Thursday, January 31, 2008

Sea Change. See Change?

My friend Allison pointed this one out to me.



I laughed for like 20 minutes.

How long did you laugh for?

Discovering Trenton

What do you think of when I say; Trenton?

The capital of New Jersey perhaps? Maybe corruption at the highest levels of government? Or do you think of sprawling & random roadside sculptures. Ahh hah! Bingo.

We discovered just that the other day while heading towards the only theater within 100 miles that was showing There Will Be Blood (which just so happens to come at the highest recommendation by Fran & myself). With some time to spare before curtain, we took advantage with a few shots to remember these highway oddities.

This is called On A Yellow Box. Inventive.
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This one here is the Tree Of Life. I touched it. Now I am immortal.
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Here we have Sumerian Figures. They must do yoga.
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Life imitates art.
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The Partisans was my personal favorite. This exact piece used to sit in Boston Commons when I worked down the street. Coincidence? Yeah , probably.
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This here is entitled Four Amigos because there's four of them and they made us want Taco Bell. Kinda of like the Three Amigos without the awesome salute.
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These two were having so much fun I just had to jump in and help out. Sad to say, Brittany never did ride on her own that day. We'll try again next weekend.
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There Will Be Blood was really good. Daniel Day-Lewis better win the Oscar for that. And Paul Dano was incredible, was he even nominated? Are the nominations out yet? Awesome movie. Great soundtrack, too. Jonny Greenwood. Go get it. Go see it. Do it.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Lil' Bobblehead

Ladies & Gentlemen...

April Gilligan's baby

Monday, January 28, 2008

Dinner Decisions

We can never decide what to have for dinner. It's really quite frustrating. And it's not that we're not hungry or being picky. It's just that there's so much to choose from, so much deliciousness that to choose one and count the others out seems cruel & indignant.

We just go back and forth,

"I want pasta"

"How about tilapia?"

"We should make a salad"

"Ooh you know what would be good, Pad Thai"

"But I don't wanna cook!"

"Chinese?"

It's gotten so bad that we often have to start talking about the next days dinner immediately following the current days dinner. If I were ever to become rich I would hire someone whose only job would be to decide what we were to have for dinner each night. And I would pay them handsomely.

Intriguing stuff, huh?

Monday, January 21, 2008

Let's see..

...let's see, let's see...

A couple things.

Congratulations to my father! His new business license showed up last week and now he can be his own boss, every man's dream. Things can only get better from here on out. We celebrated with a cake.
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Saw Cloverfield yesterday. I had been itching to see this one since it first appeared on Apples movie trailer site (highly recommended for those who like to get a jump on upcoming films) back in like October. I have to say it did not disappoint. Of course it won't win any awards or anything but I thought it was brilliantly done. With a minimum of forced plot developments, a convincing & understated cast, what I thought was superb special effects editing, and ya know, I was actually impressed with the originality of the "monster". It was thinking persons suspense film, like old Hitchock stuff, and whoever made that party's playlist is tops in my book. 4 out of 5 stars.


Now, I may still be in shock on this one but, I think the New York football Giants are going to the Super Bowl. Yesterday's game was kind of a blur, but yeah, I think they won. I'm not sure what to make of it. Of course I'm gonna be rooting for them in two weeks but, I'm not gonna get all bent out of shape if they don't beat the Belichiks. Their season is already more of a victory then any Giants fan could have asked for, and all I can say is "Tiki who?"

Here's me and Fran watching the all too predictable Patriots-Chargers game.
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And here's some pad thai we made the other night.
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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

The Snow, A Boat In A Field & Apple Orchards

Ahh it's good to be home.

First off, it's been snowing since last night
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Today we slept in and watched Ace Ventura II, which for some reason seemed a lot funnier than the other five times I had seen it. We decided to make it a double feature and head off to the theater to see what new film we could take in. We decided on Atonement. I had heard good things and it did just win for best dramatic film at the Golden Globes, as subdued as they were, and Fran thought it was actually The Other Boleyn Girl, some other film she wants to see. Good film nonetheless.

Then on the way home we drove by a boat in the middle of a field. "How did this boat get here?" some may ask. But not us. We just whip out the camera, snap a few shots, and move along.
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Then we took a backroad we've never taken before and as luck would have it, passed right by an apple orchard that was just begging to be part of our extensive portfolio, and who are we to decline it's advances.
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So there it is. Spending a day off the only way we know how.

Tonight's theme: Mango infusion.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Sleepy-Headed Sum-Up

I'm home. A day late, but no worse for the wear. But I'm going on next to no sleep so I'm gonna summarize.

Left April's Tuesday to stay with Daniel in Coral Springs. Fun fact for all you trivial pursuit geeks; it's illegal to cut down trees in Coral Springs. Anyhow, there to teach Stoneman Douglas. Good kids, internal issues.

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Here's Daniel in what can only be described as a "sultry pose"

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Michael sleeping at Stoneman near a duck

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A Stoneman Douglas runthru

I was also in town to teach the all too adorable West Boca collective. Those girls are a little off. They're nutso, but nutso is better than contemptuous so I didn't mind one bit. Plus I gotta to teach with my favorite Cadet ever Allison Dinsmore.

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Emily, Michelle & Christina from West Boca

We managed to get over to Amy Hernandez's for an evening of Domino's and Wii, so what could have been better than that. Amy is always entertaining and this evening proved to be no disappointment.

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Amy & Daniel are B.F.F.

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My Mii (handsome huh?)

Then it was back to Braddock. Marc was in town so this was going to be an interesting weekend. And it was. A relatively counter-productive 14 hour Saturday rehearsal followed by an amazingly efficient 3 hour rehearsal Sunday, that guard is crazed.

