Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Why I don't blog anymore
I have to confess, that this is the first blog post since 2004, and if you are wondering what I was doing all this time, it was certainly experiencing new life with my wife and the Lord.
So, why haven't I been back to this outpost on the Internet? As a communicative creature, I used the blog to share my thoughts and views with the universe who would listen. I lost my dear wife of 20 years and lost my sounding board for my dreams and ideas. So, the blog was born to share what I could no longer contain inside.
Then, several years later, I met my future partner, my wife now, and I am communicating within my domain instead of outside it. Put another way, my thoughts and dreams are now with my dear wife instead of the world. I suppose I could continue the posting, like my friend Chuck, but I don't have the time. I'm sorry.
I spent a couple of hours recently looking at blogs I bookmarked and discovered that there were many that moved on and dis-blogged. So, Out Of The Blue will join them, unless I find the capability within to blog and talk at the same time.
Thanks for putting up with me. If you are new to Out Of The Blue, I apologize for not holding your interest for the current time, but feel free to rummage around the archives and see what I was like when I talked to the world.
A la prochaine!
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So, why haven't I been back to this outpost on the Internet? As a communicative creature, I used the blog to share my thoughts and views with the universe who would listen. I lost my dear wife of 20 years and lost my sounding board for my dreams and ideas. So, the blog was born to share what I could no longer contain inside.
Then, several years later, I met my future partner, my wife now, and I am communicating within my domain instead of outside it. Put another way, my thoughts and dreams are now with my dear wife instead of the world. I suppose I could continue the posting, like my friend Chuck, but I don't have the time. I'm sorry.
I spent a couple of hours recently looking at blogs I bookmarked and discovered that there were many that moved on and dis-blogged. So, Out Of The Blue will join them, unless I find the capability within to blog and talk at the same time.
Thanks for putting up with me. If you are new to Out Of The Blue, I apologize for not holding your interest for the current time, but feel free to rummage around the archives and see what I was like when I talked to the world.
A la prochaine!
|
Friday, December 24, 2004
Merry Christmas
It’s Christmas Eve, and all through the blog house, everyone was stirring, as it was time to scouse. Er, something like that.
Yes, it’s me, your humble blogmaster, back since my wedding day in October, ready to blog again. I might not be here every day, but when I have something to say, I’ll be here.
Today, I want to talk about Christmas and what it means to me. More than the gifts, the trees, the ACLU protests; Christmas is Christ’s birthday, and that is what we celebrate. Consider this acrostic:
Thanks to Perry Como’s song of long ago, who first brought this acrostic to me.
Jesus is the Reason for the Season, and it is painful to realize now that Political Correctness has scared off many to wish a Merry Christmas and now utter a generic “Happy Holidays.” John Leo, columnist for US News and World Report, has, in this week’s issue, detailed how off some of the venerable retail institutions have gone in avoiding Christmas.
I’ll not repeat some of the other colossal blunders that people in charge have done with regard to their interpretation of the “separation of church and state.” Suffice to say, it is not against the law, anywhere to have a personal religious relationship. And that shouldn’t put you askance about delivering your Christmas card to people in your school or place or business. Only common sense, or, in other words, know thy neighbor, would you not give a Christian card to one of another religious or atheistic persuasion.
I’ve been truly blessed this year, and “blessed” means I thank the God over us for all the things that have happened to me and my wife this year, all to us signs of His presense in our lives and that He is in charge.
With this closing thought, I wish all my readers, Christian or not, the Love of Christ to you this holiday season. And my personal thank you for reading Out Of The Blue.
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Yes, it’s me, your humble blogmaster, back since my wedding day in October, ready to blog again. I might not be here every day, but when I have something to say, I’ll be here.
Today, I want to talk about Christmas and what it means to me. More than the gifts, the trees, the ACLU protests; Christmas is Christ’s birthday, and that is what we celebrate. Consider this acrostic:
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C – for the Christ child H – for Herald Angels R – Our Redeemer I – Israel S – the Star that showed that night T – Three Wise Men M – the Manger where He lay A – All He stands for S – Shepards came |
Thanks to Perry Como’s song of long ago, who first brought this acrostic to me.
Jesus is the Reason for the Season, and it is painful to realize now that Political Correctness has scared off many to wish a Merry Christmas and now utter a generic “Happy Holidays.” John Leo, columnist for US News and World Report, has, in this week’s issue, detailed how off some of the venerable retail institutions have gone in avoiding Christmas.
I’ll not repeat some of the other colossal blunders that people in charge have done with regard to their interpretation of the “separation of church and state.” Suffice to say, it is not against the law, anywhere to have a personal religious relationship. And that shouldn’t put you askance about delivering your Christmas card to people in your school or place or business. Only common sense, or, in other words, know thy neighbor, would you not give a Christian card to one of another religious or atheistic persuasion.
I’ve been truly blessed this year, and “blessed” means I thank the God over us for all the things that have happened to me and my wife this year, all to us signs of His presense in our lives and that He is in charge.
With this closing thought, I wish all my readers, Christian or not, the Love of Christ to you this holiday season. And my personal thank you for reading Out Of The Blue.
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Saturday, October 09, 2004
Out Of The Blue Is Two
... and with that, my wedding day! October 9th is indeed the second anniversary of the appearance of Out Of The Blue, first titled "Today I Blog, tomorrow I Sleep." Back then, my posts reflected a sense of out-of-placement, being unemployed, widowed, and seeking serenity.
One of the vehicles that came to help me heal and realize how much I am contributing to my world was the singles conferences at the Word of Life Inn in Schroon Lake, New York (USA.) Here, in a resort-like atmosphere, was the Word of God presented through various speakers throughout a weekend that was also time for fellowship and play. I blogged about these conferences (see the Archives sidebar) and slowly came to realizing what a plan God had for my life. I met a lot of people through the weekends in January and October since 2002, but on a cold January 30th this year, one person I met changed my life.
"Hello," I think I said, fumbling for a second before telling her my name. "My name is Marisa" she said, and smiled. I noticed her eyes for the first time, which seemed to light up when she smiled. There was a trace of an accent which, at first, I couldn't recognize. But it made her sound so charming, I began thinking of her, to the exclusion of much else.
