Getting in Shape Update 18

I had a few not so great eating days this week. Especially Sunday at a Cast Party picnic.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 226.0

Today's Weight = 225.5

Weight Loss in past week = 0.5 pound



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 41.5 pounds

Make Sure You Know where Your Towel Is

The new version of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is coming out April 29th.

Zaphod and Ford are being played by Americans.

I think I'm more excited about this than the final Star Wars installment coming out in May.

So, I finally got a haircut

Because of the 6 roles I was playing in the production of Annie, I had let my hair get pretty long so I could have more flexibility in changing my appearance for the various characters. I was able to get my hair cut Tuesday, and now, my hereditary big ears are very noticeable. I think the weight loss may have some effect, too.

Anyway, what that has resulted in is that I seem to be looking more and more like my paternal grandfather looked (he passed away in 1987). I'm sure my family will tell me I'm crazy, but yesterday and this morning when I looked in the mirror, I thought the resemblance was undeniable.

Sic 'Em Lady Bears!

The Baylor Lady Bears Basketball team won the NCAA Women's Basketball National Championship last night. The dominating win was a pleasure to watch. It would have been more fun to go to the Dallas watch party, but I was so wiped out from the events of Friday to Monday that I decided just to go home and watch it from the comfort of my own couch.

I have two degrees from Baylor University, and today that's an extra-special thing.

Getting in Shape Update 17

Kind of an odd week. This week is the time for me to get back into the exercise routine.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 227.0

Today's Weight = 226.0

Weight Loss in past week = 1.0 pound



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 41.0 pounds

Mixed Day

The day didn't get off to a great start. I had driven to Houston Sunday night because I was testing with Jeopardy! to try to get on the show. I did not pass the test, and then I had to drive four-and-a-half hours home. I consider trivia to be one of my particular strengths, so that was quite disappointing.

But, this evening, my favorite NCAA Men's basketball team, The University of North Carolina Tar Heels, won the National Championship.

If the Baylor Lady Bears can win Tuesday night, I'll get a double-dip on college basketball championships.

Terry Schiavo

I hadn't said anything here about the Schiavo situation. There's a very good reason for that. I'm really not sure what I think about it. I'm torn between the ideas that, as her husband, it was, indeed, Michael's decision to make, and that Michael forfeited his right to be the one who made the decision because of his other behaviors.

What I do know is that the issue wasn't as cut-and-dried for me as many claimed it to be.

Weight Loss Pics

BEFORE CLOSE-UP PIC (taken October 27, 2004)


16 WEEK PROGRESS CLOSE-UP PIC (taken March 29, 2005)


    BEFORE FULL BODY PIC          16 WEEK FULL BODY PIC
    (taken October 27, 2004)        (taken March 29, 2005)
      


If you want to see the pics from 8 Weeks, you can go HERE. The link will open a new window.

Getting in Shape Update 16

Managed to exercise one day. Eating was a LOT better.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 230.0

Today's Weight = 227.0

Weight Loss in past week = 3.0 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 40.0 pounds

I'll post new progress pictures later today if I can.

Thanks

I want to give a big Thank You to everyone who prayed for my wife. She came through the surgery fine. She's a bit sore and tender, but everything apparently went well.

If You Pray

Please do so for my wife. Jody is undergoing some surgery tomorrow. It's nothing major, but she will have to be under general anesthesia. It's scheduled for 7:30 am Central Time.

Slacker Blogger

I'm sorry for the 2 1/2 of you who check in here regularly to see if I've posted anything new in the thrilling saga that is my life. The past week was particularly hectic.

Erin (aka calvinatorette I) had her birthday Sunday. Party was Saturday because of the matinee for Annie.

Rehearsal Thursday and shows Friday, Saturday and Sunday kept me (and her) quite engaged.

My wife and I watched Ray one night last week, so I finally saw the amazing performance by my fellow Terrell High School 86'er, Jamie Foxx. Foxx's turn was nothing short of brilliant. On the whole, however, I 'd say the movie was only "Good" and not "Great." The two-and-a-half hour movie took us three-and-a-half hours to watch because of numerous distractions. Ah, the life of parents of young children.

Getting in Shape Update 15

Bad week. Ate too much sugar and didn't exercise.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 228.5

Today's Weight = 230.0

Weight Gain in past week = 1.5 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 37.0 pounds

Disaster Averted

Yesterday, I was faced with the very real prospect of every parent's worst nightmare. When I got home from work, my wife told me that our almost-3 year old daughter had a harrowing experience. It seems Sarah (AKA Calvinatorette III) was trying to reach her pacifier (which she calls a "deedee" for some inexplicable reason), which had been placed on the top of the dresser in our girls' bedroom. Also atop that particular dresser sits a 20" TV/VCR/DVD combo. My precious daughter apparently decided to climb to get her deedee instead of asking for her mom's help.

The dresser tipped over. The TV/VCR/DVD crashed down and into the rail of the bottom bunk of the girls' bunk beds.

Two dresser drawers are broken. The TV has a broken casing (but still works). The bed rail is broken.

Calvinatorette III escaped without a scratch.

The only thing I can figure is that she had opened a few drawers, but instead of standing in one, she was trying to climb up the sides. So, when the whole thing started to tumble, she fell off to the side and avoided being crushed by either the dresser or the TV.

The emotions that hit me when I heard the story were a new experience for me. I had always heard that extreme fear and helplessness can express itself as anger. Now, I have first-hand knowledge of the truth of that.

I thank God that Sarah was not injured . . .

or killed.

Getting in Shape Update 14

Another inexplicable dramatic drop. I guess with my show running, I just haven't eaten as much. The 30 minutes or so of dancing every night must help, too. Even though it isn't particularly aerobic.

The average is 2.75 pounds per week.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 233.0

Today's Weight = 228.5

Weight Loss in past week = 4.5 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 38.5 pounds

People Confuse Me

At least, sometimes they do. A few of my students last semester and this act as if they are in charge of the class. They take umbrage at the idea that what the Instructor (me) says, goes. In my opinion, I am not a difficult teacher, nor do I expect unreasonable things from my students. They, on the other hand, tend to think that I am an unrealistic slave-driver.

This past Monday, one of my students claimed that I had said something in class in advance of the test they took last week. I had said no such thing, and when I stated that, my student had the audacity to argue with me in front of the rest of the class. The student in question wouldn't even back down when several of her classmates told her she was mistaken.

I have a suspicion that the attitude I perceive in my classes is the result of years of students being coddled and pandered to in the education environment. Parents don't help the situation when they march to school and attack Teachers and Principals and threaten legal action if their little Johnny or Susie isn't "treated better."

In short, it's time for people to grow up. And that goes for the kids, too.

The Incredibles

I finally got around to seeing this year's "Best Animated Feature" yesterday. I know people who think it should have won "Best Picture" as well. I have to say that it's mighty hard to argue against that.

This movie has great acting and keeps you interested from start to finish. Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter were fantastic as Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl.

If you haven't seen this movie yet, don't miss it. Right now, it's playing at the "Dollar" theaters in my area, so try to catch it on the big screen right away.

