Kings Tumble and March Madness Continues

Today was a rather quite day. I talked to my friend, Robert, this morning and after breakfast I did a few things around the house. I went to the grocery and took my neighborhood walk earlier than usual, because I wanted to get back in time to see the Kings/Clippers game. This was a significant game for determining the team that will win the eighth and last playoff spot and it appeared that the Clippers wanted it more than the Kings. The Kings were the home team tonight, but you'd never know it. They just couldn't get the job done. It's been that way all season. I seriously doubt that they can make the playoffs now. Maybe next year!

Tomorrow starts the NCAA final four playoffs. I've decided to root for Georgetown - the underdog. They'll have a tough time against Ohio State and they'll need the extra support. Most everyone around here is favoring UCLA - the California team. Many fans remember the John Wooden days. However, they also face quite a challenge as they are going up against Florida. Whatever the outcome, Monday night will present a final game that shouldn't be missed, if you like to watch college basketball. All of this should make for a fun weekend.

Office Depot Deal

Nancy and I went to Costco and to Office Depot today. Office Depot had a sale on SD cards - the type that I use for my Samsung mini camcorder. With a mail in rebate you can get 1.0 GB of memory for six dollars. They only had one card left at the store I went to, but that is all I need at this time.

I've been wanting to make a quick video, for posting to the blog, of the new master bedroom clock. It plays six songs and has a rather different look to it. Since I got the new SD card today, I figured I might as well film the clock scene. The lighting was poor when I shot the video, but you can at least get an idea of how the clock looks and sounds. Take a look:

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/jimdaviselkgrove/?action=view&current=SMOV0001.flv

Salmon Day

Wednesday is usually a good day, food wise, as it is the day I shop for salmon. Based on last week's purchase and today's repeat experience - I'm proclaiming Raley's the winner when it comes to offering the best fresh salmon. I talked at length with the butcher at Raley's, in Elk Grove, and he explained in detail where they purchase their fresh fish and the best time to procure their freshest cuts. I still plan to continue my research, to seek out various types of fish that are easy to prepare and succulent to the taste, but it's good to know that I have already found one store that meets my criteria.

It was rather windy today, but I managed to squeeze in my 2.5 mile walk/jog. Not too many people out, probably because of the wind. After my walk I contacted the guys in the Friday Night Movie group and we set a date for our next viewing. It's been confirmed - it will be on Friday, April the 13th. Hope that date won't jinx the event! We're still deciding on the movie. There were a couple of suggestions - The Departed and Casino Royale. Mr. Beales added another title, which I'll need to go back to a previous email he sent, to get the title. But there are lots of new movies on DVD since our last viewing, so we may have trouble narrowing it down.

Dinner at Fins

Today Tom and I got together for an outing to Fins. Fins is a restaurant that has really great fresh fish. We always ask the proprietor what he recommends for that day and so far we've been pleased with his suggestions. Halibut was the suggestion for our meal today. The meal comes with coleslaw and rice, or you can have vegetables (Tom's preference) and a garden salad for an extra charge. The portions are generous and the quality is very good. We really enjoy eating there. To top it all off we had a discount coupon from the Sacramento Bee, so the cost was very reasonable. Fins - a great place to eat fresh fish.

After dinner we ventured over to the new Costco store, to check out their 60 inch Vizio Plasma HD TV that is currently on sale. With a three hundred dollar discount it is selling for $2,600. That is a low price for that size screen. CNET and other online reviewers have not rated it as high as other Vizio models, but the picture looked pretty good to Tom and me. Tom has two Vizio HD sets and the picture on both TVs is exceptionally good in the HD mode. This one looks like it should be able to produce a similar quality picture in the home. It's always hard to tell in a well lit store like Costco. So, I'm not sure what to make of the CNET review. When the time comes for me to make a purchase of that type of HD TV (60 inch or larger) I think I would be inclined to get a slightly larger screen then the 60 inch models. Size wise, we saw a 63 inch Phillips model that looked interesting. The prices will have to drop considerably on large screen HD sets before I'll be in the market, however.