Later, she was sitting on a couch in the conference center, and I interrupted her reading to ask what she was reading. I heard her voice again, and now hoped I wasn't intruding, but she said I wasn't. We talked briefly, then I was off again to so whatever was supposed to be more important than sitting with Marisa.
That evening, the "gang" that has been mentioned in previous posts about the singles conferences commanded a large table and we all walked over to sit down. Marisa was in line, and I asked her if she would like to sit with us. When everybody sat down, there was one person between us. The conversations were light, and I tried to talk with Marisa and noticed the way she laughed. Near the end of the meal, some of us discussed going to a snow sculpting contest the next day. I asked Marisa if she would like to go, and she did. The rest of the evening was busy, but I didn't see much of Marisa.
Saturday dawned bright and very cold. We had breakfast and got to the seminars that morning, then had a break in the cafe between sessions. I found Marisa and a friend of hers, and we talked about relationships. I told them that I found women that were younger than I somewhat different, as if they came from a completely different generation. And that I didn't think a long distance relationship would work for me. Back to the sessions, then we bundled up for the display of sculpted snow. I drove, Marisa sat in the back with two others of my friends and another in the front. The contest was very interesting, objects d'art created out of ten-foot high snow cubes. When it was time for group pictures, Marisa came beside me, and when I put my arm around her waist in a group-type pose, I noticed that she pulled me a bit closer to her. Later, we gathered in a cafe, and the first picture of the two of us was taken.
Supper that night was at the big table again, but this time Marisa was beside me. The evening entertainment was several contests, including a limbo contest and talent contest. I manned the video tape recorder, and noticed that Marisa was at a table with several other men. I did feel a bit put out, but asked God to clarify how I was beginning to feel about her. I did the rest of the video, and when I looked for her, she was gone.
I didn't sleep very much that night, and at 5:30 in the morning, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, thinking only of Marisa. I guess that was my first clue that how I felt was deepening. I wanted to call her and ask her to breakfast. I walked to-and-fro, until 8 am. I called, she answered, and accepted my invitation. We walked over a half hour later, and sat down at a table for two, seemingly oblivious to the large table of friends behind us.
We went to chapel, and sat together. It seemed so perfectly natural to have her next to me, and share my Bible and song book. I could not stop thinking of her and how she made me feel. We had dinner, and it was time to part. She took the train to the conference and already had a ride, and I had a partner to drive home with. We found each other at her room, and hugged and each privately wondering if we'd ever see each other again. We parted.
When I got home, I emailed her and told her of the ride home. She was very glad to hear from me, and we began a thrice-weekly correspondence. Soon, messages began to go every day, and them we began talking on the telephone. The similarity of the things we liked, the temperament of each other, the favorite things were so much alike. We found that we were so much alike, it was unbelievable. She was as kind, caring and compassionate as I. And she had an interest in counseling. Finally, on a Friday in February, we met at her house, and spent a shortened day together. Short because she lived two and three-quarter hours away, and I had Andy to come back to at a reasonable hour so he could get to bed on time. That first day was a confirmation of what I was feeling, and it was completely mutual. Our phone calls grew longer as we discovered more about ourselves. It wasn't until April that we saw each other again, and again for a shortened day.
Marisa and I tried to see each other every two or three weeks, but the logistics were hard sometimes as I had commitments that prestaged a day away. But the knowledge within me was that I was falling in love with her and she with me. I knew that I wanted her to be my wife. So, on May 29, I proposed, and gave her a diamond ring at a beautiful and romantic restaurant in New York. We talked about a wedding this year, and in later weeks, in October. Fast forward...
Marisa moved up here in August, around the time Hurricane Charley was pushing up the East Coast. We found an apartment for her for two months, which was a gift from God, as the tenants that wanted the apartment also couldn't move in until October, right after our wedding. She spent each day with me and Andy, and we both saw some of Andy's transition moods, with the sale of the house and the move. And we also saw our love grow more and more each day, knowing that so many doors have opened for us to be married. In particular, the blessing of my in-law family, indeed embracing Marisa, has been wonderful. And in the planning of the wedding, we got a top-notch inn with a superb chef and venue just two months before the date; and the place had been booked solid through 2005. Our pastors were available, the church in Connecticut available, and now all the plans were set for a lifetime together.
Yesterday, we picked up the flowers from my friend Brian (who did a superb job on them!) and delivered them to the Inn, then went to the church to decorate. One more stop, the bakery where our wedding cake was baked, and the owner treated us to two cappuchinos. She told us that we looked so relaxed, that it seemed like we have been married for a while already. That was a great compliment to us, both from the standpoint of not being really nervous about tomorrow, and a tribute to all the time Marisa and I spent talking to and about each other without spending so much physical time together.
And today, at 11 am, we will say the vows that honor the covenant of marriage in God's eyes. A lifetime of unconditional love, trust, honor, and caring. I am honored to have Marisa as my wife, and to begin that wonderful lifetime together.
Thank you all to my readers also for your support and comments! We'll be back after the honeymoon!
|
One of the vehicles that came to help me heal and realize how much I am contributing to my world was the singles conferences at the Word of Life Inn in Schroon Lake, New York (USA.) Here, in a resort-like atmosphere, was the Word of God presented through various speakers throughout a weekend that was also time for fellowship and play. I blogged about these conferences (see the Archives sidebar) and slowly came to realizing what a plan God had for my life. I met a lot of people through the weekends in January and October since 2002, but on a cold January 30th this year, one person I met changed my life.
She walked into the Conference Center, across the wide expanse under the chandelier and toward the back door when I noticed her. She caught my eye, but there was something else, something in the way she moved, a confidence or assurance. I abruptly left my friend Steve on the couch where we were talking, and rose to introduce myself.
"Hello," I think I said, fumbling for a second before telling her my name. "My name is Marisa" she said, and smiled. I noticed her eyes for the first time, which seemed to light up when she smiled. There was a trace of an accent which, at first, I couldn't recognize. But it made her sound so charming, I began thinking of her, to the exclusion of much else.