Getting in Shape Update 13

The average is about 2.6 pounds per week.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 234.5

Today's Weight = 233.0

Weight Loss in past week = 1.5 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 34.0 pounds

You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile

Last night was opening night for Kaufman County Civic Theatre's production of Annie. Everything went well.

In fact, we had to add chairs in the aisles to accomodate the crowd. For an actor, there's not much better than playing to a full house. As the theatre's Treasurer, I was fiscally pleased, as well. Here's hoping the remainder of the run (10 more shows) will be equally successful.

Getting in Shape Update 12

Well, I guess I was wrong last week about slowing down. Good week.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 238.5

Today's Weight = 234.5

Weight Loss in past week = 4.0 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 32.5 pounds

In Honor of Eric

UPDATE: I guess I shouldn't try to type that late at night. I left out a very important word in this post originally. It has been fixed. My apologies to Jamie Foxx for the error.

My High School classmate, Eric Bishop, who is better known to you as Jamie Foxx, won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of Ray Charles. As I watched his acceptance speech on the giant screen set up in our hometown's Performing Arts Center, I couldn't help but think to myself that what I was seeing was not some Hollywood phony. What I saw was the guy I knew almost twenty years ago.



I am as proud as I can be of Jamie Foxx. I am glad that he doesn't seem to be much different from the guy I remember.

What is The Chance of a Lifetime (redux)?

I got an e-mail from Jeopardy! today offering me a chance to audition for the show at their upcoming Houston try-outs. I passed their test once back in April 2002, but I never got called to be on the show. That time, I was one of two who passed in a session with about seventy folks who took the test. They told the two of us that the small passing rate probably boded well for us, but it was not to be.

I may need to bone up on some pop culture and some Shakespeare over the next month.

Regrets, I've had a few

But then again, too few to mention.

One thing in my life that I do regret is that I never took Typing class in High School. In fact, I actively avoided the class.

I am a fairly fast "hunt and peck" typist, but, as my loyal readers can attest, I have the tendency to invert letters when I type. So, if you see a word with all the correct letters, but in the wrong order, you know why.

It's never a good time

I have come to the conclusion that there is never a good time to start any major project in one's life. Specifically, there's never a good time to try to sell one's house. Since we made the decision to move, my family has been hit with illness and other time-sucking calamities. Now that we're all well again, my oldest daughter and I are in the middle of the homestretch for the production of Annie, so I won't have much time available to help do things around the house.

The good news is that we've figured out that we don't quite have to get moved as quickly as we had originally thought. Our initial plan was to make the move before July 1st. I'd still love to be able to accomplish that, but we don't have to, and the pressure is much less now.

That goal date might not have ever been realistic because Jody plans on taking an extended trip to visit her family in June. It would have been kind of hard to close on a house if Jody was in Montana at the time.

Stay tuned for updates in this continuing saga.

Getting in Shape Update 11

I think I've hit the slowing down phase.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 240.0

Today's Weight = 238.5

Weight Loss in past week = 1.5 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 28.5 pounds

Bet Your Bottom Dollar

Well, we open Annie in just over a week. All in all, I must admit that we are much further along than I figured we would be at this point. Between revolving Warbuckses and the flu running rampant through the cast (luckily mainly through the adults and not the kids), I feared we'd be in for a long final 2 weeks.

I think the show's gonna be fine.

The primary benefit of having 6 roles and having to execute 8 costume changes is that I get to avoid having to help with the set. WooHoo!

Once this show opens, I get to turn most of my theatre focus to getting ready to direct The Foreigner this summer. Well, when I find time in all the preparations for our move to the D/FW metroplex.

Health Watch

This relates to the getting in shape stuff, but I didn't want to use the title that I use for my weight posts.

I went to the Doctor this morning after having blood drawn last Friday. Cholesterol is down to 118 (it was over 200 a year and a half ago) with my bad cholesterol at 63. The Doctor was very pleased.

He also was happy with my weight loss.

Getting in Shape Update 10

Half of my household is sick right now, and I'm part of that half. If I start throwing up (like calvinatorette I & III), next week's weight could look really good.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 241.5

Today's Weight = 240.0

Weight Loss in past week = 1.5 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 27.0 pounds

Pain in the Rear

Getting our house ready to sell is becoming quite a chore. I spent all day yesterday installing new light fixtures in the dining and breakfast areas. I also replaced one ceiling fan that wasn't working and another that we want to take with us (it's a Winnie the Pooh™ one). The day's activities necessitated not one, but two trips to my favorite place in the world, Wal*Mart. First, I had to get some electrical tape because I refused to leave exposed wires even up in the junction boxes. Then, I had to go back to exchange one of the light fixtures because I hadn't noticed it had some broken glass when I got it late Friday night on my second trip there that day.

We are going to have to get a storage unit to hold some of the stuff that is cluttering up our house. The Realtor who will be listing our house listed that as the biggest thing we need to take care of—de-cluttering. I'm also gonna have to tear apart the wonderful L-shaped computer desk I built. We have been using our dining area as our computer station, and we need to turn it back into a dining area.

When taken with theatre rehearsals for Annie and my part-time teaching, there just doesn't seem to be enough time to get things done.

1962?

I'm not really sure how I wound up with this answer, but.

You Belong in 1962

1962 If you scored... 1950 - 1959: You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in! 1960 - 1969: You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule - oh, and drugs too. 1970 - 1979: Bold and brash, you take life by the horns. Whether you're partying or protesting, you give it your all! 1980 - 1989: Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day. 1990 - 1999: With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good!

What Year Do You Belong In?

I think it's because my repsonses were either 50's or 80's related, and it trended toward 50's, so I ended up in the early 60's.

Something I Don't Understand

As I was driving today, I saw something I don't get. It wasn't the first time I'd seen it, but it got me thinking.

What is the deal with the fake bullet holes that people put on their cars? The truck I saw today had 2 in the tailgate and 1 in the rear windshield. Why do people put those on their vehicles? Do they want people to think they've been shot at in a driveby? Do they want their trucks and cars to look like trash even when they aren't?

Can anyone explain this to me?

Getting in Shape Update 9

I have no idea why I had such a good drop this week. Exercise was spotty, at best.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 246.0

Today's Weight = 241.5

Weight Loss in past week = 4.5 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 25.5 pounds

Picking with my heart

For this year's Super Bowl, the Cowboy fan has quite a dilemma. It is hard to root for the Eagles just because they are the Eagles. However, if the Patriots win, they will match the Cowboys' feat of winning 3 Super Bowls in a 4 year period (Dallas should have won 4 in a row).

So, picking with my heart instead of my head (which tells me the Pats will win by at least 10), I am gonna say:

Eagles    16
Patriots  14

Things are Rolling

I went and signed the Loan Application paperwork this evening after work. As soon as we can sell our house and find one to buy, we'll be moving into the official D/FW metroplex area. It's exciting, but when I think of all the work that needs to be done on our house to sell it, I cringe.

Getting in Shape Update 8

UPDATE: Progress pics are below

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 248.0

Today's Weight = 246.0

Weight Loss in past week = 2.0 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 21.0 pounds


BEFORE CLOSE-UP PIC (taken October 27, 2004)


PROGRESS CLOSE-UP PIC (taken February 1, 2005)


  BEFORE FULL BODY PIC          PROGRESS FULL BODY PIC
 (taken October 27, 2004)         (taken February 1, 2005)

Worse than a sick kid

Yesterday, I posted that there's not much worse for a parent than a sick kid. That's still true, but one of the few things that is worse is having one's child die. An internet acquaintance of mine had just that happen to him recently.