We also spent some time at the new Wal Mart Super store (next to Costco). Mainly we checked out their prices on groceries. I can now understand why other grocery chains are concerned when Wal Mart comes into their territory, Wal Mart prices are considerably lower on many products and they really do meet a need for "one stop" shopping. However, they do make it tough to compete, as they have tremendous buying power.

When we returned to Tom's place we checked out some new software that Tom had purchased and then did instant messaging with his girlfriend Wendy. Wendy lives in Chengdu, China. Tom will be making a return visit to see Wendy in a few days. I chatted with Wendy for several minutes. Her English is really coming along quite well. It's amazing to instantly converse with someone on the other side of the planet. Today's technology is truly amazing.

It was a fun outing today. I noticed that the movie American Beauty was on TNT while I was over at Tom's, so I decided to watch some of it when it was repeated after I returned home. I saw the movie when it first came out, but I have forgotten a lot of it. I saved it to the hard drive and will try to finish watching it this week. Annette Benning and Kevin Spacey both give outstanding performances. I think I will enjoy seeing it again. Unfortunately, that is not something I can say about too many movies - so the exceptions are appreciated.

Photo Updates

Rainy day in Elk Grove. A stay at home kind of day. I did manage to take a couple of pictures of some new items recently added to our master bedroom project. We added a new clock to the blue wall. It plays music on the hour and has a night scene that does a pendulum type of motion. We've also found some knick knacks to go atop the dresser. I've ordered the new shutters, but it will be another couple of weeks before they are delivered. I've posted one of the master bedroom pictures to the right and the other one below.

Video Posting

I did a little downloading today of some videos that I took while at CES (Las Vegas) this year. Below is a short clip of Asimo - the robot from Honda. Yes, Honda has been into robotics for some time now and Asimo is their showcase model. I got close enough to the stage where Asiom was performing to capture this footage. Asimo is kicking a ball - not a simple task for a robot, or for some humans, for that matter. I'll post more footage, from CES, as I complete my video editing. It's a time consuming process, but rather fun when you are in the mood.

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/jimdaviselkgrove/?action=view&current=SMOV0065.flv

Pics and Videos

Today I watched a little golf (Tiger is still on top of the leader board) and some of the NCAA action. Ohio State played so well today that it's hard not to like them in the final four. I didn't see the UCLA game, but based on the outcome, it looks as though they had an excellent game as well. Things are starting to get very interesting.

This afternoon Nancy and I went to Sae Jong's for dinner. Sae Jong's is the Korean restaurant that our theatre group often likes to visit after attending the B Street Theatre. As usual, we had an excellent and very reasonably priced meal. After dinner we went to J C Penny's in Sunrise Mall. It has been years since I have been to Sunrise Mall and it was kind of nostalgic to return. When Nancy and I lived in Rancho Cordova we use to go to Sunrise fairly often, but we've lived in the Elk Grove area for twenty years now and it's just not close enough, nor large enough, as the shopping malls nearer to where we live. However, J C Penny's had a sale going on in their furniture and housewares departments and since we no longer have a Penny's in our area - we headed over to Sunrise. I'm glad that we did. I found a couple of really neat items. I'll try to post pictures of these purchases to my blog - in a day or so.

Tonight I finished printing Beju and Roxie's photos. They came out good. I hope to see Karen before too long, so I can give her the framed prints. As soon as I frame my copies, I'll put them on the "Dog Wall of Fame".

I've downloaded a short clip that I made with my "mini" camcorder while attending the Dengue Fever concert in San Francisco a few weeks back. This footage shows a group that I think goes by the name "Sutro". I'll have to check on that, my memory might not be accurate regarding their name, but I do remember that they were one of two groups that played prior to Dengue Fever coming to the stage. I thought they sounded pretty good. The link to the video is below:

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/jimdaviselkgrove/?action=view&current=SMOV0083.flv

I've been working on the pictures that I took yesterday of Beju and Roxie. I plan to print 13 by 19 copies tomorrow and I'll probably frame them as well. The "Dog Wall of Fame" should have a new look soon. The photos of Beju and Roxie are to the right of the web page.

