Wednesday, October 31, 2007

wednesday weirdness...

got to the office, go to gather all my things in the car and take them in for another day at work, and find I left my purse at home. so all day I'm thinking, "oh, maybe I'll stop on the way home and.... darn it!"

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Tuesday, October 30, 2007

oops, I missed it....

Thanks to Gradual Dazzle, who started her blog about the same time, I figured out I missed my 3 year "blogiversary". just by a day, but still. (completely stupid first post here)

I've been distracted the past few days and it probably won't get any better till after Christmas. Yeah, it's new show time! (more later) It's been a nice month-ish of goofing off and watching tons of movies.

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Monday, October 29, 2007

Monday records

finishing up the Festival of Faith

Record 6 - Sunday Morning Memories: I don't remember ever singing or hearing The Church in the Wildwood or Brighten the Corner Where You Are, but whatever.

Record 7 - Songs of God and Country - Songs of Praise...of Thanks...Of Love: most more traditional arrangements of stuff, which I can live with. Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing was kinda cheesy, I think there was some banjo in there. album closed out with Bing Crosby singing Ave Maria. okay. and I know some people think Jim Nabors has a wonderful voice, but there's something in there that bothers me. I'll be listening and thinking, "hmmm, that's nice" then, "what the? oh, it's Jim Nabors." I think it's an odd diction thing occassionally. can't quite pin it down.

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set the wayback machine for July....

here I wrote about an article in Real Simple that slightly annoyed me. I'm fairly certain this is the same article, with maybe a few more paragraphs. cause really, how many moms are there in California who are embarrassed about their son joining the Army and he only did it cause the recruiter told him it was the best way to change the Army? as whoever posted it in the Headlines at Hot Air labeled it, "More Liberal stereotypes than you can shake a stick at."

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w007!

*mom* sent *maggie* 1 FedEx Standard Overnight package(s).

This shipment is scheduled to be sent on 10/29/2007.


I am soooo going to win the office costume contest.

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Sunday, October 28, 2007

Sunday records

and appropriately enough it's Festival of Faith seven albums of, um, not necessarily religious music so...

Popular Inspirational Favorites: just what it sounds like, various artists. some real hippie feel good cheese, I'd like to Teach the World to Sing, What the World Needs Now is Love and a sweet sixties soul version of Put a Little Love in Your Heart. There's also a few more "traditional" tunes thrown in, He done by the McGuire Sisters and I May Never pass This Way Again by Kate Smith.

Golden Hymns: honk-shoo. I didn't know it was possible to make Will the Circle Be Unbroken boring, but Pat Boone managed to do it.

Inspiring Songs from Stage and Screen: a few things I didn't know were "from" anything, Somebody Bigger than You and I (The Old West) and Without a Song (Great Day) anyway the only thing I found really entertaining was Tomorrow from Annie by Henry Mancini, His Orchestra and Chorus, very lounge-y.

Album 4 - Camp Meetin' Favorites and Golden Spirituals: I thought it was interesting that the Golden Spirituals side was almost all choruses of some sort or other. and that the chorus tracks were more lively than Harry Belfonte singing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (which was interesting mainly for the really high soprano floating over his part). Particularly Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit by the Norman Luboff Choir. on the first side, am I wrong for thinking maybe Patti Page's voice is too sexy to be singing Were You There? (Ooooh, oooh, ooooh, sometimes it causes me to tremble.) everything else was pretty tame.

Album 5 - Hymns for Reflection and Hymns to Follow the Sunset: even snoozier than some previous albums in this set. though so far I like the few tracks by Roger Williams, His Piano, Chorus and Orchestra. They're just a more classic bit of cheese bordering on a more legit style.

I'll get to the last two albums tomorrow. I've caught up on the paper.

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signs?

I dreamed last night that I broke down and decided to have surgery to fix my nose. so I was pondering it when I woke up. then I just came across someone discussing it on line. hmmmm, maybe my brain would like me to be able to breathe more easily.