Later, she was sitting on a couch in the conference center, and I interrupted her reading to ask what she was reading. I heard her voice again, and now hoped I wasn't intruding, but she said I wasn't. We talked briefly, then I was off again to so whatever was supposed to be more important than sitting with Marisa.
That evening, the "gang" that has been mentioned in previous posts about the singles conferences commanded a large table and we all walked over to sit down. Marisa was in line, and I asked her if she would like to sit with us. When everybody sat down, there was one person between us. The conversations were light, and I tried to talk with Marisa and noticed the way she laughed. Near the end of the meal, some of us discussed going to a snow sculpting contest the next day. I asked Marisa if she would like to go, and she did. The rest of the evening was busy, but I didn't see much of Marisa.
Saturday dawned bright and very cold. We had breakfast and got to the seminars that morning, then had a break in the cafe between sessions. I found Marisa and a friend of hers, and we talked about relationships. I told them that I found women that were younger than I somewhat different, as if they came from a completely different generation. And that I didn't think a long distance relationship would work for me. Back to the sessions, then we bundled up for the display of sculpted snow. I drove, Marisa sat in the back with two others of my friends and another in the front. The contest was very interesting, objects d'art created out of ten-foot high snow cubes. When it was time for group pictures, Marisa came beside me, and when I put my arm around her waist in a group-type pose, I noticed that she pulled me a bit closer to her. Later, we gathered in a cafe, and the first picture of the two of us was taken.
Supper that night was at the big table again, but this time Marisa was beside me. The evening entertainment was several contests, including a limbo contest and talent contest. I manned the video tape recorder, and noticed that Marisa was at a table with several other men. I did feel a bit put out, but asked God to clarify how I was beginning to feel about her. I did the rest of the video, and when I looked for her, she was gone.
I didn't sleep very much that night, and at 5:30 in the morning, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, thinking only of Marisa. I guess that was my first clue that how I felt was deepening. I wanted to call her and ask her to breakfast. I walked to-and-fro, until 8 am. I called, she answered, and accepted my invitation. We walked over a half hour later, and sat down at a table for two, seemingly oblivious to the large table of friends behind us.
We went to chapel, and sat together. It seemed so perfectly natural to have her next to me, and share my Bible and song book. I could not stop thinking of her and how she made me feel. We had dinner, and it was time to part. She took the train to the conference and already had a ride, and I had a partner to drive home with. We found each other at her room, and hugged and each privately wondering if we'd ever see each other again. We parted.
When I got home, I emailed her and told her of the ride home. She was very glad to hear from me, and we began a thrice-weekly correspondence. Soon, messages began to go every day, and them we began talking on the telephone. The similarity of the things we liked, the temperament of each other, the favorite things were so much alike. We found that we were so much alike, it was unbelievable. She was as kind, caring and compassionate as I. And she had an interest in counseling. Finally, on a Friday in February, we met at her house, and spent a shortened day together. Short because she lived two and three-quarter hours away, and I had Andy to come back to at a reasonable hour so he could get to bed on time. That first day was a confirmation of what I was feeling, and it was completely mutual. Our phone calls grew longer as we discovered more about ourselves. It wasn't until April that we saw each other again, and again for a shortened day.
Marisa and I tried to see each other every two or three weeks, but the logistics were hard sometimes as I had commitments that prestaged a day away. But the knowledge within me was that I was falling in love with her and she with me. I knew that I wanted her to be my wife. So, on May 29, I proposed, and gave her a diamond ring at a beautiful and romantic restaurant in New York. We talked about a wedding this year, and in later weeks, in October. Fast forward...
Marisa moved up here in August, around the time Hurricane Charley was pushing up the East Coast. We found an apartment for her for two months, which was a gift from God, as the tenants that wanted the apartment also couldn't move in until October, right after our wedding. She spent each day with me and Andy, and we both saw some of Andy's transition moods, with the sale of the house and the move. And we also saw our love grow more and more each day, knowing that so many doors have opened for us to be married. In particular, the blessing of my in-law family, indeed embracing Marisa, has been wonderful. And in the planning of the wedding, we got a top-notch inn with a superb chef and venue just two months before the date; and the place had been booked solid through 2005. Our pastors were available, the church in Connecticut available, and now all the plans were set for a lifetime together.
Yesterday, we picked up the flowers from my friend Brian (who did a superb job on them!) and delivered them to the Inn, then went to the church to decorate. One more stop, the bakery where our wedding cake was baked, and the owner treated us to two cappuchinos. She told us that we looked so relaxed, that it seemed like we have been married for a while already. That was a great compliment to us, both from the standpoint of not being really nervous about tomorrow, and a tribute to all the time Marisa and I spent talking to and about each other without spending so much physical time together.
And today, at 11 am, we will say the vows that honor the covenant of marriage in God's eyes. A lifetime of unconditional love, trust, honor, and caring. I am honored to have Marisa as my wife, and to begin that wonderful lifetime together.
Thank you all to my readers also for your support and comments! We'll be back after the honeymoon!
|
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Three days of the dove
As far as movie references go, I thought that a condor (from the title of this post, silly) would not convey the tone of this essay. Why a dove? The dove represents to me God's love and blessing, heralding good news. And the good news is that M and I are still in one piece, still plugging away at the house we are renting, with our wedding only three days away. How do we do it?
Let's face it, the expectations for such a whirlwind four weeks are to be beside ourselves by now. After all, selling a house, moving out of it into a (smaller) house, and getting married is a lot to handle. But with the confidence that God has laid the path for us, we are not stressed (much.) As one of my friends recently remarked, "Aren't you beside yourself now?" I replied, "If I was beside myself, I'd make use of those two extra hands."
Here in the new blog house, I am sitting on the floor in my study, typing this missive, and if you need to know, am in my pajamas. The neatly organized study of my former house is now a jumble of boxes and wires, seemingly tossed into the room in random chaos. That's because the bookcases I lovingly made for the former workspace couldn't be brought out of the room last Saturday, when we moved most of the stuff out of my house.
