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November 29, 2007
Freedom
Just got back from the Marc Cohn show. For last minute tickets, the seats were tolerable. The opening performer was ok, but none of her set grabbed me enough to fork out $15 for her CD. Cohn and the band were great - and the set list was a good mix of familiar tunes (yes, including Walking In Memphis) and new tracks from the new album.
And we got out of the show and were home in just over 20 minutes.
I had almost forgotten what "night life" was.
Posted by dberger at 11:36 PM | Comments (0)
System
I also picked up a copy of System, Seal's latest. Damn if I haven't been able to stop my feet tapping since the first song.
Ok, maybe the duet with his wife sorta broke the momentum, but the next track picked it right back up.
Stuart Price - the same producer who helped Madonna "get jiggy" on Confessions On a Dance Floor - does some great work, building beats and textures that make Seals incredible vocals shine. It's as if you extracted the best of Crazy and blended it with just the right amount of Human Being.
Posted by dberger at 1:36 PM | Comments (0)
Join The Parade
I'm a big fan of Marc Cohn's work, and so far his latest release: Join the Parade doesn't disappoint.
It's definitely Cohn, without being a retread of his previous material. At first listen nothing has grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go, but I suspect it's one of those albums that will grow with repeated listenings.
UPDATE: I decided to see if and when Cohn would be around Seattle. Turns out he's playing the Moore tonight. I just bought tickets.
Posted by dberger at 11:12 AM | Comments (0)
What Do You Do With An Old Dead Hobby?
(to the tune of "What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor" a.k.a. "What Do You Do With An Old Dead Gerbil")
I have some boxes that I've literally been moving around with me for 10 years. I never look in them, 'cause I know what they contain, and while I don't actually care to keep their contents, I can't see throwing them out, either.
Continue reading "What Do You Do With An Old Dead Hobby?"
Posted by dberger at 8:56 AM | Comments (2)
November 27, 2007
Pizza Pizza
We tried ordering pizza while living on the island a few times - and we always decided to that DiGiorno was better. So it was with mild trepidation that we decided to do a quiet birthday evening of pizza and A Bit of Fry and Laurie.
We ordered a Siciliano from Amante in Redmond.
Yum.
Posted by dberger at 9:42 PM | Comments (0)
November 26, 2007
Strike One for Whirlpool
As we were preparing to move, Dawnise noticed that the porcelain was flaking off the tub in our washer - a middle-of-the-line Whirlpool. Consulting the owners book, it said the tub was warranted from this form of failure for something like 10 years, so I put it on my list to deal with once we got into the new house.
Continue reading "Strike One for Whirlpool"
Posted by dberger at 4:03 PM | Comments (0)
November 25, 2007
Let There Be Light
The new house was built in the 80's - when they apparently had an aversion to in-ceiling lighting. So while many of the rooms have at least a single "can" light - a number, including the master, the living room, and the family room (read: pool table room) have only switched outlets. Additionally, there are exterior lights that throw horrible glare bombs and are begging to be replaced.
So we spent some time today looking for lighting - both online and in stores like Lamps Plus and Seattle Lighting.
Continue reading "Let There Be Light"
Posted by dberger at 8:37 PM | Comments (0)
November 24, 2007
Household Hacks
The previous owner of the house described it as "low maintenance," which of course means I've spent the last week fixing a bunch of the little shit he ignored for the 7 years they owned the house.
Continue reading "Household Hacks"
Posted by dberger at 7:56 PM | Comments (1)
Razors & Razorblades
Yesterday, despite fearing the mad-rush of consumerism that is (dum dum dum dum...) "Black Friday" (wooo) I ended up doing some shopping for things around the house.
Continue reading "Razors & Razorblades"
Posted by dberger at 7:43 PM | Comments (0)
November 22, 2007
Cats and Carpets
The new house has off-white carpet. Not what we would have chosen, but relatively new.
Cats, for those of you who don't live with them, apparently see off-white carpet as a challenge. I suspect we'll be re-flooring sooner than I'd like.
Cats, I love 'em, but I can't eat a whole one.
Posted by dberger at 11:22 AM | Comments (0)
November 20, 2007
Amazon Kindle
I managed to sorta ignore what hype there was around the Kindle release, but I had a few minutes today while waiting for some tests to complete to take a quick peak, and I wish I could be thrilled...
Continue reading "Amazon Kindle"
Posted by dberger at 2:08 PM | Comments (0)
Sunday Drivers at Costco
Dawnise and I made our first Costco run on "this side" of the pond on Sunday. We hit the Costco in Issaquah. Our normal habit on the "other side" was to be there when they opened on Sunday morning as to avoid the "church crowd" - so we did the same on Sunday, and were surprised at the result...
Continue reading "Sunday Drivers at Costco"
Posted by dberger at 9:40 AM | Comments (3)
November 17, 2007
On the 'net again
Sung to the tune of "On the Road Again," with apologies to Willie Nelson and his legion of fans.
