Thursday, June 29, 2006

Bread

I've been meaning to post about this for a while. I recently baked two different kinds of bread in my Salton Breadman Ultimate machine that I haven't tried to make before. The machine makes it incredibly easy to bake 1-, 1 and 1/2-, and 2 pound loaves of bread. All you have to do is put the current amount of ingredients in the bread pan, set the machine for whatever bread cycle you need, and hit the start button. I find it takes me no more than 15 minutes to dump everything in the pan and turn the machine on. Once I press the start button, it takes approximately 3 and 1/2 hours to mix, knead, rise, and bake a 2-pound loaf of bread. The hardest part of baking a loaf of bread with the machine is finding the necessary ingredients. Some stores don't carry some of the ingredients (ex. rye flour). Another drawback to making some of the breads is the expense. A 3 ounce jar of Caraway seed can cost you $3! I tend to use a lot of Caraway seed in my Pumpernickel and Rye breads as I really like it.
Recently, I baked loaves of Onion and Rye bread and Egg bread. I found the Onion and Rye bread interesting in that you could smell the onion big time when it was baking BUT you couldn't taste it afterwards. I thought that kind of strange. With the Egg bread, I liked the yellow color of the bread and its sweet taste. You use sugar or honey with this bread and it shows in the taste. One of these days when I feel really daring, I plan to bake a loaf of Banana Nut bread. I remember my mom baking it as a kid and I've loved it ever since. It'll be fun to make a loaf of that. I also need to bake a loaf of Pumpernickel for a friend. I promised them a loaf and just need to get off my lazy duff and make one for them.
French

As previously mentioned, I'm procrastinating today as well as enjoying my first day off from all work in over a week and a half. I decided to check out a blog I found one day while clicking on the "Next Blog" button at the top of my blog page. The site is located at http://french-word-a-day.typepad.com/motdujour/ The site introduces a different french word three times a week and shows how it's used. The site also gives glimpses of French life which can be pretty neat. I'd definitely check this site if you like things French or the French language.
Since, we're on the topic, I'll tell you how I got to learn some French. I've worked with linguists on and off during my Air Force career. I always envied them knowing a language and getting to go to the Defense Language Institute. I'd taken a semester of Spanish in high school but was so frustrated with the masculine and feminine forms (it didn't make a whole lot of sense then) that I gave up on it after one semester. By the time, I entered the Air Force the only thing I could speak in Spanish were the numbers one to ten.
I decided to learn French because it one of the easier languages to learn. I bought a computer program and found out that while computer programs are convenient, they aren't the best teachers as far as learning a language. I kept getting bitten on pronunciation. I finally decided I needed to take some lessons with a real teacher. Incredibly enough, it would be while stationed in the Middle East that I got to take the lessons. I was stationed in Bahrain and I decided to see if I could take French lessons some where. I found out about a place called the Alliance Francaise. The Alliance Francaise is an organization that promotes French culture and the French language. Chapters are found in 112 countries. I decided to take French lessons there. Sadly, I don't remember my teacher's name but I do remember I enjoyed the lessons very much. I was really sorry the lessons had to end when my tour in Bahrain was up. Luckily, there was an Alliance Francaise chapter in Washington D.C. where I was able to continue the lessons for a while. I finally had to stop when I decided I needed to get back to college and finish my degree. When I finally finish my degree, I hope to get to go back there and study French again. If you would be interested in French lessons with the Alliance Francaise, the following website can help you find out if there they have a chapter in your city: http://www.alliancefr.org/. Au revoir!
The Bathroom

My mom Kay would swear hell froze over today. I actually cleaned my bathroom without any making me do it. Kay can tell you how much I hate housecleaning and especially cleaning bathtubs. Still, it needed to be done so I finally broke open a can of Ajax cleanser I've had for a while (I won't say how long) and scrubbed. The soap scum and dirt grudgingly came off. Then, I noticed that the area around my toilet looked rather bad as well. I figured I'd better clean that too. So, I scrubbed around there. To my aggravation, I kept finding hairs that would magically appear after I wiped something clean. It was very frustrating. I began to wonder if I was shedding like a dog. Lastly, I wiped the bathroom counter and mirror off. My bathroom actually looks a little presentable now. Just in case my mom thinks hell actually froze over, I will confess that the reason I cleaned my bathroom was because I was procrastinating about doing something worse. I have to do an annotated bibliography for my college class and cleaning the bathroom looked more inviting than doing that. Now that the bathroom is clean, I'll have to find something else to do so I can keep on procrastinating about that bibliography. I know! I need to go to the Commissary. That'll put off the inevitable for at least a couple more hours and I can do a blog about a French word of the day blog site I found. That'll work!
Music Review

