tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65498527682871375852011-12-12T19:58:54.920-05:00I was feeling part of the scenery - I walked right out of the machinery<br>My heart going boom, boom, boom - Hey, he said, Grab your things, I've come to take you homebillnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2041100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-91962110782856871162011-12-11T21:59:00.000-05:002011-12-11T21:59:43.686-05:00

Four years. This dog has been here for four years now. Apparently, he thinks he's staying, and is making himself comfortable - in my bed.   So, now my pillow smells like dog.Great.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-8952430456513983892011-12-04T20:38:00.046-05:002011-12-11T22:21:44.711-05:00

We buried our cat today. Sixteen years ago, Ellen and I went off to pick out a cat. When we got ready to leave, Ellen had chosen a little yellow furball who we ultimately named Mufasa.  I was drawn to a black and white kitten we ultimately named Neelix.  So, instead of the one cat we had intended, we ended up coming home with two (and dodging the landlord for a couple of years). Mufasa was

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-23068611768596219122011-03-05T22:22:00.001-05:002011-12-11T22:42:08.146-05:00

Today was a crazy day as far as the kids were concerned. Three kids needed to be at three events in three different parts of the county - at the same time. Keke had a Math Team competition, and we were able to drop her off after arranging for a ride home with one of her friends. She competed in word problems, and she did all right. Stewie had a regional Pinewood Derby event. As the overall

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-65971471668733542962011-02-16T12:04:00.000-05:002011-02-16T12:05:48.464-05:00

It's the last year for Beenie to compete in the spelling bee.  Last year he followed up 2 years worth of second place by coming in first and moving on to the regional spelling bee. In a way that created less pressure as he's already been there. In a way it created more pressure - the pressure to repeat. So, we were a little on edge last night as we sat down to watch the Middle School Spelling

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-40625870590583836092011-01-25T10:57:00.005-05:002011-02-16T11:33:20.708-05:00

I tend to stress out at the thought of the Pinewood Derby.  I am not a woodworker, so I figure the chances of me messing something up permanently are pretty high. This is made worse with the knowledge that I'm messing up something that my kid is making.  That was the situation I found myself in earlier this week, as Stewie and I started working on his first Pinewood Derby car. We talked about

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-74328596723025906912010-12-11T20:51:00.004-05:002010-12-12T20:58:50.266-05:00

It's been three years now. You know what I'm talking about. It's the dog.  Still here. Here's my annual nice thing I'll say about the dog: He is nice and warm when he curls up on the couch with us on those cold winter nights.   But, he drools all over my lap when I take him to the bank drive-through as he almost leaps into the teller window knowing they're going to give him a dog biscuit. 

billnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-83066260615947840012010-10-14T20:35:00.031-04:002010-12-12T20:34:32.976-05:00

Wow!!!! That was totally amazing!!! When I was working right after college I was able to head to New York City on several (borderline many) occasions.  I would always pick up a copy of the Village Voice while I was there, just to get a feel for what was going on in the city and maybe find something fun to do.  One thing that I saw often was advertisements for Blue Man Group. Unfortunately,

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-28953700508441783072010-09-22T21:39:00.001-04:002010-12-02T14:35:03.585-05:00

I saw Neil deGrasse Tyson last night. His lecture didn't have a title (that I know of) but he said that by the end of the evening we would understand that this was The End of America as we know it.  He actually talked about how the failure to focus on science leads to the downfall of the society as a world/intellectuall power. It was a fascinating lecture, where he talked about the importance of

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-76896315614253731662010-08-16T11:15:00.004-04:002010-08-19T12:20:02.670-04:00

I've been thinking about doing this for a while, but finally purchased some Atra razor blades for the old Atra razor I got as a freebie in college (surprised it's not fallen apart with age!).  The Atra is a (gasp!) 2-blade razor.  I've been using the Mach 3 which is a, unsurprisingly, a 3-blade razor.  Believe it or not, the difference between the two is tremendous.  (Not so much the difference

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-39102509129734385412010-06-12T21:41:00.000-04:002010-06-12T21:41:06.170-04:00

Since it's World Cup time (yay!), I guess I should report on how Blue Albatross FC did this fantasy season.  If you'll recall the last time I reported on the status of the team's performance in the English Premier League, we were (temporarily) in first place.  True to form, we dropped back to third (gasp!) the following week.  There we sat for the next couple of weeks, although we managed to

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-51319858656324426382010-06-03T19:40:00.002-04:002010-06-03T19:43:57.083-04:00

