6.30.2007

we're taking a breather at a little internet cafe next to the spanish steps. it is nice here, though we're staying a little outside of the city, which was a little disconcerning when we first landed- seeing that the outskirts of rome look like tiajuana. rome central is quite amazing, though. we're just strolling around some. yesterday we saw the forum, had a beer on some steps outside of the old senate building, etc. we will see the pantheon and some other stuff today. maybe take a day trip to a lake tomorrow and hit up the vatican on monday. then it's off to paris and dublin. i'll probably write more when we get back. london was excellent- beautiful, and cold... jogging through hyde park listening to village green preservation society was a highlight. too expensive, though. nothing else to speak of.

6.22.2007

we'll be in europe until july 13. visit the pools- they'll be staying at our place. if you need to get in touch, drop an email.

6.21.2007

finished.

6.20.2007

last day of school. weird. i really need the break and i can't fathom working summer school. next year with the baby, i'll probably have to, but i'm not thinking about that right now. students are signing year books, three amigos is on, and i am overwhelmed with a deep sense of relief. so overwhelmed, in fact, that my head may explode from sheer awesomeness and euphoria.

i'm looking forward to changing things up next year, though i'm not completely sure i'll be teaching. i plan on reading a few novels with them. my curriculum this past year didn't include any novel study, which kind of sucked. we got in a shipment of very cool books this past year and i plan on reading through a few- maybe one per quarter- that have to do with the content area we're studying. some possible selections (that i'll be reading through this summer to see if they'd work) include: tortilla flats, the red pony, peter pan, a wrinkle in time, and the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. we'll see how it goes. if anything, the books should make for some fun summer reading.

if anyone is interested, we will be going to fuddruckers in burbank tonight to celebrate the end of the school year. it was a tradition when i was a kid, so it seems like the right thing to do. we'll be going around 6:00 or 7:00. if you want to go, give me a call.

6.17.2007

i got my first father's day presents today. it was fun. my unborn child bought me a baseball glove and a green brooklyn hat. it made me very happy. i'm editing the script a little, so this may be a late one. people are actually reading it, which is cool and exciting- though i'm trying not to get too excited.

looking forward to chicago and europe. some good times await with the bush and the mother country. i'm over my being down on europe- though seeing that sick duck blood sauce didn't help my prejudice any. i should get to writing soon, but i'm listening back to the songs i downloaded (mr. blue sky and come softly with me) and both are quite enjoyable.

my sickness is gone, portnoy's complaint is funny and gross, and i'm really enjoying well produced late 1950s pop songs. some of those one hit wonder bands were really hoppin'. fun. good times. i'm out.

6.13.2007

time to post. i'm really sick right now- the first time all school year. the final days of school have been pretty stressful... grades, sickness, prepping for europe, finishing a writing project, sickness, weight gain, hair loss... being sick makes everything less fun.

we're trying to figure out this europe thing. it should be fun, but it's a pain booking places all around countries we know nothing about. it should be fun, but stressful. after this trip, i'm sticking to tropical places. tropical rules the known universe.

tropical: mangos, sleeping, drinks in pineapples, drinks in coconuts, lots of fish, surfing.

europe: blood pudding, dog poop in the street, crowded, sweaty tours of castles, rude people, mad cow disease, italian men.

tropical wins each and every time.

5.29.2007

i had a good time camping this weekend. it was fun walking my dog past a group of people playing nude volleyball.

work is starting soon. i've got the rest of this week. a full week next. a full week (with a professional development) the following week. and a partial week. then chicago, london, france, italy, ireland, maui- with some relax time in between around the house. then work. then i become a padre.

5.26.2007

the votes are in for best autobiography name... and the winner is-- me. i win because i say and because of the following- i cooked myself an omelet. after eating it, and coming to the realization that it was cooked to perfection, i realized my champion awesomeness. the egg based treat was wheat field gold, and it featured strength giving spinach, passion inducing sun dried tomatoes, euphorically danceriffic garlic, and mesmerizing light mexican cheese. i also rule because of my washing it down with a beer. and i might even walk across the street and buy a donut and a beer for lunch- which will commence in about fifteen minutes.

things to do today... see a pirate blockbuster. write a pirate blockbuster. make love to a pirate blockbuster. prep for beach camp fun. learn.

listening: ipod on random.

song: rock n' me

5.23.2007

so, i went ahead and started in on tender is the night. i love it. and i love my wife. and i love my baby that is not born. and the new yiddish book i bought. and i love my job. and i love what i write. and i love love. and george harrison, sadie, my friends, red headed stranger, life, feeling sorry for myself, netflix, dodgers, my family, camping, and everything that is important. and i am a bum with good intentions. my autobiography shall be titled: bum with good intentions.

what would your autobiography be called?

5.20.2007

so, i finished the road last night. it was quite entertaining. i haven't been reading as much as i should, but i think it got me back on track. i'm not really sure what to read next. any suggestions? i've got a handful of books on my shelf, so i probably won't listen to your suggestions, but throw them out anyhow.