Oh, we did move some of the tall red-oak cases; my audio stack and the CD case. The latter, being only six inches deep, was able to make the turns out of the study to go downstairs. The audio cabinet had to be flown out of a second story window to waiting hands on the ground. This was a video moment if there ever was one, as the case weighed over 150 pounds. My friend Stan and I held the ropes upstairs, while friend Chuck and his sons waited down below. We didn't break anything, and it is now half loaded with equipment here in the blog house.
Everything else in the house has stopped now, as my buyer has indicated that she wants to close on Friday. My to-do list exceeds the memory of my PDA, in cleaning out the house. So, I must take a circular saw and cut off 18" of the top of the cases so they can be moved out. And I am moving two things I thought I was going to get rid of before this: two wing-back chairs and a 50s porcelain-top table and chairs. No takers. Today will be a day of surgery on the bookcases, and moving out all tonight with my brother-in-law and his pickup. Oh, and did I mention that I am getting married in three days?
The wedding plans have been put on a list, so we won't forget anything, like the cards and renumeration for the pastors, the checkbook to pay the reception, gasing up the cars, and making arrangements for rides to the church to get us there on time. The weather will be gorgeous, and the foliage in New Hampshire, sumptuous. Everybody seems to be all set, and that's good, because our minds are not on that day just yet; we have to get this house emptied by Friday, when we presumably close on the house, then drive to Massachusetts to get the flowers, then drive to the reception place to deliver flowers and to the church to decorate it. Remember that this is the day before our wedding.
So, blog posting may be light (but you are used to that by now, aren't you?) and I will report back later this week, I hope.
A la prochaine!
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Let's face it, the expectations for such a whirlwind four weeks are to be beside ourselves by now. After all, selling a house, moving out of it into a (smaller) house, and getting married is a lot to handle. But with the confidence that God has laid the path for us, we are not stressed (much.) As one of my friends recently remarked, "Aren't you beside yourself now?" I replied, "If I was beside myself, I'd make use of those two extra hands."
Here in the new blog house, I am sitting on the floor in my study, typing this missive, and if you need to know, am in my pajamas. The neatly organized study of my former house is now a jumble of boxes and wires, seemingly tossed into the room in random chaos. That's because the bookcases I lovingly made for the former workspace couldn't be brought out of the room last Saturday, when we moved most of the stuff out of my house.
Oh, we did move some of the tall red-oak cases; my audio stack and the CD case. The latter, being only six inches deep, was able to make the turns out of the study to go downstairs. The audio cabinet had to be flown out of a second story window to waiting hands on the ground. This was a video moment if there ever was one, as the case weighed over 150 pounds. My friend Stan and I held the ropes upstairs, while friend Chuck and his sons waited down below. We didn't break anything, and it is now half loaded with equipment here in the blog house.
Everything else in the house has stopped now, as my buyer has indicated that she wants to close on Friday. My to-do list exceeds the memory of my PDA, in cleaning out the house. So, I must take a circular saw and cut off 18" of the top of the cases so they can be moved out. And I am moving two things I thought I was going to get rid of before this: two wing-back chairs and a 50s porcelain-top table and chairs. No takers. Today will be a day of surgery on the bookcases, and moving out all tonight with my brother-in-law and his pickup. Oh, and did I mention that I am getting married in three days?
The wedding plans have been put on a list, so we won't forget anything, like the cards and renumeration for the pastors, the checkbook to pay the reception, gasing up the cars, and making arrangements for rides to the church to get us there on time. The weather will be gorgeous, and the foliage in New Hampshire, sumptuous. Everybody seems to be all set, and that's good, because our minds are not on that day just yet; we have to get this house emptied by Friday, when we presumably close on the house, then drive to Massachusetts to get the flowers, then drive to the reception place to deliver flowers and to the church to decorate it. Remember that this is the day before our wedding.
So, blog posting may be light (but you are used to that by now, aren't you?) and I will report back later this week, I hope.
A la prochaine!
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Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Going, going....
Saturday's yard sale was a moderate success as far as yard sales go. We priced a lot of stuff at .25 and .50, so making over a hundred dollars meant a lot of stuff went. Curiously, older and antique items, such as a collection of sugar and creamers didn't sell. So, with the move this weekend, much of the stuff will be left behind, destined for a consignment shop on Monday.
My realtor gave me a surprise this morning that the buyer wants to close a week early. That means little time beyond the move this weekend to clean out the house and get it ready. That day is the day before the wedding, and M and I already had a full day planned to get the flowers to the reception venue and the church. So, a decision will have to be made.
I cannot believe that in less than a week and a half that M and I will be man and wife. Perhaps it is the strain of moving that is taking up all of our thoughts and deeds. Andy and I will be in the new house only a week before the wedding, and when we get home from our honeymoon, we'll move the rest of M's stuff from her apartment.
As I might have mentioned previously, the ninth of October will be the wedding day and the second anniversary of Out Of The Blue. I'm preparing a special post that day, a love story and reflection on the past two years. To paraphrase Paul Harvey, "your're going to hear, the rest of the story."
Have a great day wherever you are!
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My realtor gave me a surprise this morning that the buyer wants to close a week early. That means little time beyond the move this weekend to clean out the house and get it ready. That day is the day before the wedding, and M and I already had a full day planned to get the flowers to the reception venue and the church. So, a decision will have to be made.
I cannot believe that in less than a week and a half that M and I will be man and wife. Perhaps it is the strain of moving that is taking up all of our thoughts and deeds. Andy and I will be in the new house only a week before the wedding, and when we get home from our honeymoon, we'll move the rest of M's stuff from her apartment.
As I might have mentioned previously, the ninth of October will be the wedding day and the second anniversary of Out Of The Blue. I'm preparing a special post that day, a love story and reflection on the past two years. To paraphrase Paul Harvey, "your're going to hear, the rest of the story."
Have a great day wherever you are!
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Saturday, September 25, 2004
Tale of the Sale
Another Saturday morning, and I ain't got no money.
I'm having yard sale so I can get paid.
Oh how I wish I had buyers to talk to.
I'm in an awful way.