Just in case he checks in here, I'd like to say to him:

Brave Sir Knight, my heart goes out to you. I can only imagine the grief you must be feeling.

Crush Groove

When I was young, I had crushes on two celebrities: Kristy McNichol and Olivia Newton-John. Today, I was able to realize that the crush on Newton-John was not silly at all. She sang "Magic" before the start of the Men's Final at the Australian Open. Even at the age of 56, Newton-John is every bit as pretty as she was when I fell in love with her in movies like Grease and Xanadu.

A sick kid

There's not much worse as a parent than to have a kid get sick. Today, as we drove around looking at potential new houses, Calvinatorette III got sick. I don't mean cranky, fussy sick. I mean puking all over the back seat of the mini-van sick. The smell of soured milk permeated the van almost immediately.

Not a pleasant experience.

We didn't have a change of clothing for her, so we took a trip to the nearby Wal*Mart and got some clothes and some items to clean up the mess.

She seems to be fine now, and she was surprisingly good during the entire episode. It would have been even worse if she had started screaming and crying about being covered in vomit.

Thankfully, after the one bout of regurgitation, she was okay, and we were able to continue our driving around.

Another quiz about your traits

Personality Quiz

I came out this way:

You are a SRDL--Sober Rational Destructive Leader. This makes you a Mob Boss.

You are the ultimate alpha person and even your friends give you your space. You can't stand whiners, weaklings, schlemiels or schlemozzles. You don't make many jokes, but when you do, others laugh out loud. They must.

People often turn to you for advice, and wisely. You are calm in a crisis, cautious in a tempest, and attuned to even the finest details. Yours is the profile of a smart head for business and a dangerous enemy.

You have a natural knack for fashion and occupy a suit like a matinee idol. Your charisma is striking and without artifice. You are generous, thoughtful, and appreciate life's finer things.

Please don't kick my ***.

Of the 81138 people who have taken this quiz since tracking began (8/17/2004), 3.5 % are this type.

But, because I was right on the cusp on the Constructiveness factor, I am also much like this:

You are a SRCL--Sober Rational Constructive Leader. This makes you a Ayn Rand ideal.

Taggart? Roark? Galt? You are all of these. You were born to lead. You may not be particularly exciting, but you have a strange charisma--born of intellect and personal drive--that people begin to notice when they have been around you a while. You don't like to compromise, but you recognize when you have to.

You care absolutely nothing what other people think, and this somehow attracts people to you. Treat them well, use them wisely, and ascend to your rightful rank.

About Johnny Carson

I know I am in a distinct minority about this, but Johnny Carson just never did much for me. I never thought he was funny, and I didn't like "The Tonight Show" when he hosted. I don't like Jay Leno, either.

Give me David Letterman any day. And from what I've seen of old clips, I prefer Steve Allen to Carson as well.

There's no denying the impact he had on TV and culture in general, but I, for one, just don't get it.

Getting in Shape Update 7

Still doing fine. Expect a Progress Pic next week.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 250.5

Today's Weight = 248.0

Weight Loss in past week = 2.5 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 19.0 pounds

The Do Rag Pic

Here it is.

Facial Hair

While digging around my hard drive, I found this pic from a few years ago when I had a goatee.

There Ain't No Free Lunch

Or so they say. Today for lunch, I went with some colleagues to Texas Land & Cattle. I ordered Chicken Fried Chicken with Steak Fries—I know what some of you are thinking, but my weight loss program is about eating less, not avoiding any foods. When the food came, I noticed that the breading wasn't attached to the chicken very well but didn't think much about it. I also noticed a thin layer between the breading and the meat that I assumed was the skin of the chicken. After eating about a third of the chicken, some of the breading flaked away and I got a closer look at that layer.

It wasn't the skin.

It was some sort of paper.

I called our waitress over and told her about it, and she took my food away. A few minutes later the Manager came over and explained that it was the deli paper that they put between the chicken breasts before using them, and that somehow the cook had failed to pull it off before breading and frying my meal. My meal was free, and there were no ill-effects of the foreign substance.

All in all, there are many far worse things that one could find in one's food.

Responding to a few requests

Well, I've had two requests. First, some want to see me in a Do Rag.

I'll get that picture taken soon and post it here.

Second, it has been suggested that I should post "progress" pics about every 20 pounds of weight loss. I do plan to do this, but I want to ask you, my readers, would you want to see them with no shirt (so you can better examine the progress) or with a shirt on (so you won't be grossed out at my fat, hairy torso)?

I believe the children are our future

I am sitting here waiting for the class I am teaching this semester to start. I was originally scheduled to teach two sections, but because enrollment is apparently down, another adjunct got my first class. So, now, my only section is at 8:35 pm. I have a feeling I'm going to be seeing quite a few movies this semester between the time I get off my day job (4:30) and when I have to be here for class.

Actually, I'm not as aggravated about it now that I know one of my colleagues got the class I lost. It bothered me more when I thought the class had just been cancelled.

Memo to CBS

Various sources are reporting that CBS is considering replacing Dan Rather with a "team" instead of a single anchor.

Reuters reports that the move would be designed as "a bid to lure younger viewers and boost ratings."

I have an idea for CBS that might help attract younger wiewers and boost ratings.

STOP MAKING STUFF UP AND CALLING IT NEWS!!!!!

Getting in Shape Update 6

Averaging a little over 2.5 pounds lost per week. Not a bad start, but I still have a long way to go.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 253.0

Today's Weight = 250.5

Weight Loss in past week = 2.5 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 16.5 pounds

The Monty Hall Conundrum

I've seen some recent discussion on this issue. This is a logic & mathematics problem. Most people, including some professional mathematicians, get it wrong.

Here's the set-up:

You are on "Let's Make a Deal." Monty Hall shows you three doors and tells you that behind one of the doors, there is placed a brand new car (or a large sum of cash). The other two doors conceal either an empty space or some sort of "Booby Prize."

Let's number the doors, 1, 2, & 3. After you pick your door, Monty decides (out of the goodness of his heart) to show you what is behind one of the other two doors. Obviously, the door that Monty reveals is empty or has a "Booby Prize." Monty then offers you the opportunity to switch to the remaining unchosen and unrevealed door.

Should you?

Does it matter?

Many folks come to the conclusion that it makes no difference because once Monty reveals the one "wrong" door, the odds shift to 50/50. Well, that would be true if no choice had been made prior to the reveal, so why isn't it true after the reveal?

When you made your initial choice, you had a 1 in 3 chance of being correct. You had a 2 in 3 chance of being wrong. After the reveal, that fact does not change. So, you should switch because based on statistics and odds, switching makes it twice as likely that you will win the good prize.

Still doubting?

Try this Simulation. NOTE: It is Java.