It's been a while since I posted, so I'm taking the easy way out.  Twice.  That's right...it's a video two-fer.  But be warned, one of 'em will make you cry. Mandalas: Buddhist monks making a mandala over a 6-day period Leave Me - the story of a broken camera Leave Me from Daros Films on Vimeo.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-76075427688437998362010-04-27T22:13:00.001-04:002010-05-02T19:35:28.789-04:00

I've had a passing interest in archery for a while.  I even was shooting with a club in Cleveland for a couple of years.  I'm not very good, but I have fun, and maybe my techniques are improving a little bit over time.  So, when the local Rec Center sent flyers out to the schools announcing that they would be offering an archery class, I was very excited.  So were Beenie and Keke.  Beenie had

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-22245865582585294332010-03-30T12:18:00.000-04:002010-03-30T12:18:03.058-04:00

I'm posting this because I don't think it will ever happen again, and I'm pretty excited about it. I have made it to #1 overall in my English Premier League fantasy league. I've bopped around the standings in this 20 team league, ranging squarely in the middle for most of the season.  I started to creep up recently, going back and forth between #3 and #4 for a few weeks.  All of a sudden, I

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-2924301613977654142010-03-14T22:06:00.000-04:002010-03-14T22:06:47.473-04:00

photo by Leo Reynolds ...well, we've already got a Eurovan and a New Beetle.  A hacksaw, an acetylene torch, and some duct tape and we can modernize this baby!!

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-7739890385918827872010-03-06T23:10:00.003-05:002011-02-16T12:05:37.956-05:00

Tonight was the Regional Spelling Bee.  This bee covered the four counties in our neck of the woods, and the participants were the winners of the school spelling bees from the area.  As I mentioned earlier, Beenie was one of those participants. Sixty-nine spellers started the tournament, and Beenie was number 45, so we had to wait a while for him to spell.  In the first round, he spelled:

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-81949535223437016682010-02-08T23:02:00.008-05:002011-02-16T12:05:37.957-05:00

After coming in second two years in a row (link), Beenie finally won the middle school spelling bee!!!!  I'm so excited and happy for him - especially because this means that he gets to compete in the Regional Spelling Bee, the winner of which gets to go to Washington, DC, for the big Scripps Spelling Bee finals!!! However, that doesn't mean that I didn't have heart failure along the way. 

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-4572392030604776662010-01-08T17:57:00.000-05:002010-01-08T17:57:54.892-05:00

It's a little old, but it's making the rounds again. And I just love this video. Enjoy!

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-88255570690502049782009-12-26T17:18:00.000-05:002009-12-26T17:18:27.843-05:00

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-14547976497772265242009-12-14T22:45:00.000-05:002009-12-14T22:45:54.395-05:00

I saw these today and I would so totally buy each one if someone were producing them. Image from johnonolan Here's the blog post where I saw it.  Good collection of shirts besides these.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-86750746299072127422009-12-14T11:09:00.000-05:002009-12-14T11:09:50.575-05:00

This has been around for about 14 months.  I can't believe I hadn't seen it until today.  16 minutes, but worth it.  Smile!

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-62827872770240577452009-12-11T20:39:00.001-05:002009-12-11T20:40:17.266-05:00

Two years ago today my wife brought home The Dog.  I think my reaction to The Dog have been well documented. But, in the spirit of generosity, and seeing how it is the Christmas season, I would like to say something nice about The Dog. I like riding around town with the dog in the car.  He sits in the passenger seat and looks out the front window. There.  That's all you're getting.

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-70426020508880571522009-10-03T10:13:00.000-04:002009-10-03T10:13:28.531-04:00

Gameweek 8 is about to begin in the English Premier League.  Hopefully I will do better this week than last.  I got creamed in Gameweek 7.  The average score was 52 and I scored 30.  I'm a little Chelsea heavy, and not only did they lose, but Petr Cech (GK) got red carded.  That hurt.  When your Goalkeeper has a -1 point total for the week, you know it's going to be a bad week.  The other players

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-65158770284940620842009-09-16T11:08:00.000-04:002009-09-16T11:08:00.789-04:00

Pulled the plug on Shorey.  Added Abdoulaye Faye from Stoke City. AAAAAAAAL-batross!!