The NCAA "March Madness" is getting closer to the final four. I haven't decided my favorite team, as of yet. I was going to root for Vanderbilt, but they got beat. I may have to go with a west coast team.

NCAA Tournament Excitement

I decided to get a couple of chores done prior to the start of the NCAA playoffs. I was curious to see how UCLA, Kansas and Ohio State would come out, but I needed to take care of business first. I started by washing Nancy's car and while doing so a couple of canine caretakers came by the house. Karen, whom I haven't seen for some time, had Beju and Roxie out for a stroll. I had promised to take the dog's pictures to put on my "Dog Wall of Fame" - and since there was still adequate light out - we managed to get a few good snapshots of her pets. I downloaded and edited the digital pics just a little while ago and I think the outcome will be good.

A little later Carlene walked by with Eddie and Wiggy and we chatted a spell. After finishing up the car wash I walked with Carlene for a few blocks while she let the dogs bark awhile (Wiggy likes to make conversation as he walks, but not Eddie) and later on they got to roll around in the grass on the greenbelt. Carlene said she let Wiggy roll on her freshly mowed lawn on St Patrick's Day and he got so involved, and so grass stained, that he looked like a Leprechaun. I would of like to have gotten a picture of him with his coat all green.

After I got back, I started to watch the NCAA games and as usual there were several close games. I don't know how Ohio State hangs in there, but they do. The last two Ohio State games have gone down to the wire. I guess that is why it is so aptly called "March Madness". Kansas and UCLA also advanced in the tournament. I watched some of the games on my HD TV and it really adds to the fun. The clarity embellishes the action and makes it all the more lifelike to view. I took a snapshot of the HD screen while Leno (in HD) was on tonight and posted it to the blog. You can see my shot of the HD screen to the right of this page - and also in an enlarged version at the bottom of the page. As mentioned, the clarity is terrific.

I talked to Tom Henry today, regarding the new product from Apple - Apple Television. We were both considering Apple TV as a possible future purchase, but after reading the reviews, and considering the pros and cons of ownership as portrayed by CNET and others, we decided against it. Maybe the next version will have more to offer? This version is lacking in some key areas and it's too dependent on their proprietary iTunes store for content.

Salmon Day

Wednesday is a good day to do grocery shopping. It's the day most newspapers insert their grocery ads. I like to look for fresh fish in the ads. Salmon is one of my favorites. Raley's has some of the best salmon - and it's usually reasonably priced on Wednesday. I prepared a half pound Atlantic Salmon fillet tonight, one that I purchased from Raleys, it was delicious. It's an easy meal to fix. You don't need much seasoning for salmon - nor does it take very long to cook. Add some rice and asparagus (also on sale) and you have a great meal. I try to eat fish a couple of times a week and the availability of fresh salmon just makes it all that much more enjoyable.

My update regarding HD TV - it's really great! I even enjoy the local news more as a few of the newscasts are now in HD. One channel has an HD camera aboard their chopper and you often see some fantastic aerial footage from that type of setup.

I watched Friday Night Lights tonight. I really like that show. Supposedly it should avoid the chopping block and be available for a second year. Studio Sixty may not make it, however. Too bad! Another good show, but with rather low ratings.

I plan to put together another music compilation - soon. I plan to go to iTunes after I finish the blog and check on some new music. I'm interested in checking out some "techno" sounds. After watching Babel last night, it sparked my interest in listening to some of the new trance like albums that have recently debut. I've downloaded a few of those sounds recently, but I don't have enough to compile a CD. I'm going to add to it and create some traveling music. Spring is coming and it is getting close to time to hit the road.

It's been pretty much a leisurely day. Nancy had an early morning doctor appointment. She got her machine to help her sleep. The mask she has to wear, to assist her breathing, will take some time to get use to. She tried it for a couple of hours this afternoon and it seemed to help provide her with a more restful sleep. We'll have to see how it does over time.

This evening we went to dinner at the Taste of China restaurant. They have over a hundred offerings at their buffet. I've eaten there a few times, but tonight was Nancy's first meal there. She enjoyed the food and found several items to her liking. I'm sure that we will be returning.