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Saturday, October 27, 2007

bad timing

the last time we had to get coffee we decided to try some Folgers Black Silk. OMG, it's like crack. a very dark roast, but it doesn't bite you. anyway, we got it on sale, so today we're at the store and need coffee and it's not on sale. I probably could have brought myself to pay a dollar more, but nooooo it's was three or four dollars more. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for when it goes on sale again.

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Friday, October 26, 2007

a shoe for every kitty....

This is kinda old, but I thought it was funny that each cat camped out on one of RTO's shoes.

maggie close up.

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funny kitty video...

over at cute overload. maggie will do something similar sometimes if you scratch the right spot she will start cleaning her side.

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Wednesday, October 24, 2007

we're watching c-span again.

c-span 2 to be exact, at least tonight....

MK: oh hey! check out who is behind Secretary Rice.

RTO: huh?

MK: well, not directly behind her..... a couple rows back.

RTO:

MK: duhn duhn duuuuuuhn. it's Medea Benjamin! just like last night when she was behind Lee Hamilton.

RTO: so it is.

MK: she sure knows how to get on camera. It's hard to miss that hair....

MK: and nose.

RTO: you could make it a game.

MK: ah yes, The C-Span drinking game. except I'd probably have to go to rehab in a week.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

we get mail!



oh, this should be good..... it would go straight to the recycle bin but wait!




W007! I'm not above using free stuff I get in the mail. and it shouldn't be bent!


hmmmmmm. somebody has a really lame-o idea of what a "free gift" should be. Or do liberals not expect much? well, from a private enterprise anyway.

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Monday, October 22, 2007

Monday recording

South Sea Island Magic - album 3: this one leans more towards exotica, less slide guitar, more orchestra and drums. side 2 focuses more on the orient with Hong Kong Blues, Sayonara, and We Kiss in a Shadow. . I guess maybe that's "South Sea", I don't know, my geography isn't so hot. ;D

album 4: honk-shoooo. actually there are a couple entertaining things here. Mainly I'm getting sidetracked with Hawaii Tattoo. "This arrangement opens with taps, played on the guitar, and then goes on to become a fast hula" uh, yeah, whose brilliant idea was that? some guy named Michael Thomas, which Wikipedia claims is actually Martin Bottcher, but there's no citation for that, and I didn't see it on his official page, but it's also in German. (oh, here it is. and translation) so way to go German guy! anyway, the album closes out with Hawaii from the film version of James Michener's novel. "I am Hawaii, I'll bring you love" real entertaining when sung by a mellow chorus. I'm just sayin'.

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Is it the weather?

cooling down here. finally. and I had some really vivid dreams last night. I can't remember the first one now, but in the second one I was in a department store trying not to become vampire chow.

oh, wait, the first one is coming to me.... We had some new kitties in the house and Carlos attacked one. I remember watching him pick it up in his mouth and tossing it, and it had some big scratches on it's side. RTO's brother and nephew made an appearance too, I think they brought us the kitties. hmmmmm.

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Saturday, October 20, 2007

saturday records

Let's Go to Church - Various artists: particularly Tennessee Ernie Ford, Gordon MacRae and Jane Froman. It got me thinking about how I was so annoyed(amused, take your pick) with Amazing Grace the other day.... I'm sure that at the time this was recorded these were "contemporary" songs, but they don't bother me as much. I'm guessing it's the drum track. Mr. Ford's accent was amusing on Somebody Bigger Than You and I, (and whooooouh sends the rain....)but otherwise I'm hearing some good voices and orchestra arrangements.

Gypsy - Richard Hayman and His Orchestra: some classic "gypsy" tunes including Hungarian Dances and the Habanera from Carmen. They're a little too pretty for my taste. the violin soloist is good. Hayman also seems fond of the cymbalum.

South Sea Island Magic, Album 1 and 2: I've hit a run of box sets, and I don't think I'll make it through all of this one today.... anyway, the first album didn't have anything that really grabbed me, then came album 2. Blue Coral was fun with Doug Gamley, his orchestra and chorus aurally painting little bubbles. There seem to be more vocal arrangements on album 2 and they're more interesting sounding to me. Rosemary Squires did a nice job on The Shining Sea.

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earlier we'd discussed that it's monarch migration time.....