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-24857378871579290172009-09-14T22:26:00.000-04:002009-09-16T11:09:15.360-04:00

Not to be outdone, UEFA Champions League also has a fantasy game.  I had to sign up for that too, of course. Here's my lineup: Goalkeeper: Cech (Chelsea) Defender: O'Shea (Manchester United), Rolando (Porto), Gallas (Arsenal), Diakhate (Dynamo Kyiv) Midfielder: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Fernando (Porto), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Song (Arsenal) Forward: Messi (Barcelona), Lisandro (Lyon

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-62440365191157192992009-09-14T22:02:00.000-04:002009-09-14T22:02:18.593-04:00

And by football, I mean real football. The English Premiere League has a fantasy league, and I decided to join this year.  A little late.  In Matchweek 5, but hey, better late than never.  So, this is my lineup going into my first matchweek: Goalkeeper: Cech (Chelsea) Defender: Johnson (Liverpool), Upson (West Ham), Shorey (Aston Villa), Shawcross (Stoke City) Midfielder: Lampard (Chelsea),

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-53539513047574828992009-09-02T23:40:00.000-04:002009-09-02T23:40:22.922-04:00

This is one very cool video.  It was posted on Facebook by a friend of mine, I reposted it for my other friends, and now two of them have passed it along as well.  The story goes that this woman won "Ukraine's Got Talent" with her Sand Animation.  In this video, she is telling the story of when the Germans invaded the Ukraine in World War II.  It's something you have to see. This reminds me

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-29870705507382545182009-08-08T16:34:00.012-04:002009-09-01T10:51:50.133-04:00

I am trying to catch up on some posts that I should have published while on the road. I am 'back-dating' them, so that they show up in the right order, so if you've been following along you might not see them. I'll list them here as they are posted, so you can find them, then a few days after the last one is live, I'll delete this post. Just so's you know. End of Convention - Vacation Begins!

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-91748114969196703482009-08-03T10:13:00.002-04:002009-08-03T10:16:28.351-04:00

Great video that encapsulates in 6 minutes what happened in almost 2 weeks.

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-6797584288743601082009-08-01T13:53:00.001-04:002009-08-02T23:15:36.238-04:00

We finally made it home. Got in about 11:00 last night, and boy is it nice to not be driving anymore!!Our last two legs were uneventful. We went from Oklahoma City to St. Louis. Got up yesterday morning and headed home from St. Louis. The only weird thing was this:Looks just like the Largest Cross in the Western Hemisphere, don't it? Guess what? It's larger. It's in Effingham, Illinois (a

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-26193271627092093212009-07-29T23:45:00.003-04:002009-08-03T19:29:29.049-04:00

Probably the biggest issue with “Mojave Desert Breakdown '09” was that we spent two days stuck in California. This meant that we weren't sticking to our (albeit flexible) schedule, and so over the last couple of days we could tell that the kids were getting kind of squirrelly, and we (the adults) were ready to start heading back home. (Well, at least I was. Keep in mind, I've been gone since

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-37051720086530807572009-07-28T22:45:00.005-04:002009-08-02T14:33:54.411-04:00

We backtracked today to Four Corners. It was about an hour back toward Kayenta. I guess the theme of this part of the trip could be “going backwards”. But I digress...The thing that surprised me the most about the Four Corners Monument was how many people were there. We actually had to stand in line to get to the marker. The thing is that you really have to be going there to be there. It's

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-84588873976533281152009-07-27T22:32:00.000-04:002009-08-01T22:23:30.382-04:00

We got up this morning, and very reluctantly (very reluctantly) left Flagstaff. But, not before hitting the Flagstaff Visitor's Center. Noting the irony in stopping there on the way out of town, we picked up some souvenirs and some information about cool things to do in the area. So we'll have to come back. And, if you get a chance, check out the Visitor's Center's website. It rocks.After

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-44613350248036720552009-07-26T23:50:00.002-04:002009-08-01T22:20:14.369-04:00

Today we spent the day wandering around Flagstaff. Mostly the “historic” downtown area. It is a several square block area with a whole bunch of little shops and restaurants. It was a lot of fun.We found a store called Sacred Rites, and when we walked in the kids said, “It smells like our house!” The store sells singing bowls, drums, other musical instruments, buddhist statuary, wall hangings,

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-20068261432501514302009-07-25T22:07:00.000-04:002009-08-01T22:21:47.445-04:00

Flagstaff is great! Got up this morning and joined the long parade of cars headed north to the Grand Canyon. One of my favorite drives is up through Coconino and Kaibab National Forests on the way to the canyon. You pass by Humphrey's Peak, and the rest of the San Francisco Peaks, and it is just gorgeous (especially so in the spring and fall, but this day in July was pretty nice, too).We