Recently, I listened to some music by one of my favorite singers Gordon Lightfoot. I doubt many people have heard him unless they listen to easy listening music on the radio. Most of his hits were during the late 60's and early 70's. The music is a folk style and could be played with just a guitar unlike a lot of the manufactured music of today. I think a number of his songs are really beautiful. His song If You Could Read My Mind is almost poetic and the images it creates are very moving. It tells of a love that has gone sadly wrong and the singer doesn't know how he can get back to where he and his love were in love again. Another outstanding piece of music by Lightfoot is Canadian Railroad Trilogy. It tells of the railmen who helped open up Canada's virgin lands and helped build a nation. It is a beautiful ballad. Another song of love lost is Lightfoot's Bitter Green which tells of a beautiful women who continues to love a man who becomes lost some where and when he is finally able to return, he returns to find her dead. It is a very touching song. Lightfoot also has cheerful songs such as Rainy Day People which tells of people who are always willing to listen and love. They make no judgements on people and any love they receive, they pass on.
Overall, Gordon Lightfoot has written and performed a number of wonderful songs that I'd highly recommend. His music is easy to listen to and very relaxing. Lightfoot put out a CD called Gord's Gold which has most of his best music. The only songs that I feel it needs are his Affair on 8th Avenue and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (this was his last really big hit as far as I know). If you have time and you like easy listening music, you might want to give him a listen.

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Job Update

My news job wise is actually good. I started my new part time job at SHARE and have been enjoying that. I have encountered new problems with being the part-time warehouse manager. One problem is related to weather. It's summer time in Maryland and that translates into warmer temperatures. Warmer temperatures are big time bad for food. They cause it to spoil faster. During the winter, SHARE can leave all the produce out in the warehouse bays. During the summer, all produce must be stored in the chiller. That adds more steps to the process and complicates storing it as pallets have to be raised and placed on various shelves in the chiller. Frozen food has to be watched more carefully as well. During the summer months, SHARE tries to have as little frozen food out as possible. I also have to try to keep the freezer doors closed as much as possible so the stuff in the freezer doesn't thaw out. This is particularly important with poultry items such as chicken.
Another nice benefit of working at SHARE is I've gotten to operate a forklift more. It's neat driving one though you have to very careful. They are unstable machines and very heavy. It's very easy to crush something with one. You always have to be aware of your surroundings when you're driving one. I'm constantly looking around to see if anyone is close or where any obstacles are.
In regards to my possible new job at the Post Office, I got the word yesterday that I was all set to begin training on July 10th. Training will be two weeks. I'm looking forward to becoming a substitute mailman and hopefully a full-time one in time.
In regards to my job at Medieval Times, it goes well. I continue to do my best and jump to do whatever my boss wants done. I also continue to sell the show. I know I've gotten a number of people interested in it. Hopefully, I've gotten more people interested in the show than I've turned off on it.
We have a new guy in our department. He's Nick's replacement. He's young (18 or 19 years old) but looks like a good security person (beefy i.e. looks like someone you wouldn't want to pick a fight with). At this point, I have no idea if he's any good job wise. I'll find out Sunday when I get to work Sunday's show with him.
I also made the observation that a number of people who work in Medieval Times hope to move up to either Squire, Knight, Lord Chancellor, or King. I think I can understand why. Those are the "star" positions at Medieval Times. You get to perform before hundreds of people and they ooo and aah as you play your role. I suspect it would be neat to have their adulation. I wonder if that's why people get into acting.
One down side about my jobs at Medieval Times and SHARE have been the long hours I've been working. Last Saturday, I was at SHARE from 5:45 a.m. till 12:15 p.m. I drove home, got a one hour nap and drive to Medieval Times where I worked from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. It made for a very long day. I've been having a lot of those this past week and it has taken its toll. I definitely feel tired. One of the bad things about working at Medieval Times is that if you don't get enough people attending a show, they'll cut back the people they need. Last Thursday, we only had around 325 people attend the show and so there wasn't any need for two security people. Because of the long hours I've been working, I volunteered to be the one that went home. Normally, I wouldn't do that. Still, I should be able to catch up on my rest Thursday and Friday. I'm off those days at Medieval Times and don't have to work at SHARE. It's going to be pure bliss to have a couple days off. I better enjoy them too considering things promise to pick-up again with the new job at the Post Office kicking off. We'll see how things go.
One last note, to all those who have had me in their prayers, I thank you very much. As you can see, it looks like they're paying off. Life is getting better for me. I have no doubt your prayers mattered. Thanks again. Cheers!

