JOURNAL

~ 06:16 PM ~

I updated the holiday photo section.

Linkage:
Columbia House DVD club
Imperia Pasta Machines
World's Smallest Political Quiz
Ten Minute HIV test
Top Searches of 2003

~ 06:05 AM ~

We are visiting Oswego this weekend. While in the Chicagoland area, we are visiting IKEA to use our gift card.

Linkage:
Pet Health

~ 11:29 AM ~

Merry Christmas.

We spent last night watching A Christmas Carol (1984), Great Performances: The Nutcracker, and wrapping gifts. We are spending some time at Britt & Kelly's home this evening with family.

I have watched A Christmas Story once.

The home theater install was easy and it sounds great. We are leaving VHS behind and welcoming DVD. Yes, we know everyone else did that over 2 years ago.

My new contact and glasses are on their way. I am looking forward to the new contacts, as my current pair is uncomfortable.

Linkage:
Columbia House DVD club
KETC.org
Jenville

~ 08:47 AM ~

After several years, I got an eye exam yesterday. I noticed a slight change in my left eye in the last few months. In addition, my contact lenses seemed worn (i.e. cloudy despite cleaning) and I cannot remember when I purchased (or possibly my parents purchased) that set of lenses. So, new lenses all around and we will pick out some frames on Wednesday.

Given that we received some Christmas gift money already (thank you again everyone), we decided on our gift to ourselves. We both love a good film and needed to upgrade our home stereo system (i.e. very old 'boom' box); we have decided to purchase a nicely priced and well-recommended home theater system. After some research and searching local stores, we are picking up the Panasonic SC-HT67 5-disc DVD home theater system. Although a Samsung system was a close second and had more powerful speaker system, the clarity of sound noted with the Panasonic system was the deciding factor.

Yes, I too realize how much things have changed from this time last year and I am very thankful.

Linkage:
Time Person of the Year
Top 10 Web Design Mistakes
Spiderhole taken in August

~ 11:21 PM ~

I added several photos to the Photos page. Tomorrow, we are finishing our holiday shopping.

~ 10:16 AM ~

Hello! We are back. To make a long story as short as possible, Tripod had internal server problems, which caused our site to be visible but unable to be edited. As a longtime Tripod customer, I glad to have the site back and will remain a loyal customer.

In the month that has past, there has been some great news. My first semester at L&C is over and it went great. My first batch of home brew went well and I am enjoying the first bottles. It is light on carbonation but it tastes good. I am doing my next batch sometime this week, it will be a English Extra Special Bitters, or ESB. It is a typical everyday beer in the UK and the process of making it allows me to try using grains in the mashing process.

We saw the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Friday after Neale's Christmas party. It was a good show and the seats were excellent.

Neale spent Saturday night with Debbie, her mother, and Kelly, her sister-in-law at the Lake of the Ozarks.

We leave for Oswego on Friday and are looking forward to seeing everyone.

Linkage:
Info Please

~ 07:51 AM ~

We went to Nino's last night. It was good and we were the first customers. Neale was hungry after spending the day in Sparta, IL and I was hungry too so we went early.

My home brewing kit shipped. I will be brewing on Sunday...maybe. I am looking into wort coolers. I will be using a glass carboy as my fermentor so the cooler will have to wrap around the carboy. I may use a large cooler to set the cooler in though. The concern about this the possibility of infection to the cooling wort. It must be cooled to below 80 before pitching the yeast and closing the fermentor.

Linkage:
Tasty Brew

~ 05:48 AM ~

The rains have finally passed. Neale has to travel east today and my day is typical. Yesterday, Neale added to the lunch buffet at her work. Her soup was very popular.

I am looking forward to the OSU v. Michigan game this weekend.

Linkage:
OSU Football
Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional

~ 05:56 AM ~

It was a stormy night. We had a tornado move through the area south of us. We did not receive any damage.