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-81583756206192984642009-07-24T22:01:00.000-04:002009-07-25T01:17:43.189-04:00

We pulled into Ontario VW and they made us feel more than comfortable while they looked at the car. The kids played on the Lego table, while Ellen and I looked at the different models on the lot. Jose (our service manager) brought us bottles of water, and was really kind and joking with us the whole time. Once they got the car into the bay, the technician took all of five minutes to determine

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-76467167488964078342009-07-23T21:40:00.002-04:002009-08-02T22:51:41.525-04:00

My plan was to wake up this morning, drive the few miles from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon, and introduce my kids to the most breathtaking place I've ever been. Early in the morning, free from distractions, they would have an experience that they would remember for the rest of their lives.Alas, my car had other ideas.We left Anaheim, after four great days at the Disney theme parks, and headed

billnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-64311493747932178302009-07-21T23:40:00.001-04:002009-09-01T10:49:49.391-04:00

We hit every ride in Adventureland. Tarzan's Treehouse is here. The kids went in it a couple of times and had a blast. Back in the day it used to be the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. Nobody knows the Swiss Family Robinson story anymore, so they updated it. Well, they updated the name anyway. Now it's tied into the Tarzan franchise. The Jungle Cruise was a hoot, with the water animals

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-28369178182470154912009-07-21T23:30:00.002-04:002009-09-01T10:41:08.363-04:00

We never actually did anything in Frontierland. Sadly, there was a roller coaster there – Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – and we never got on it. Beenie, Keke, Stewie, and I passed through there on the way to Splash Mountain, but that's as close as we got. On an unrelated note, it seems that the designated “smoker's corner” for Disneyland is in Frontierland. On a back path. Behind a rock.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-48504769111955988402009-07-21T23:25:00.003-04:002009-09-01T10:36:45.840-04:00

Critter Country is the area of the park where, if I remember correctly, the Country Bear Jamboree used to be located. It's not there anymore. Nor is it anywhere, it's just gone. That is too bad, as I bet the kids would have really liked it. Now, in Critter Country, is The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. It is another one of those rides like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride where you are in a car and

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-43836947682419870592009-07-21T23:20:00.002-04:002009-09-01T10:23:29.942-04:00

The thing that I noticed first about New Orleans Square was how crowded it was. That was my first impression on a day that wasn't the “I can't believe how many people are in this park” day. It must've been a combination of the layout of this part of the park, or all the people trying to squeeze around the lagoon between Frontierland and Critter Country, where the newest, most popular attraction

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-28744530427277893412009-07-21T23:15:00.001-04:002009-08-16T22:20:07.953-04:00

Toontown wasn't there when I was a kid, nor was it there when I was 20. I guess that's because Who Framed Roger Rabbit still had about 2 years before it came out.Toontown is styled to look like the cartoon houses and buildings of cartoon history, in an homage to Roger Rabbit. Actually a large part of the “land” is taken up by the Roger Rabbit ride, and other attractions that are related to the

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-29629986901704002172009-07-21T23:10:00.025-04:002009-08-16T22:26:01.938-04:00

Fantasyland was probably the place where we spent the most time. The carousel, excuse me, the King Arthur Carousel, is there, and everyone enjoyed that ride. Also Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and the Matterhorn, both of which had mixed reviews depending on who you spoke with. But, the Mad Tea Party (the teacup ride) is there and that was enjoyed several times. Except by me. Spinning, you see.The

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-3844237729377669692009-07-21T23:05:00.003-04:002009-08-16T22:22:56.467-04:00

After passing through Main Street, we veered right and went to Tomorrowland. There is a ride there called the Astro Orbiter that Munchkin was bound and determined to go on. It was a bunch of “rocket ships” that are lifted up in the air, then spin around. (It's like the Dumbo ride, but with rocket ships.) That was the first ride we went on. I say we, except Stewie and I just watched. If it

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-70838557232492050482009-07-21T23:00:00.005-04:002009-08-16T22:24:54.837-04:00

Disneyland is the first amusement park I ever went to. At least I think it is. At the very least, it's the first amusement park that I remember going to. I went there first when I was seven, and again when I was eleven. Those trips are probably blog posts in themselves, although I'm sure in the dark recesses of my mind one trip has bled into the other, so I might be a little soft and loose

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-9432050132566019882009-07-18T23:31:00.001-04:002009-08-15T11:05:03.834-04:00