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

College

I've been looking into when I can pay University of Maryland's in-state vice out-of-state tuition rates. While I was active duty military, I got to pay the in-state rate but, once I retired, I had to start paying the out-of-state rate since I didn't change my state of residence because of taxes (I didn't have to pay any state taxes with Michigan as long as I didn't live there, I would've had to pay Maryland taxes if I'd changed my residency to Maryland). The difference is considerable. Maryland's in-state tuition rate is $230 per credit hour (undergraduate studies). It's out-of-state rate is $444 per credit hour. For a 3-credit hour class that translates to an additional $642 per class for me. Serious ouch! I did some research today and found out I missed being able to change my residency with the university for the fall semester by five days. Dang! However, if I wait and take my fall class during the Mid-Fall semester, I'll be able to claim residency by then. Hm. I did a little more checking and because of the long winter break between the regular fall and spring semesters, I'll only have one or two weeks of overlap. I can handle so that is what I plan to do. The only thing remaining will be filling out the paperwork and making copies of all the documentation Maryland wants in order to assure themselves that I'm a Maryland resident. Oh brother. Still, it'll be worth it.

Monday, June 19, 2006

SHARE Job

I got to start my new part time SHARE job last Friday. It was like when I'd volunteered there and at the same time it was different. If I saw something that needed to be taken care of, I couldn't blow it off. I had to take care of it. Also, if volunteers walked in, I had to tell them what we were doing (bagging potatoes) and assign them to a table. If the volunteers needed more potatoes, I had to open and dump some more potatoes on their table (I got a nice workout from this as each sack of potatoes weighed 50 pounds). I also had to look for work to do to keep busy. Afterall, they were paying me now. On the pay, I got some awesome news there. I'll be making $10 an hour which is $3 an hour more than I make at Medieval Times. The down side to the job is that I'll be working 2 weeks out of the month. It is possible that I could work on various projects they work on when they have time but realistically, I'll only get to work there 2 weeks every month. Another down side to this job is it is temporary however, there is the chance that it could become permanent. It depends on how pleased the General Manager and Food Manager are with how it works out. Still, I'll have to give thanks for this job. While I'm doing all right money wise, the extra bucks from the SHARE job will help (especially with Maryland tuition rates).
On slightly different subject, I heard from the Post Office and am scheduled for a drug/alcohol test this week. They're also supposed to do a physical assessment (as to whether I can do the job or not). I should get through this step all right. The only question is how long will this step take besides the test. Hopefully, I'll get a positive assessment and get hired by the Post Office in a month or so. Initially, I'd get a couple days a week with the Post Office which may not seem a lot but, it is the long term promise that matters with them. In about a year and a half, I can expect to be offered a permanent position with them. That's what I want and what I keep my fingers crossed for.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Mark Morton