Linkage:
The Weather Channel

~ 05:24 PM ~

I ordered my home brewing kit which was the main item purchased with money received for my birthday. It will be the gift the keeps on giving. In addition, it is another hobby that I can improve upon and share with others. My first batch will be hefeweizen, which is a personal favorite of mine. The next batch maybe a stout or an ESB because those are also favorites and a little harder to make. I will brew the first weekend after the kit arrives and have a product in about 3 weeks after that. My online source for info was Home Brew Mart. Great site.

~ 01:12 PM ~

We watched "The Wizard of Oz" last night. Check the film page for a review if you please. Watching with Pink Floyd's "Dark Side" is optional and we do not prescribe to the Munchkin suicide myth.

Linkage:
Singapore Sex Standard Snafu
Hanging Corpse Admired as Sculpture on Campus

~ 12:10 PM ~

We finally got into P.F. Changs and it was worth it. It was good food for a decent price. I had the coconut curry vegetables and Neale had pork-fried rice. Despite not using chopsticks for a few months, I was able t eat the whole meal with my chopsticks. The dessert was excellent. It was a banana coated in cinnamon and sugar and then rolled in a spring roll wrapper which is then flash fried (they did not want to use the "deep fried" term). It came with a scoop of coconut & mango (??) ice cream. The wine list was very good and I had one of their cocktails, Changs Green Tea.

It is excellent weather and we are going for a ride after the Rams/Bears game.

Linkage:
Russell Crow

~ 09:02 AM ~

Once more to the breach...we are trying to get into P.F. Changs this afternoon. An early dinner and then to the movies.

With the DSL connection, I opted to use Windows Automatic Update. Very convenient for me.

How can the U.S. cede power despite the ongoing daily resistance? Could it be that wars are always fought for domestic reasons? Free for the election....back in by December 2004...hmmm.

Linkage:
St. Louis Mills
St. Louis Mills Home
Consumer Beware...hide the credit cards

~ 01:24 PM ~

My busy week has come to an end. I accomplished everything I set up to accomplish. Sweet victory.

Neale and I are planning on taking in a dinner and a movie tomorrow. I am leaning towards "Master and Commander: Far Side of the Earth". Tonigth, we may take in "Bend it like Beckham".

Linkage:
Doubt...a history
Filibuster Formula
Mom Finds Blog

~ 07:43 PM ~

Neale played her first soccer game since the injury and did well.

I added photos of my office to the photo page.

~ 11:38 AM ~

It is a nice day...I am still busy today...just not as bad.

Linkage:
What did you do wrong today?

~ 06:47 PM ~

It was a very busy day for me. It is that time of the year where the semester takes on a life of its own and becomes a beast to tame. On the other hand, is it when I become overly dramatic? Well, I finished the day better off than I started and I even got a little ahead.

As much as the Matrix rises interesting questions and ideas to ponder, it also encourages mindless ramble and drivel.

Linkage:
Atkins cheaters beware
Wal-Mart...special on legal defense
Friendly Dictators Trading Cards

~ 08:29 AM ~

Remember the veterans.

We both have the day off and will spend the day together (no working at all we promise!). We plan on going for a bike ride and then taking in the Matrix.

Marcianos was ok. The food, service and decor were average.

Neale picked me up a free phone from Cingular. It is a slight addition of another line to the cell phone plan but very cost-effective.

Linkage:
Lodger: Doorsteps ~Flash video~
Church Sign Generator
The Meatrix

~ 10:58 AM ~

Neale arrived home around 9 last night, which is a long day for her. She is presently trying to find a new pair of brown winter shoes as the last pair was eaten by the snows of Cleveland. We are planning to walk together later this afternoon. Also, I rented the Matrix Reloaded so we may prepare ourselves for the Matrix Revolutions.

We bought an Entertainment book, which is a book full of coupons to local restaurants. It has some very good deals (i.e. 2 for 1) and we are using it for dinner tonight at Marcianos.

We are enjoying our new DSL connection and only experienced a "slowdown" once in two weeks. It has made our transition to electronic bill pay very easy. In order to stop the paper accumulation, we pay many bills electronically through our bank or the company websites. Oddly enough, the electronic company does not have electronic bill pay.

