWIha8O161N6k04xCeEhFDO88RVExErIU27gUlu7Ldrlbeqf6Mg9S" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-68108378774830293382023-12-09T20:48:00.000-08:002023-12-09T20:52:18.551-08:00Working With Kids<p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">As a current day care teacher/person who as worked with many ages of children in various different capacities, I am always amused when people say they could NEVER work with all those kids and wipe butts all day. But honestly, I think my day care job is easier than my other day job as a brand ambassador handing out info pamphlets in Times Square.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This evening I babysat one of my work babies for five hours, and it was easily the most relaxing part of my day. It certainly helps that he’s an easier baby, but I find it very relaxing to help a 10 month old walk around for a half hour and then “show him” Polar Express (by that I mean I put some cereal puffs and some toys on the floor in front of him as we watched the Polar Express together). I helped him snack and then changed him, gave him a bottle, and he was so tuckered out he fell asleep in like 5 minutes without even wearing his sleep sack. I then spent the rest of my night watching a holiday rom-com and eating the takeout I’d ordered, and I literally got paid for that. With babysitting (as well as daycare), the kids require a lot of rest, be it naps or actual bedtime. Because of this, I get to take breaks when they’re not awake and I can just exist, and since he’s so little I don’t even have to worry about explaining things to him in a way he can comprehend, because he’s just a mushy little blob of adorableness that likes having raspberries blown on his fat little belly and that's basically it.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I suppose I can understand where people are coming from when they don’t find it as refreshing and energizing as I do to play with kids, but even then you don’t really have to entertain them if you don’t want to— at a certain age they can pretty much entertain themselves and you just have to keep an eye on them and make sure they’re alive. Getting paid to do that seems plenty worth it to me, and honestly, I would have paid that little munchkin’s parents money to let me hang out with him.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thanks for reading!</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Holly</div><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcH9G5KNDBZnZcBPT2rfDlf_ndzmJmKs2ZzN5zax9UAB5-2tAxx4v9ywkYsptuH0f81G2dsyplv4VmpMKEDRM0tRI4i14GtAIJWP3yOsiP5lpoxTUm-jefMq76lb5Rhd0OwOKUjNjFY5Yv3D5wxTEkpq05CdLrTrwBZQOBxhhwp1IDvvNQA762f64Yg0bX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="1181" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgcH9G5KNDBZnZcBPT2rfDlf_ndzmJmKs2ZzN5zax9UAB5-2tAxx4v9ywkYsptuH0f81G2dsyplv4VmpMKEDRM0tRI4i14GtAIJWP3yOsiP5lpoxTUm-jefMq76lb5Rhd0OwOKUjNjFY5Yv3D5wxTEkpq05CdLrTrwBZQOBxhhwp1IDvvNQA762f64Yg0bX" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3688058037409475063.post-44401734444287061132023-12-08T16:45:00.000-08:002023-12-08T16:45:00.218-08:00Agamemnon and the Legend of the Lost Blade<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">A warrior and his squire stand at the entrance to a dark cavern.</span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Agamemnon: Squire! Hand me my sword so I may vanquish the dragon.<span class="gmail-Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Squire: We left it back at camp.</p><p class="gmail-p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Agamemnon: Ah.</p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Agamemnon and the Legend of the Lost Blade</p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">————————</p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thanks for reading!</p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rudolph</p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="gmail-p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; caret-color: rgb(33, 33, 33); color: #212121; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><img alt="Knight exploring a cave. 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" 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