Ellen and the kids arrived at General Convention on Thursday. Jim was able to make the drive with them, so the driving and kid-wrangling wasn't so overwhelming. I talked to Ellen when they were about an hour out, and she said she would call me when they got to the hotel. I got the call right at 2:00, just as Bonnie Anderson was announcing that the House of Deputies would come to order in one

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-54076997043431166742009-07-12T23:45:00.001-04:002009-07-13T03:26:36.785-04:00

I had a luncheon today that was sponsored by the Chicago Consultation. The theme was “Doing Justice, Building Communion.” As I walked into the room, Bishop Robinson gave me a nod and said “hello” from across the room. Once he had finished his conversation, he came over and greeted me and we chatted for a few minutes. I thought that was pretty neat, although I was aware that he was acting as

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-63300712490091521422009-07-11T21:39:00.001-04:002009-07-12T00:46:14.647-04:00

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, visited General Convention this week. He didn't address the House of Deputies, sadly, but he did participate in a panel discussion about the Global Economic Crisis, and met with various groups during his time with us. He also presented the meditation at our worship service on Thursday. By sheer happenstance, we had an event in the same space right

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-4553671364646076052009-07-09T22:15:00.000-04:002009-07-10T01:35:21.061-04:00

The House of Deputies meets in a large hall in the convention center. The deputations from all across the church gather together in part of the room that is cordoned off from the rest. At the gaps in the cordons, there are volunteers whose job is to make sure that only properly credentialed deputies are allowed in that area. They do their job really well. Sitting outside the area are

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-26667665435206635482009-07-07T21:36:00.000-04:002009-07-08T00:47:37.599-04:00

5:00am – wake up (thank you jet lag)6:45am – Coffee.7:00am – Registration in the convention centerSaw Helen from Cape Cod on the way in. She had to drop off cd's at a marketplace booth, so we went over to registration together. Turns out they wouldn't let her in to drop them off, so we wandered off the the Marriott for New Deputy Orientation.8:00am – New Deputy OrientationProblem is, no one at

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-90091037864632321792009-07-06T11:10:00.000-04:002009-07-06T11:13:55.913-04:00

So, I've got everything ready to go for convention. I've been cramming the Blue Book so that I'll have at least a passing familiarity with the legislation as it goes zipping by my mind in the next two weeks. I've gone through as many website things as I could in the time I had left. Everything is going just fine. And then I installed a Broadband Card.You see, the hotel where I will be staying

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-89851857696064953442009-07-03T23:31:00.003-04:002009-07-03T23:54:36.835-04:00

Although I had my nose buried in the Blue Book, and my head swimming in resolutions and reports, for most of the day today, I did “come up for air” a couple of times. Two things came across my radar during those times.The first was a prayer. On Twitter, someone tweeted that they were having difficulty figuring out how to pray for General Convention, but that they had finally hit upon something.

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-67518599181338242982009-07-01T23:16:00.004-04:002009-07-01T23:23:58.715-04:00

Once every three years The Episcopal Church gathers together to discuss things that are of importance to the whole church. This in one of those years. In fact, GC09 is due to start next Wednesday. What that means for me is that I am to climb on a plane bound for Anaheim on Monday so I can take my place as a member of the deputation of the Diocese of Ohio.Each diocese elects 4 lay persons, and

billnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-46136198318374909092009-05-08T11:16:00.002-04:002009-05-08T11:19:59.222-04:00

A Classic.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-65116897250903134342009-04-18T14:09:00.003-04:002009-04-18T14:11:15.511-04:00

I haven't posted in a while. Okay, a long while. All right, it's been some time - get off my back will ya?So, for your listening enjoyment, here is my current favorite Grateful Dead song.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-51502652066608484302009-01-31T12:46:00.002-05:002009-01-31T12:50:52.681-05:00

So, I noticed today that it has been 5 weeks since I posted. Wow. However, this will not be a new post. (Okay, technically it is.) It's just a note to say that I fixed the commenting.A while back, Blogger started offering the option to have the commenting page appear on the same template as the main page, under the post in question. That's really the way I would like to have it, so I changed

billnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-41860337788494217822008-12-25T18:17:00.002-05:002008-12-25T18:20:28.355-05:00

I am the best husband in the world. Here's what Ellen got for Christmas:

billnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-27499212013653618642008-12-13T14:34:00.004-05:002008-12-15T10:39:18.862-05:00

March, 1993. The weekend after St. Patrick's Day – must have been the 19th or 20th. I am sitting in the Dubliner. The Dubliner is a pub in Washington DC, just off of Capitol Hill. As you might imagine, it's an Irish Pub. I had been going there for several years, ever since my girlfriend Ellen (no, the other one) had introduced me to its charms. We would go there fairly often, and just about

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-77168970701701475702008-12-11T14:58:00.001-05:002008-12-11T23:01:21.052-05:00

It's been one year with the dog.Still don't want a dog.But it could be worse. (There -don't say I'm not warming up to the idea.)