Apologies to Yusuf Islam, or Cat Stevens. What's the deal here, with HIM being a suspected terrorist? A Peace terrorist? Oh well. Onward.
Yes, it's my last yard sale and I'm clearing the decks. I'm hoping to sell everything and give everything away for what people want. I've got nothing to lose!
THe packing is almost done, which is great because I am working next week, the day before the move. And tomorrow, M and I travel to her father's home to visit with uncles from the old country. So the next week will be busy, with the move on Friday and Saturday, and the wedding two weeks from today!
A la prochaine!
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I'm having yard sale so I can get paid.
Oh how I wish I had buyers to talk to.
I'm in an awful way.
Apologies to Yusuf Islam, or Cat Stevens. What's the deal here, with HIM being a suspected terrorist? A Peace terrorist? Oh well. Onward.
Yes, it's my last yard sale and I'm clearing the decks. I'm hoping to sell everything and give everything away for what people want. I've got nothing to lose!
THe packing is almost done, which is great because I am working next week, the day before the move. And tomorrow, M and I travel to her father's home to visit with uncles from the old country. So the next week will be busy, with the move on Friday and Saturday, and the wedding two weeks from today!
A la prochaine!
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Sunday, September 19, 2004
Cool Running
The first fall-like temperatures reached Southern New England this morning, a cool 49 degrees F, making the evening's sleep a snuggly one under the blankets. The week past has been busy, what else? I must have forgotten what it's like to move.
As I am a planner-sort of guy, I bought 50 boxes that would hold record albums without much shifting around and with a depth that, filled, wouldn't be very heavy. The records (LPs) took up 24 of those 7" deep boxes. And with CDs and some books, the living room looks like a loading dock now.
The downstairs looks empty of furniture and full of boxes. M and I devised a plan to describe what we wanted to accomplish on the moving days, so we'd have enough people and coordinate deliveries of furniture, appliances and utilities. So far, so good. Which is really good, since the wedding plans are all in place, and except for the wedding rehearsal and delivery of flowers, it will be a push-button day when we'll start the ball rolling on wedding morning, and it should run automatically, even with some glitches.
I have a lot of infrastructure here that has to be moved also, so Hits of Yesterday will be off the air while I move the music computers and get the networks going at the new house. I am hoping that it won't be long. The web site and the blog here will continue to be up, but not updated during the move.
So it will be a busy three weeks, with the move in two and the wedding in three. The house sale is moving along, with the home inspection yesterday. I met the new homeowner and she described her plans to take down all the wainscoting that I put over the tile in the kitchen. I hope that she reconsiders, once she looks at that yellow and black tile! I am hopeful that the inspection came out with little changes to make.
Enjoy the Sunday wherever you are, the day that the Lord has made!
Thanks for stopping in!
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As I am a planner-sort of guy, I bought 50 boxes that would hold record albums without much shifting around and with a depth that, filled, wouldn't be very heavy. The records (LPs) took up 24 of those 7" deep boxes. And with CDs and some books, the living room looks like a loading dock now.
The downstairs looks empty of furniture and full of boxes. M and I devised a plan to describe what we wanted to accomplish on the moving days, so we'd have enough people and coordinate deliveries of furniture, appliances and utilities. So far, so good. Which is really good, since the wedding plans are all in place, and except for the wedding rehearsal and delivery of flowers, it will be a push-button day when we'll start the ball rolling on wedding morning, and it should run automatically, even with some glitches.
I have a lot of infrastructure here that has to be moved also, so Hits of Yesterday will be off the air while I move the music computers and get the networks going at the new house. I am hoping that it won't be long. The web site and the blog here will continue to be up, but not updated during the move.
So it will be a busy three weeks, with the move in two and the wedding in three. The house sale is moving along, with the home inspection yesterday. I met the new homeowner and she described her plans to take down all the wainscoting that I put over the tile in the kitchen. I hope that she reconsiders, once she looks at that yellow and black tile! I am hopeful that the inspection came out with little changes to make.
Enjoy the Sunday wherever you are, the day that the Lord has made!
Thanks for stopping in!
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Saturday, September 11, 2004
Sale-ing, sale-ing
It's a done deal, the house is sold! And with that news, the packing begins in earnest (or, more correctly, in my house.) But first to go is the yard sale items.
M and I spent much of yesterday taking stuff out and pricing them. Most are hopefully going to go fast, with 25 cent price tags. This is the first batch of stuff that I discovered I didn't need when cleaning the house for the sale of it.
The timing of the house sale is impeccible, as only God could make it. We hope to move to a house that is for rent on October 1. The wedding is on October 9, and the closing on my house is October 15. Some high-flying energy will be needed to negotiate these two weeks!
Andy has been doing pretty well in school so far, and his demeanor around M is improving. He is excited about moving, as it is closer to his school and many of his friends. The house we want to move to is within walking distance of his school, too, and one of the first things we want to do with him before we move is to take the walk from the new house to the school so he will feel comfortable about the distance.
The wedding plans are now in push-button mode; all of the invitations have been returned, the flowers are now all set, and everybody knows what they are doing. Only the wedding rings will need to be picked up and the flowers delivered to the church and reception venue, which M and I will do the day before the wedding.
So, one more cup of coffee and I am away to the sale!
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M and I spent much of yesterday taking stuff out and pricing them. Most are hopefully going to go fast, with 25 cent price tags. This is the first batch of stuff that I discovered I didn't need when cleaning the house for the sale of it.
The timing of the house sale is impeccible, as only God could make it. We hope to move to a house that is for rent on October 1. The wedding is on October 9, and the closing on my house is October 15. Some high-flying energy will be needed to negotiate these two weeks!
Andy has been doing pretty well in school so far, and his demeanor around M is improving. He is excited about moving, as it is closer to his school and many of his friends. The house we want to move to is within walking distance of his school, too, and one of the first things we want to do with him before we move is to take the walk from the new house to the school so he will feel comfortable about the distance.
The wedding plans are now in push-button mode; all of the invitations have been returned, the flowers are now all set, and everybody knows what they are doing. Only the wedding rings will need to be picked up and the flowers delivered to the church and reception venue, which M and I will do the day before the wedding.