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Alex performs a feat of strength

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A lone flag spins

Mario & Monica drove me to airport, but due to the possibility of a massive storm up north, late flights were cancelled, and I walked into a swarm of angry vacationers clamoring to bump up to an earlier flight. I was standby so I knew I wasn't going anywhere. Luckily my bestest bud from back in Boston, Hayden, lived just near the airport and he & Monica came & picked me up. So after a harrowing ordeal, near riots, and the inept JetBlue staff almost sending my luggage home without me, I was let loose on the South Florida streets again.
Hayden & I went to a grocery store where we bought macaroni & cheese, chicken strips, and flirted with the bakery lady for free cookies & donuts. We then returned home to wax poetic about our days past and watch Adult Swim.

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Hayden enjoying his free cookie

All in all, good week, saw lotsa people this time, that's always the goal. It's retarded how many people I know down there. Miami, probably the most unlikely place in this world that I would desire to visit.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Just Another Day In Miami (For Me At Least)

While you read thru this keep in mind that I live a very fast-paced, non-stop, high-octane lifestyle and please don't try to reproduce the events described in the following timeline without first consulting a physician to ensure your heart can withstand the extreme strain that I endure on a daily basis. And don't hate.

5:32 am - receive text from Francis, she is on her way to work

5:33 am - roll over, realize I fell asleep on the couch (again), and turn on ESPN

5:56 am - receive text from Francis, she is at work

5:57 am - fall back asleep

6:21 am - wake up to April crashing down the stairs & moaning

6:33 am - pack April's lunch & send her off to work

6:35 am - try to find some cartoons but end up back on ESPN

8:04 am - have a bowl of vanilla almond Special K

8:08 am - have another bowl of vanilla almond Special K

10:49 am - get bored of sports and flip channels

10:50 am thru 12:49 pm - watch various programs including Tom & Jerry, Awakenings, a special on Hitler's manager Albert Speer, and that channel that scrolls thru the other channels and tells you what's on

12:50 pm - leave the house for a walk

12:51 pm - call Francis at work, she is too busy to talk

1:08 pm - buy a pint of Ben & Jerry's cookie dough ice cream at Publix

1:11 pm - buy lunch at Chicken Kitchen
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1:17 pm - sprint back to April's

1:24 pm - stop to take a few pictures of trees (and catch my breath)
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1:36 pm - sit down to enjoy a delicious lunch, deluxe chop chop
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1:48 pm - take a "full-belly" nap

2:33 pm - try and figure out this facebook thing

3:00 pm - April comes home from work, moans, and takes a nap

3:24 pm - eat half a pint of Ben Jerry's cookie dough ice cream

4:09 pm - April wakes up & we watch the last few scenes of "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days"

4:27 pm - April cries

4:28 pm - turn on ESPN

5:18 pm - peel potatoes
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5:27 pm - shower

5:49 pm - watch "Monk" (eh)

6:30 pm - salivate over the dinner April & Marcos (& I) have prepared
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6:33 pm - eat the dinner April & Marcos (& I) have prepared

6:59 pm - take a call from Francis, she is home safe & sound

7:00 pm - watch "Everybody Loves Raymond"

8:00 pm - start watching the new American Gladiators

8:02 pm - turn off the new American Gladiators

8:15 pm - start watching the BCS championship game

10:52 pm - talk to Fran about pushing the PODS delivery back some more

11:11 pm - say goodnight to Francis

11:12 pm - continue to watch Ohio get embarassed by LSU

11:29 pm - finished off that pint of Ben & Jerry's cookie dough ice cream

11:49 pm - BCS game ends, OSU 24 - LSU 38

11:50 pm - turn on Letterman just in time to see them shave Dave

11:55 pm - settle in on a good zombie flick

11:57 pm - post this blog

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Back In Miami

Sooooo I am back in Miami. Yup. For 10 days this time. Knocking out three jobs at once. I have always prided myself on efficiency. I flew in on JetBlue, watching an America's Next Top Model marathon & snapped a few handsome shots of Miami before landing.
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April and her gang are never dull but this time they had some new tricks up their sleeves which, actually, I am supposed to keep a secret so let's just say that April & Marco really know how to "ring" in a (baby) new year.

A few shots from the weekend:

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Shortly before my arrival there was a safari massacre in April's bathtub.

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I managed to cure my boredom with April's bathroom mirrors, albeit momentarily.

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Alex tried so hard to hide his manic enthusiasm during rehearsal.

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During a brief moment of clarity, I chased this cloud around the building & named him Matecumbe.

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Proof that I had Chicken Kitchen (the actual food was gone too fast for the camera).

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A six.

So I'm done with the 1st weekend. Got tomorrow off. Bouncing around this week and ending up back where I started. Should be good times.

Oh and the New York football Giants won the wild card game. Surprised? I was. Hopefully 3rd time will be a charm against the Cowboys next weekend. I'm not crossing anything.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Getting It Off To A Good Start

I thought I'd start off the year with a photo of a delicious meal we cooked just the other night.

(19) chicken jambalaya, vegetable medley & crescent roll

It was chicken jambalaya, vegetable medley & Pillsbury crescent rolls served with a fine merlot, and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Scrumptious.

That day, I also cut my beard off. It will be missed dearly, but luckily I had the presence of mind to snap a few shots to be hung around the bathroom mirror, a sorta hair memorial. Feel free to do the same on your bathrrom mirror or car dashboard.

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Happy New Year. So far 2008 is OK. I watched the Honeymooners all day. That was awesome. And Michigan won. I was happy for that. Ok...Fran should be home any minute...