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-671891796507194192008-12-02T13:12:00.003-05:002008-12-02T14:19:06.588-05:00

Please.The Advent Conspiracy

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-28391433157610289122008-11-30T22:51:00.000-05:002008-12-02T14:17:03.745-05:00

I didn't see it live, but I wish I had. The ultimate Rickroll!!For more information about Rickrolling, click here.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-13941740051941406962008-11-21T19:53:00.000-05:002008-11-25T19:57:48.560-05:00

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-24881893446298339122008-11-19T14:01:00.003-05:002008-11-19T14:06:51.831-05:00

Ellen's been complaining that I haven't posted anything lately. So, here you go honey. Enjoy!(My favorite line: "Even Dick Cheney doesn't want to see his grannie's titties in the breeze!")

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-35175531596622279002008-11-07T09:50:00.004-05:002008-11-07T09:55:58.226-05:00

Wil Wheaton had a great post yesterday about how he (and I, and I'm sure a lot of progressives) feel about the fallout from the election.Read it here.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-43174405081284071552008-11-05T15:48:00.005-05:002008-11-07T09:03:29.131-05:00

This was in my inbox this morning:Bill --I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.We just made history. And I don't want you to forget how we did it. You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-75350848331302790052008-11-04T23:00:00.000-05:002008-11-04T23:00:16.194-05:00

MSNBC just called the election for Obama!I am struck most by the comments that things will never be the way they were because the baton has been passed to the "Obama Generation" - my generation. It is no longer politics as usual.Yes. We. Can.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-67813470549069044352008-11-04T21:30:00.002-05:002008-11-04T21:53:45.249-05:00

OHIO GOES FOR OBAMA!!!At least MSNBC has called it. I think Ohio, combined with a win in Pennsylvania, should pretty much seal it up. Although, you never know. As my sister said, "When I went to bed, Al Gore was my President. When I woke up, it was George Bush."But the good news either way is that the robocalls will stop! We've averaged 4 per day over the last week (including today) - all

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-59721235676626477872008-11-04T10:19:00.001-05:002008-11-04T17:22:51.382-05:00

I dropped Munchkin off at school and walked across the street to my polling place. I was expecting a huge line, but it wasn't bad. Longer than usual, but I was in and out in a half an hour.Please don't forget to vote.For Obama.

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-64489864865878074412008-11-03T21:54:00.001-05:002008-11-04T17:16:50.354-05:00

I hate making telephone calls. The thought of picking up the phone and speaking to someone, especially someone I don't know terrifies me.* (It makes ordering a pizza a true ordeal.) So, when I tell you that I called 40 strangers today to encourage them to vote for Barack Obama, you need to understand that, while it may not be a lot in the grand scheme of things, it was a really big deal for

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-47351795452965305122008-11-01T20:48:00.000-04:002008-11-04T16:54:21.504-05:00

A little late, but as yesterday was Halloween, here are a couple of pictures from the neighborhood.Some people had scary pumpkins on the porch:Some had scary spiders on the roof:But, this house had the scariest decoration of all:All pictures taken with the new camera, by the way.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-90594384766557211762008-11-01T09:58:00.002-04:002008-11-01T10:12:08.890-04:00

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-28758465497637756532008-10-31T15:49:00.004-04:002008-10-31T16:23:50.005-04:00

David Tennant has announced that he will no longer play Dr. Who starting with, what I am assuming is, the next full season of episodes (scheduled to run in 2010). This makes me very sad, as I have fully enjoyed his portrayal of The Doctor.I did have the same reaction when it was announced that Christopher Eccleston would be leaving the part, so I hope that they (the BBC) can find someone just as

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-76036169666875853482008-10-22T21:44:00.002-04:002008-10-22T21:46:31.786-04:00

Doing the laundry. Checking pants pockets (already learned that lesson the hard way). What do I find in 6 year old Stewie's pants?Duck sauce.