I heard from my friend Mark Morton today. I'd been trying to reach him to catch up on chit-chat and just find out how things were going for him in Miami. To my delight, I found out Mark got selected for Master Sergeant. I'd been keeping my fingers crossed for him. Mark is one my closest and dearest friends. We became friends when I got stationed to the United Kingdom for the third time. Before I met Mark, I heard about him. One person mentioned how he failed to certify at a position they trained him for. After I met Mark, I confess I don't know how he failed his certification as I thought he was very competent. I also found him to be very kind and a nice person to do things with. Me and Mark became friends. In time, he became my best friend while I was stationed in England. It was Mark that watched my car while I went on temporary duty assignments (tdys in military jargon) to Italy and California. It was Mark who helped me get my car started when I returned from Italy and found the car battery dead. He also forwarded my mail and kept me informed of what was going on back at base. His help was invaluable while I was gone.
My tour finally ended in England and I was reassigned to Florida. I kept in touch with Mark via letters and email. When I took a trip to London (my favorite city), I made it a point to see him and his then wife. I continued to keep in touch with him as I finished my tour in Florida, did a tour in Bahrain, and was assigned to the Washington D.C. area for my last tour. When Mark got to visit here for some training, I gladly showed him around and took him and his co-worker to Medieval Times. With my transition to civilian life, Mark was a source of support and encouragement. While I looked upon the transition with trepidation, Mark reminded me that it was an exciting new adventure. Mark also reminded me when I thought everything was going badly that things weren't actually that bad. My military retirement alone guaranteed that I'd be able to pay all my basic bills and have a roof over my head. Mark's own situation reminded me that things could be worse. Mark's marriage sadly tanked and he had to go through the painful process of divorce. Amazingly, Mark showed no bitterness over it. He still keeps in touch with his ex's kids (these kids aren't his, they were by a previous marriage by his ex-wife) and does what he can for him. He also has a mom who has been a royal nuisance for him and yet he strives to be a good loving son. He strives to do a good job at work and yet has been dissed more than a few times. Still, with all these things, Mark doesn't let himself get down. If it were me, I'd found it really hard to pick myself up after so many personal disasters but Mark carries on. I can't help but feel he is a stronger person than I am.
It seemed like Mark got dealt some really bad cards in the game of life. I felt it wasn't fair for him. He deserved some breaks. So it was with delight that I heard today about Mark's promotion. I think he'll make a great Master Sergeant and continue to be a credit to the Air Force. He is definitely someone the Air Force should keep. The Air Force needs all the good people they can get. Sadly, I won't get to pin Mark's new stripes on (tradition has it that you have to give the stripes a good punch so they won't fall off) as I don't live in the Miami area and there is no way I could travel down there for the ceremony. Instead, I'll just have to raise a toast to my good friend and wish him the best of fortune in his next two years in the Air Force (for retirement purposes, a person who achieves the rank of Master Sergeant must remain in that rank for two years for it to count toward his/her retirement pay).
This blog entry is my way of thanking him for being a good friend and congratulating him on his promotion. He is a super person and he really deserves it. Well done Mark!

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Lord of the Rings Collection

It looks like the eulogy for the United Cutlery Lord of the Rings collection was too soon. To my delight, I read on the Ultimate Collectors Forum (formerly United Cutlery Forum) that United Cutlery has 5 items that they are planning to release sometime in the future. Kit Rae, a product design director at United Cutlery said in the forum that United Cutlery has some really nice stuff in the works. Unfortunately, he couldn't say what specific items United Cutlery plans to make. I could think of a few things like scabbards for the Boromir, Eowyn, and Herugrim swords. I don't know if they'll make Gimli's bearded axe as the axes supposedly didn't sell well. Mr. Rae also said Guthwine, the sword that Eomer uses, isn't in the works. United Cutlery feels there isn't the interest right now for another Rohirrim sword. Bummer as I'd buy that one. A scabbard for Hadhafang would be nice. Also, it would be great if they made Aeglos, the spear of Gil-galad, the last High King of the Elves (another item I'd like to have). I'll be interested to see what United Cutlery decides to make. Barring the ideas I've mentioned, I'm at a loss as to what other items they could make (Aragorn's crown would be nice but the Noble Collection already has a copy of that out). I'll just have to wait and see and dream.
Medieval Times Update

I got to work on inventory yesterday. I don't know how often they have to do inventory at the castle but I discovered yesterday it can be quite a job. I had to count all the dinner plates (over 2,000 of them!), soup bowls (over 1,350 of those), mugs (over 1,300 of those), coffee cups, dessert plates, booster seats, and bus trays. It ended up being a very tiring and tedious job. I was very glad when I finished. I'm thankful we don't have silverware (they didn't have that back in the 11th century thankfully!). I'd hate it if I had to count hundreds of forks, spoons, and knives.
I also had to say good-bye to a co-worker. He'd decided it was time to move on and gave his notice two weeks ago. I think he was very frustrated at the castle and truthfully, the castle was frustrated with him. He was not well liked and a lot of that was his doing. He would stare at the girls that worked at the castle which creeped them out. He also would blow off things he was supposed to do work wise. This would piss off the rest of us as we then had to pick up his slack. Still, he'd been kind to me and I was saddened to see him go. I hope things work out for him.
This Friday, I'll start my new part-time job at SHARE. This promises to create new challenges for me as I will now have to juggle my job at Medieval Times and my job at SHARE. I've never had to deal with that before. It also promises to cause long work days (13 to 14 hours). I'm also going to have to deal with trying to get to my two jobs via the traffic on Interstate-295. I'm not looking forward to that. Still, I hope it'll work out. We'll see.
Book Review

