Well, as promised, I went swimming on Christmas Eve. Not for long, though. The water was about 40 degrees!

I've found a new favorite radio station: 103.9 The Edge. They have real DJs and no format. Now if only their signal reached Tulsa.

Now we're on our way to see The Polar Express. Let's see if it's any good.

Big family dinner tonight. Prime rib. Absolutely wonderful.

Yesterday was my pilgrimage, to Fry's electronics store. Today it's my wife's turn. We're going to IKEA.

On my way to Fry's for the first time. Send a search party if I'm not heard from.

We are arrived! Now we sleep 'til noon.

At Flagstaff, we're making the turn south toward Phoenix. Only a couple of hours left!

We've paused for a pit stop on the Continental Divide. Over 780 miles traveled so far, about 330 to go.

We're coming into Albuquerque. I would have posted earlier, but phone reception's been bad.

Now leaving Amarillo. Still a long way to go!

Now entering Texas. Yee-haw!

We're on the first leg of our road trip. Just passing Oklahoma City. Fun so far!

I've cleared off my desk and finished up some key projects at work, so I can go on vacation. Phoenix, here we come!

Anyone in Tulsa who reads ...

Anyone in Tulsa who reads my blog , please tell everyone you know to get out and vote in today's library bond election!

Since when does possession of ...

Since when does possession of a videocam entitle you to block the view of everyone else? Your precious snowflake isn't the only one

Aaaaaaugh! Lee Greenwood is stuck ...

Aaaaaaugh! Lee Greenwood is stuck in my head! Make it stop, for the love of God!

SNOW!!! ...

SNOW!!!

This has been a terrific ...

This has been a terrific day. We raked leaves in the morning and spent the afternoon at the nature park. Now: The Sure Thing.

Can I call in sick ...

Can I call in sick of this administration?

I'm team-teaching eighth-grade research methods ...

I'm team-teaching eighth-grade research methods today. I thought it might bring up issues from my teaching days, but it was fun.

Good friends. Good kid. Good ...

Good friends. Good kid. Good beer. Good food. A good time was had by all.

I'll be hanging out at ...

I'll be hanging out at Oktoberfest tonight, never far from the VIP tent and free beer!

My son just saw a ...

My son just saw a Kerry/Edwards sign in a yard and said, "Look, Dad. They're voting for ours!" So young to be so wise.

I'm helping represent the library ...

I'm helping represent the library at a local trade show today. It was a great experience last year. Everyone is very supportive.

I taught a class on blogging at our Staff Development Day today. See the result at http://www.MelvilDui.blogspot.com.

Hello, class! ...

Hello, class!

"Hard part's over. Now let's ...

"Hard part's over. Now let's get those other piggies moving." What a great movie.

We have one month left. ...

We have one month left. Tell everyone you know. The lying, murdering monster illegally running this country must be stopped.

I'm on my way in ...

I'm on my way in to see F-9/11. It's at the dollar theater. It should be pretty good.

Dah-da da da daaah. I'M ...

Dah-da da da daaah. I'M LOATHIN' IT!

Tonight I will see Susan ...

Tonight I will see Susan Cooper, one of my very favorite authors, for the second time. It's a great honor.

"To announce that there must ...

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president...is morally treasonable to the American Public." -T. Roosevelt

My son saw boxing on ...

My son saw boxing on TV for the first time the other day. His reaction: "Look, Mom. Olympic hitting!"

Someone needs to teach wasps ...

Someone needs to teach wasps to buzz, so we'd at least have some warning before they attack. Ow.

The Tulsa Zoo is free ...

The Tulsa Zoo is free today. Whatever you do, don't come. It's, well, a zoo.

"Some kind of help is ...

"Some kind of help is the kind of help that helping's all about. Some kind of help is the kind of help we all can do without."

I've just started The Garden ...

I've just started The Garden of Eden. I'd forgotten how pure Hemingway's style is. Just gorgeous.

...way too easy to get ...

.way too easy to get drawn in and spend all my time there. Thanks for the good times, though.

I stopped by to see ...

I stopped by to see my old gang @ linkfilter.net tonight. If you came to visit, hi! Sorry I can't be there more often, but it's....

Is it bad to blog ...

Is it bad to blog about not blogging? I don't seen to have much to say lately. Maybe it's good to take a break.

Test ...

Test

Earworm: "On My Own" from ...

Earworm: "On My Own" from Les Miserables. For a couple of days now, actually. Odd.

I'm thinking about moving this ...

I'm thinking about moving this to LiveJournal, if I can get the e-mail function to work. Maybe keep the Blogger front end?

I had a meeting downtown ...

I had a meeting downtown this morning, but it's an "Ozone Alert" day, so I took the bus instead of driving. It's a nice ride.

A visit to the zoo ...

A visit to the zoo today. Not too hot.

I biked to work on ...

I biked to work on Wed. for the first time. 10 miles. I'd expected to be hurting the rest of the week, but I feel great!

Vive le France! Aujourd'hui est ...

Vive le France! Aujourd'hui est Bastille Day.

Earworm: "Buckingham Blues" by Weird ...

Earworm: "Buckingham Blues" by Weird Al. Apparently, this is my brain's reaction to hearing an interview with Howlin' Wolf this AM.

Earworm: "Mr. Lee" - a ...

Earworm: "Mr. Lee" - a doo-wop tune that I probably haven't heard in 5 years or more. The mind is a strange thing.

...to their full and upright ...

.to their full and upright positions. Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, the library ...

Ladies and gentlemen, the library will be closing in 5 minutes. Please extinguish all smoking materials and return your monitors...

I have the day off ...

I have the day off today, so I came with my son's school field trip to a park with a nature walk and water sprinklers. So much fun!

I've been realizing recently how ...