MK: see! Carlos is watching the butterflies

RTO: yeah, cause you should keep an eye on them....

MK: pollen eatin' bastards

RTO: Polynesian?

Carlos: MEOOOOOOOW! *gets up and makes a beeline for me*

RTO: yeah, Carlos, they aren't Hawaiian.

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Friday, October 19, 2007

a different kind of computer monitor

sometimes Carlos gets very adamant about sitting on RTO's lap, but it's already occupied so this is as close as he gets.

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*sigh* confession time....

I heart Rush Limbaugh. It's something I've been trying to downplay of late, but today I have to admit it. when I'm getting up at 8:00 on a Friday to hear him talk to a local station, it's over. RTO even called to remind me and I was already awake and listening on the computer. (for some reason no radio in the house likes the station, WBAP)

Anyhoo, Limbaugh has been in the news a bit lately and I keep finding myself defending him, not that he needs my help. Started listening to him a lot while RTO was deployed because it was something we could talk about. (RTO signed up for a donated 24/7 account) I keep listening because he's entertaining and obviously loves what he does and often agrees with me. ;D

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Tuesday, October 16, 2007

unusual sights


This is from a couple weeks ago, these caterpillars were everywhere. I found several trying to sneak in the back door and a few in the garage. haven't seen any since though.



RTO picked up his commemorative rifle last weekend. Don't worry (mom), we don't have any ammo for it. yet.



and here's the special part of it.

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Tuesday records

Living in the U.S.A. - Linda Ronstadt: covers of random songs. sounds like someone needed to make a house payment. maybe it's just the roller disco pictures that are putting me off. or the next album i'm listening to.... oh, this could get interesting.

Amazing Grace - John and Vicky Bennett with the Bob Cline Chorus: okay, there's got to be a story behind this one.... mom? dad? Not as bad as the first track, God's Wonderful People, might have suggested. except the arrangements are pretty cheesy, which usually I love, just not for religious music. okay, I'm biased that way.

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Monday, October 15, 2007

Sabotage!

so RTO called a while ago, said he was waiting for a part at work, didn't know how long it would be. I said, "Okay, I'll make some miso soup" it's been rainy all day, soup sounds good. Anyhoo, somebody knocked the container of miso paste open and buried it in the back of the fridge. results? petrified miso paste. I'll have to stop by the oriental market tomorrow and get some more.

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Monday record

okay, I cheated on this one, recorded the first album Saturday night

120 Music Masterpieces - no idea who is playing here....: This is an album I see all over the place and somehow I've got a squirrelly one. It's a two record set and one of the records I've got while still being labeled as 120 Music Masterpieces Highlights, is completely different than what the album cover says it should be. Anyway it's like Hooked on Classics, but without the drum machine and with less coherency. five bands on each side, each band a mishmash of classical tunes. For Example the last track is "The Marriage of Figaro" Overture(Mozart)/Tchaikovsky: 2nd Movement from Symphony No. 5/Anchors Aweigh. Maybe someone can explain to me how these go together. The whole set is heavy on the romantic and 20th century periods, lots of Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saens, and Rimsky-Korsakov.

Oldies but Goldies - The Hollyridge Strings: fun string arrangements of pop tunes. apparently Hollyridge Strings specializes in this, previous albums included Beatles and Beach Boys covers. I think this album came from my grandparents because there isn't a price tag on it and none of the tunes are really anything I'd just have to have. That said, I'd probably pick up some of their other albums if I came across them for the right price.

Dear Heart - Andy Williams: hmmm, something different after having sat through "The Great Caruso" Actually, I kind of like his voice, it's very smooth, I'm not hearing any effort here. No stand out tunes on this one though. Maybe, Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me) but that has more to do with me liking that song than Williams' interpretation. The album cover quote really says it all, "Relaxed, gentle, humorous...." well, I don't know about humorous, but they're right on with relaxed and gentle. NTTAWWT.

Songs for a Summer Night - The Robert Shaw Chorale: another one I'm fairly certain came from my grandparents. the only interesting bit to me is that one of the soloists on a couple tracks is Grant Williams. He was the vocal coach for the symphony chorus, I just remember a lot of choristers trying to find his recordings after he died. and here he turns up. anyhoo, lots of old english and american tunes. and I'm getting sleepy....