The Best Years of Television

I have used a list of shows by the year they debuted that can be found at Episode Guides to pick what are, in my opinion, the 25 best years for TV Show debuts. Originally, I was going to penalize years for bad shows, but as I reviewed the lists, I realized that that would penalize recent years too much, so this Top 25 is based just on what I consider good. "Good" can mean different things as well. Sometimes, it is quality. Sometimes, it's merely entertainment value.

25) 1961—The Dick Van Dyke Show

24) 1995—Cybill; The Drew Carey Show; JAG; NewsRadio; Pinky and the Brain; Sliders; Star Trek: Voyager; Xena: Warrior Princess

23) 1981—Cagney & Lacey; Hill Street Blues

22) 2003—Arrested Development; The Joe Schmo Show; MythBusters; Nip/Tuck; Reno 911!; Teen Titans; Two and a Half Men

21) 1970—The Mary Tyler Moore Show; McCloud; The Odd Couple

20) 1999—Family Guy; Freaks and Geeks; Futurama; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?

19) 1987—Beauty and the Beast; A Different World; Full House; Married ... with Children; Star Trek: The Next Generation; thirtysomething; 21 Jump Street

18) 2001—The Amazing Race; Enterprise; Justice League; Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Scrubs; The Tick; 24

17) 1994—Chicago Hope; The Critic; Duckman; These Friends of Mine/Ellen; ER; Friends; My So-Called Life; Space Ghost Coast to Coast

16) 1965—Get Smart; Hogan's Heroes; I Dream of Jeannie; Lost in Space; The Wild Wild West

15) 1960—The Andy Griffith Show; The Flintstones

14) 1996—Arli$$; Early Edition; Everybody Loves Raymond; The Pretender; 7th Heaven; Spin City; 3rd Rock From the Sun

13) 1975—Baretta; Barney Miller; The Jeffersons; Saturday Night Live; Starsky and Hutch; Welcome Back, Kotter; Wonder Woman

12) 1966—Batman; Family Affair; The Lone Ranger; Mission: Impossible; The Monkees; Star Trek

11) 1955—Alfred Hitchcock Presents; Gunsmoke; The Phil Silvers Show

10) 1990—Beverly Hills, 90210; Evening Shade; The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; Get a Life; Law & Order; Northern Exposure; Parker Lewis Can't Lose; Twin Peaks; Wings

9) 1997—Buffy, the Vampire Slayer; King of the Hill; The Practice; South Park

8) 1957—Have Gun - Will Travel; Leave It to Beaver; Maverick; Perry Mason; Wagon Train

7) 1972—Bob Newhart Show; Kung Fu; M*A*S*H; Maude; Sanford and Son

6) 1989—Alien Nation; Coach; Doogie Howser, M.D.; Life Goes On; Quantum Leap; Saved by the Bell; Seinfeld; The Simpsons

5) 1993—Babylon 5; Beavis and Butt-head; Boy Meets World; Frasier; Lois & Clark; NYPD Blue; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Walker, Texas Ranger; The X-Files

4) 1959—Bonanza; Dennis the Menace; Rawhide; The Twilight Zone; The Untouchables

3) 1974—Happy Days; Kolchak: The Night Stalker; Land of the Lost; Little House on the Prairie; Police Woman; The Rockford Files

2) 1978—Battlestar Galactica; Dallas; Diff'rent Strokes; Mork and Mindy; Taxi; Vegas; The White Shadow; WKRP in Cincinnati

1) 1982—Cheers; Family Ties; Newhart; Police Squad!; Remington Steele; Square Pegs; St. Elsewhere


Honorable Mention:
1951—I Love Lucy
1976—Alice; Charlie's Angels; Family; Laverne & Shirley; Quincy, M.E.
1984—The Cosby Show; Night Court
1985—Amazing Stories; Growing Pains; Moonlighting
1988—China Beach; In the Heat of the Night; Murphy Brown; Roseanne; The Wonder Years
1998—Sports Night; That '70s Show; Two Guys, a Girl, & a Pizza Place; Will & Grace
2000—CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Ed; Malcolm in the Middle
2002—Andy Richter Controls the Universe; The Dead Zone; Monk


BTW, I know that the Episode Guides site omits some shows. If you feel there is a glaring omission that might affect the rankings, post a comment and maybe I'll amend.

UPDATE: I removed "The Avengers" from 1961 for two reasons: It debuted in the US in 1966 and it was a British Import. I didn't include any other British shows.

UPDATE 2: Added "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" to 1999 and moved that year up to 19th.

UPDATE 3: I had someone point out that I had messed up by overlooking 1957. I demoted 1995 to #11 and moved 2000 to Honorable Mention

One Could Do Worse

It's another one of those silly "What [blank] are you?" quizzes.


Which Family Guy character are you?

Brian drinks a bit more than I do, but it's probably better than most of the other possibilities.

in Praise of the 'Do Rag

Or should that be "Doo Rag"?

As you know, I have embarked on a journey to better health, and a major element of that trek has been exercising on the former clothes rack in our living room also known as our Gazelle Freestyle Elite. Excuse me, that should be Tony Little's Gazelle Freestyle Elite.

Tonight, I wrapped a bandana around my head in Do Rag fashion. Normally, I use a headband or a bandana tied in headband style. The Do Rag is definitely superior. It kept the sweat out of my eyes completely and eliminated the need to have a separate towel handy to wipe my hair & face while exercising.

Of course, I have to admit that despite the wonderful utility, it still looks incredibly stupid.

My New Mission in Life

After abandoning my quest to eradicate the misuse of the word "like" from all speakers aged 11 and up, I have set out on my new mission: the total elimination of the word "Hoodie" from the English language.

I mean, come on, they even have these things for iPods.

http://www.fredflare.com/customer/product.php?productid=624&cat=252

UGH!

Getting in Shape Update 5

Feeling groovy.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 257.0

Today's Weight = 253.0

Weight Loss in past week = 4.0 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 14.0 pounds

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the theatre

Tonight we had a "dance class" rehearsal to go over some basic steps. Man, I thought I had gotten in decent shape with my exercising. I was wrong. And we didn't even do any tap tonight.

Apparently, however, many there were impressed with the amount of sweat flying off my head as I attempted Chainé turns.

UPDATE: Thanks to Sarah S. for telling me how to spell Chainé.

How to Dismantle a Maryland Terrapin

My favorite college basketball team, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, destroyed the Maryland Terrpains today 109-75. They looked great after a slow start.

I was watching I, Max on Fox Sports Southwest on the day that UNC opened againt Santa Clara. A viewer had e-mailed and suggested that Carolina might go undefeated this year. Naturally, my Heels went out that evening and lost to the Broncos.

A Friend's Comic Strip

One of my best friends has started an online comic strip with his son. Check out Casey and Scotty.

My Honey Lamb and I

I went with my mom and sister to see the touring company production of Oklahoma! in Dallas tonight. My dad was supposed to go, but he wasn't feeling well, so I went in his place. It was an enjoyable show, but it had a few major problems:

1) Will Parker was played by the understudy, who was a tremendous dancer, but who couldn't act his way out of a wet paper bag.

2) I couldn't understand Laurey on "People Will Say We're in Love."

3) I couldn't understand Jud on "Lonely Room."

4) Jud was played as not just angry, lonely, mean, and maybe a bit slow, but downright demented and deranged.

Now, for the positives:

1) Ali Hakim was brilliant.

