Laptop...

Well, I decided on what laptop to go with, and I chose this one, after consulting with my computer tech Joe. It's in the right price range, and had pretty much everything I wanted/needed from a laptop at this stage of my life. I'm looking forward to receiving it, hopefully next week at some point, but we'll see how long the shipping process actually takes.

I have started my exercise routine again. I think what I'm going to try to do is exercise for 20 minutes every day after work. Then, I will blog here, and then I'll get on with the rest of my evening. I should be able to hold to this routine most evenings, although sometimes, like yesterday, I'll have an evening commitment that does not allow for exercise. When that happens, I just have to make sure I don't let that missing of one day go into a mass of missed days.

I'm on duty tonight, so I need to stick around campus till tomorrow morning, when I hand the duty materials off to the colleague I'm covering for tonight. I don't know what plans Sue and I have for the weekend, we'll figure it out tomorrow...

Next Saturday, Sue and I will be taking my mom out for her birthday, which is actually on the Monday, but obviously the Saturday works out better than trying to manage to get together on a Monday. I've also been invited to a SuperBowl party for Sunday, but I'm not sure if I'll be going. I just don't care that much about football, but it would be fun to be social with people... Decisions, decisions...

NP: Sammy Davis City - The Brian Setzer Orchestra

Adventures in Printing

Today, during work, I got to travel down to Staples to get some color flyers printed up for our Resident Assistant application process at work. It's always fun to be able to get out of the office for awhile in the middle of the day. I took the opportunity while there to check out some laptop computers, as I want to get a new one in the next few months.

There are definitely some good PCs in the $800-$1200 range, which is what I'm looking for, generally. I'll need to chat with some computer friends to determine what options are the best, with what I want to do.

Generally, this laptop will be for web updating, genealogy research, and general MS-Word writing, etc. Nothing too fancy. But, the good thing is that I'll be able to clean off the decktop computer I have, and return it to being mainly for writing and recording music. I didn't want it to, but this one basically has turned into our all purpose computer. I didn't really want that to happen, but the present laptop we have is just too slow and old for modern purposes.

Isn't that sad?

NP: Puccini - Tosca in Barcelona

Forgot to mention....

Went to Barnes and Nobles yesterday, and they're doing a "Buy Three, get one Free" DVD sale, so I bought:

• Forbidden Planet - One I've been meaning to get for awhile, but hadn't
• Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie - Just because
• Queen: Live in Montreal - Ah, one of my fave bands, with lots of bonus stuff...

I also think I can get Season 1 of Battlestar Galactica, and Season 2.0 and 2.5 all at once there, for cheaper than I can on Amazon, even with the Amazon discounts. I may have to make a trip back there before the sale ends on January 31st.

NP: Frank Zappa - The "Real World" Thematic Extrapolations

A January Post...

Okay, okay, I know I've been lazy in blogging here... It's been busy, so sue me!

What have I been up to? Lets see, since the new year, I've been busy with Resident Assistant Winter Training, getting that ready; working on the Genesis website, which continues apace; trying to have free time with Sue, which is going well; relaxing when possible, which I have to build in more time to do; and all sorts of other things, which I'll talk about when I remember them!

Here's some random stuff, to entertain and educate you...

This past weekend, I saw the movie Johnny Dangerously for the first time. I have the feeling that it was a lot funnier back in the day when it came out. As I said to Sue (who rented it to relive her comedy youth), "When Joe Piscopo is the best thing about a movie, you know you're in trouble!" And Joe was really good in it, with generally weak material. I found myself saying in my head a lot, "that's funny," but never really laughing. It was like watching a movie that had all the ingredients to be a riot, but it just never quite got there...

I also don't know if I bought Michael Keaton as the lead comedy guy in the movie, he seemed stilted and unfunny throughout most of the film...

But, I did go to see "Cloverfield," which was quite good, albeit formulaic in places. I'm a sucker for monster movies, so having a big beastie rampaging through NYC was quite good. The first person telling of the story worked for me, and I thought there were some clever turns in the plot, although I thought the "love" story in it was a bit preditable. Alas, such is life...

All in all though, I'd recommend it, and I think it would stand up to repeated viewings, unlike the first person "Blair Witch Project" movie from a few years back.

On Sunday, Sue and I went to go see "The WaterHorse," a fine kids movie about a boy who discovers the egg to the Loch Ness monster during WWII. I enjoyed it, as it tugged at the heartstrings in an appropriate, but not manipulative way. The kids in the theater seemed to like it too, as I heard sniffles at the right places. Or, were those mine?

Yesterday, Sue and I watched all of the "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" DVDs that Brian gave to me for Christmas. Great show, very funny, although digesting them all in one afternoon may have been a bit much. But, they're addictive. The group of four younger folk who the show follows are appropriately stupid/clever/funny in the right spots, and I liked the irony of one of the lead characters being bombarded with eggs outside of an abortion protest.

I'm sure I have more to say, but I'll write more again soon, I promise. Really!

NP: ELP - Rondo (9 Dec 1970)