5.16.2007

today is the final day of testing- which is nice. i'm kind of running out of things to do, i realize, but i'm sure i'll figure something out. i have to finish grades today and would like to get some writing done. i'm not really sure why i'm writing about any of this as it may prove boring for you feeble minded readers.

four cool things i saw yesterday: a dodger game with famed crooner brien downie, jayson belt, jason bateman, and my baby and its little heart. i would scan up a picture, but my printer is all messed up.

hmmm... anything else? i want to check out the new michael chabon book and i'm looking forward to deadwood coming out in june. i'm also going to go ahead and shed a few pounds. i believe i'm going fat. seeing as i'm loosing my hair at a very rapid pace (stress related, i imagine- like roger maris), i need to combat the oncoming downward spiral by becoming fit.

things to eliminate for a time: booze, saturated fats, candy, goldfish by the handfuls at 11:00 before bed.

5.15.2007

yesterday i made coffee at 6:00 in the morning. i had a little left at 9:45 in the evening and wouldn't you know it- the stanley thermous had it still decently warm. i was pleased.

5.8.2007

i've got a few minutes between testing and meetings, so i figure i'll post noncryptically for the first time about the baby. hmmm... yes, robyn is pregnant... yes, it was a bit of a surprise... yes, i am now excited...

robyn will be eight weeks along at the end of next week. she is a little queasy, but doing alright. i, however, kind of feel like that guy in the slow motion black and white stock footage who gets hit in the stomach with a cannonball... slow intense impact... flopping... wobbly... in the end, (i guess) the guy survives and winds up looking pretty cool, though. i'm not too worried. all i need to do is keep writing on that thing i'm writing on so i can sell it and chill in the park with my baby next year all day with sadie and the baseball game on the transistor.

strange things are afoot

my 2007 christmas present.

4.22.2007

watching the wire, watched the prestige, drinking an adult beverage, missing robyn. out.

4.20.2007

i'm listening to some harry potter, drinking a delicious newcastle, and eating a bowl of sauteed spinach, shrimp, and scallop- a new dish i have named ZONK! zonk is very very good. if i were a talented cook, one of those talented famous cooks, i'd name my new dishes like candy. Zonk, Buzork, Chew-Zappers.

if they happen to replay the food network awards- try and watch- if only for the appearance by albert pujols and his wife- presenting an award to "cheese burger and fries" for best comfort food combo.

and... way less crazy... and way more awesome... and quite charming

4.14.2007

this is a link to a cool simulation espn did with jackie robinson- supposing he had played third base for the dodgers last year (and this). it's pretty cool.

robyn leaves tomorrow for africa. i'll be all by my lonesome for a couple weeks.

4.12.2007

last night we went to a dodger game with alan and xio. it was a fun goodbye evening- some cha-cha, some free dodger dogs- quite an amazing time was had by all.

the seats were most definately the best i've ever had for a game. i saw ron cey, frank mccourt, tommy lasorda (sleeping as usual), and- oddly enough- kevin malone (former gm and darren dreifort benefactor).

i'm waiting for parents to come. i'm going to conference them.

4.10.2007

i just had a great sandwich... some good swiss, salami, turkey, prosciutto, mustard... very tasty (though mustard tends to hide the taste sometimes, so i'd probably do it dry next time).

sandwiches are probably my favorite food right now. i've all-time favorites and in the moment favorites. my all-time favorite food is probably fried chicken or chicken fried steak... or pizza.

off the top of my head, foods that have attained favorite status at some given juncture include (but are not limited to): sushi, pizza, home town buffet, china buffet, orange chicken, Velveeta mac and cheese, klamata olives, beer, mojo potatoes, cheese burgers, fried fish, chicken fried steak, fried chicken, fried shrimp, blackberry cobbler, peach cobbler, chicken fried chicken, fried zucchini, fair food, goldfish crackers, western bacon cheese burgers, ribs, kielbasa, onions, crazy bread, skippy peanut butter bars, minestrone, bloomin' onions, jalapeno poppers, arby sauce.

the above selections would be my last meal.

4.9.2007

i'm in a good mood. i spent the day away from my job at superzone inc. to work on some writing and watch baseball. i had a treatment that needed to be finished today and finish it i did. so, i am happy. hard work is the measure of a man. that's what they say at least. it's a good motto to live by. i'm glad; however, it's not good work is the measure of a man. it's easy to work hard. not so easy to work good. though i do good work, i am not measured by it.

this seems to me like a question for poor richard's stupid almanack to answer. good thing i sent my copy to the dump.

wouldn't it be funny if benjamin franklin somehow came from the past and entered the future- only to become obsessed with stuff magazine? the funny twist to the funny thing would be benjamin franklin taking stuff back in time with him. instead of inventing poor richard's almanack, he would go on to invent stuff magazine .

it seems every time i see juan pierre at bat, he grounds out weakly to first base. i think this is going to be a season long trend.