So, one more cup of coffee and I am away to the sale!
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Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Weekend Update No. 9
Being that it is Tuesday, I can look back at the weekend with fondness and a slightly romantic recollection that was the week past. M and I have been looking for apartments, and that has been a trial of sorts for both of us. There just isn't nice apartments for us that we'd be happy in. The search continues.
The house is still on the market (come on, come on!) and Andy begins school on Thursday this week. He has his school clothes, new shoes and his supplies, so he is ready to go.
It is absolutely wonderful to have M here, and we have been spending time planning aspects of the wedding every day and enjoying each other's company, especially in church and in the kitchen. She is a true blessing to me, and a gift from God.
Have a great week, everybody!
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The house is still on the market (come on, come on!) and Andy begins school on Thursday this week. He has his school clothes, new shoes and his supplies, so he is ready to go.
It is absolutely wonderful to have M here, and we have been spending time planning aspects of the wedding every day and enjoying each other's company, especially in church and in the kitchen. She is a true blessing to me, and a gift from God.
Have a great week, everybody!
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Musique Concrete
I begin this morning to discover that compact disks can and will explode in your cd player. Perhaps not playing music, but games. It is reported in Infoworld, and I have seen this elsewhere, that a computer disc shattered in a CD-ROM drive that the owner of was playing Age of Empires II. Computer games helpful hint number 101: wear safety glasses while sitting at the computer.
When I saw the message about the exploding cds, "Musique Concrete" as a term came to mind, but that isn't really music hitting the concrete. Pierre Schaeffer is acknowledged as the "father" of Musique Concrete, which is one of the derivitive styles of electronic music.
Schaeffer was not a musician, but an engineer and a broadcaster. He was experimenting with "lock-grooves," keeping a phonograph needle in the same groove, essentially playing the same sound over and over. He searched for sounds to isolate in this way, and created Musique Concrete as a form of putting these natural sounds (looped, in a fashion, from the record) into a musical form.
Electronic music was characterized by sounds created not only for the note sounded, but by the attack (the quickness of the sound developing) and the decay (how the sound trails off in volume and intensity.) Synthesizers from Bob Moog had controls for each type of sound generated so their attack and decay could be artificially simulated, just as the sound was. Pierre Schaeffer was the first person to explore attack and decay in his experiments.
In realizing the concept of collecting more sounds and stringing them together, measuring their individual presence by how short or long he presented the sound, Schaeffer speculated that an instrument could be built that would play prerecorded sounds. The Mellotron, a staple of early Sixties Pop music, was a realization by others many years after Schaeffer wrote about it.
Schaeffer eventually presented a composition, made from sounds collected from six locomotives, accellerating and slowing, as "Etude aux chemans de fer" (Concert for Locomotives.) The reaction was, predictibly mixed.
In 1951, Schaeffer was presented with a tape recorder, which he fitted with 12 heads. He documented his experiments in music in writings and in books, and created rule sets for the forms of musique concrete. Schaeffer died in 1995, and is remembered as "The Musician of Sounds."
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When I saw the message about the exploding cds, "Musique Concrete" as a term came to mind, but that isn't really music hitting the concrete. Pierre Schaeffer is acknowledged as the "father" of Musique Concrete, which is one of the derivitive styles of electronic music.
Schaeffer was not a musician, but an engineer and a broadcaster. He was experimenting with "lock-grooves," keeping a phonograph needle in the same groove, essentially playing the same sound over and over. He searched for sounds to isolate in this way, and created Musique Concrete as a form of putting these natural sounds (looped, in a fashion, from the record) into a musical form.
Electronic music was characterized by sounds created not only for the note sounded, but by the attack (the quickness of the sound developing) and the decay (how the sound trails off in volume and intensity.) Synthesizers from Bob Moog had controls for each type of sound generated so their attack and decay could be artificially simulated, just as the sound was. Pierre Schaeffer was the first person to explore attack and decay in his experiments.
In realizing the concept of collecting more sounds and stringing them together, measuring their individual presence by how short or long he presented the sound, Schaeffer speculated that an instrument could be built that would play prerecorded sounds. The Mellotron, a staple of early Sixties Pop music, was a realization by others many years after Schaeffer wrote about it.
Schaeffer eventually presented a composition, made from sounds collected from six locomotives, accellerating and slowing, as "Etude aux chemans de fer" (Concert for Locomotives.) The reaction was, predictibly mixed.
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Although the composition is considered to be more of an experimental essay rather than a serious composition, it was significant in four ways. 1. An act of musical composition was accomplished by a technological process. 2. The work could be replayed multiple times. 3. Replaying was not dependent on human performers. 4. Elements were "concrete." |
In 1951, Schaeffer was presented with a tape recorder, which he fitted with 12 heads. He documented his experiments in music in writings and in books, and created rule sets for the forms of musique concrete. Schaeffer died in 1995, and is remembered as "The Musician of Sounds."
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Monday, August 23, 2004
A week without blogging
Wow, what a week! Glad to be back in the blog house, and also glad hurricanes are no where in sight. Florida has a massive job ahead, worse as so many of the displaced are still homeless.
My home is still for sale, and there are so many reasons (excuses) that homebuyers are not flocking to my house; the weather, the time of season, the phases of the moon, the karma of the street, whatever. I'll be mowing today, the recent rains have turned my burnt grass into a lush carpet. Perhaps that will enhance the curb appeal?
M and I have been busy with marriage plans. This past week, we visited our reception place and firmed up the menu, after having lunch there. We are really excited about The Lighthouse Inn and how amazing it is that we were able to secure the Inn for a reception in so short a time; it is a God-sighting!
We drove to City Hall afterward to get our marriage license, and that was kind of amazing. We wondered why the city clerk didn't have to check our birth certificates or drivers licenses for proof of who we are; merely a right-hand-in-the-air oath. That done, we proceeded to the bakery where our wedding cake will be made.
