Theater of Your Mind

Lounge Wear? Try Scrubs Instead of Sweats

2011-03-25T13:35:00.000-07:00

Back in college when money was tight, I found creative ways of making each budget item stretch as far as I could. Food was easy enough, mainly because I was the only one who had to witness or taste my Top Ramen chili special every other night. Clothing was another story. Store-bought clothes, at least new ones, were a luxury that usually came twice per year - my birthday and Christmas. My Sister-in-Law sympathized with my plight. She was a nurse and would bring me clean, unused (I hope) scrubs that I'd wear around the house every day. These became my "house clothes," not unlike Hugh Hefner's robes, but without the blonds hanging off each shoulder. I thought about this rather austere time of my life just recently as I stumbled upon a great site for surgical scrubs for sale.

Blue Sky Scrubs sells unique scrubs in a variety of styles and colors. Although these won't be coming for free like the ones I used to get from my sister-in-law, if you're looking for wholesale hospital scrubs, you might just want to check out their site. Plus, as of this writing, they are offering free shipping on orders of $155 or more! Oh, and they also sell Lab Coats, Shirts, Jackets, Accessories, and Hats.

So whether you're a starving college student, or like me, looking for some comfortable lounge wear, take a look at scrubs as an alternative to the sweat pants and that T-shirt combo that your spouse has been trying to get you to toss out since the day after your honeymoon. Yeah...you know the one. ;)

Francis Ford Coppola On Art, Copying And File Sharing: We Want You To Take From Us | Techdirt

2011-01-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

Paul Tamm points us to a really wonderful interview with filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, which touches on a whole variety of different topics, but a couple of quotes are likely to be interesting to folks around here. For example, he’s asked about copying works of other filmmakers and whether or not he tries to “veer away” from the masters of the craft to create his own style, and he responds brilliantly:

I once found a little excerpt from Balzac. He speaks about a young writer who stole some of his prose. The thing that almost made me weep, he said, “I was so happy when this young person took from me.” Because that’s what we want. We want you to take from us. We want you, at first, to steal from us, because you can’t steal. You will take what we give you and you will put it in your own voice and that’s how you will find your voice.

And that’s how you begin. And then one day someone will steal from you. And Balzac said that in his book: It makes me so happy because it makes me immortal because I know that 200 years from now there will be people doing things that somehow I am part of. So the answer to your question is: Don’t worry about whether it’s appropriate to borrow or to take or do something like someone you admire because that’s only the first step and you have to take the first step.

While (of course), I always dislike the incorrect use of the term “stealing,” I found this to be quite an insightful answer from someone who is certainly in a position to pretend otherwise. However, throughout history we’ve heard similar (if much less eloquent) claims from others. Ray Charles famously made similar points about copying his music (shamelessly) from others to create his own unique sound (and invent soul music in the process).

Immediately after this, he’s asked about business models, and he notes:

This idea of Metallica or some rock n’ roll singer being rich, that’s not necessarily going to happen anymore. Because, as we enter into a new age, maybe art will be free. Maybe the students are right. They should be able to download music and movies. I’m going to be shot for saying this. But who said art has to cost money? And therefore, who says artists have to make money?

In the old days, 200 years ago, if you were a composer, the only way you could make money was to travel with the orchestra and be the conductor, because then you’d be paid as a musician. There was no recording. There were no record royalties. So I would say, “Try to disconnect the idea of cinema with the idea of making a living and money.” Because there are ways around it.

While some will misinterpret this to mean that artists shouldn’t make money, that’s not what he’s saying at all. He’s saying it shouldn’t be presumed that they automatically must make money — or that if they are to make money, that it needs to come from the film directly.

Books I Read in 2010

2011-01-09T06:25:00.000-08:00

My goal was 12 for the year, and I finished the 15th on December 30th.

Looking back, the list is a bit sci-fi/thriller-heavy, but they were all a fun in their own way. I'll branch out more in 2011 and pick up a few classics I have always wanted to read, but for which I've never allowed the time.

I'm not going to give my opinions of these books here, but if you have any specific questions on any of them, leave a comment and I'll get right back with you.

The Bad Place -- Dean Koontz

The Shining -- Stephen King

Time and Again -- Jack Finney

The Lost Symbol -- Dan Brown

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo -- Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Played With Fire -- Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest -- Stieg Larsson

Side Effects -- Woody Allen

Mere Anarchy -- Woody Allen

Getting Even -- woody Allen

Without Feathers -- Woody Allen

The Passage -- Justin Cronin

Physics of the Impossible -- Michio Kaku

Lightning -- Dean Koontz

Odd Thomas -- Dean Koontz

Long Beach Stories - Launched!

2010-08-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

Long Beach Stories is an interactive tour of Long Beach, CA using Google Street View technology. Check it out today at LongBeachStories.com!

Follow LongBeachStories.com on Twitter - www.twitter.com/lbstories

Oh yeah - I can advertise this blog because it's MINE! :)

Thanks.

The FVC - Family Vacation Center

2010-08-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

Back to work after a week’s vacation in Santa Barbara. I’m in an uncharacteristically-quiet mood; not sad, not happy, just. . .mellow, relaxed. Co-workers ask me about my vacation and I tell them it was fantastic, but without my usual enthusiasm. They see me as a tanned, perhaps a little thinner version of the Tom that left ten days ago. I’ll probably return in spirit tomorrow – need to recapture something that’s floating right in front of me, but is yet undefined. I’ll let you know what it is when I find it.

I lost another five pounds this past eight days, but am feeling healthy – not weak. I’m proud of myself for that, and am encouraged to break past the point in time where most of my attempts at weight loss have failed – the dreaded three week mark. So far, so good – and I’m not going hungry. Sure, it was a challenge to bypass the pizza and desserts last week, but I think the movie popcorn was the hardest. I had ten kernels of popcorn. While it may be true for some snack foods that twice the amount does not equal twice the satisfaction – take, for instance, eating a Snickers bar. Very satisfying – right? Eating two doesn’t double the ecstasy. Well, at least it doesn’t to me. This theory falls apart dismally when applied to popcorn. One kernel is simply not enough. One handful? Not even close. I’m usually not satisfied until I can see the bottom of the container, and even then I’m chomping on the un-popped orphans hoping they’ll give up one last explosive burst of flavor during frenzied mastication. Ten kernels are a tease, a taunt – pure torture. I should have avoided the bag entirely. So, the lesson here – stay away from popcorn – at least the fat-saturated movie variety, and the kind they sell at Target – same formula, I believe, but one-quarter the price.

Reflecting on my mood one more time, it occurs to me that I watched a Lawrence Kasdan film last night, Grand Canyon. It’s on my short list of favorite movies, and always makes me a bit self-reflective. The writing in this movie is so delicately crafted that the movie, to me, comes alive and speaks to me on many levels. It’s not a barrel of laughs, and I can certainly see why some people simply don’t “get” the film. It fits me though, like an old, comfortable shirt. Wait – that’s such a mixed metaphor I don’t know where to begin. Perhaps I’ll just stop now instead.

Learning to ride

2010-08-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

For months now, my dear daughter has been asking if I could teach her to ride a bike. Last week I finally relented, and told her that Sunday would be the day. Fate lent a gentle push, as Saturday evening we were offered a "like new" girls bicycle from some good friends. This really cemented the deal, as it meant I wouldn't have to don mining gear and crawl deep into our attic to find Nick's old BMX bike. Plus, this girls bike has pretty blue flowers on it! Charming.

I remember teaching Nick, and the long hours of spine-wrenching torture of leaning over and holding him while running. Try leaning at a 35 degree angle and running at full-gait. Yeah, see? Juliana, for whatever reason, was much easier. A couple of passes up and down our block while I held the handelbars and seat, then it was just a matter of supporting her under her arms as she learned the intricacies of steering. By the second day, I could feel her balance was improving to the point where I felt I could let go - with her permission, of course. We tried it, and sure as snuff, she rode for a second or two. A few more minutes of practice and she was riding for ten seconds at a stretch. Then, the inevitable happened. As my heart struggled to pump blood to my legs and my leaden lungs strained to expand, I dropped behind her at one point. Without me to spot her, she panicked, turned sharply to the right, and rode onto a lawn where she promptly laid the bike down with her under it. She was upset - rightfully so. The first crash on your bike is always the worst, regardless of the degree of injury. But beyond that, my repeated promises of "Daddy won't let you crash, so don't worry," came rushing back. Damn heart and lungs! What did I ever do to to you?!? Oh yeah. . .nothing!

We went out again last night and I ran more than I have since high school. She rode for the longest stretch yet - over 20 seconds. This time I forced myself to keep pace, and this time it was me that collapsed on the lawn, after gliding her slowly to a stop. I recovered without any tears, and she decided to walk with me back to the house. I think she understood, probably better than I, when we'd both had enough for one evening.
Links!

(Per)Posterous - The strangeness just keeps coming.

HiFi Collector - Your one-stop gear geek stop

Facebook - They say this thing will really take off some day!

Whew!