2) Ado Annie was solid and pleasant.

3) The dancing was top notch.

4) The dream sequence was the best I have ever seen it done.

In the not necessarily good or bad category, Curly's voice sounded like Will Ferrell impersonating President Bush, and he looked like a cross between Thomas Gibson and a young Robert Urich.

Whoa Nelly!

Apparently, Tony Kornheiser of ESPN's Pardon the Interruption listed what are, in his opinion, the five greatest College Football Programs of all-time. According to Kornheiser, the Fantastic Five are:

Oklahoma
USC
Notre Dame
Alabama
Ohio State


Really, it's hard to argue with this list. I think the only schools that might be able to make a case for inclusion are Michigan, Nebraska, and as much as it pains me to admit this, Texas.

Getting in Shape Update 4

Back on track.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 261.5

Today's Weight = 257.0

Weight Loss in past week = 4.5 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 10.0 pounds

The Sweat of My Brow

For those of us for whom our primary vocation is more intellectually oriented than physical, there is something inherently pleasing about doing things with our hands when we get the chance. I think that's why so many white collar workers would like to have some sort of workshop in their backyards. Quite simply, a guy can derive much more satisfaction by being able to point at something, say a bookshelf, or a built in desk, or even a clean garage, and exclaim, "I made/did that!" than he gets when he finishes even the most brilliantly crafted memo or legal brief.

I spent four hours today cleaning our garage. I can't even say "cleaning out" our garage because when it came right down to it, I didn't throw very much away. Mainly, I rearranged what was in there. There's still stuff in there that does need to be tossed, but today was not the day to take care of that.

The Reason Why

I would never have spent my day off doing that chore, but yesterday my wife said she smelled something emanating from the garage. I investigated and discovered that a plastic jug of turpentine had developed a leak and spilled out onto the floor. Compounding the problem was that the jug had been under a large pile of stuff. So, as is not uncommon, a problem that probably should have been resolved long ago sat untended until a crisis arose.

Whatever the impetus, I now have a clean garage, but I still can't park in it.

A Simple Prayer

The other night, my two-and-a-half year old daughter (also known as Calvinatorette III) wanted to say grace before dinner. Here, I replicate the exact transcript of what she said. Some might not appreciate it, but I thought it was great.

This is the food.

The end.

Ride, Captain Ride

Okay, so I have been able to get back into the exercise routine. I still don't like it, but I've made it bearable by attaching my Discman to the water bottle holder by some velcro and by watching TV (mostly sports) with the sound down.

I know getting in shape in general and losing weight in specific is an ongoing process, but I have to admit that patience is not always my biggest strength. In the past, I have used the Atkins way of eating to lose weight rapidly. It works for me, and it's not a huge sacrifice because I really like the foods that are allowed with Atkins. When I ate that way, I did miss pasta and bread, and that's probably one of the biggest drawbacks to that way of eating.

This time, I'm not counting calories, but I have made sure I am eating less than I was before. I'm also not avoiding any particular foods. If I want a cookie, I eat one. I just don't eat eight like I would have before.

The dropping of pant sizes and neck sizes is promising to be a slow-moving affair. My current pants are slightly less tight, but actually losing two inches in the waist and about an inch in the neck doesn't seem likely to occur any time very soon. I have, however, already noticed that my XL t-shirts are less snug (but still not to the point that I would wear them in public).

I promise you that this blog is not going to be only about my quest to lose weight (about 77 pounds total needed), but for right now, it seems to be my main focus.

Getting in Shape Update 3

UGH! Christmas should be banned for anyone who is trying to lose weight and shape up.

I ate horribly for about 3 days and I didn't exercise at all on Christmas Day or the day after.

Now, back to the grind. I got back up on that "horse" yesterday.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 260.0

Today's Weight = 261.5

Weight Gain in past week = 1.5 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 5.5 pounds

Well, that didn't take long

I had suggested that a blog entitled "The Present Moment" might turn out to be worthwhile. I was wrong.

More about Jamie Foxx

I just read that Jamie Is the first person to have been nominated for three acting awards at the Golden Globes in the same year. I'm not sure if it's true that he is the first, but it is true that he is nominated in 3 categories in this year's Golden Globes.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004937/awards

In case you're wondering why I care, as I mentioned before, I graduated from Terrell High School with Jamie.

Collateral

My wife and I watched Collateral Wednesday night on DVD. I'm not necessarily the most objective person in this regard, but I thought Jamie Foxx turned in a tremendous performance. What I don't understand is why the Golden Globe nomination for Foxx was for Supporting Actor. Maybe it's just me, but Max sure seemed like the main character to me. This is his story, not Vincent's.

I thought the movie was good. It felt a little rushed from the time Max & Vincent left the meeting with Felix until the final scenes on the train, but for some reason, I think that was on purpose.

The DVD extras were disappointing for the most part, but I did like the selection showing Foxx & Cruise rehearsing both at the initial read-through and at a later time.

A blog with Promise

It's too early to know for sure if The Present Moment will turn out to be worthwhile, but it looks intriguing after just two posts.

The Dark Lord Returns Soon

I'm sure I won't be able to sustain the excitement for 7 months, but I'm psyched that Book 6 of the Harry Potter series has an official release date.

It will be fun to put all the rumors and guessing to bed about this book once July 16th rolls around.

Of course, then all the rumors and guessing will start flying regarding Book 7.

Random Lines in Books

Saw this on another blog (http://piecesofsusanlee.blogspot.com/) and thought it was interesting.

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal, along with these instructions.


"If he is obedient to God, he is preaching the truth; if he does not love his wife, he is speaking apostasy and lies—but he is always talking."
    Reforming Marriage—Douglas Wilson

Genetics

When I posted that football picture, I realized that my oldest daughter looks a lot like me in facial features.

You may disagree.

Here's a pic of all my girls. The oldest, Erin, is on the right holding Lindsey.

The Skeptical Glare

I often tell folks that I haven't always been a big guy. I tell them that until some point in college, I was downright skinny. Some believe me and make some token comment about aging and metabolism. Others, however, give me this look that I interpret as, "Yeah, right. Sure you were skinny, you big tub of lard."

Well, just to prove that I was once a skinny kid, here's a picture of me from Seventh Grade in my football uniform.



I mentioned my less than illustrious football career in a previous post, but I may recount a few other stories in the next few days.

I have the power!

I have to confess that I was really out of the loop on the whole blog universe before I started my own. In fact, I just found Time Magazine's Blog of the Year, Power Line a few days ago. This is one of the main blogs that was relentless in pointing out the fact that the Bush National Guard memos touted by CBS and Dan Rather were forgeries.

Getting in Shape Update 2

Keeping on keeping on.

Did pretty well with the exercising and the food control.

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 263.0

Today's Weight = 260.0

Weight Loss in past week = 3.0 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 7.0 pounds

Endorphins and all that jazz

So, you may be asking, how is the fat guy losing the weight?

Simple.

I have been eating less and exercising. I'm using a great site to log my activity. It's The President's Challenge Physical Activity & Fitness Awards Program.

I recommend finding others to join you in logging activity. That provides some accountability and a little competition if that would help keep you motivated.