Last week, I had to read the novelette The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West. West tells the story of three women who love one man who returns from the front (World War I) suffering from shell shock. Each of the women deal differently with the situation. The man's wife (Kitty) turns out to be a self-centered narcisstic beauty who only cares about making sure her rich lifestyle remains secure. The second woman (Jenny) is a cousin who was a childhood playmate and whom the man supports through the business he runs. She is less concerned about her circumstances and more concerned that he be healed. The third woman (Margaret) turns out to be the woman the man loved and lost. She will suffer the most and have to sacrifice the most in order for the man (Chris) to be healed. Chris believes it is fifteen years earlier and he is in love again with Margaret. He has no recollection of his wife and finds it painful to meet her. Kitty and Jenny find a doctor who discovers a way to heal Chris of shell shock but the healing will come with a price. The happiness that Chris knows with Margaret will be lost and Chris will have to return to the fighting in France. By bringing Chris back to reality, the women may be dooming him to death. Ultimately, it is Margaret who makes the fateful decision and sacrifices the love between her and Chris so he might be healed.
I found the novelette very touching. It also showed that there are other casualties besides the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines that fight the battles. Those who love them and have to deal with them when they come home from the fight also have to deal with what has happened to their loved one. It can be very traumatic as the novel shows. The novel also touches on the topic of rich people. It shows how vain and self-centered they can be. I found myself thoroughly disgusted by the character Kitty who showed so little feeling for others and didn't hesitate to hurt others if she wished to.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend this novelette. It be a bit dated as it deals with World War I but it is still a very touching story. Also, at 90 pages, it is a very easy read. You'll most likely find the novelette either at the library and at various on-line bookstores. I doubt you'll be able to find it at most regular bookstores due to how old the novel is. Cost wise, the list price on my edition was $10.95 which I thought expensive for such a short novel. Still, it is a very touching story. Because of the cost, you might want to borrow it from the library. Cheers!

Friday, June 09, 2006

Petition to make The Hobbit

There is a petition drive going on with the purpose of encouraging Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists and New Line Cinema to do a deal so The Hobbit can be made into a live action film. The reason these two studios have to do a deal is because MGM/UA owns the distribution rights to any version of The Hobbit that is made. Conversely, New Line owns the rights to make a film version of The Hobbit. I have no idea how Hollywood came up with such a mess. To make matters worse, Sony Corporation acquired MGM/UA and Peter Jackson filed a lawsuit against New Line Cinema. Still, Jackson has said he's willing to make The Hobbit and if enough fans press the studios to do a deal then, we may see it done before we're old and crochety. The petition has over 34,000 signatures so far. If you'd like to add your name to the list, the petition can be found at http://www.petitiononline.com/hobfilm. The webpage also supplies names and addresses of the studio execs that you can write to urging them to do a deal. I normally don't write studio executives but, I plan to in this case. I really want to see Jackson make a live version of The Hobbit. As a confirmed Middle-Earth junkie, the Lord of the Rings films simply aren't enough. Plus, time spares no one and I very much want to see Sir Ian McKellen play Gandalf and Hugo Weaving play Elrond again. I have doubts about Sir Ian Holm playing Bilbo. Sir Ian was a fantastic older Bilbo but, I have doubts as to how well he can play a younger version. I would welcome any comments from you on this. Cheers!
Movie Review

Years ago, I got to watch an animated version of The Hobbit on tv. Normally, television animation can be pretty pathetic. The Hobbit was an extraordinary exception. It was superbly done. The cartoon scenes have great depth and wonderful color. Even more extraordinary, the cartoon was done before all the fancy computer wizardry came about. I suspect many of the cartoon cells had to be drawn by hand.
It regards to the story, it really brought the characters of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and the dwarves to life. Some of the actors they used for the voices of the characters were superb. Richard Boone gives a fantastic voice to Smaug. After watching the Lord of the Rings movies, I couldn't imagine anyone else's voice for Gandalf but Sir Ian McKellen's. In The Hobbit, John Huston supplies the voice for Gandalf and does an outstanding job. Brother Theodore provides the voice for Gollum and gives Andy Serkis a run for his money. To add further delight, the cartoon movie incorporates a number of wonderful songs in the movie. The whole combines to make a classic of animation.
The only complaint I would have with the movie is that it is only 77 minutes long. For a Middle-Earth junkie, that isn't long enough. I want another five, ten, fifteen minutes of such wonder. Considering what they had to do to produce the movie, I can understand why it is so short. Still, I sorely wish it were longer. More so, since this is likely to be the definitive movie version of The Hobbit for some time. (I'll post a separate post about a petition effort to get the various studios to do a deal so they can make an acted version.)
If you're a big Lord of the Rings fan, this movie is a must. It is the best version of The Hobbit on the market right now. The movie also helps explain things so many things pertinent to the Lord of the Rings. How did Bilbo get the ring from Gollum? Where did he get Sting? Where did Gandalf get Glamdring? How did Bilbo end up meeting Elrond? How did Bilbo get the idea of writing his book about his adventures? All of these questions are answered in The Hobbit. If you're not a big Lord of the Rings fan but, you like outstanding animation, this movie is also for you. The colors are superb and the scenes have great depth. The movie has some of the finest animation you'll see out there. It is truly a credit to Rankin Bass who made the movie.
I would definitely recommend you see this movie. Some people may not realize that such a movie was made. It was released in 1978! It is hard to imagine that it has been out so long. If you wish to buy it (I plan to), it should cost you around $13 though you may be able to buy it for less. To me, that is cheap considering what you're getting. Lastly, if you would like to help bring about a live acted version of the movie, please see my post following this one. As much as I enjoyed this movie, I very much would like to see Peter Jackson make his version. Jackson definitely has the vision and the Lord of the Rings movies simply aren't enough. I want to see more of Middle-Earth. Cheers!