2010-08-10T17:44:00.000-07:00

August 10th, and it's still cool. As we wait for summer's long, hot exhale, I can't help but worry that it will come with a vengence just as school begins in three weeks. Inevitably, the first week of school is tortuously-hot. I remember sitting in new, unfamiliar classrooms in early September, feeling a mix of meloncholy, remorse, and the kind of profound loss you only get when something dear, like your freedom, has been snatched from you. All this, of course, puntuated by a brutal heat wave that mocks your feeble resolve, and bludgeonds hope. But then, sudden promise. A new girl sitting to my left. Pony tails, green eyes. She too looks hot and miserable. The teacher drones on and I glance at the girl and she glances back, smiles. I hang onto that moment, nurture it, and make it last for days.

Had an encounter with a skunk this morning. I see them occasionally around the neighborhood, but have never gotten this close. I was on my pre-dawn fog walk, and fiddling with my iPod when I heard the sound of claws scratching pavement in front of me. There, not more than six feet away, was the most beautiful skunk I've ever seen. Tail raised high, claws quivering on asphault, alabaster white on licorice black fur - magnificent! I spurted out six explatives in one breath and darted to the right toward the sidewalk. The skunk stayed put, watched me leave then holstered his tail and snuck under a pickup. I couldn't help but wonder - with a wide, empty road for us to share, why did he feel compelled to confront me? He's got to have better night vision than I, and there's no way he could have mistaken me for a parsnip, cockroach, or other delicacy. Then again. . . naw. Anyway, perfect specimen - I applaud his hygeine routine, whatever that may be.

Teaching my daughter to ride a bike. More on this tomorrow - much more.

Links:

Posterous - Went through a "depression era" photography phase last week, and I can't promise I'm over it, so be warned.

FaceBook - Daily trivia and now caption contests! It's as much fun as going to a bar for trivia night, except I only ask one question per day, don't serve drinks, and we don't give out any prizes. But hey, - NO COVER!

Breathe In Breathe Out - Ema's Cancer Recovery Journal - New entry! Be the first on your block to read it! Great news on the recovery action.

My kind of tea party

2010-08-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

Splendiferous Sunday. Visited my mom in the morning and showed her the cruise pics on my iPhone. She enjoyed seeing the ship, and the family, then she started drifting off a little after I'd flicked through about 60 of them. I'd forgotten just how many photos I took with the iPhone, and realized that she's doing exactly what I'd WANT to do if I were in her shoes. Sixty pics is enough to make anyone's eyes glaze over. Those of you old enough to remember sitting in a living room watching slide shows can appreciate the true meaning of patience. Back during the age of naugahide and hi-low carpets, slide shows were often used as gentle cues to friends and relatives that you felt were visiting your home too often. From a kid's point of view, the shows were utter torture. The thick layer of smoke forced you to snatch a couch cushion and stay close to the floor. Uncle Carl spent half an hour fiddling with the Kodak Carousel, reloading the slides so at least one-third of them were right-side-up, then we'd wait as he took a break to refill his scotch and grab another deviled egg. Finally, when the rest of the adults in the room were sufficiently snockered, the show began. Prior to digital cameras, photography was an investment. You had to purchase a roll of film, and then pay for developing. I can't think of any other phrase in the consumer world that so well defines the idiom "they get ya comin' and goin.'" These revolving expenses lead to keeping many photos that today would be deleted without hesitation. This also meant that slide shows sometimes lasted until dawn, including the drink breaks and the progressively-slurred narration. So mom - no problem if your gaze shifts from my iPhone to the Food Network in the background - I've been there too.

Sunday afternoon brought a blissful nap, then Juliana approached me, "“Dad I'm bored; I want to do something with you."” Touching, but I read the sub-text. “"Hmmmm… so you're looking for me to find something for us to do together so you're no longer bored?"” Pause. "“Yeah, I guess,”" she said. “"Want to clean your room? That's not boring,"” I said. "“C'mon dad."” We ended up having tea together on the front patio. I spread out a sheet and emptied a can of Diet Coke into her plastic tea pot. She did the honors of pouring, and then brought out the plastic cupcakes and cookies for us to enjoy. “Ummmm. . .” I said. “ Cracker Jack might hit the spot too - don't you think?” She ran inside and grabbed two boxes from the pantry, scampered back.

I told her about how there used to be little toys inside the boxes, rings, assorted plastic figurines, cars, planes. She opened her prize and read me the jokes; we agreed they were pretty lame. I Poured the rest of the “tea and then mentioned that I had to get the RoundUp out and spray the weeds that were peaking up between the patio stones. Explained to her how RoundUp isn't poison, and how it kills weeds by starving them from the inside out. She made a face that told me she understood, but didn't approve. We sprayed the weeds together, she pointing them out to me, and I blasted them. Then we noticed in the far corner a seven foot tall weed that had somehow escaped our radar. This one was in the rose garden, and was some sort of mutant rose shoot - a “sucker” I believe they're called. We sprayed it and decided this would be the true test of RoundUp. If it could kill a weed bigger than me in seven days, it deserves everything it claims. To that end, we agreed another tea and weed-check should be scheduled for next week as well. Stay tuned for next Sunday's weed update.

Links Galore!

Posterous - Trying to see if there's a limit to how many pages they'll give me for free. Tons of new pics there
(almost) daily.

HiFiCollector - Your one-stop-shop for all your vintage stereo gawking.

Moonlight Madness and a Sad Realization

2010-08-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's trip to Salvation Army was deemed successful. Not only did we accomplish our main objective: getting Nick a pair of jeans and a shirt that he can use for his paintball adventure this coming Tuesday (this instead of using clothes he might otherwise wear to school in a month - paintball stains and all), but we hit SA during their once-a-month "Moonlight Madness" sale in which everything in the store was 50% off! Oh joy.

For a thrifter like myself, this meant that I could collect even MORE discarded trinkets with which to fill my house and garage. Alas, we ended up only buying a few items. Aside from the clothes, a DVD/CD player (can never have enough of these), a cool metal latching box for Sam to keep his Nintendo DS and games in, and something else - can't remember. Anyway, the total bill was just shy of $19, or less than lunch for two at Applebees.

The Sad Realization
I recently re-read a few stories on TOYM that I wrote a few years ago, and was not impressed with nar one of them. They're not all bad, just heavy-handed and in need of polishing. Shame, really, as at the time I wrote them, I could have sworn they were at least blog-worthy. Many of these stories were inspired through the creation of 52Stories, which gained modest popularity until the buddy who helped create it and I realized the maintenance of the site was more than either of us could handle at the time. He was starting school again, and my wife was battling cancer which meant my attention had to be refocused on the home instead of personal pursuits. Yes, as far as the quality of the stories goes, it's a bummer to be disappointed by something you put effort into. But isn't this the case with so many things? Given a little time, our perspective shifts and that painting we created looks odd, the song we sang sounds off-key, the story we wrote seems awry. The eternal optimist in me is trying to tell me that, by recognizing the shortcomings in these stories, I'm actualizing my own growth as a writer. Judgement shifts over time with wisdom. Current wisdom says these stories need work, and that, I guess, is okay. Subsequent stories have been a little bit better, but now will require revisiting as well to see what surprises lie for me there. Feel like checking out the questionable ones? You be the judge - but don't say I didn't warn you.

Sunday, and a visit to my mom in Long Beach. She's been in a home for Alzheimer patients for about 14 months now and is doing well. It's funny - she's still a rebel, refuses to follow "the crowd." While all the other ladies in the house (six in total) enjoy sitting in the front room watching television or at least listening to it, my mom prefers the solitude and quietness of her room. She's happier and less anxious in there, which is great. Everyone deserves to be happy and calm as often as possible. That's why I get up an hour before dawn each morning - solitude runs in the family, I guess. Sunday evening is also Movie Night! My dad comes over every Sunday and we have dinner while watching a movie in our family room. Tonight's film, Hopscotch, starring Walter Matthau. Saw this in the theater with my parents when it came out, and don't remember anything about it, but my dad requested it - so be it. :)

Links

Posterous is getting freaky!

HiFiCollector.com - The Best Thrift Store Finds #5 just posted.

Nostalgia Lounge - More coming... I promise.

FaceBook - Ever heard of this site?

Coffee and a Glee-ful Morning

2010-07-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

I'm using a Thermos for my morning coffee now. It can hold seven cups, easily, and keeps my morning elixir piping hot, gulp after searing gulp. For the longest time, I was able to honestly claim that I wasn't a "coffee" kind of guy. Just in the past couple of years though, coffee has become a trusted friend. I still don't feel much of a caffeine rush from it. Perhaps thats because at the age of 22, on a dare (double-dog, to be exact) I ingested 11 No-Doze in one sitting. Forty-six hours later I was still chattering like a prairie dog and unable to hold onto a single thought for more than a nanosecond. The same friend who presented the dare suggested the antidote: malt liquor and lots of it. The roller coaster than ensued was what I now look back upon as "my 20s."

Today, a couple of cups of coffee simply seem comforting to me - a morning ritual that I've come to enjoy and expect. Back in the day, my dad would sit with his coffee, a cigarette, and the morning paper, which he had worked on the day before as a copy editor. These days for me, it's just coffee and the billions of pages of interweb screaming to be explored. Or, as is the case this morning, a long-overdue blog post.