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Saturday, October 13, 2007

saturday night records

Burt Bacharach - Burt Bacharach: *sigh* researching..... WHY BURT!? I'd forgotten that his latest solo album (of new material) was "controversial". anyway, on to this album... from 1971. I get the impression he must really like Wives & Lovers cause there's a six minute arrangement of it on here and it was one of the few songs he sang when we saw him in concert. And thanks to this page I know who was singing on some of the other tracks, because they are not listed on the album cover. There's just something about One Less Bell to Answer that I really like and Cissy Houston probably has something to do with it, she interprets his songs well. There are also quite a few odd instrumentals on here, "And the People were with Her" and Freefall. and I'm curious about what the story is behind Hasbrook Heights.

Hawaii in Hi-Fi - Leo Addeo and His Orchestra: hmmmm, they kind of cheat here, is there a Miami shore in Hawaii? and what's up with Hindustan? Still they cover the important tunes, Aloha Oe and Sweet Leilani and My Little Grass Shack. Overall Mr. Addeo does some nice arranging the sound is a bit more orchestral than most "Hawaiian" albums I've heard so far. RTO and I have a joke about how you can play anything on accordion and it becomes German. (we went to this German restaurant one night and they had these two ladies playing live, one on accordion and, um, I don't remember what the other lady was playing.... anyway, we heard some interesting pop tunes.) so, here it seems they've decided that adding steel guitar makes a tune Hawaiian. Not that it isn't a nice effect, but still, there are enough popular Hawaiian tunes to fill out a whole album without bringing in On Miami Shore.

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late night records....

RTO has been to OKC and back since yesterday, so he conked out early... after I tortured him with watching Night Watch. (I liked it because while it was an action flick, you had to pay attention to figure it out, and it all eventually made sense. it's the "eventually" part that RTO hated) anyway... on to confusing record....

Golden Anniversary Album - Various artists: I was confused as to whose golden anniversary it was. I've settled on Chevrolet. so, it's just a random collection of RCA Victor tracks, heavy on big band sounds. Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, blah, blah, blah. It was nice to hear Louis Armstrong doing I've got the World on a String. and the one that struck me as odd was Solitude by Duke Ellington... the vocalist is , oh, wait it says there are four.... ugh, well, there's a really high soprano, which I'm just not used to hearing in this genre.

Golden Moments with Maryland Club - Martin Denny: um, I'm not sure what's up with the title. oh, looks like it's an album especially printed for Maryland Club Coffee. "The coffee you'd drink if you owned all the coffee in the world" mmmmm. anyway, lovely, exotic Martin Denny.

Denny's music floats from note to note spurred by a gentle wave-like beat that softly raps at the door of quiet relaxation.


such lovely, dreamy tunes as Tenderly and Ebb Tide.

Hail the Conquering Nero - Peter Nero: FINALLY! on of my favorite albums and the beginning of my love (and later hate) of Mr. Nero. (Why did he get so lazy!?) anyway, side two has got to be the best thing going here, has the two tracks that often get stuck in my head, Never on Sunday and Anna. He just tears up the piano on those two. the opening tune, Midnight in Moscow is also good and it's usually the track that shows up on other albums. Even on the slower tunes he still delivers crisp playing and a few embellishments that keep things moving.

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Friday, October 12, 2007

fun with the camera....

RTO found a rug last weekend while unpacking stuff, I tried to get some pictures of the cats, but they really don't do justice to their antics, so I tried the little short video thing. it's pretty craptacular since it was dark. oh well. oh, and Roxie makes an appearance at the end. and don't panic... there's no sound.

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mistakes were made

I finished the baby afghan last week, can you spot where I lost count?


This looks nothing like the picture. oh well, it's still soft and will cover a baby.


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Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Happy birthday, dad!

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Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Tuesday record...