I've been realizing recently how much I miss having good friends nearby. It's hard to live day-to-day without being myself.

Earworm: "Heartbreak Hotel". Fits my ...

Earworm: "Heartbreak Hotel". Fits my mood. "...so lonely I could cry."

Please note: putting an American ...

Please note: putting an American flag on your car does not grant you a licence to drive like a twit. In fact, you look even worse.

This is probably my last ...

This is probably my last post before my phone dies. Fireworks should be starting in about an hour. It's a perfect night.

Now reading: Born to Run ...

Now reading: Born to Run by Lackey and Dixon. Very fun. Urban fantasy with sports cars, if that makes any sense.

A steady all-day intake of ...

A steady all-day intake of beer and good food + stepping out into a humid night = complete empathy with bratwurst.

From The Fairly Oddparents: "It's ...

From The Fairly Oddparents: "It's threatening and romantic. It's threatmantic!"

Kicking off our holiday weekend ...

Kicking off our holiday weekend with a trip to the mall. Haircuts for of and the wife, and a new keypad for my phone. Wheeee!

I've been reading Lord of ...

I've been reading Lord of Light by Zelazny, supposed to be an SF classic. I'm halfway through, and I'm quitting. It's junk

Oh no, my NPR station ...

Oh no, my NPR station is off the air. It must have something to do with last night's storms. I hope it comes back soon!

Wow! Big storm last night. ...

Wow! Big storm last night. We got up at 4am to close windows, and there was so much lightning that we almost didn't need lights.

Earworm: "Puttin' on the Ritz". ...

Earworm: "Puttin' on the Ritz". No idea why.

Must. Sleep. Soon. ...

Must. Sleep. Soon.

While our car's at the ...

While our car's at the body shop I'm driving a rental. I decided to spend $5 a day to upgrade to a Cadillac. Very nice.

Best "...between the sheets" fortune ...

Best "...between the sheets" fortune ever: "Your love of gardening will take on new meaning in your life."

For me, books are like ...

For me, books are like fiber. It's impossible to have a really satisfying bowel movement without them.

May the gods be praised! ...

May the gods be praised! My wife found her keys to the good car tonight. They've been missing for almost a year, $500 to replace.

I an become the ghost ...

I an become the ghost blogger, annoyer of worlds.

Save the environment. Plant a ...

Save the environment. Plant a Bush back in Texas.

Earworm: "Pico de Gallo" by ...

Earworm: "Pico de Gallo" by Trout Fishing in America.

Tonight I watched The 7 ...

Tonight I watched The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao featuring Tony Randall in all of the title roles. What an odd, touching movie!

I'm off to do a ...

I'm off to do a yo-yo performance at a local senior center. Should be fun.

"Right now, I'd be glad ...

"Right now, I'd be glad to trade some growth for happiness." American Splendor

I tried making fajitas without ...

I tried making fajitas without a recipe tonight and ended up with something like Mexican chicken stew. Tasty, but not quite right.

Earworm: "Clare" by Fairground Attraction. ...

Earworm: "Clare" by Fairground Attraction. At first, I thought it was a Concrete Blonde song; I had to look up the lyrics to check.

Well, I finally have The ...

Well, I finally have The Da Vinci Code from the library. Let's see what all the fuss is about.

We're watching Desk Set: one ...

We're watching Desk Set: one of the triumvirate of great library films.

Earworm: "We Just Disagree" by ...

Earworm: "We Just Disagree" by Dave Mason. We found a 45 while cleaning the garage.

Had a great time, told ...

Had a great time, told a lot of folks about the library, bought a lavender plant. What a wonderful day.

Button: "Will Rogers never met ...

Button: "Will Rogers never met Fred Phelps."

I'm blogging today from the ...

I'm blogging today from the Tulsa Diversity Celebration (aka Pride Day.) Should be fun!

This just in: President Reagan ...

This just in: President Reagan is still dead.

I honestly love my job. ...

I honestly love my job. Not every day, but overall, it's the best thing I've ever done.

Note to all: do not ...

Note to all: do not block the intersection. It tends to create the impression that you are a self-centered, arrogant slimeball.

Your Striking Crane Technique cannot ...

Your Striking Crane Technique cannot stand against my Reagan Death Bounce!

"Mogwai!" ...

"Mogwai!"

P. G. Wodehouse was a ...

P. G. Wodehouse was a bloody genius. He and Terry Pratchett are the two authors who can always make of feel happy.

Earworm: "Fur Elise". Very frustrating ...

Earworm: "Fur Elise". Very frustrating at first, because I couldn't remember the title.

I'm sitting at home now, ...

I'm sitting at home now, listening to the Beach Boys' Endless Summer on vinyl with my son. How cool is that?

Some days are diamonds, some ...

Some days are diamonds, some days are stones. I think today is maybe a chert. Mostly smooth with sudden sharp and deadly edges.

Now reading: Nancy Farmer's

Now reading: Nancy Farmer's The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm. Excellent science fiction based on Zimbabwean folktales.

I've just finished _Eats, Shoots ...

I've just finished Eats, Shoots & Leaves. Marvelous! I highly recommend it.

Earworm: "Summertime, summertime, sum, sum, ...

Earworm: "Summertime, summertime, sum, sum, summertime..."

I told my wife about ...

I told my wife about the blog tonight. She can't decide whether to be amused or scared.

My son is learning to ...

My son is learning to read. I am so proud of him! He's a wonderful boy.

I'm reading _Eats, Shoots and ...

I'm reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves.

Greetings eschwans! ...

Greetings eschwans!

"So much for pathos." ...

"So much for pathos." - Monty Python: And Now For Something Completely Different.

I really must be a ...

I really must be a geek.

(Test)Text test. ...

(Test)Text test.