I've had the song, "Say a Little Prayer" stuck in my head since I rediscovered the Wes Montgomery version a couple weeks ago. Instead of purging the song from my mind though, I listen to his version as often as I find time. This reinforces its rotation frequency in my mental juke box playlist, and I end up humming the tune while driving, in elevators, at my desk at work, showering. I heard it again last week on a "Glee" rerun and now I have to buy their version. Turns out that the powers that Glee have licensed their songs to a number of other singing groups, who have in-turn produced their own "tribute" albums and versions of Glee hits. This is fine, but it makes it difficult when searching for the original.

I wonder if Celine Gentry chose her name because of that other artist. . .what's her name? Anyway, originality aside, the sheer number of choices forced me to abandon the idea of purchasing the song. Tragic, I know, and a sure sign that I'm getting old. Kids have unlimited patience for this type of thing. My clock is spinning like the one that flies by in the opening of the Twilight Zone, and I find no time to "preview" each selection of anything any more.

Saturday, which holds a fun shopping spree to the LARGEST Salvation Army in Orange County with the three kids. Wife is having lunch with friends today, so I get to take over all parental responsibilities, which usually means turning up all the stereos, yelling at each other above the din, and all of us eating like I did when my parents were out of town for the weekend. "Cheeto sandwich? Sure! Knock yourself out. What's that? Oh, the song? Dionne Warwick's version of Say a Little Prayer. What? The Glee version? No - but if you want to look for it, be my guest!"

Daily Links

Of course, LOTS of stuff going on with Posterous these days. Disturbing and getting worse by the moment. Posting more today so subscribe and keep updated - all your friends are!
HiFiCollector is breaking all-time attendance records - not sure why, maybe the new layout - but if you want to see for yourself, I won't hold ya back.
Do I know you? Do I want to? Ping me at Facebook and we'll see if we can be "friends."

The Unreal OC

2010-07-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Orange County, California and . . .The Unreal OC Podcast

Click HERE for The Unreal OC Blog, subscription info, and links to current shows

Click HERE for archived storytelling podcasts from The Unreal OC

Breathe In Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal

2010-07-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

Click HERE to visit Breathe In, Breathe Out

My name is Ema and August of 2007 I was diagnosed with a high-grade, malignant, nondifferential sarcoma in my left leg. This blog tells of my journey and my family's journey as we battle this cancer.

The Nostalgia Lounge

2010-07-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

The Nostalgia Lounge is a place for us to share some of the unique, interesting, or just plain odd things we've collected over the years

HiFi Collector

2010-07-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

HiFiCollector.com was started in March of 2009 to be a meeting ground for audio enthusiasts. We concentrate on the stories behind the gear rather than technical details, and encourage others to share stories, photos, and video links with our growing community.

Carl and Bob in Cyberspace

2010-07-04T10:10:00.001-07:00

Click HERE to visit Carl and Bob in Cyberspace

IN 1985, SOMEWHERE DEEP WITHIN THE SERVER FARMS OF DIONELL SOFTWARE IN IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, HISTORY WAS BEING MADE. TWO TWENTY-SOMETHING MIS EMPLOYEES, CARL AND BOB, DISCOVERED A WAY TO 'CHAT' OVER THEIR COMPUTER NETWORK. THESE “CONVERSATIONS” WERE SAVED ON MAGNETIC MEDIA, AND ONLY RECENTLY DISCOVERED DURING A DATA MINING EXERCISE. IT IS OUR HOPE THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL BENEFIT FROM A GLIMPSE AT THE BIRTH OF THE COMPUTER REVOLUTION. THANK YOU CARL AND BOB – THIS IS YOUR STORY.

52 Stories

2010-07-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

52 Stories was a site my buddy, Andy and I created a few years ago. It's still up and there's plenty of fiction to read on there, including several stories by yours truly.

Visit Me On Facebook

2010-07-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

Click HERE to go straight to my Facebook page.

Pocky!

2010-01-15T16:59:00.000-08:00

Just ate an entire box of Pocky. Familiar with Pocky? Labeled as “Chocolate Cream Covered Biscuit Sticks,” Pocky should be branded as “Crack-Coated Opium-laced Fun Twigs,” as their addictive quality ranks just slightly lower than nicotine Bubble Yum. Go ahead, try to eat just 300 hundred Pocky - I dare ya. And in the unlikely event you do decide to stop, you best taper off slowly to avoid catastrophic withdrawals.

A quick ingredient check on the back reveals a few potential clues to their unique, habit-forming appeal: Wheat flour, sugar, chocolate liquor, . . . ahh we pity the poor souls who are forced to drink their liquor. Then further on the list after way too many hydrogenated oils and shortenings: coffee powder! I’ve never heard of coffee powder, have you?!? Is this stuff snortable? Do I have to get off the couch and drive to score some or can I add this to my Amazon basket along with the Viagra and Pop Rocks and save on shipping? Jebus! Between the sugar, liquor, and coffee, there’s hardly any room for the polyglycerol polyricinoleate, which I assume is used as an emulsifier – at least that’s what I always use it for when baking my special biscuits for the rats that invade our attic every autumn. Sorry folks, but if you can think of a humane way of dealing with hordes of wayward rodents without yourself becoming a snack, please let me know.

Now, where was I? Ah yes, Pocky. I’ll betcha the rats would love this stuff – who wouldn’t? I can’t wait to score another box. As I write this my left leg is involuntarily twitching like the throttle handle on an outboard trawling motor with a bent prop. Sweating is undoubtedly next. Sweating is always next, not first for some reason. Yup – sweat. . .it started. Problem is I can only buy Pocky at Asian markets, and I just bought the last box at 99 Ranch! It’s made in Osaka Japan, in case I hadn’t mentioned that, by Ezaki Glico Co., LTD, the makers of Glico, Bisco, Papico, and something called Collon, which I’m going to go ahead and pray is a simple translation challenge, and not what first comes to mind. Yes, Ezaki Glico has been making fine, highly-addictive confections since 1929, the year that marks the beginning of our Great Depression. . . naw, couldn’t be. . .

Go find yourself some Pocky and watch your bank account shrink as your teeth and hair fall out faster than an irradiated meth addict. I’d love to chat more, but tremors are making it difficult to type. If anyone needs me, I’ll be at the nearest Asian market awaiting the next Pocky shipment, or possibly cashing in my kids’ college fund for a one way ticket to Osaka.

Titanic slide. Poor taste meets exhilerating fun at the pumpkin patch

2009-10-15T17:54:00.000-07:00

Autumnfest fun

2009-10-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

Back at the carnival

2009-10-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

Safari Jeeps

2009-10-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

Carnie fever - Autumnfest 2009

2009-10-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

Autumnfest 2009

2009-10-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

King Richard's Antiques - Whittier, CA

2009-10-04T15:40:00.000-07:00

King Richard's Antiques - Whittier, CA

2009-10-04T15:32:00.001-07:00

Fun at the 99 Ranch Market

2009-10-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

Don't get caught with your hand in the eyeball dish

2009-10-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

Mr Bonz

2009-10-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

Fun with the fake hand

2009-10-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

Rosebud, my budding photographer

2009-10-03T07:44:00.000-07:00

Ketchikan, Alaska Summer 2009

2009-10-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Satchmo waiting for dinner

2009-10-03T07:39:00.001-07:00

Parallax - A Short Film By Win Edson

2009-04-12T16:25:00.001-07:00

Parallax - A short film by Win Edson from WIN EDSON on Vimeo.

Empty Playground - the exhibition

2009-03-20T05:29:00.001-07:00

New HiFi Collector Promo!

2009-03-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

www.HiFiCollector.com

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2009-01-11T05:18:00.001-08:00

These days it's rare that my wife and I get out to see a movie in the theater, and even rarer that we share a movie experience as rich and captivating as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. While everyone may take away different messages from this movie, we both felt that it clearly and charmingly conveyed the message that regardless of how you look or, in the case of Benjamin how you age, the body is only a vehicle for the soul. Yes the performances were excellent, the makeup effects and cinematography, exceptional, but I didn't leave the theater thinking about those elements. Instead, both Elizabeth and I were compelled to turn our thoughts to our own mortality, our obligations and roles as we move through time. But don't get me wrong - this wasn't a runaway sappy flick! Stragely enough, although emotionally draining at times, the movie was so well crafted that it felt more cathartic than burdensome - more life-afirming than preachy. Look, we are all aware of our short engagement on this planet and most of us don't need a movie to remind us of that. What if though, there was a movie that didn't set out to do anything but tell a beautiful story, but ended up making you feel great to be alive? That's the power of this movie. If you've experienced this movie and feel the same, or walked away with different messages, please share.

I don’t have it so bad

2009-01-08T19:30:00.001-08:00

The TV show, Dirty Jobs serves two purposes for me. On the one hand, I enjoy the juxtaposition of Mike Rowe tossing out one-liners while casually shoveling road kill into the back of a van. On the other hand, and even more profound for me, is the impact the show has on how I view my own job. I think we all have days where we look around our work environment and ask ourselves how we ended up where we did. Don’t get me wrong – I like my job, but sometimes I take it for granted, and that’s where Dirty Jobs comes in. No matter how bad of a day I’m having, I know it’s a thousand times better than if I had taken a different vocational path and become the sludge containment officer at a water treatment plant. Believe me – there were times in my past that I was nearly forced into taking that detour.