Linkage:
Zappos
Sauce Cafe
How stuff works: TV ratings

~ 12:50 PM ~

Neale is in lovely Perry, Illinois today. She left this morning and will home in the early evening.

Yesterday, we did not get into P.F. Chang's again. By six, it was a two-hour wait. So, we opted for some pizza at Uno's. Still the best crust in town. We now have the personal quest of getting into P.F. Chang. It had better be worth it.

Last night, I enjoyed some Schlafy Oatmeal Stout and Season 2 of Strangers with Candy. Good times.

I am not sure I will be able to ride today.

Linkage:
Sundown
Born to Hula

~ 10:26 AM ~

Neale has the day off. Tonight, we are going out to dinner to celebrate my birthday. I believe we are finally making it to P.F. Changs, which was the resturant of choice last weekend.

CNN reports about Internet deadwood and I proud to say that we never had that problem here. Hot and ready updates almost everyday!

Linkage:
Exploratorium

~ 05:56 AM ~

Happy Birthday to me!

Linkage:
Sifl-n-Olly
Sifl-n-Olly Archive
Sifl-n-Olly Sock Zone

~ 10:06 AM ~

Thank you everyone who sent cards & gifts for my birthday.

President Bush will criminalize a safe medical procedure today. Your individual rights are being eroded today but most people are more concerned about the distraction, I mean, occupation, I mean, "war" in Iraq. Sleep well.

Linkage:
On the Issues

~ 11:28 AM ~

I donated yesterday and I do enjoy the gift of giving but it takes alot out of me sometimes. Yesterday was one those occassions....free fridge magnets though.

Good article on PC viruses at Yahoo.

Linkage:
The D on H for A

~ 12:28 PM ~

Note to self: Dump stock in ipecac. What can I use this product for now? It joins castor oil as all-around useless for human consumption.

It is fantastic to wear shorts in Novemeber.

Linkage:
Trick, Treat, or condom?
What is the Matrix?

~ 07:15 PM ~

I had a good ride and broke 1000 miles. However, I did have to correct a fellow rider's lack of courtesy. I have never yelled at anyone before so this person was the first. If people using the trail would realize that sharing and being safe was a part using the path, then there would not be any need to get upset with people. The situation was a couple using the path going west was riding side-by-side and I was headed east. She saw me coming for about 40 yards and I was traveling fast because its exercise (i.e. heart rate, sweating, and exertion). She decided to play a game of "bike path chicken" and lost. She swerved out of my way and yelled an angry "good one" as I continued on my way. Simply put, the path is 8 feet wide...pick a side and do not block people. If you want to peddle along, fine, but be aware of your surroundings. I give notice when passing and slow down for many people...return the favor. Courtesy is free.

~ 02:15 PM ~

We had fun last night. The people were nice and the band was very good.

Yesterday, it was cold and rainy. Today, it is sunny and about 80. I am heading to the Katy Trail. Neale is otherwise occupied.

Linkage:
Funny dog

~ 05:28 PM ~

No ride today. The weather stayed wet and cold. I went to Crazy Bowls for lunch and visited Dierbergs since the strike is over. We were able to avoid Missouri grocery stores for 3 1/2 weeks and I was able to get everything except my cereal.

~ 11:48 AM ~

It is a cold and rainy day. I was planning on biking but the weather is keeping me in. I am about 10 miles short of breaking 1000 miles. I promised myself that if I broke 1000 miles this year I would invest in a new set of tires for next year. After researching the area, I decided to do my bike maintenance at Big Shark Bicycle Company in the Central West End.

We changed our plans and did not go to P.F. Changs last night. We opted for an Italian restaurant on Ed's suggestion and Debbie & Ed joined us. It was a small family owned restaurant and it was great. We are going to The Soulard Ale House tonight to watch Neale's coworker perform with his band, The Drunk Monkeys.

Keeping with the norm of Saturday, I have cleaned the house and done the laundry.

I journal has been archived. Please click links above for past months.

Linkage:
Trend Micro
Health Food Review

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