This bakery, in Norwich Connecticut, had to be one of the best we've ever seen. The woman who helped us, and is the owner, was so kind and patient to us. She showed us many styles of cakes and pictures of hundreds of unique cakes. M and I, being that our minds have been working on the same frequency since we've met, picked out a style within fifteen minutes. The owner then came and brought us cake samples (the fun part!) that we could try for the cake and filling! Oh boy!
The cake fillings, actually samples of cakes, has taken us until today to finish all of them, and we received them on Thursday. So rich and so varied, one was a white cake with a light lemon cream filling, another chocolate with strawberry mousse, a third chocolate with a cannolli-type cheese filling, and more. The list of fillings was long, and we discounted much of what we had, but enjoyed every bite. A filling on the list intrigued us, hazelnut creme. So we may make a trip back there.
M has settled in, and it is so great for me to be able to spend the days with her. With the three of us, it already seems like family (well, at times, with Andy.) Only 46 more days until the wedding!
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My home is still for sale, and there are so many reasons (excuses) that homebuyers are not flocking to my house; the weather, the time of season, the phases of the moon, the karma of the street, whatever. I'll be mowing today, the recent rains have turned my burnt grass into a lush carpet. Perhaps that will enhance the curb appeal?
M and I have been busy with marriage plans. This past week, we visited our reception place and firmed up the menu, after having lunch there. We are really excited about The Lighthouse Inn and how amazing it is that we were able to secure the Inn for a reception in so short a time; it is a God-sighting!
We drove to City Hall afterward to get our marriage license, and that was kind of amazing. We wondered why the city clerk didn't have to check our birth certificates or drivers licenses for proof of who we are; merely a right-hand-in-the-air oath. That done, we proceeded to the bakery where our wedding cake will be made.
This bakery, in Norwich Connecticut, had to be one of the best we've ever seen. The woman who helped us, and is the owner, was so kind and patient to us. She showed us many styles of cakes and pictures of hundreds of unique cakes. M and I, being that our minds have been working on the same frequency since we've met, picked out a style within fifteen minutes. The owner then came and brought us cake samples (the fun part!) that we could try for the cake and filling! Oh boy!
The cake fillings, actually samples of cakes, has taken us until today to finish all of them, and we received them on Thursday. So rich and so varied, one was a white cake with a light lemon cream filling, another chocolate with strawberry mousse, a third chocolate with a cannolli-type cheese filling, and more. The list of fillings was long, and we discounted much of what we had, but enjoyed every bite. A filling on the list intrigued us, hazelnut creme. So we may make a trip back there.
M has settled in, and it is so great for me to be able to spend the days with her. With the three of us, it already seems like family (well, at times, with Andy.) Only 46 more days until the wedding!
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Monday, August 16, 2004
Settled In
The move over the weekend went smoothly, and M is now a resident of my town! We decided to move on Saturday and try and outrun Charley, which was a good thing, even though Charley was outta here later in the morning on Sunday. Parking next to her new apartment, I fell onto the pavement while pulling out a mattress, and twisted my knee, but miraculaously, no swelling occured! It still hurts a bit, but it is all right.
I am in deep prayer for the victims of Charley in Florida. We've heard from my father-in-law's sister and her friend, and know where his friend is, but his niece and nephew haven't checked in yet. They lived in Bonita Springs, but we still expect them to be ok. The residents of Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte and the barrier islands are slowly going back to their homes, and sometimes finding nothing but destruction. A very large community of retirees, some had insurance, many not. I was glued to live tv from Ft. Myers yesterday on the Internet. It is eerie seeing streets and places I have visited with the storm's wrath exposed and rotting on those streets.
Many stories have come out of survivors, one of whom hid under a couch with a homeless neighbor. Another woman was found in a bathroom, 48 hours after the storm had passed, she still thinking that the storm was going on.
And with the power outages, the reason that Floridians can survive, air-conditioning isn't working. The heat index is over 100 as I write, and the recommendation is for people to drink lots of water, but potable water is very hard to find.
There will be more stories about people who have travelled from far away, even Canada, to help the people affected by this hurricane. Our prayers are with you all.
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I am in deep prayer for the victims of Charley in Florida. We've heard from my father-in-law's sister and her friend, and know where his friend is, but his niece and nephew haven't checked in yet. They lived in Bonita Springs, but we still expect them to be ok. The residents of Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte and the barrier islands are slowly going back to their homes, and sometimes finding nothing but destruction. A very large community of retirees, some had insurance, many not. I was glued to live tv from Ft. Myers yesterday on the Internet. It is eerie seeing streets and places I have visited with the storm's wrath exposed and rotting on those streets.
Many stories have come out of survivors, one of whom hid under a couch with a homeless neighbor. Another woman was found in a bathroom, 48 hours after the storm had passed, she still thinking that the storm was going on.
And with the power outages, the reason that Floridians can survive, air-conditioning isn't working. The heat index is over 100 as I write, and the recommendation is for people to drink lots of water, but potable water is very hard to find.
There will be more stories about people who have travelled from far away, even Canada, to help the people affected by this hurricane. Our prayers are with you all.
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Saturday, August 14, 2004
Coffee klatch
Hello kiddies! Now, can anyone tell me what a "klatch" is? Lots of people "klatch," so why not we? Pull up a chair and I'll pour out a tall cup of java while we wait for an answer. Coffee this morning is Gevalia Chocolate Raspberry, music is First Call's album Sacred Journey.
Tropical storm Bonnie has exited the New England States, and Charley is heading northward, albiet a weaker storm now than hit Florida. Daylight will reveal much of the damage, but it is good for some of Florida that the sustained winds that brought it to a Catagory Four rating yesterday morning seemed to diminish fairly rapidly. However, Punta Gorda and other cities in Lee, Charlotte, Manatee and Sarasota counties experienced the full bore hit of Charley. Tragically, a mobile home park produced a large loss of life, with possibly hundreds of people reported missing.
Charley presents a problem for me and M, however. On one map last night, it looked like the center of tropical storm Charley would be right over M's home area at 8 am on Sunday, and we were going to move her later that morning. It would not be a good time to drive a 14-foot UHaul truck up the interstate with tropical force winds and lots of rain. This morning, the map shows Charley possibly passing through at 1 pm on Sunday, but I'm going to suggest that we do this today and beat the storm.