That being said, I’m certain that to all of you who currently hold dirty jobs, the thought of sitting behind a desk in an office all day sounds equally appalling. In fact, there’s probably enough of you to constitute a suitable viewing audience for a show named “Clean Jobs.” But let’s leave that for another discussion. For now, I’ll continue on my campaign to have all of my office’s ‘motivational’ posters of rock climbers and eagles snagging trout from a lake replaced by prints of men with shovels standing next to small mountains of animal parts in a cattle rendering plant. Customers might get offended, but the resulting productivity will be well worth it. Thank you Discovery Channel for keeping it real.

Hard Candy

2009-01-07T17:44:00.000-08:00

I brought an assortment of hard candy to work today. We have a shelf along ‘writers’ row’ upon which we deposit quasi-edible jetsam from our household pantries. Amazingly, no food, regardless of type or freshness ever stays on the counter more than one day. Today’s goodie selection reminded me of my many visits to an old neighbor’s house. Clorinda McCumber was in her 70s when I was five, and she had a coffee table situated between the couch and the TV that supported a huge, seemingly bottomless dish of hard candies. I’d walk next door whenever the mood struck and Clorinda would let me in without question. She had a color TV where ours was black and white, so I’d use that as an excuse to sit on their couch and pluck away at the congealed mound of petrified ribbon candy. Clorinda would be in the kitchen or her sewing room, so my secret candy binges were strictly between me and her perpetually-drowsy Basset Hound, Duke. By this point of the confection’s life cycle, it was futile trying to separate the individual candies, so I’d use the handle of the metal nutcracker from the mixed nut dish and quietly chip away at the sticky heap, sending razor-sharp white and red shards in all directions. Duke watched me from his pillow near the fireplace with never more than a hint of curiosity.

My family moved when I was six, but about a year later we visited Clorinda. I stood in the kitchen with my parents as the three adults chatted and I eventually glanced toward the living room. Duke was standing with his front paws on the coffee table and was licking at the mass of ribbon candy in a predator-like frenzy. I stared at him for a bit as the notion sunk in that this behavior was probably not new. My throat began to close up a little and as I cleared it, Duke turned his eyes toward me, but continued licking. We stared at each other for a moment or two, or at least as long as it took for both of us to feel comfortable with the fact that our little secret was as safe as ever.

My Daughter is With Me All Day

2009-01-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

I keep a picture on my wall at work that Juliana drew for me. Even
better than a photo, it keeps me connected to her throughout the day.

Mental Vacation

2008-12-30T17:21:00.000-08:00

Lately I’ve been experiencing a profound sense of nostalgia. I’ve been seeking songs, movies, images from a time two decades before I was even born. Past-life regression practitioners would claim that my longing for the past represents an attempt by my former self to contact me. Well, I’ve heard what people admit to under hypnosis, and I’m not about to hand over control of my faculties to a spiritualist. Still, there must be a trigger for my neurosis-de-jure – and this time I’m pretty sure it’s not something I ate.

Take this picture for instance. Try to look past the plaid skirts and bobby socks for a moment and ask yourself who would pass up a chance to travel in time and spend a carefree afternoon in a malt shop? I’m equally intrigued by photos like these two, and find myself staring at them – wondering what life would have been like to live in a war-time steel town. Then there’s my renewed fascination with art deco locomotives – please, no Freudian comments here folks, it’s nothing like that - really. Big band music, film noir movies, and Time Life photo journals have become like comfort food for me, and I’m eagerly consuming all that I can.

If I dig a little I might be able to come up with an on-the-fly diagnosis as I write this entry. Here’s one possible explanation: The past 18 months have been very traumatic for my family. We’ve battled cancer and are still in the midst of a long recovery. But, scans are clear, Ema’s pain is easing, and as things fold back into whatever our new ‘normal’ lives will be – living with the immutable threat of the disease, perhaps my mind is taking a little vacation. For over a year, I was forced to live every moment as it was dealt – with no room for anything but the immediate present and worrying about the future. There was no time to reminisce, think about the past in any context, and certainly no time to daydream about what life would have been like some six decades ago chatting with friends over a cherry Coke.

If I’m correct, and my mental holiday is just that – a well-deserved respite from the mayhem, then it won’t last too long. For the moment at least, my preoccupation with another era provides sanctuary from any pending turmoil and allows me time to rally my wits for the next battle. Don’t worry baby - I’ll be ready.

Day 7 - Countdown to Christmas

2008-12-18T05:12:00.000-08:00

Annabelle’s mother sat at a drop-leaf table which was flush with the far wall of the small room. A ceiling fan moaned and buzzed as the motor, which had been in its death throes for the better part of a year, labored for one more revolution of its dusty, yellowed blades. Everything in the parlor, in the whole house for that matter, looked much older than it should. Even Annabelle's mother, Charlotte who at 36 should be in the prime of life, wore the weathered countenance and chalky pallor of a much older woman.

Charlotte smiled as Annabelle approached, and she placed her cigarette in the ashtray. “Come here.” Charlotte said, patting her skirt above her knee. Annabelle scooted onto her mother’s lap and wrapped her arms around her, resting her head on her shoulder. She closed her eyes as she squeezed her mother and as she opened them her gaze fell onto a wall calendar which hung in the laundry room. The picture for December depicted Santa clutching a bag Chesterfield cartons. His ripened cheeks glowed red and healthy and his teeth sparkled. Annabelle pulled back and looked at her mother’s face. Charlotte smiled, pulled a few strands of hair away from her daughters face. “You are so pretty,” Charlotte said. Annabelle just looked into her mother’s eyes. They were bloodshot, but not too bad. There were hundreds of tiny wrinkles around her lips that Annabelle hadn’t noticed before. She stared at them, wondering if she would have wrinkles like that when she gets old. “Mommy?” Annabelle said, “Does Santa Clause drink?” Charlotte took a breath that triggered a cough which turned into a deeper, throaty bellow. Annabelle slid off her lap and put her hand on her mom’s back as the coughing continued. When it finally stopped, Charlotte reached for her cigarette and took a long drag, blew the smoke toward the fan, then snuffed out the remainder in the ashtray. When she turned back to her daughter, Annabelle saw that her eyes were very red. “That’s a funny question. I don’t think he does.” Charlotte said, reaching for her wine glass on the table. “I saw him on the back of one of dad’s magazines and he was drinking a bottle like daddy drinks.” Charlotte was quiet for a moment. She sat back in her chair and took a sip of wine. Annabelle used that moment to walk into the laundry room and pluck the calendar off its nail. She walked it back to her mom and showed her the picture. “Does he smoke too?” Annabelle said, placing the calendar on the table. “Santa Clause doesn’t do either of those things honey, and neither should you.” And as she spoke, Charlotte looked down at the table, eyeing the evidence of her hypocrisy.

[to be continued. . .]

Day 8 - Countdown to Christmas

2008-12-17T05:36:00.000-08:00

There’s a problem here, and it’s not an easy one to solve. Santa Clause is recognized as a fictional character, or, more precisely, is not recognized as a real person, by the United States Copyright Office. Therefore, unless you duplicate the copyrighted version of Santa that CocaCola designed some 75 years ago, he can work for you to sell anything you want! Through the decades, advertisers invented often disturbing, certainly insulting ways of exploiting Saint Nick as their seasonal go-to guy for shilling just about every product and service imaginable. Such irresponsible advertising surely had consequences on children whose innocent visions of Santa were continually challenged.

Seven-year-old Annabelle walked through the living room and glanced at the back cover of her father’s “Field and Stream” that sat on the edge of the coffee table. She stopped, looked closer, and was shocked at the sight of Santa drinking the same funny-smelling juice that makes her daddy boil with rage, throw his shoes at the news reporter on the TV, and curse in his sleep. Annabelle was lost as she tried to decide whether her discovery made daddy’s actions acceptable, or Santa’s actions objectionable. Certainly these two worlds could not exist within such a small universe. She picked up the magazine and thought about asking daddy about the ad, but remembered that by this point of the evening he’s halfway through another bottle and she could already hear Walter Cronkite’s voice escaping from the den. Her mom would have an answer, and luckily she was easy to find. Annabelle followed the pungent scent of Chesterfields to the small parlor off the kitchen. She could hear the “chink” of her mom’s cigarette lighter from the hallway, and as she approached the parlor, the air grew thick and grey.

[continued tomorrow]

Day 10 - Countdown to Christmas

2008-12-15T19:37:00.000-08:00

Most of you over the tender age of 35 can recall images of Santa with his pipe. Although currently out of vogue, I suspect pipes will have a resurgence of popularity someday – possibly to the extent that cigars had a decade ago. Pipe smoking was always regarded as a genteel pastime, a dignified pleasure enjoyed by men of worth who earned their lot in life and deserved the peaceful swirling bliss that only a well-packed pipe could deliver. People like your favorite grandpa, the tenacious sea captain, the entire English department faculty, or indeed – Santa Claus.

Over the next few days I’ll post photos showing the image of Santa savagely, perversely manipulated by Madison Avenue to promote very un-Santa-like products. Stay tuned.

The Easiest Way to Help Find a Cure

2008-12-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks! Feel the urge to somehow ‘give back’ to humanity, but simply don’t have the time? Got a computer that’s powered on most of the day, but not always in use? Then let your computer(s) donate their time instead! Step on up and join The Unreal OC team on World Community Grid.

If you're already a member of WCG and want to join The Unreal OC team, then click HERE.