The eating less part is both easy and hard. I've cut down on how much I eat at every meal. Plus, I've stopped grabbing a bag of M&M's or Skittles each afternoon. Additionally, I've tried to increase my water intake.

A lot of people have openly commented about how I decided to start this at the wrong time. That is, right during the holiday season. Well, the bottom line is that there is never a good time to start a program like this, so there's no better time than now. My goal (even more than the weight and clothing targets) is to get to the point where I can stop taking blood pressure and cholesterol medicine. That's tedious and costs me $50 per month. I assure you that I have better uses for that money.

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother

Well, it definitely looks like I won't be getting the role I'd really like in Annie, but as I said a few days ago, that's not a huge surprise.

Oh well, the main reason I auditioned in the first place was the chance to do a show with my daughter.

The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow

I trekked down to the local community theatre to audition for Annie tonight. My up tempo song went okay but my ballad was dreck. I really wanted to sing "Suddenly Seymour" from Little Shop of Horrors, but despite the fact that I just did the show, I didn't get a copy of the score to keep. So, I had to go back to a song that I'm less familiar with and that is slightly out of my range. It's too high where written, and a little too low if I drop it an octave.

Anyway, I thought the cold reading went okay, and given the paucity of men that were signed up, I'm pretty sure I'll be something in the show. Probably not what I want, though.

A Great Evening, Nonetheless

Despite my failings as an auditioner, it was great to see Babs tonight. I'm sorry she ran into all that crap up in Denton, but if it means I get to do a show with her again, I'll be happy.

This will also likely be my eldest daughter's first show. She participated in our Children's Theatre program last summer, but this will be her first full production, assuming she gets cast. She'll turn 6 on the date of one of the performances.

Getting in Shape Update

When I started this quest last Tuesday, I weighed 267.0 pounds (my scale measures in half pounds). So, my plan is to update the weight on here every Tuesday

Starting Weight = 267.0

Last Week's Weight = 267.0

Today's Weight = 263.0

Weight Loss in past week = 4.0 pounds



TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS
= 4.0 pounds

College Football

Here's a great article at msnbc.com about the college football bowl system.

The writer made one point that I had thought about this past week.

There are 117 Division 1-A teams.

56 of them are going to bowl games.

That means 47.86% of the teams play in a bowl.

That stat alone tells you both why the bowls need to go and precisely why it is highly unlikely that they ever will.

It also illustrates why most opposition to Playoffs is silly.

Lets say we instituted a 16 team playoff. That would still leave 20 possible bowls to exist if they wanted. And the matchups they would get wouldn't be any less intriguing than under the current system.

It's time for a Division 1-A Football Playoff.

NOW!

A Man and His Toys

I just got back from Wal*Mart where I purchased a cordless optical mouse. It's amazing what you don't realize you need until you get it. The tracking is far superior to the old ball mouse we had been using. The optical mouse that came with my iMac died over a year ago. Actually, it seems that the cable from the mouse to the computer got pulled loose a little. My wife taped it up with clear packing tape, and my daughters use it on their iMac with no problems.

Now, we just have to keep the girls from running off with our cordless one and hiding it where we can't find it.

Heisman Watch

Tomorrow night, the Downtown Athletic Club in New York will award the Heisman Trophy to one of these five young men: Jason White, Adrian Peterson, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, or Alex Smith. This award is supposed to go to the Most Outstanding Player in college football for the season. White is last year's winner, but the conventional wisdom is that he won't win it this year.

By all appearances, it seems that once again a less-deserving USC player (Leinart) will stop an Oklahoma Sooner from winning the award two years in a row (see: Charles White & Billy Sims).

I have nothing against Leinart, and he's done a great job leading his team for the past two years, but what amazes me are the people who say that White just hasn't done anything special this season to justify giving him the Heisman again. If he hadn't won it last year, I'm not sure this year's voting would even be close. Anyone who has watched White (and being in Texas, I've seen him on television a lot this season) has seen a tremendous field leader who rarely makes mistakes that hurt his team.

One argument I've heard is that White may not be the best player on his own team. These folks consider Freshman Running Back, Adrian Peterson, to be better. There is no question in my mind that Peterson is a better athlete or that he will ultimately be a premiere Running Back in the NFL, but there's no way he was a better player this year. Don't get me wrong, I am utterly amazed everytime I see Peterson run, but that doesn't make him OU's best player.

If you took Peterson off OU's roster this year, there is every reason to believe that the Sooners would still be undefeated and playing for the National Championship. I contend that if White had not been the Quarterback, OU would have lost at least one game, and probably more. Peterson is the better athlete, but White was the better player.

My knock on Leinart is similar. Take away Reggie Bush, and Leinart wouldn't have helmed an undefeated team. Plus, he's playing against the weak sisters in the PAC-10.

If I had a Heisman Ballot, I would vote (1) Jason White; (2) Matt Leinart; and (3) Adrian Peterson. If Peterson stays healthy, he should have a few more opportunities to win the Heisman. Leinart will be a front runner next year if he stays for his Senior year. Jason White was the Most Outstanding Player in college football this year, and it will be a shame if voters let other considerations keep them from voting for him.

Prowling like a Panther

I upgraded the Operating System on my 4 year old iMac last night. We went from OS 9.2.2 to 10.3.6. (OS X Panther)

Two words:

Suh Weet!!!!!

We probably will need to add some RAM. We have 256M, and it will run with that, but Rod told me that it will run much better with more.

I guess I should thank Microsoft. Internet Explorer for MAC has become increasingly buggy dealing with Java Script and Shockwave flash, both of which have become ubiquitous on the web. Problems with Internet Explorer were what finally motivated me to make the upgrade.

And to you Windows XP users who finally got an OS that approached the MAC, well, let me just say, you don't have squat.

Hurray! It's back

One of my favorite comic strips is only available online. Day By Day took a hiatus, but it started back on December 1st.

Check it out, and make sure you go back and view the archives.

When It's Time to Change

Okay, so I've decided to do something about that "Fat Guy." Although I do have a target weight in my mind, I'm not going to focus on the number. What I'm going to do is measure progress by change in clothing sizes.

Right now, I have to wear XXL t-shirts (I can get an XL on, but it's snug). I have a 44 inch waist and wear 18 to 18 1/2 dress shirts.

The first goals are these:

1) Get to where an XL T-shirt is not snug.

2) Drop to a 42 inch waist

3) Get down to a 17 1/2 inch dress shirt.

I'll keep you posted.

I'm All In

Like many folks out there, I've caught the Poker Bug. Sunday, I played in a free tournament run by the Amateur Poker League. It was a blast.

Fifty-two amateur players sat down to play. I started fairly strong and was in second at the first break. After that, it was all downhill. Middling cards that dwindled my stack were followed by an Ace-Eight of Spades that led me to call another players All In bet when an Ace came up on the Flop. I knew better. He turned over Ace-Nine of Clubs. To add insult to injury, he hit a flush on the River.

Even with that, it was a fun 2+ hours. I wound up finishing somewhere between 25th and 30th.

My one shining moment was on about the 6th hand of the tournament. I was dealt Pocket 9's, and A-A-9 came up on the flop. I had flopped a Full House. It wasn't the Nuts, but I immediately bet All In. One guy called me, and he still had a chance on the River if either an Ace or a King had come up. It was exhilarating!