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-27172498075772887402008-10-08T12:50:00.002-04:002008-10-08T12:52:58.521-04:00

How pathetic is this?

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-53958528429697746712008-10-06T10:10:00.002-04:002008-10-06T13:01:24.104-04:00

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-91937196974985167242008-10-04T23:22:00.004-04:002008-10-22T21:53:58.457-04:00

Don't Vote:From Craig Ferguson: If you don't vote, you're a moron.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-37893250331458842532008-10-02T12:39:00.000-04:002009-08-28T10:23:28.733-04:00

In Season 3 of Project Runway, the judges couldn't decide who would be eliminated from the final challenge, so they sent all 4 designers to Fashion Week. A cheap ploy maybe, but I did like what all four of the designers were doing, and it seemed like a pretty fair solution.In Season 4 of Project Runway, the judges couldn't decide who would be eliminated from the final challenge, so they had all

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-48240847503909933332008-09-27T21:15:00.000-04:002008-09-27T21:15:27.138-04:00

I have officially switched from Nikon to Canon. I bought me a Canon Digital Rebel Xsi. I love Nikon. I've had a Nikon SLR in one version or another for the last 24 years. I think the optical quality is amazing, and I've made some really nice photographs with Nikon. My only complaint with Nikon had been the cost. Outside of a Hasselblad (which would make a great Christmas or birthday gift,

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-67569210880023954592008-09-25T16:45:00.001-04:002008-09-25T16:46:58.344-04:00

Man claims penis amputated without consent

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-55104891085189869662008-09-05T17:46:00.004-04:002008-09-12T21:01:27.079-04:00

This is my computer on crack...So, I'm sitting on the porch Tuesday. The window is open. I hear a dull thud from inside the house. I go in and find my computer lying open and flat on the floor. The dog is running circles around the table. I look at the computer and it appears that the screen is shattered. F-ing dog.Note that I say this now calmly. I was not calm at the time.I was, in fact,

billnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-83254045936027219152008-09-01T10:42:00.007-04:002008-09-12T20:50:09.900-04:00

Eric works on The Lion King. Currently his tour is in Columbus.Getting a call from Eric is not unusual, as we always try to get together whenever the show is within a couple of hours of where we are. We've met up in Cleveland, Toledo, and Boston. We had, in fact, been trying to set up a good time to meet for the Columbus show.So, when Eric said, "What are you doing tomorrow?", it didn't phase

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-18006981207179984012008-08-20T21:13:00.000-04:002008-09-12T21:25:06.561-04:00

The best episode of Project Runway aired last night. The challenge was to design an outfit for a drag queen. It marked the return of my favorite designer from season 4 - Chris March. Although he only got to introduce the challenge then visited the designers to offer advice, he didn't actually get to design. But he did appear in a wonderful, over-the-top viking/opera singer outfit, complete

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-89532642930945328512008-07-20T22:06:00.001-04:002008-09-12T21:27:19.525-04:00

A guy walking down the street carrying a two-liter bottle of Mountain Dew and a turtle.In Hyannis, Massachusetts

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-72618722930558661252008-07-04T14:39:00.001-04:002008-07-04T14:45:04.003-04:00

Is it just a coincidence that former Republican Senator Jesse Helms and Bozo the Clown both died on the same day? Were they in fact....the same person? Arguably.RIP, Bozo.Disclaimer: okay, they didn't actually die on the same day. Bozo died 7/3 and bozo died 7/4.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-6299155614966176012008-07-03T09:46:00.003-04:002008-07-03T10:21:18.337-04:00

I, like you, get a large amount of spam emails. I don't open them, but I do glance at the subject lines. Some are obnoxious, some are offensive, some are unintelligible. There is another category, though - the ones that make me laugh. Some are word usage/choice, some are kind of naughty, but they all make me crack a smile.Here are a collection of spam emails currently in my "junk" box. (

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-17476874937168914192008-06-30T10:16:00.000-04:002008-07-03T10:20:07.723-04:00

Oddly, an error message popped up when I started up my laptop today:It was shortly followed by this one:-1 to Microsoft.Fun error message generator here.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-61810500367009993992008-06-23T09:39:00.001-04:002008-06-24T09:46:30.572-04:00

You know what I have to say about the death of George Carlin?s**t, p**s, f**k, c**t, c********r, m**********r, and t**s, man.