If you'd like to join WCG and become a team member of The Unreal OC, click HERE.

World Community Grid's mission is to create the largest public computing grid benefiting humanity. Donate the time your computer is turned on, but is idle, to projects that benefit humanity! The WCG (World Community Grid) provides the secure software that does it all for free, and you become part of a community that is helping to change the world. Once you install the software, you will be participating in World Community Grid. No other action must be taken; it's that simple!

As of this posting, there are over 417,000 members of WCG with over 1,130,000 devices (computers) donating time on the network, worldwide.

Ema and I are donating CPU cycles during the times our three home computers are on, but not in use, to Help Conquer Cancer, which is just one of the programs offered through the WCG. But, as you’ll see from the WCG Web site, there are other humanitarian and scientific projects that you can choose from as well.

Choose your cause, download the free software, and you’ll automatically become a member of The Unreal OC team!

I’ll post periodic status reports on this blog, but you can also visit the WCG site anytime to see how our team is doing and to check your individual contribution.

And by the way – tell a friend! Anyone can join WCG, and The Unreal OC team. Once we get about a dozen members we can join in on team challenges, but more on that later.

Ema and I will be talking more about this during our next podcast, but you can also send us an email with any questions and we’ll be happy to help.

Thanks!

~Tom

How Grid Technology Works
Making a difference has never been easier! Grid technology is simple and safe to use. To start, you register, then download and install a small program or "agent" onto your computer.

When idle, your computer will request data on a specific project from World Community Grid's server. It will then perform computations on this data, send the results back to the server, and ask the server for a new piece of work. Each computation that your computer performs provides scientists with critical information that accelerates the pace of research!

World Community Grid runs on software called BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing,) developed at University of California, Berkeley, USA with funding from NSF (National Science Foundation).

Pei Wei Asian Diner - Seal Beach / Los Alamitos Review

2008-12-10T05:30:00.000-08:00

Pei Wei Asian Diner in Seal Beach opened just about one year ago and serves up tasty Asian fusion cuisine for a decent price. The chain is owned by the folks at PF Changs, and that influence is apparent in the quality of food, the service, and even the attention to the decor with dark, angular Asian forms and plenty of wood, stone, and water environmentals. There’s seating available inside, but my daughter and I opted for take-out and ordered from the menu attached to the front counter. We were taking home food for the whole family, and as always, finding something other than corn dogs or grilled cheese that my four- and six-year olds will eat is a challenge. Happily, I saw that Pei Wei offered very reasonably-priced kids choices including the Lo Mein which is chicken with egg noodles. For the rest of us I ordered the shrimp fried rice, the honey seared chicken, and sweet and sour chicken on fried rice. Brown or steamed rice is included, or you can opt for fried rice with any entrée for only one dollar more. All three of these large-portioned main dishes were packed in easily-resealable clear lid containers which made both food identification and carting the left-overs to work a breeze.

Taste
All of the food was excellent, in par with what I remember about PF Changs typical fare. I would have liked to see more egg in the fried rice, but that’s a matter of preference, and for my wife, who doesn’t like egg all that much, she’d probably like to see less. Unlike the majority of food we get from our other local Asian take-out, Pick Up Stix, the food at Pei Wei was distinctively flavorful and fresh. It’s common that carton carry-out food can taste rather homogenized as if all the food came from the same pot. This is especially the case of Asian foods where several flavors are held captive in a single box and the time from pan to plate allows all the flavors to congeal. Somehow the food we brought home from Pei Wei avoided that problem, or perhaps it was just so good that our taste buds were giddily preoccupied and we ignored it. Within a few bites we knew that Pei Wei was going to replace Pick Up Stix as our Asian food choice. With competitive prices, kid-friendly foods, and potentially addicting vittles, we’ll be back soon for sure.

Got a New Hammer

2008-11-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

I bought this $90 hammer for $12 with free shipping on Buy.com. I love Buy.com. Two weeks ago I bought a power accessory kit for my iPhone for $3.95 with free shipping. I was at Circuit City yesterday and saw the iPhone car charger - just one of the three power accessories that came in my kit - for $39.

I suppose the only thing I don't like about Buy.com is that, by offering new items at below-yard-sale-prices, I feel obligated to purchase things I really don't need. In fact, in a brilliant marketing maneuver, Buy.com has somehow reversed the effects of 'buyer's remorse' to produce guilt when I don't buy something.

Right now I'm feeling guilty about not shopping for my wife's Christmas gift yet. I wonder if she'd like a hammer? Naw. . .I have a sneaking suspicion she'd use it to make sure I wasn't around to celebrate the new year.

Until next time. . .

- Tom

Are You Being Manipulated by Your Candidate?

2008-11-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

I may be the last person people go to for political advice. Primarily because I just don't follow politics, so I'm about as far from an authority as you could find. It took Senator Obama to make me sit up and take notice - to root for the candidate with integrity.

Today I'm angry. I'm angry because of McCain's blatant mischaracterization of Obama. How many times during the debates and McCain's speeches did you hear him mention the $3 million earmark for the "overhead projector for a planetarium?" Look, I knew from the first time I heard that that it had to be false - who wouldn't assume that? Overhead projectors go for $29.00 on eBay - Less than $200.00 brand new! More importantly, what does that say about the person making that claim? McCain is banking on people listening and reacting instead of listening and thinking. That's manipulation my friends, and like so many politicians, McCain is attempting to manipulate the public.

The "overhead projector" was in fact the main projection system for the planetarium in Chicago, IL. The earmark was used to replace the 40-year-old existing projection system. This earmark was both justified in the interest of science and education as well as potential revenue for the city from tourism. The point is that McCain wasn't misinformed - he knew exactly what the earmark was for, but chose to exaggerate the story to draw people away from his opponent. Do we want a president who purposefully misleads the people of this country to promote his agenda?

One final point. Integrity isn't something you can claim you have, and it isn't something you can buy - it's earned. You earn it by demonstrating honesty. We don't need a maverick in the White House, we need a president with integrity - you choose.

2002 Toyota Avalon

2008-09-21T17:24:00.000-07:00

I'm selling my 2002 Toyota Avalon - $9,750. 00. Details HERE.

Sallys Audio

2008-09-19T06:07:00.000-07:00

I've been working with The Salvation Army to help them sell some of their donated stereo equipment on CraigsList. I price this stuff to sell, so if you're interested, follow THIS link and check out the booty. . .or is that bounty?

Items are updated throughout the week, so subscribe to the blog to keep informed of new items.

Thanks!

Tom

Too Sick to Groom?

2008-08-31T20:56:00.000-07:00

Went to an arcade today with the family - Nickle Nickle - all games take nickles instead of quarters, hence the name. Ema described it as "Kind of like Chuck E. Cheese, but not quite as formal." I laughed so hard my cranberry Slushie ran out my nose.

Then it was off to haircuts for us boys where an elderly barber confessed he wasn't feeling well then proceeded to tell me how he shouldn't have come to work today with such a high fever. I believe that people in charge of grooming others should abide by strict rules against showing up to work while sick and then massaging viruses into the scalps of unsuspecting clientele. With every passing hour, I await the symptoms - no, I welcome them so the tortuous waiting can be over and the healing can begin. Soon, tonight probably, as I lay sweating in my sheets, fighting for each breath and praying for the peace that only the soft kiss of death can bring, I'll think of my experience at the barber shop, my lousy haircut, and whether or not the old man who cut my hair has someone to take care of him when he's sick. Right now I just wish I would have tipped him more.

Really? Is That All You Could Think Of???

2008-08-17T06:21:00.000-07:00

Found this graffiti scrawled onto a sink in a 7-Eleven bathroom in Oxnard, CA. Interestingly, it was in the women's bathroom (yes, there's an explanation - the men's was closed due to a flooding incident that I had very little to do with). My point is this: If you're going to take the time and effort to scribe something into a sink, to permanently leave your mark for an audience of potentially millions of weary travelers and other weirdos, couldn't you come up with something more creative? How about "Carpe Diem?" "Free Tibet?" or the venue-appropriate "Don't Eat the Hotdogs!!!" Then again, perhaps in her moment of enlightened artistic expression, the patron simply felt compelled to say it like it is. While "Fart Barf" doesn't lend much to the imagination (or possibly too much), and may not find its way into any of Bartlett's upcoming editions, it certainly paints a clear picture and evokes a visceral response from the reader.

So yes, perhaps this was all the author could think of; and the more I consider the work, as one would reflect on any great piece of literature, the more it speaks to me. I'm humbled by its truth and simplicity. So, to the author, whoever and wherever you may be - my hat is off to you. May you continue finding inspiration in unlikely places, and sharing your porcelain poetry with all who deserve to appreciate your art.

The Unreal OC is Back!

2008-07-20T07:02:00.001-07:00

Well folks Ema and Tom are back after a five month hiatus. You’ll hear about our medical journey, but don’t worry – it’s all good news. You’ll also hear some of your favorite bits like Nick’s List, Things I Hate, Things I Love, and we’ve even resurrected the Police Blotter!

Click HERE to Listen.

Click HERE to be transported to The Unreal OC Web Page.

Thanks!

So proud. . .

2008-06-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

You're looking at an unaltered photo of my 11-year-old son's desk. People say he takes after his old man when it comes to his love of gadgets. I'm just happy that he's wise enough to choose healthy hobbies.