James Bond 13 Original Themes: yep, 13 themes by the original artists. I did no know that Louis Armstrong sang the theme from On Her Majesty's Secret Service (We Have All the Time in the World) I'd heard instrumental arrangements of it and after hearing this I can understand why, it was not his kind of tune. I think they should have just stuck with Shirley Bassey, all three of hers are on here. (Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever and Moonraker) Thank goodness at least it was too early for View to a Kill. ;D

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Monday, October 08, 2007

I didn't get as much knitting done as I thought I would....

*

oh, and RTO won his FL game so I guess I'll be buyin' the tofu and nori tomorrow. heh.

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Monday recording

Greatest Science Fiction Hits - Neil Norman: wooooooo! I think I bought this the day after we got married. (it seems odd calling overnight in a B&B a honeymoon, and that's another entertaining story altogether) Anyhoo, it's cheesy gold! better yet, Neil Norman has his own website! and if you follow the links... he's still recording! You can go here and hear samples of three tracks off this album. I found it interesting that Les Baxter helped produce this and apparently covers keyboards as well. and there's Theremin! which any album claiming to be Greatest Science Fiction Hits should have of course. okay, okay, my favorite tracks would have to be Godzilla and Also Sprach Zarathustra, they're both kinda heavy on guitar and that's what makes them great. ;D

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scenes from the kitchen

MK: nachos?

RTO: I don't think we have enough cheese....

MK: there's that block o' cheddar, you could shred it.

RTO: that's too much work....

MK:

RTO:

MK: oooh, we could try out the shreddy blade on the food processor, the booklet says you can run cheese through it. though they recommend partially freezing it first.

RTO: where are the attatchments?

MK: on the counter

RTO: huh, there is a shredder.....

MK:

RTO:

MK: you need the little post thing.....

RTO: *trying to mash the post onto the blade*....

MK: here, let me do it....

RTO: no, I can get it...

MK: YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG! YOU DIDN'T WATCH THE DVD!

anyway, I finally showed him how to put all the little bits together, convinced him that the cheese would go through better if he used the food pusher and somehow tricked him into thinking there's a secret latch to undo the lid of the bowl. (nope, it all just snaps into place, so long as you go from left to right to lock it and right to left to unlock it, but he's not falling for that story) so we got the cheese shredded, but it was a bit messier since we didn't freeze it. that just left more for the puppy to clean up.

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Sunday, October 07, 2007

for the record....

RTO: *looking at his fantasy league game* It's projecting I'll win by one point.

MK:

RTO: oh, he still has the Cowboys defense and Terrel Owens to play....

MK: You're goin' down!

RTO: Nuh-uh!

MK: yep.

RTO: fine, if I win you're cooking dinner one night next week.

MK:

RTO:

MK: okay. but you know it's gonna be miso soup and rice.

RTO: so I guess you win either way.

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Saturday, October 06, 2007

cause mom always found this amusing....

Dan Collins posted a Friday Mini-Mad Lib at Protein Wisdom and I finally figure out what mine should be. So here's the set up:

It’s a funny thing, but people always ask me, “[your name], how did you ever become so [adjective]?” And I always say, “[insert your bullsh*t here].”

I'll put my answer in the comments here.....

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Friday, October 05, 2007

crankypants

Took Maggie to the vet today for a checkup. Had to leave here there for a couple hours because they had some kind of problem drawing blood for tests. I suspect it was just her being ill-tempered. she's been growling and hissing at everyone a bit more lately (like right now, in the bedroom). not sure what that's about.

In good news/bad news she seems to be eating well since she weighed 14 pounds today. oy!

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Wednesday, October 03, 2007

picture catch up


mystery tree.... more mysteries.....

I don't remember seeing these things on it before.



weird snail

most of the snails around here are about half as big, flat and brown. so this one freaked me out.
me and my dance partner from Carousel

he was about a foot taller than me, so he's leaning down here.

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Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Tuesday Record

The Sky's the Limit - Glenn Derringer: ah, the Wurlitzer organ, is there anything it can't do? All the songs on here are "sky" related, Blue Moon, Star Dust, Moonglow. and that also opens the door for a few sci-fi movie themes, Star Trek and Star Wars and 2001. I love when he goes to town with the rhythm section. and there's no "banjo" to be heard. :(

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