On the net again
I couldn't wait to get on the net again
I scheduled install before we even had moved in
'cause I couldn't wait to get on the net again
Continue reading "On the 'net again"
Posted by dberger at 6:40 PM | Comments (0)
November 12, 2007
Don't Panic
The boxes continue to multiply. The deadline looms closer and closer, and damn it we're still not done.
Where's my towel?
Oh, yea, it's in a box...
Posted by dberger at 8:58 PM | Comments (0)
Remember
On our way back from brunch yesterday we made two impromptu stops, both at cemeteries. The first, in Port Gamble, was old - mid 1800's old. The second, in Suquamish, contained Chief Sealth's grave site.
In the second, someone had come through in advance of Veterans day, and placed American flags near the headstones of the service men and women buried there. WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam were all represented, in various number.
As I walked among the headstones, it seemed the perfect time to take a moment to remember and appreciate the quick and dead who have served their country in time of conflict.
Posted by dberger at 8:51 AM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2007
Boxes
We're surrounded by boxes. Yesterday morning we took a trip to the new place, dropped off some "stuff," swung by my office and grabbed a bunch of boxes that were destined for the rubbish heap, came home and packed the garage.
This morning we packed our closet, then went to Sunday brunch with Dave & Marcia at Molly Ward Gardens (the Chorizo Scramble was excellent, and the lamb sausages were in-cred-able) before coming home and - you guessed it - packing some more.
Jesus we have a lot of stuff.
Posted by dberger at 6:37 PM | Comments (0)
November 9, 2007
Empire of Ivory
I pretty much tore through the latest Temerare novel, Empire of Ivory over the last few days on the boat. Very enjoyable, though no real "ending" as such - so now I'm chomping at the bit for the next book (Victory of Eagles) which isn't due 'till 2008.
It's been widely reported that Peter Jackson has optioned the film rights. As a personal favor, please audition Jack Davenport. I know, I know, he's "done" the naval officer "thing" - but from the opening pages of the first novel he's been my mental picture of Laurence. And I think he'd be smashing.
Posted by dberger at 10:40 PM | Comments (0)
Going Dark in 5...
Sometime Wednesday (14-November) I'll be downing all the machines at the house, taking down the network, and moving it all to the new place. We're scheduled to get 'net access connected at the new place on Saturday afternoon, so Dawnise and I will have only occasional connectivity (and probably no time to use it) twixt Wednesday and Saturday afternoon.
Posted by dberger at 6:30 PM | Comments (0)
November 7, 2007
It's only m-m-m-money
We're moving next week - that's going to end up costing (significantly) more than I anticipated (I underestimated the cost of having someone move my stuff). The new house needs a roof, but to be fair we knew that going in, and reduced our offer price accordingly.
The house is 20 years old and as far as I can tell, is pretty much "as built," so the kitchen is sorta crying for a remodel.
As are the bathrooms.
And the "I'm tired of riding in the cold and wet" part of me is thinking that a second car wouldn't be a bad idea. And if we're going to buy a car, something with a bit more cargo capacity than the convertible seems wise.
It's a good thing Dawnise and I are good at prioritization. And that we've already funded our retirement funds for the year.
Posted by dberger at 4:27 PM | Comments (0)
November 6, 2007
Packing Progress
We're surrounded by boxes, and sometimes it feels like we haven't made a dent in our stuff.
Dawnise's craft room is well on it's way toward done, as is my office. The pool table has been disassembled and it's bits stacked neatly against the wall. In the next week we need to finish off the library (mostly Dawnises hats), pack the bedroom (ugh), the kitchen (double-ugh), and the garage (please, god, save me).
Continue reading "Packing Progress"
Posted by dberger at 6:19 AM | Comments (0)
November 4, 2007
New Phone Number
Effective 15 November, the land-line at the house on Bainbridge will be discontinued. On 19 November, you'll be able to call us at the new place. The new number is our old number plus 2,184,977,713 (including area code).
Neither of our cel numbers have changed.
Posted by dberger at 9:31 PM | Comments (1)
Perhaps there's hope...
While going through some "stuff" in my office, paring down before the move, I came across two microscopes. Nothing fancy, kids toys, really - but toys that gave me a glimpse into a world I couldn't see with only my eyes.
I hadn't used either of them in years, and I couldn't in good conscious resign them to the rubbish heap. So I had Dawnise list them on freecycle, which she did this morning.
When she sat down to check her mail, moments ago, she had a dozen people interested in them for their kids, or grandchildren.
Hope. Sometimes it comes from the unexpected.
Posted by dberger at 3:30 PM | Comments (0)
November 2, 2007
It's Officially Cold Out
Not Arctic cold, but below-freezing-when-I-woke-up-this-morning-cold, which is close enough for me.
And it's only November 1.
Methinks we're in for a cold winter.
Posted by dberger at 8:34 AM | Comments (0)