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Sam Adam's Boston Lager

To my embarrassment, I had to buy a second six-pack of Samuel Adam's Boston Lager because I forgot to write down my impressions during the first one. Please also note, I'm not any kind of expert on beer.
In regards to Adam's signature Boston Lager, I can't say I like it that much. Unlike their Black Lager, it doesn't have a clean finish. I also think it has a harsh taste to it. I would prefer the Black Lager compared to the Boston Lager. Alcohol wise, at 4.9% it isn't super potent (not that that matters to me, my goal when I drink isn't to get drunk). I just enjoy trying different beers and ales. I particularly enjoy drinking ales because of the historic connection ales have (they were served in the Middle Ages).
Overall, this is one brew by Samuel Adams that I'll pass on. I just wasn't terribly impressed with it. Still, you might have different tastes. From what I've seen. Samuel Adams makes some fine beers and ales. You might want to give it a try. Cheers!
Tom T. Hall

I was recording some music to my computer today. Two of the CDs I recorded were Tom T. Hall's Greatest Hits I and II. It was my Dad that got me interested in Tom T. Hall. My Dad is a big country music fan. He also likes to play the guitar and Tom T. Hall is a great guitar player. I found I liked Hall because of the nice ballads he penned. You can laugh at his song Ballad of Forty Dollars or feel the pain in That's How I Got To Memphis. I also like his song Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine. It's a beautiful ballad that reminds us what really matters in our rushed lives. You can also feel some of sadness in Homecoming where he tells of a trip home to see his Dad. He hadn't been home in a long while and the homecoming isn't an easy one. If you like beautiful and smooth country ballads, you might want to give Tom T. Hall a try. He is a great country artist and one I'd highly recommend.
Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi

I read in the news today that U.S. military forces in Iraq killed Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi. I'm glad the slime bag is dead. I feel he was a misguided fanatic who actually hurt the people he thought he was helping. In terms of the impact on the war on terror, it'll provide a little moral boost to those that are fighting the war. I doubt however that'll much impact on those he lead. We'll have to keep on hitting these fanatics and make it quite clear that we intend to fight the war on terror for the long haul. One of the big differences between the West and these fanatics is they have a very different sense of time. I remember going to a course that helped explain Middle Eastern culture. A speaker told us of a person she knew. Her friend told her of all these horrible things that were done to his family. It sounded like it had just recently happened. The speaker asked her friend when this was done. He answered honestly that it was THREE CENTURIES AGO! These fanatics undoubtedly believe that they can outwait us and given our sense of time, they could be right to our misfortune. I suspect that the war on terror will be like the Cold War. It is going to be a long hard slog. We'll see if the American people have the courage and persistence to win this war like they did the Cold War.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

I watched Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events today. I haven't read the books associated with the movie so I can't say how the movie compares to the books. I thought Jim Carrey did a nice job of playing the evil Count Olaf. Also, I liked the people who played the Baudelaire children. I thought some of the other characters very strange in the movie. I think there were also some interesting scenes such as when the kids figure out to save themselves from a train and a house that is disintegrating all around them. The kids would've done the tv hero MacGyver proud. Those were the parts I think I enjoyed most.