I wouldn't have believed it

if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

There are actually nutjobs out there who think that Karl Rove and George W. Bush somehow managed to rig this year's election. Apparently, Diebold is the new Illuminati.

I'll say it again, John Kerry lost because John Kerry was out of touch with the mainstream of America. The Democrats lost this year because they were incapable of coming up with a candidate that average Americans could relate to. We are a Conservative country. Bill Clinton knew that and managed to position himself to the right of George Bush (41) in 1992. Al Gore tried in 2000, but there was no way people were going to believe that Gore was more Conservative than Bush (43). Kerry was doomed from the start.

I don't pretend that we are a Republican nation, but every indication I see tells me we are a Conservative one. The fact that that bodes well for the Republican Party for years to come doesn't bother me in the least.

I am Thankful

KThis is the time at which we naturally start to think about all for which we have to be thankful. For me, the list is very long.

I am thankful for a wife who loves me no matter how difficult I may be at times.

I am thankful for four beautiful and healthy daughters who love me.

I am thankful for a brother who was a good example to me when I was growing up and who still challenges me to think.

I am thankful for a sister with a loving spirit who can make me laugh when she laughs with abandon.

I am thankful for a father-in-law and mother-in-law who raised a wonderful wife for me.

I am thankful for a job that I enjoy that feels worthwhile.

I am thankful for a part-time second job that I enjoy that helps pay our monthly bills.

I am thankful for living in the United States where I can enjoy the freedom to believe what I want, think what I want, and say what I want.

I am thankful for a home, despite all the chores it requires.

I am thankful for the ability to spend my free time in activities that stimulate me and foster my creativity.

I am thankful for a mother who taught me what it means to be a Godly woman, and who showed me a model for a wife.

I am thankful for a father who taught me how to be not just a father, but a dad; who showed me that what you do is even more important than what you say; who went outside his own comfort zone to pursue a career that provided for our family generously; and who loves his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

I am thankful for a Father who has forgiven me, not based on any thing I am or have done, but just because He wanted to.

One Tired Puppy

Sorry I haven't put anything on here in the past couple of days. Between my two jobs and the new baby, I've just been swamped.

COMING SOON: My review of Stephen King's The Dark Tower (Volume VII): The Dark Tower

UPDATE (12-10-06): Sorry that review never materialized.

Sometimes, it's so easy

I was pointed to this article by someone who was actually recommending it.

Ted Rall's Condescending Rant (or should that be Ranting Condescension?)

Just a few excerpts:

"But if militant Christianist Republicans from inland backwaters believe that secular liberal Democrats from the big coastal cities look upon them with disdain, there's a reason. We do, and all the more so after this election."

"Though there is a religious component to the election results, the biggest red-blue divide is intellectual. "How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB?" asked the headline of the Daily Mirror in Great Britain, and the underlying assumption is undeniable. By any objective standard, you had to be spectacularly stupid to support Bush." (emphasis added)

"Would Bush's supporters have voted for him even if they had known he was a serial liar? [I couldn't resist an editorial comment here. They just won't give this one up. There is absolutely NO proof that Bush lied about anything. One can be wrong without having lied. Either the lunatic left can't get that or doesn't want to.] Perhaps their hatred of homosexuals and slutty abortion vixens would have prompted them to make the same choice--an idiotic perversion of priorities. As things stand, they cast their ballots relying on assumptions that were demonstrably false."

"Inland Americans face a bigger challenge than coastal "cultural elitists" when it comes to finding high-quality news coverage. The best newspapers, which routinely win prizes for their in-depth local and national reporting and staffers overseas, line the coasts. So do the cable TV networks with the broadest offerings and most independent radio stations. Bush Country makes do with Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity syndicated on one cookie-cutter AM outlet after another. Citizens of the blue [sic] states read lackluster dailies stuffed with generic stories cut and pasted from wire services. Given their dismal access to high-quality media, it's a minor miracle that 40 percent of Mississippians turned out for Kerry."

For the record, the last time I checked, CNN was located in Atlanta, a decidedly Red State. This last argument is, by far, the most specious one he makes.

I have three words for these cultural elitist Liberals who look down their collective noses and me and you:

KEEP IT UP!!!!!

I don't normally sign my entries, but just this once, I thought I should.

Marty
B.A., M.A., J.D.

Selective Indignation

So, it seems that many on the Left have picked up on the new "talking point" of calling Strict Constructionist judges "Right Wing Activists."

First, it is not activism to undo the activism of the past.

Second, where was all the wailing and gnashing of teeth about the lack of respect for stare decisis when the Supreme Court recently struck down State sodomy laws? In case you weren't aware, that opinion cut directly against decades of consistent rulings.

You see, stare decisis is only a sacred cow when it can be used to prop up a prior Liberal "victory." When there are Liberal causes to be advanced, even in the face of overwhelming jurisprudence and public opinion, stare decisis must be jettisoned in order to move toward a "perfect society."

Things that make you go Awwwwwww

A couple of weeks before Lindsey was born, I was sitting at our home computer (not an uncommon event), and my wife was sitting on the couch, watching television. Our two year old, Sarah, went up to my wife and crawled up in her lap. Jody turned off the TV and held Sarah.

That alone makes a beautiful scene, but what happened next almost made me cry. Sarah hugged her mommy's belly. Jody asked her if she wanted to sing to Baby Lindsey. Sarah answered, "Yeah." (we're working on breaking her of the "yeah" habit). Jody helped her get started, but then dropped out as Sarah sang "You Are My Sunshine" to her pre-born baby sister.

My attention had been captured already, but when that happened, I completely ignored the computer and just sat there watching and listening.

About that "Rapture" thing

I think I should point out in light of my reference to Maureen Dowd's comment about the coming Rapture that I do not believe in the concept of the Rapture as it is depicted in such popular media as the "Left Behind" books, Hal Lindsey's books and TV shows, and television programs by the likes of Jack van Impe, Pat Robertson, and John Hagee.

Leftist Condescension

It just gets better and better.

Take a look at this article by Jane Smiley on Slate subtitled The unteachable ignorance of the red states.

Then, take a gander at this very good response by Bruce Thornton titled
Jane Smiley, Republican Party Recruiter.

Of course, we can't leave out Maureen Dowd, who told Chris Matthews on Sunday that she and he would "go up" in the coming Rapture, but all of us hypocritical Christian voters who supported Bush would be going the other direction. Her vitriol can be found HERE (NYTimes registration required).

As I said a few days ago, I hope this garbage keeps up. While the leftists keep patting themselves on their collective back about how smart and clever they are, Conservatives will continue to win national elections.

Can any explain to me how Dowd ever won a Pulitzer? Oh never mind, it shouldn't surprise me in the least.

I've been disabused

Apaprently, I'm the only one out there who thinks that Ashcroft might get consideration as Chief Justice. I admit that it was just a gut feeling, but it seems my instinct was wrong. Indications are that Bush will pick someone acceptable to his Conservative base but maybe won't rile up all the Leftist obstructionists.