As a tween, he'll be subjected to many "hobby" choices over the next few years. He's entering a time of growth and decision, where he'll begin laying down the foundation for who he'll become as an adult. So what if he has four PDAs, seven gaming platforms, his own computer and a love of cheesy horror movies.?

Yeah, who wouldn't be proud of such a fine young man?

Happy Birthday ?

2008-06-08T05:12:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Birthdays

Happy Birthday!

View All Family News

Wow! An automated birthday greeting from Geni is my first official birthday wish!

Well, I just don't know what to say to the database that found time to send me such a sincere, heart-felt sentiment.

Thank you, Geni!

Now, back to business. . .who's got the cake?!?

SNL - Hit or Miss?

2008-05-10T07:07:00.001-07:00

SNL Has always been hit or miss with me. This one is pretty good. . .

New (Old) Radio

2008-05-04T17:30:00.000-07:00

Mel's Drive-In Seal Beach - Three Strikes

2008-04-27T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's rare that a reviewer (or casual blogger) gives an establishment three tries to get it right. I'm sorry to say that my third trip to Mel's, although better than the previous two, still left my wallet too light and my appetitie unsatisfied.

(You can read my first two reviews of Mel's HERE and HERE.)

I will say that our server, Maria was fantastic. Prompt, polite, and very friendly. I'm a firm believer in giving props to my servers and not blaming them for things they have no control over. In fact, my only gripe this time was the prices were still too high. I'm sorry, but a toasted egg bagel should NOT cost $3.00, or, (gasp!) $3.50 with cream cheese.

The photo here shows my whole grain pancakes ($6.75 - as shown, not including coffee). This was the normal size order - 3 pancakes. There's also an option for a short stack. I don't know how many pancakes you get with that - 1 1/2? Anyway, these tasted fine, but aren't pancakes usually one of the cheapest items on most menus? Mind you, this is a DINER, and a "DRIVE-IN" diner at that. These pancakes should be no more than $5.00. The bagel - $1.75 or $2.25 with cream cheese. I'm suggesting these prices in hopes that someone from Mel's corporate office accepts my invitation to read these reviews and adjusts their prices down to where a normal family who's paying $4.00 a gallon for gas to arrive at Mel's can actually afford to eat there.

Yes, I realize that the days of $5.00 breakfasts (at least in Southern California) are gone. I've witnessed the radical, recent jump of lunch prices from $7 - $10, and have eaten my share of $11.00 burgers. But breakfasts, especially ones in 'diners' should be reasonable. Or not. It's up to Mel's to decide if they want to stay in business. I, for one am not going back until the prices become more appropriate relative to the portion size and the 'diner' genre.

New Blog for Ema's Recovery

2008-04-12T21:08:00.001-07:00

I created a new blog exclusively for Ema's recovery, and copied all of the "Breathe In, Breathe out" posts to it.

I'll be updating this more often, and it will also include posts from Ema's own cancer journal which she has kept from the beginning of this whole escapade.

If you'd like to subscribe, here's a link to the RSS.

You can also subscribe to this new blog via email notifications by going to the new blog and entering your email into the field at the top of the page.

Thanks folks,

Tom

Two Pounds Per Week

2008-04-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

Started a new diet, and this time it's personal! But I'm sharing my progress with y'all! http://www.twopoundsperweek.com Stop on by!

Am I Totally Losing it???

2008-03-20T14:56:00.001-07:00

Lately Ema has been looking at me a bit funny. There have been a couple 'Barefoot in the Garage' episodes that have left her wondering if I've finally gone off the deep end.

Most recently, this happened today when I played her my latest episode.

About a week ago, I made an episode that just about motivated her to send me out for milk and change the locks.

Perhaps she's right. I may be too far gone to tell anymore. I'll let you decide.

Tom

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

2008-03-05T20:37:00.000-08:00

Well - It's done and we LOVE it! Ema knew she didn't want to watch her hair fall out, day-by-day and feel self-conscious about it. Plus, she said looking in the mirror was becoming depressing because she looked sicker than she really is!

She called Linda and between the three of us, we rid her of all that pesky hair. The kids were great with it - even Juliana said "Mommy, you look beautiful!"

Chemotherapy is hard. She has her good days and bad. There's one drug, in particular, that Ema gets to help her boost her immune system that makes her feel flu-ish - ironic, ehe? Besides that, and the general fatigue from the treatments, she's doing great, and her attitude is as terrific as ever.

More photos HERE.

Back soon -

Tom

First Signs of Spring - Call for Photos

2008-03-02T18:21:00.000-08:00

Hi -

As part of an [Utterz] "Barefoot in the Garage" photo project, I'm collecting "First Signs of Spring" photos from around the world. Of course, if you live south of the equator, you can send me your "First Signs of Fall" pics.

Send them to barefootinthegarage AT gmail.com, and you'll see them posted HERE.

If you send me the city you're in, I'll add that to the map in comments section below your photo.

You can hear more about this project here.

Thanks!

Tom

Sunset Gondola

2008-02-27T20:22:00.000-08:00

Our friends own Sunset Gondola in Sunset Beach - Give them a try!

Body Care and Grooming

2008-02-23T12:34:00.000-08:00

Online Videos by Veoh.com

Buster's Beach House - Long Beach - Review

2008-02-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

I purposely waited until our second visit to Buster’s Beach House before I wrote this post because I wanted to give it a fair shake. I’m pleased to say that this visit was nearly as enjoyable as our first. Only the service suffered this time, but I’ll get into that later.

Buster’s is located in what was once called Seaport Village in Long Beach, California. It’s off the beaten path, in a picturesque little village on the Seal Beach border. The restaurant is in the building previously occupied by the Jolly Roger restaurant. Long-time locals will remember that the Jolly Roger was there for decades, and, in fact, Busters is owned by the same parent company, Aloha Restaurants. Somehow it’s comforting for me to know that the Jolly Roger of my youth didn’t go out of business, but was simply ‘swapped out’ for a new model. But I digress.

Come for the food. . . Busters offers a good variety of dishes that span the spectrum from pizza (served on a scaled-down surfboard) to prime rib, to fresh seafood, salads, and even a Thai lettuce wrap. To be honest, we’ve only tried the pizza, chicken sandwich, cheeseburger combo, tortilla soup, and clam chowder, but all were very good. Even something as seemingly easy to pour out of a can as tortilla soup tasted particularly good as if Buster’s actually put thought into the ingredients instead of making it taste like every other tortilla soup in town. Portions are generous as well, so bring your appetite or plan on taking some home. For desert, try the Fruit Fantasia, a large, pizza-sized fruit pastry served on a surfboard . . . tasty and somewhat healthy – can’t beat that!

Stay for the view. . . We were fortunate to sit in the same part of the dining room during both visits, and I recommend asking the hostess for a table with a view. Buster’s is situated at the head of a jetty overlooking Alamitos Bay, and offers one of the most picturesque vistas in Long Beach.

Service is adequate, although, on our last visit, our waitress visited our table about half as much as we needed – considering we were dining with our three children. This can’t be blamed on how busy she was because I could see her just standing in an area near the kitchen, apparently waiting for someone to snap their fingers. By contrast, service during our fist visit was very good. So much for consistency. This averages out to an ‘adequate’ rating in my book.

The combination of great good, big portions, and a fantastic view make Buster’s one of Long Beach’s more unique family dining experiences. Let’s hope that its location doesn’t work against it as it has to so many other failed restaurants in the same little village. Spread the word!

You can find Buster's Beach House at:

168 N Marina Dr
Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 598-9431
Get directions

The Unreal OC Promo

2008-01-06T10:24:00.001-08:00

Ema went on a rant during our latest podcast (#51), and it was classic enough to isolate and send out to the world. Enjoy. www.theunrealoc.com

Mobile post sent by The Unreal OC using Utterz. Replies. mp3

Barefoot in the Garage 8

2008-01-06T05:18:00.001-08:00

Mobile post sent by The Unreal OC using Utterz. Replies. mp3

BFIG - Now Open Late!

2008-01-05T08:00:00.001-08:00

New website now open for business: www.barefootinthegarage.com

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Barefoot in the Garage 7

2008-01-05T06:07:00.001-08:00

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Barefoot in the Garage # 6

2008-01-04T17:14:00.001-08:00

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The Small Cafe - Long Beach California

2008-01-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

Decided to go somewhere besides Mel's last night, and that kind of rash decision making paid off. The Small Cafe in the heart of Naples Island in Long Beach proved somewhat of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the food at The Small Cafe is very flavorful. However the wait for the food, the overall atmosphere (very bright lights at eye level over each table), and the odd tasting grilled cheese sandwich left us wondering if we should give this diner a second chance.

The 20 minute wait for our food could be explained by the fact that there's only one cook in the tiny kitchen. Granted, he's a great short-order cook, but when there's only two other tables occupied in the restaurant and we had to wait that long, it makes us wonder how long of a wait there would be if the place was packed.

I had the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich which was one of the best I've ever tasted. It came with my choice of side dishes, and I chose a small salad. My wife had the vegetarian sandwich which consisted of a variety of grilled vegetables topped with a slice of mozzarella. This was also quite good. My oldest son had the tripple-decker club sandwich which was delicious. The sandwich had a couple of nice touches not usually found on clubs - thick bacon and good quality turkey. Those two ingredients may have bumped the price up by a buck or two, but certainly also made for a more memorable meal.