Overall, I wasn't very impressed with the movie. I'm definitely glad I didn't bother to try to see it at the movie theater when it first came out. I do feel it is a family movie or one for kids though it does carry a PG rating. I would rate the movie as so-so and definitely not worth buying. I don't know if there are any plans to make any more movies from this series. If there are, I hope they do a better job next time. For this movie, I'd say if you don't have anything better to watch rent it otherwise, I'd recommend you pass on this one. It's definitely not one to write home about.
Book Review

I had to read Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse for my college class. I was looking forward to the book as I thought Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway a nice read. I can't say the same for To The Lighthouse. Initially, I found the novel very nice. It tells of the Ramsey family and their vacation by the sea. The Ramsey family is an interesting family with a father who is a famous philosopher, a mother who has a heart of gold, and eight children. We learn about them and friends who are staying with them. Then, Woolf takes us forward 10 years. We learn Mrs. Ramsey died unexpectedly. Andrew, the eldest son, dies in World War I in France. Prue, the eldest daughter, marries and dies of a disease associated with childbirth. Some of the family friends end up having disastrous marriages while others find success in their careers. It was this second part that really saddened me. I felt it was reflective of life and it may have hit a little close to home. It caused me to remember sadly how things turned out for a cousin and a childhood friend. I suspect Woolf was trying to be realistic about life but, I don't care to read about such realism. I know first hand the boy doesn't always get the girl and we all don't live happily ever after. I don't need a novel to tell me this.
Overall, I feel Woolf did a great job of writing in the streams of conscousness style but I can't recommend the novel. Perhaps most of your memories are more cheerful than mine but for me, the novel reminded me of too many stories that went bad. If you want to read a nice cheerful Woolf novel, I'd recommend Mrs. Dalloway. To me, To The Lighthouse starts off nice but left me feeling sad at the end. I definitely wouldn't recommend this novel.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

What I've Been Up To - Part II

The summer semester started this past Tuesday. I checked out the syllabus for the class I'll be taking and feel pretty confident about the class (English 358 - 20th Century British Women Authors). I should do well in the class though there promises to be lots of reading (aargh!). The writing assignments aren't that bad and knock on wood, I'll get them in on time. We'll see.
I also had a great chat with my friend Harvey. Sadly, it looks like he won't be going on the trip to Russia he was planning on. He feels he fell too far behind on the repertory for his barbershop organization and it would take to much time to catch up. Also, he's been stressing about catching up which has taken away from the fun of it. If he drops the Russia trip, he can take his time and enjoy it. I thought it sounded like a good idea though I'm sorry he won't get to go to Russia. It sounded like it was going to be a nice trip.
I talked with Harvey about some other potential trips. I haven't seen him in a while and I have an Amtrak voucher for $53 which I have to use by mid-August. Originally, I planned to use the voucher on a trip to Pittsburgh but I found out it would take me over 7 hours to get to Pittsburgh via Amtrak. I can drive there in less than 5 hours. I thought that really stunk and hung up the idea of using Amtrak for the trip. So what was I going to use the voucher for? Why not use it to travel down to Richmond and see Harvey. That would be lots of fun (he's a really nice person to go places with). So I told him my idea and he said he'd see what we could do if I came down for a visit.
I also asked if he'd be interested in a short adventure to Pittsburgh. I know Pittsburgh doesn't sound like the most exciting place but, I have a lot of childhood memories of the place. I remember riding a paddle-wheeler boat that did boat rides there. I remember riding one of the incline rails to the top of Mount Washington. I remember my mom taking me and my sister to what remains of Fort Pitt. There are so many memories. It would be neat to spend a few days there and I don't think it would be super expensive. I asked Harvey if he'd be interested in going. I could drive and he could navigate (we went to Colonial Williamsburg that way and it worked out fine). He said he was game so hopefully sometime this summer, we'll drive up to Pittsburgh. It should be a fun trip.
In regards to the Globus Scandanavia tour, I hope to do that next year with Harvey but it all depends on the job situation. If I can get the Post Office job, I should make enough to go. The only problem I see is that I might have to quit my job with Medieval Times. There is no way, they are going to let me not work for 2 and a half weeks. We'll see what happens.
That's all to tell for now. Life is still very uncertain for me. I wonder if my life in the Air Force was a fluke in that way. It was so much more stable then. Now, I have to deal with the common worries of keeping my job and trying to find a better one. I have to prioritize things money wise and make choices of what I buy and what I don't. I can't have everything I want (within reason) anymore. I've had to place a lot more trust and hope in God. I wonder if that is why I'm going through this. I wonder if it is to teach me to more grateful for the things I have. I get down about my situation but God then shows me of others who have it worse. I count my blessings then. We'll see what ends up happening. God willing, I'll pass the college class I'm taking, I'll get the Post Office job, I'll get to see Harvey in Richmond, and I'll get to visit Pittsburgh. It could end up being a fun summer. We'll see.
What I've Been Up To