It has been suggested that Bush will elevate Scalia (or Thomas) to Chief Justice, but I just don't see that unless he wants to appoint Al Gonzales right away as an Associate Justice. I also don't see him appointing Gonzales as Chief Justice.

Either way, it does look as if Bush will get a chance to appoint as many as three Supreme Court Justices during his second term. I know it would create a firestorm, but I think Senate Republicans should amend Senate Rules at the start of the new Congress in January to limit the Filibuster on Judicial appointments.

The briar patch

I think Republicans should start saying how much they hope John Edwards is not the Democratic Presidential nominee in 2008.

The more I listened to Edwards during this campaign, particularly in the VP Debate and in the NightLine episode following him on the campaign trail, I came to realize that he's nothing but an empty suit with a nice smile and good hair.

Chief Justice Ashcroft?

Drudge is reporting that John Ashcroft is planning to step aside as Attorney General.

http://www.drudgereport.com/

I won't say you heard it here first because I don't know if anyone else has already said something about it, but I predict that Ashcroft will get serious consideration as the new Chief Justice of the United States when William Rehnquist retires (which will likely be sooner rather than later).

I have no inside sources, just a gut feeling.

Whither Bipartisanship?

As I posted earlier, I liked Kerry's concession speech. One of his themes was that we need to come together and work on the issues facing us as a country. I don't recall if he used the term, but if not, I think it would be fair to say that he was promoting Bipartisanship.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines "bipartisan" as "Of, consisting of, or supported by members of two parties, especially two major political parties." So, simply put, bipartisan programs are those supported by both Republicans and Democrats. Well, maybe not quite so simply. Before 1994, Congress approached bipartisanship in a manner that would be considered traditional. Something changed in 1994, though.

In 1994, led by Newt Gingrich and the Contract With America, the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives. Overnight, the definition of bipartisanship changed in Washington D.C. I remember the change in the rhetoric. When Democrats found themselves out of power for the first time in decades, they decided to try a rhetorical end run. All of a sudden, bipartisanship was defined by the Democrats and the Media as "Republicans doing things the way Democrats want them to." Anytime Republicans pursued the policies they had campaigned on, if the Democrats didn't like it, the Democrats sent up the cry that Republicans were abandoning bipartisanship. In reality, the Democrats were trying to make the Republicans govern as if they were Democrats.

The burden of bipartisanship should fall on the Minority Party, not the Majority Party. The Majority Party in our system has all the power. If the Minority Party doesn't want to get steamrolled by that power, it is their responsibility to work toward agreement and compromise. That's what the Republicans did when they were in the Minority. The Democrats just didn't want to do it. I think part of the refusal to meet that challenge stems from the denial that Democrats seems to suffer from. In my experience, Democrats and Liberals simply refuse to believe that they are, in fact, the Minority. So, when they became the Minority Party, they tried to operate the same way they had as the Majority.

What does all this mean in 2004 and beyond? If the Democrats want bipartisanship, the burden is on them. Not Dennis Hastert. Not Bill Frist. Not President Bush.

Our system is based on the premise of Majority Rule. If bipartisanship is desirable, then the Democrats need to make the first move, and they need to realize that they probably will have to come more than halfway to "meet in the middle."

The morning after

Okay, so it's actually the middle of the afternoon. I'm working on 3 hours sleep and a morning in Court, so bear with me.

It appears to me that I came pretty darn close in my election prediction. I am assuming that Iowa and New Mexico will ultimately be marked down in the Bush column. If that holds true, I will have been right on all but one state, Wisconsin. I know it's hard to prove this after the fact, but I very nearly went the other way on the State of the Cheeseheads. I confess that it was the one state I chose with my heart instead of my head. As I looked at the polls, Bush was leading in the Poll Average, but the last 2 polls before the election showed a fairly solid Kerry lead.

I wanted my Electoral College numbers to be at the point where if any one state (excluding Texas) went the "wrong" way, Bush would still win the White House (even if Florida was the wrong state).

Kerry's Concession Speech

I promise you I am not being snide when I say this, but John Kerry's Concession Speech was the finest speech I have ever heard him deliver. If he had been talking like that throughout the campaign, he might have won this thing. But then again, when your Party is being "advanced" by the likes of Michael Moore, moveon.org, and ACT, you're in trouble from the word Go.

I've still seen some far left-wingers who don't get the point of yesterday's election. People really do like President Bush. Despite all the criticism that he isn't as "Presidential" as some would like, the President appeals to voters as being a real guy. Maybe that's just a put-on. I really don't know for sure, but I do know people who are close to him who tell me that what you see is what you get with Bush. Folks who have been involved in high-level politics for years or even decades have told me that Bush is the most genuine politician they have ever met. That's what I believe resonated with the American people.

The straightforwardness and resolve of the President was contrasted by what appeared to be condescension coming from the Left in general and Kerry in particular. When John Edwards says you'd have to be out of your mind to vote Republican, it might amuse his base, but it's not going to draw in those elusive undecided voters. I hope the Left keeps on thinking of me and those like me as close-minded, bigoted, ignorant, foolish, or just plain stupid. As long as they have that attitude, I can rest assured that the Republican Party will retain control in Washington for years to come.

Other tie scenarios

Looking at the Electoral numbers, I see two other plausible tie scenarios:

Bush wins Florida, but loses Ohio & Iowa.

Bush wins Florida & Ohio, but loses Iowa, New Mexico, Wisconsin, & West Virginia.

The second one is less likely because if Bush wins Ohio, I'd say it's not very likely he'll lose Iowa & Wisconsin.

Eve of Destruction?

I've been hearing some Doom & Gloom from a few people about how they think Kerry is going to win tomorrow (or whenever the lawyers get through with this election). Well, that's entirely possible, and if it happens, I won't be happy, but I also know it won't be the end of the world.

For the record, I still think Bush is going to win. However, it's not going to be by a wide enough margin for people to breathe easily until even the shouting is over. By my estimation, Bush is going to win 32 states. Kerry will win 18 states plus the District of Columbia. Because of the wonders of our Electoral College system, though, the margin will be about as wide as the state of Florida. Not Geographically, but Electorally.

You see, Florida holds 27 Electoral votes, and if my predictions are correct, Bush will garner 296 votes, exactly 27 more than the total that would result in a tie. So, if everything else goes as projected, but Florida goes to Kerry, we would have a tie in the Electoral College, and barring "Faithless Electors," the Presidency would be decided by the U.S. House of Representatives. That's not ideal, but it might be preferable to weeks or months of legal battles.

Here are the states (along with their Electoral Votes) that I predict Bush will win:

Alabama (9)
Alaska (3)
Arizona (10)
Arkansas (6)
Colorado (9)
Florida (27)
Georgia (15)
Idaho (4)
Indiana (11)
Iowa (7)
Kansas (6)
Kentucky (8)
Louisiana (9)
Mississippi (6)
Missouri (11)
Montana (3)
Nebraska (5)
Nevada (5)
New Mexico (5)
North Carolina (15)
North Dakota (3)
Ohio (20)
Oklahoma (7)
South Carolina (8)
South Dakota (3)
Tennessee (11)
Texas (34)
Utah (5)
Virginia (13)
West Virginia (5)
Wisconsin (10)
Wyoming (3)

I reserve the right to amend this list until the polls close.