My daughter's grilled cheese was just plain off. I don't know if they used Velveta cheese instead of American, or if they ran out of both and used a dollup of Frito Lay nacho cheese, but it just tasted wrong. Not spoiled, mind you, just not right. The waitress happily offered another meal, but my daughter chose the blueberry muffin instead.

The muffin was so good that we decided to get four of them to go to have for breakfast this morning.

So yes, The Small Cafe does go the extra mile in selecting quality ingredients and even making something as mundane as a blueberry muffin memorable. This cafe serves up tasty food, and if you don't mind the possibility of having to wait a little while, this cafe may be worth putting on your regular lunch list.

Barefoot in the Garage # 5

2008-01-04T05:28:00.001-08:00

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Barefoot in the Garage # 4

2008-01-03T05:52:00.001-08:00

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Barefoot in the Garage # 3

2008-01-02T05:27:00.001-08:00

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Mel's Drive-In Seal Beach - Take Two

2008-01-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

I'm not usually one to add salt to my food, but this morning I made an exception when faced with Mel's version of a vegetable omelet. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the wizardry of such established egg and potato masters as The Porch, Chuck's, and The Potholder - all in Long Beach, or Cafe Del Sol, here in Los Alamitos. Maybe Mel's just needs time to become 'seasoned' in their food preparation. Is it fair for me to expect greatness from such a new kitchen? I just figured that since it's part of a chain, the chef's would be with the program out of the gate.

With my omelet, I had my choice of Mel's Special Grilled potatoes or regular hash browns. I suppose I started worrying about this meal when I asked the waitress which one she recommended and she said the hash browns. They had even less taste than the omelet which had only one taste that rose above all others - burnt. It wasn't scorched, just singed enough to become the dominant taste of the entire dish.

My daughter's French Toast was fine, but unremarkable. My dad had two eggs, scrambled and an English Muffin - nothing there to complain about.

Trust me when I say that I really want to like this diner. I live close by and have been looking forward to its opening for nearly a year. That being said, we will continue to visit Mel's to try out different menu items, and I'll continue to have faith that one day soon I'll experience a meal there which will leave me smiling with the comforting realization that our neighborhood diner has finally arrived.

I look forward to writing that review.

Barefoot in the Garage # 2

2008-01-01T05:56:00.001-08:00

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Barefoot in the Garage # 1

2007-12-31T07:15:00.001-08:00

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Memories - Family Trips

2007-12-31T05:55:00.000-08:00

Some of my fondest childhood memories surround family vacations. My mom, dad, and I would take car trips each summer. In July of 1975 we drove from our house in Long Beach, California to Dowagiac Michigan and back, a total of 5,000 miles round trip in eleven driving days. I have trouble staying awake driving the 12.5 miles home from work. This gives me a new appreciation for my dad's tenacity as well as the strength of truck stop coffee.

Most trips were less ambitious, but equally as exciting. We drove to the top of Oregon to the Columbia River Gorge, Yosimite, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, Monterey and Carmel - Many great memories.

I didn't have much appreciation for the scenery along the way back then, but I sure loved the Best Western hotel rooms. I was usually allowed to be the first to open the hotel room door and peer inside. While I'm sure my parents looked at each room as yet another in a series of steps to our destination, I felt as if each one WAS our destination. Perhaps only Howard Carter could relate to my exuberance as the shafts of early-evening sunlight shot from the opening door and pierced the dark chamber. "Can you see anything?" "Yes, wonderful things."

Each morning before hitting the highway my dad would have his cup of coffee and examine the route from one of a half-dozen road maps he'd carefully chosen for the trip. He'd show me points of interest that we'd pass along the way, but I was more interested in the AAA Lodging Guide which showed a single, small photo of the next hotel I'd get to explore, some 500 miles and ten cups of strong coffee down the road.

Mel's drive-in - Seal Beach - First Impressions

2007-12-26T18:49:00.001-08:00

Just when you thought that the nostalgia craze was over, Mel's drive-in restaurant opens in Seal Beach - just skipping distance from our doorstep. Mel's occupies the building that housed The Parasol restaurant which closed its doors 15 months ago under pressure to remodel from the folks who bought and renovated Rossmoor Town Center.

I remember The Parasol for several distinct family dining memories, but unfortunately, not for the food. Mel's serves up similar helpings of Americana fare, but adds the much needed element of flavor which was sorely missing from its predecessor.

While The Parasol held close its 1950's design and old-school charm simply due to the fact that the owners never remodeled the interior, Mel's spent significant time and money remodeling the inside to mimic a classic diner from the 1950's. "Excuse me, waitress, I'll take the Irony Burger with a side of humility please.

With such a small sampling as we had tonight it isn't fair to generalize about the quality of the food. I can say that so far, it's better than The Parasol, but, then again, such can be said about the majority of our local eateries and most, if not all, bait shops.

I had the Mel's Burger with fries, while Ema had the Santa Fe salad. Nick had a BLT and the two little ones had kids meals served up in cardboard vintage Chevy's. The burger was tasty, but not outstanding. The salad was dry, and although the chicken was cooked well, moist and tender, the iceberg lettuce bed left us wanting a greener, more flavorful lettuce variety.

Nick's BLT was very standard, but that's what people want when they come to a place like Mel's. People don't want surprises or exotic ingredients like Romaine lettuce. Mel's has taken a bold move to be. . .un-bold. Tradition is not only accepted at Mel's, but expected as well. Mel's does what any good greasy spoon should - it delivers what people expect.

We will eat at Mel's again soon, and I'll write up another quick review of that experience as well. I'm hoping it's a repeat of this one. I don't want or need any surprises.

6:53 am Target, Seal Beach

2007-12-26T07:10:00.001-08:00

What would motivate 150 people to stand in line in 43 degrees? One half off Xmas decorations! ...My new year resolution? Get a life.

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Merry Christmas to All

2007-12-24T13:35:00.001-08:00

..and a wonderful New Year!

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2007-12-22T17:19:00.001-08:00

Finding your lucky Vegas shirt after it was missing for five months - instant gratification. Finding a twenty in the front pocket - . . . $20.

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2007-12-21T18:38:00.003-08:00

Just got busted by Ema for burning the pizza. Merry @?!/?! Christmas!

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2007-12-21T10:01:00.001-08:00

Sunday, sundae girl

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Huh?

2007-12-20T19:17:00.001-08:00

Perhaps this company's translation budget was undercut by research and development? I dunno. I just don't know. . .

Sniff. . .cough. . .

2007-12-07T05:15:00.000-08:00

"Did you say the Day Time Triaminic Thin Strips Cold & Cough were next to the Dimetapp Cold & Flu Gel Caps or the Robitussen DMX Night Time Sore Throat Losenges?"

Photo courtesy of this person on Flickr.

I know, I know. . .

2007-12-02T19:37:00.000-08:00

re: http://theaterofyourmind.blogspot.com/2007/12/funny-cat-video.html

No, I haven't sold out, as my wife so eloquently put it. Call it an experiment in search engine optimization: Post the most popular YouTube video on your blog, title it with one of the most indexed phrases, and see what happens.

Now that you're in on the 'joke' you can sit back and wait for my site traffic report.

Film at 11:00.

P.S. - Thanks for tuning in :)

- Tom

Funny Cat Video

2007-12-02T11:34:00.001-08:00

My Brother's Rock-Ola CD8C Bubbler Jukebox

2007-12-01T19:47:00.001-08:00

36 Podcasting Hot Tips - Free!

2007-11-29T19:54:00.000-08:00

For a limited time, I'll be offering (sound like a real infomercial, don't it?) my newest Ebook, 36 Podcasting Hot Tips - FREE!

Just click HERE to download and enjoy!

Give it away as a gift for that special someone for the holidays. Of course, a free ebook may not shoot you to the top of their 'A' list, but it's the thought that counts.

Thanks for your support!

Tom

Make Some Sunday Morning Donut Money!

2007-11-20T20:33:00.000-08:00

Become an affiliate for Podcasting Quick Start, and make 50% commission on each and every sale of my new podcasting ebook!

As warned, my ebook took a price hike from $4.99 to $14.99 but it now includes a companion audio book with sound examples and extra material not found in the ebook.

So, bad news if you want to buy one, but great news if you have a Web site or blog and want to promote this ebook and make some extra holiday scratch! Here's the 411:

Start selling as an affiliate: https://paydotcom.com/a.page.php?id=29774&u=EbookHookup

Main sales page: http://www.ebookhookup.com/PQSsales.html

Artwork download link: http://www.ebookhookup.com/PQSimages.html

Thanks folks, and have a great Thanksgiving or whatever you may be celebrating in your part of the world.

- Tom

The Definition of Spontaneity

2007-11-10T15:26:00.000-08:00

We've all seen them. The headphone-wearing people dancing on the corner, with their signs advertising everything from new home sales to pizza by the slice.

I've made the argument that this may be one of the few occupations where job performance may actually improve with the introduction of moderate amounts of THC. Time would fly by, the music would sound fantastic, your inhibitions would dissolve. Or so I imagine. . .

This poor gent however, has neither rhythm nor enthusiasm. But that's not why I took this picture.