I've been busy with work and studying bible doctrine mostly. Work wise, I survived my 90-day probationary period with Medieval Times to my great relief. As I mentioned previously, I was very much shaken when the maintenance guy got fired and I had to escort him off the premises. They hired a new maintenance guy who I think will be a better fit for the castle. He has a really good attitude and gets along well with the Operations Manager.
The customers continue to be a great challenge. It's not my job to sell the show but, I do my best to sell it to people who walk into the castle. I see every person who walks in as a potential customer and, I think we have to try to interest them if we can. Filling the seats for each show is a never ending challenge and if I can help in that way, I feel I should do what I can. I think sometimes I've succeeded where other times, I've failed. I suspect that is how it is when you're selling a product. You won't hit 1,000 percent but you need to keep trying and keep working on your sales pitch tailoring it to the customer. Selling the show and dinner is definitely a real challenge.
On other potential jobs, I continue to wait anxiously for news of possibly getting a job with the Post Office. I called the Postmaster I interviewed with and he said he'd checked on my application. Supposedly, they're doing a background check on me. I have no idea how long their check will take. I hope it won't take much longer. I'd really like to get hired on with them.
I received some surprise news from a friend at SHARE. He wants to pursue trying to get a job in IT and plans to go part-time with SHARE. He asked if I'd be interested in working there. I said absolutely. One of the first places I looked at when I was transitioning from military to civilian life was SHARE. I thought I had a chance of getting hired on then but, it turned out there weren't any openings. I lost heart of getting hired on with them. Because it's such a great organization and worthy cause, I continued to help out there as a volunteer. I also (as all of you know) continued to promote it on my blog and to anyone who had questions about it. Now to my surprise, it looks like I will get to work there after all. I look forward to it and the new challenges that will come with the job.
Apart from the job situation, I finally got myself back to the bible doctrine tapes. I've been a really sorry Christian the last few months. I haven't been going to church and I wasn't listening to any teaching. I can be that way at times. I've also been enjoying the girlie pictures (all legal) too. I knew I needed to get back to the doctrine but wasn't in any great hurry. Finally, I did get myself back to it and I think I've been blessed because of it. I remember one day, I listened to 3 hours of it then went to work. Originally, I was scheduled for 31 hours which didn't please me but that's how it goes sometimes. To my surprise, my boss found out he'd gotten the date wrong on a wedding he was supposed to go to. He put me down to cover for him and that raised my hours to 37. I was delighted and gave thanks to God.
Samuel Adams Black Lager

I recently tried a six-pack of Samuel Adams Black Lager. I thought it had a bit of a yeasty taste to it though it did finish clean. Overall, it is a nice lager though a bit more potent than your standard lagers. It's alcohol content is 4.9%. Price wise, you can buy it or a number of other Samuel Adams brews at $6.99 for a six-pack at Corridor Wine and Spirits (http://www.wineaccess.com/store/corridorwine). Corridor Wine and Spirits carry a good selection of beers and ales as well as affordable wines. If you live near one of their stores, you might want to give them a look. Cheers!
Movie Review

I went to Blockbuster Video Friday to see if I could rent the Lemony Snickets movie and ended up renting that and the Disney cartoon movie The Black Cauldron. This review is on The Black Cauldron.
I found the animation in The Black Cauldron very well done. I also found that the story moved along well and Disney did a good job quicking informing the watcher on background that causes the conflict in the movie i.e. the Horned King and his search for the Black Cauldron. The movie had its funny moments i.e. when our heroes had to deal with the wacky evil witches. The movie also sends a nice message i.e. the importance of friendship. My only complaint with the movie is I thought it was too short. The movie lasts just 80 minutes. It has to be one of the shortest movies I've watched in some time.
Overall, the cartoon movie is very nice and would be excellent for kids. Adults may not care for it as it isn't particularly deep. I think Disney intended the movie for kids. My complaint of its shortness would be a plus with kids as kids won't get bored with this movie. The movie also sends a good message for them and doesn't contain any nudity or foul language (a serious departure from so many movies now a days). It is one I'd definitely recommend parents buy for their children. As far as adults go, I think most would pass on it unless they are something of a kid at heart. I know I am. I very much enjoy children classics such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and The Jungle Book (bear necessities, oh simple bear necessities, those are the worries of life). If you're looking for a good wholesome movie for kids, you can't go wrong with The Black Cauldron.