We decided to watch the movie Babel tonight. It definitely stimulates one's mind. The movie provides lots of complex twists and turns as it weaves a story about people from various cultures. It creates a setting for the viewer to question human nature and the role politics plays in determining the outcome of various events. It also embraces "Friedman" and his concept of the "flat world". You get a real feel for the connectivity between distant countries. I enjoyed the film and gained an increased appreciation for the various cultures that were depicted. The writing and acting were top notch.

HD TV

I'm finding that it's not hard to get use to HD TV. The Comcast DVR box, with the HDMI connection, is a far better device than anything that I've used previously. This one is pretty much "state of the art" and competitive with the best that Direct or Dish Satellite has to offer. Comcast still lags in the number of HD channels being offered, but hopefully they can catch up to the competition shortly. You can see way more detail and when the process is systemic (meaning the HD camera is of a certain quality and all steps to production are true to the highest HD standards) the outcome can be stunning. I think that I will get more enjoyment out of my computer room setup, now that I have added the HD component. I've still got lots to do, however. As mentioned, I've started to focus on better organization and better management of my wiring. I'm also trying to improve the overall aesthetics of the room. Lots of room for improvement, but we're getting there.

Project Day

Today we tackled some home projects that had been on my to do list for some time. Kenneth came over to rewire the fountain in our front yard. I purchased the new pump yesterday and today we went to Home Deport to get the parts for the electrical work. Basically, Kenneth switched the hookup from a hard wire setup to an electrical box (plug in) setup. It has a more professional appearance and also comes closer to meeting code. Kenneth's picture, showing him beside the fountain that now pumps water freely, is on the right hand side of the web page. Great job Kenneth!!.

Our other major endeavor had to do with running co axle cable through the attic. Last week the attic heat and a lack of proper equipment got the better of us - Kenneth nearly melted while he was in the attic. This time I purchased the following - a tape to fish the wire through the crawl space; a mask to deal with the hazards of attic insulation; some upgraded co axle to make sure we got the best signal when we hooked in to the Comcast DVR box. Additionally, we modified a pole - by adding a hook on the end - to grasp the wires that were in locations too remote to access. The additional purchases, along with our ingenuity, proved worthwhile - as it made Kenneth's job much more tolerable. After a couple of hours, the mission was accomplished. Today, we also had the extra benefit of the attic not being quite as hot as last time. That really helped. The new DVR box is currently downloading the program content, based on the packages that I signed up for, and hopefully by tomorrow everything will be up and running. I'll just have to wait until then to see if there are any glitches. Got my fingers crossed, because I'm ready for some HD TV!

Now that the co axle cables are out of sight, I'm going to start organizing the entire computer room to make it more efficient. More on that later...

St Patrick's Day Outing

Dave and I met at Fry's this afternoon. He had just returned from a visit to Portland, Oregon. We checked out gaming consoles and wireless keyboards while we were there. I found a decent wireless keyboard for only twenty dollars. I wasn't sure of the quality aspect of the product, but the price was favorable. I connected it to the laptop that I use with my HD TV and it worked fine. I already had a wireless mouse and once Kenneth and I hook up the co axle cable with the Comcast DVR - I'll be in business. We hope to accomplish that tomorrow - if the weather cooperates.

Dave and I went to Pottery World after visiting Fry's. I needed to get a replacement pump for the front yard fountain. They had one in stock. Kenneth and I will be installing that tomorrow as well.

Dave and Nancy and I decided to have our St Patrick's day dinner at Vinces. Nancy was expecting Vinces to have corn beef and cabbage, but alas - they did not. It was a little surprising that they wouldn't have it on St Patrick's Day. Anyway, Dave and I ordered steaks and Nancy had pork chops: we were pleased with the meal. Afterwards Nancy and I went to Home Depot to pick up some items for the project that we'll be working on tomorrow.

I managed to tape the Louisville/Texas A&M NCAA tournament game. I watched it before going over to Vinces. Unlike the player from Ohio State -our guy wasn't able to hit the three point shot in the final seconds to send it into overtime. Looks like the team needs a little more seasoning. As they say, maybe next year. U of K still has a shot, but it's a long shot.