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-21850400974322183392008-06-18T23:23:00.003-04:002008-06-24T13:51:41.294-04:00

Absofuckinlutely gobsmacked.Submitted by Limahl from Kajagoogoo.As in: [when I was kicked out of the band] I was absofuckinlutely gobsmacked!

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-67694141705318629572008-04-15T23:35:00.002-04:002008-04-15T23:04:25.500-04:00

Taxes are due when?Crap.

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-62706500753588191512008-04-13T22:53:00.004-04:002008-04-13T23:18:15.520-04:00

So I'm sitting here listening to Radio Paradise. A song comes on that sounds pretty good, like I'd like to hear more from this group. Turns out it's Porcupine Tree, and the song is Mellotron Scratch. I'd heard another song of theirs a couple of days ago (Heartattack in a Layby) and I had the same reaction to that one. I did a little searching and listened to some samples of their music and

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-5756119933751561672008-04-11T22:45:00.001-04:002008-04-12T21:10:07.721-04:00

In the course of doing some website work for a parish, I have talked on the phone with Kate a couple of times. When I was at her parish doing some training I noticed that she had a WMVY sticker on her computer. WMVY is probably my favorite radio station. So now every time we talk we compare good radio stations that we can listen to online. I have suggested to her WAPS, and she has suggested

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-13434436639748078182008-04-04T09:20:00.005-04:002008-04-04T10:08:13.300-04:00

Whenever April 4 rolls around, I think about the story I heard several years back on the radio show "This American Life". Originally aired on 6-22-01, I think I heard it on a re-broadcast a few months later. Still it never fails to bring a tear to my eye. Here it is, in short:A dad and his 4 year old daughter are talking about Christmas, and what it means, how it is a celebration of Jesus'

billnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-5852329396268890592008-04-03T09:48:00.003-04:002008-04-03T12:50:53.015-04:00

I came across this great site last night. It is part of the Washington Post, and it allows you to track your (and everyone else's) congressperson and senator. You can learn information like how many votes did that person miss, how often did they vote with their party, and how did they vote on key issues (and every issue as a matter of fact). The more you drill down, the more information is

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-27420654055022849342008-04-01T21:52:00.002-04:002008-04-03T12:42:14.769-04:00

ESPN has been showing soccer recently (within the last couple of years - or at least that's when I found it). But not just soccer, football. Real football. They've been showing the UEFA Champions League playoffs and championship. And, Fox Sports has been showing English Premiere League football.The games are usually shown on Tuesday afternoons, so it's nice to sit down for a while and watch a

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-54201894257810141142008-03-31T08:55:00.001-04:002008-04-03T09:48:00.043-04:00

It was a great week this past week. It was Spring Break. Now, normally, I wouldn't be very happy because that means that everyone is home with me. This year, however, was different.The move of Stewie from one room to the other was pretty good, except we had a lot of prep work (okay, cleaning) to do in Beenie's room. But he worked really hard, and was really excited to have his brother move in

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-56637308121497201802008-03-21T22:28:00.000-04:002008-03-21T22:29:38.198-04:00

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-4713792147665607892008-03-17T21:45:00.001-04:002008-03-17T21:48:34.276-04:00

And, just because...

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-71107111535607403712008-03-08T22:28:00.006-05:002008-03-08T22:39:59.699-05:00

So, yeah, we got about 20" in our neighborhood due to this blizzard. Great.At least the kids had fun:We had already cleared 6" of snow off the driveway before this snow fell:And, of course, the requisite "art" shot:

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-6954501932412566842008-02-27T23:15:00.000-05:002009-08-28T10:23:28.734-04:00

Rami? Rami?! Rami?!? Oh, please.I can't believe that the judges picked Rami in the "run-off" to go to Bryant Park and Fashion Week. Chris' pieces were so much better.Now, I'll grant you that Rami listened to what the judges have been telling him week after week after week - no. more. draping. But the key here is that they had to tell him that over and over again. He's gotten a free pass the

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-27698704773334462352008-02-26T22:35:00.002-05:002008-02-26T22:40:46.562-05:00

I was at a meeting last night, and Tracey had some big news. She had to leave early because she had to go to the dress rehearsal for the Democratic Presidential Debate. It seems that she had been asked to deliver the invocation! We were all excited for her, but she was just beaming!! She graciously offered to share with us her draft of the prayer, and it was really good (no surprise there).I

billnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6549852768287137585.post-10127294176077467732008-02-26T10:22:00.000-05:002008-02-26T10:23:13.940-05:00

73% Geek

billnoreply@blogger.com1