Next week, I won't be blogging alone, as M joins me at the keyboard. 55 days until the wedding! And in an interesting coincidence, my two-year blog anniversary will occur on October 9th, my wedding day! Wow, what a lot of words have traveled out of the blog house since then!
Have a wonderful day!
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Tropical storm Bonnie has exited the New England States, and Charley is heading northward, albiet a weaker storm now than hit Florida. Daylight will reveal much of the damage, but it is good for some of Florida that the sustained winds that brought it to a Catagory Four rating yesterday morning seemed to diminish fairly rapidly. However, Punta Gorda and other cities in Lee, Charlotte, Manatee and Sarasota counties experienced the full bore hit of Charley. Tragically, a mobile home park produced a large loss of life, with possibly hundreds of people reported missing.
Charley presents a problem for me and M, however. On one map last night, it looked like the center of tropical storm Charley would be right over M's home area at 8 am on Sunday, and we were going to move her later that morning. It would not be a good time to drive a 14-foot UHaul truck up the interstate with tropical force winds and lots of rain. This morning, the map shows Charley possibly passing through at 1 pm on Sunday, but I'm going to suggest that we do this today and beat the storm.
Next week, I won't be blogging alone, as M joins me at the keyboard. 55 days until the wedding! And in an interesting coincidence, my two-year blog anniversary will occur on October 9th, my wedding day! Wow, what a lot of words have traveled out of the blog house since then!
Have a wonderful day!
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Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Tropical (storm) dreams
Like Mark, I was surprised to see two tropical storms in the Gulf this week. Bonnie and Charlie (Bonnie Charlie?) one with the potential to hit the Florida panhandle, the other to hit Jamaica. Interesting though that both future tracks from the National Hurricane Center (Bonnie here and Charlie here) show the storms heading slightly inland and up toward to New England and New York.
Rain, which I asked for a week ago, seems to be in the weather for the next few weeks.
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Rain, which I asked for a week ago, seems to be in the weather for the next few weeks.
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Wednesday Morning, 3 AM
It is 3 am in California as I write this, 6 am here at the blog house, but the title suggest Simon & Garfunkel's album from 1964 that was their first, and a decidedly different album than that was to follow. Highlights were "Bleeker Street" and the first version of "The Sounds of Silence." On the stereo right now is a collection of favorite songs culled from the Hits of Yesterday database, presently playing We Five's "You Were On My Mind."
Events of the house move and sale continue at a snail's pace. Yesterday, taking advice I saw on the Style Channel's "Clean House," I filled two trashbags with stuff stashed away in drawers in the basement and in boxes already packed. So it left me with more boxes to put more stuff in. I feel good about what I am taking and keeping; and have a much clearer picture of how I'm going to store boxes of stuff I won't need in an apartment for a year.
The snail's pace stopped on a potential homebuyer that wanted me to carry a second mortgage on the property for two years. Nope. If the buyer defaults, I'll have the house back; or more correctly, have to foreclose and auction the house. Not something I want to deal with. I'm hoping that the sign I put in front, advertising the open house on Sunday will collect a few more potential buyers. Time is getting critical, and a sixty-day closing cycle will be on my wedding day, NOT.
Today, I'm working at my church, adding more stuff (not the same stuff I am throwing out, mind you) and rewiring the sound system console. It was hot there yesterday, and while assembling TV carts (not very intuitive as you have to bend metal pieces to put them together) and I was drowning in my own sweat (I know, more than you want to know.) After talking with M last night, a cool shower was the best thing that happened to me all day (except for talking with M!)
Have a great Wednesday!
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Events of the house move and sale continue at a snail's pace. Yesterday, taking advice I saw on the Style Channel's "Clean House," I filled two trashbags with stuff stashed away in drawers in the basement and in boxes already packed. So it left me with more boxes to put more stuff in. I feel good about what I am taking and keeping; and have a much clearer picture of how I'm going to store boxes of stuff I won't need in an apartment for a year.
The snail's pace stopped on a potential homebuyer that wanted me to carry a second mortgage on the property for two years. Nope. If the buyer defaults, I'll have the house back; or more correctly, have to foreclose and auction the house. Not something I want to deal with. I'm hoping that the sign I put in front, advertising the open house on Sunday will collect a few more potential buyers. Time is getting critical, and a sixty-day closing cycle will be on my wedding day, NOT.
Today, I'm working at my church, adding more stuff (not the same stuff I am throwing out, mind you) and rewiring the sound system console. It was hot there yesterday, and while assembling TV carts (not very intuitive as you have to bend metal pieces to put them together) and I was drowning in my own sweat (I know, more than you want to know.) After talking with M last night, a cool shower was the best thing that happened to me all day (except for talking with M!)
Have a great Wednesday!
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Saturday, August 07, 2004
Saturday Funnies
On my blogwalk this morning I ran across two things that will start your weekend with a smile.
Kimberly at Number 2 Pencil has seen a site of collected Bad Baby Names. That's not a Bad Baby, its a bad name for a baby. And she has provided appropriate commentary, which in itself is hilarious.
Selling your product? First, hire a pitchman who can pronounce all the words in your product sheet. For instance, this guy, selling the Rockwell Retro-Incalbulator. (Note: Windows media player needed.) Thanks to Boing-Boing, whose readers also uncovered this data sheet for the predecessor built in 1944, the Turbo-Incalbulator. You'll figure out soon enough, that this was an exercise in obfustication.
Have a wonderful weekend!
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Kimberly at Number 2 Pencil has seen a site of collected Bad Baby Names. That's not a Bad Baby, its a bad name for a baby. And she has provided appropriate commentary, which in itself is hilarious.
Selling your product? First, hire a pitchman who can pronounce all the words in your product sheet. For instance, this guy, selling the Rockwell Retro-Incalbulator. (Note: Windows media player needed.) Thanks to Boing-Boing, whose readers also uncovered this data sheet for the predecessor built in 1944, the Turbo-Incalbulator. You'll figure out soon enough, that this was an exercise in obfustication.
Have a wonderful weekend!
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