No, I took this picture because I could not, for the life of me, conceive of a situation where a person would be driving along and, upon seeing this fellow, be spontaneously persuaded to to get a tattoo.

I can see touring a new home, buying a pizza, maybe even getting an advance on my paycheck, but getting a tattoo, seems to me, is one of the few things in life that requires some planning and forethought.

Am I right here, or have I simply gotten old. Have I forgot what it's like to be young, full of piss and vinegar, cruising the boulevard with nothing better to do that scoff convention? Don't answer that. Or better yet, go ahead and give me your opinion. I'm sure Ema will agree with you as long as your opinion contradicts mine.

TMI

2007-11-03T05:36:00.001-07:00

I've got so much to say about this that I don't know where to start. Perhaps if I had a sign next to my monitor outlining the basics of writing a sentence I'd have a better idea of where to start. After all, where would any of us be without signs and instructions? It seems, these days, that even the simplest tasks require instruction of some sort.

But what's driving all of this? Look, there's a very real threat to society lurking among us, and the only things worse than the bottom-feeders I refer to are the lawyers who represent them. But would placing instructions on a crosswalk post really prevent someone with a sub-custodial mentality from winning a lawsuit against a city in the event they were mowed down in an intersection? Well, Long Beach is banking on it.

And by the way, I'm not sure that these instructions are going to help anyway. If you ignore the icons on the left, you'll see that all you need to do to cross the street is "Push Button" and "Start Walking." The icons may even add to the danger if one is to look at them, not as keys to the crossing signals, but as visual guides to accompany the written instructions. In that case, it would appear that you simply need to start walking, then stop abruptly after several steps, placing you in the direct path on oncoming vehicles. This is clearly a case of TMI.

When I see such blatant, embarrassing signatures of our so-called advanced culture, I can’t help thinking of the alien scenario. You know, what would a being from another galaxy think of our society if it were to pop by for a visit? Yeah. . .exactly.

Yes, I believe we've gone too far with this one. Forcing people to NOT use their brains is a very dangerous thing. It perpetuates the continual dumbing of our society. We are breeding new generations who won’t be able to open a beer can or a door handle without guidance. Now, if I can just figure out how to turn off this computer without electrocuting myself, I'll be on my way to work.

It's a Cryin' Shame!

2007-10-07T07:47:00.000-07:00

The jag broke down this past Wednesday. I took it to work for the first time in three months, and it broke down on the way home. Seems it couldn't handle the stress any better than I can.

Will take a week and a tranny rebuild, but she'll be back in top form soon. Hey - At least they sent a flatbed!

BUY MY BOOK! New Ebook by Tom Jordan

2007-10-06T05:13:00.000-07:00

JUMP START your podcasting adventure with this professionally-written Ebook! I wrote "Podcasting Quick Start" to help you jump start your podcasting adventure in three easy steps. Learn how to Plan, Produce, and Promote your podcast with simple, step-by-step instructions. If you're looking to get into podcasting, but need some help getting started, or already have a podcast and seek production and promotion tips, this Ebook is for you! Topics covered: Choosing a subject for your podcast, Episode regularity, Episode Length, Description Writing, Choosing recording equipment, Purchasing equipment, How to speak into a microphone, Editing your podcast, Posting your podcast, How Show Notes can promote your podcast, How to work with podcast directories, How to record a promo, and MUCH MORE!
BUY NOW! - SPECIAL, INTRODUCTORY PRICE OF ONLY $4.99! WHEN I PORT THIS OVER TO EBAY IN NOVEMBER, I'LL BE CHARGING AT LEAST TWICE THAT AMOUNT, SO DON'T DELAY.

Breathe In, Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal - 2

2007-09-14T05:46:00.000-07:00

Please visit The Unreal OC Blog for the remaining entries of 'Breathe In, Breathe Out' Thnak you.

Breathe In, Breathe Out - A Cancer Recovery Journal

2007-09-12T18:49:00.001-07:00

Ema update: Ema's surgery was Monday and it went as planned. The orthopedic oncologist and plastic surgeon worked to perform a radical resection of the tumor site. There's more details here, but they aren't for the squeamish, so I'll leave it at that. She is still in the hospital, but should be coming home tomorrow or Friday. Also, the two latest CT scan results came back negative for cancer - all clear - yay! I saw her today (Wednesday). She looks good, her spirits are up, and her leg hurts like an SOB.

*** *** ***

Like Ema said in episode 48, “. . .these are the only two things you do alone in life – be born and die. And when death looks at you it’s terrifying. But if you’re not alone, it makes a big difference.” This is why I’m writing this ‘cancer recovery journal.’ I was going to call it a ‘cancer journal,’ but it’s really about the process of recovery, not the disease itself. Ema is so right - a huge part of recovery comes from knowing that you are not alone. So many friends, some of whom we haven’t talked to in years, have come to our side and offered prayers, babysitting, running errands, and so much more. Sharing Ema’s recovery and our journey helps us stay connected to everyone who has offered help and sent well-wishes for a speedy recovery. There’s no reason to go through this alone as long as we have friends and family who are willing to be part of this battle.

Like many life-threatening diseases, cancer sweeps through a family like a cyclone – upending a normal life and challenging the very substance of our resolve. While the disease is destructive by itself, the treatments can leave the patient sick, weak, and vulnerable to other ailments. Where we stand today, we’ve eradicated the tumor, removed the tissue surrounding the tumor site, and are now healing those wounds before radiation and chemotherapy can begin. Both of these treatments are radical, potentially destructive measures that seem almost archaic in practice, but which are the most modern, effective ways to annihilate such a tenacious disease.

I wrote the first several entries of the journal without any expectations of publishing it in a blog. It’s a personal account of how I made it through each day knowing my wife, the person I had expected to spend the rest of my life with, may be dying. The journal starts on the third day after the news of Ema’s cancer.

Day 3: It’s 7:00 AM right now, and we somehow made it through the weekend. Ema is going to call her doctor in one hour to schedule an appointment. In the meantime, I wait, try to keep busy by doing even the most mundane things, and concentrate on my breathing which seems to soothe me a little.

Breathe in, breathe out. That’s about all I can do right now. For the past 36 hours I have been in a near dissociative state of panic. I feel at once restless, helpless, anxious, and angry. I want to lash out, blame someone, but I haven’t had the energy to do more than place one foot in front of the other, raise my hands to the keyboard and, against better judgment, sit behind the wheel of my car and steer absent mindlessly toward places I really don’t want to go.

Idle time is the worst. The moments between walking, driving, writing, working. The smallest interim of inactivity causes my mind to start spinning, thinking and rethinking worst-case scenarios. With so little information so far to go by, I’m forced to concoct possible outcomes, trying to sort out my feelings in each circumstance. What if the doctor tells us she has six months to live? What if this rare form of cancer has proven to have a 100% mortality rate? It’s exhausting and frustrating to think of these things. Although writing this down forces me to think about it all, I know that it will somehow help me in the long run.

Now see, that's just good stuff there, don't ya know.

2007-09-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

At the risk of startling my readers with uncharacteristic, crushing irony, I feel obliged to admit something: I don't read many blogs. Frankly, I don't read many anythings. Although I fancy myself a writer, I read surprisingly little.

After 36 years of reading, or more accurately, not reading, I've discovered what may be the biggest culprit. I have trouble with comprehension. Now don't misunderstand (sorry), it's not that I don't comprehend the words I read, it's more that I don't retain a cohesive, cognitive understanding from one sentence to another. For example, most of what I read sounds just like that! Imagine reading anything more in-depth than the back of a cereal box while handicapped with this debilitating level of confusion. It all sounds like gobelty-gook (I've always wanted to write that word.)

Anyway, I have found a couple of blogs that I read regularly, fully comprehend, and am happy to recommend. Here they are - enjoy!

James Lileks's blog - A Dave Barry-ish Minnesotan who prompts me, upon reading each entry, to utter: "Now see, that's just good stuff there, don't ya know."

The Long Beach Ledger - Tony used to be a good friend of mine. Recently I discovered he can write better than I so I've downgraded our relationship accordingly. Should he ever stop writing, or God forbid lose his wits, he'll shoot right back up to the A-list again.

Southernly - Tony's wife. A great writer in her own right, but much too beautiful to dislike :)

Celluloid Heroes - A great movie review site by my podcasting buddy, Paul.

Leave My False Idols Alone!

2007-08-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

This may not be news to all of you, but I just found out that Iron Eyes Cody was NOT an Indigenous American. Apparently he was a second-generation Italian! Now don't get me wrong. I have nothing against Italians - some of my favorite people have last names that end in "o." It's just that for the past 36 years, since Iron Eyes shed that tear, I've believed him to be, well, an honest Injun'!

What's next? Flip Wilson turns out to be Haitian? Don Ho an Inuit? Mr. Green Jeans a Communist Sympathizer?!? What other beloved icons are going to be torn from the pages of my childhood and carelessly tossed to the side of the road? I've got news for sites like Snopes.com - leave my false idols alone! My memories of childhood, those kind faces staring back at me in black and white, they are my friends, my companions, my link to the past and my portals to the future.

They say you can never go home again. Maybe they're right, but at least afford me the kindness to let me live in ignorance, because so help me, if I have to read online somewhere that Fred Rogers was gay, there's going to be blood in the streets tonight!