The new picture to the right of the web page is of a car that I passed while on my neighborhood walk last night. I had my cellphone with me and asked the teenage son of the owner if I could take a picture. He told me a little bit about the car. It had been stored in a garage near Portland, Oregon for decades and had just recently become part of an estate that was divided amongst family members. The father of the teen I was talking to was on the receiving end of the Ford, a 1922 model, and they were both surprised to see how good of condition it was in. It will hardly need any restoration work at all, from what I saw. It's all original. They're not sure if they will keep it, as they are already getting offers from collectors. Neat car, but an odd sighting while on my walk. I don't come across too many eighty five year old cars in this neighborhood. My friend, Al, who lives in the neighborhood, has a collectible car that is around seventy five years old. Al took me out for a ride once. It's a Chevy pickup. Quite a thrill to be riding in a vehicle that old. It really makes you aware of how far we have come with automobiles over the years.

Sacramento is still feeling the effects of yesterday's fire near Cal Expo. The railroad trestle used by Union Pacific has burned to the ground and as a result railway service through Sacramento will be disrupted for several weeks. Nancy said that she could see the smoke from the freeway upon returning from Fairfield this afternoon. Lots of "lookie lews" slowing down to look over towards the smoke and causing traffic to move much slower than normal.

I'm meeting Beales tomorrow. We're going to link up at Fry's to check on gaming consoles and the like, then we'll stop my the house to get Nancy so we can have a St Patrick's Day dinner at Vinces. It should be fun.

NCAA update - UK keeps on truckin! Go Big Blue!

College Basketball

"March Madness" has come to Sacramento, more specifically to the Kings Arco Arena, and it has brought a lot of excitement to our city. I watched some of the action today - the local games in Sacramento and some of the games from back east. My friend, Tom, saw his alma mater go down to defeat. Gonzaga was no match for Indiana. Lots of spunk at Gonzaga, however. It just wasn't their time. And Stanford met the same fate while playing one of my alma maters - Louisville. Tom says he is now ready to support the Louisville Cardinals (I'm still teaching him how to say Louisville correctly - it takes some practice) and I think that may be just what we need to get to this year's Final Four. If I can recruit a few more cheerleaders from the west coast, we might even be able to root the underdog Louisville team to the playoffs. One thing we can be sure of this year. Duke won't be there to wreak havoc on the other contenders. Duke - out in the first round. Who would have thunk??

Warm Weather in Sacramento

We've been having some especially nice weather lately. Temperatures have been in the upper seventies and even in the eighties. Today was another warm day - and a good day for car washing. So, I turned on the garage radio to 94.7 FM (Smooth Jazz) and took my time cleaning the car. Car washing is kind of a ritual with me. It seems that I have to do it in sort of an obsessive compulsive fashion, to be satisfied with the results. Anyway, the job was completed and afterwards I headed over to Home Town Buffet for dinner. Pretty good meal, for the money.

When I returned home I decided to catch the last quarter of the Kings game. Another heartbreaking loss for the Kings. There have been way too many of those this season. It doesn't look likely that they will make the playoffs. Probably time to clean house and start anew.

Nancy called from Fairfield a few minutes ago. She and Kelly will be doing some work on a scrapbook tomorrow. She has been taking some pictures during her stay and I plan to add them to the blog when she returns. I should see some good photos of the baby.

NCAA starts in Sacto tomorrow. Louisville plays at nine in the morning. They'll be playing Stanford. Got to get up and root for my home school. I'm confident that they can handle Stanford.

I decided to stay up late last night - to watch an On Demand (Comcast) movie, an old one - "Wall Street". I was only going to watch a portion of it, but I got so intrigued seeing Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen in their younger years that I watched it all the way through. That threw me off a little bit on my awakening time, so today has been somewhat of a light weight day. I really did enjoy seeing the movie again. It proved to be relevant as well. The DOW dropped almost two hundred and fifty points today. Spooky!!!

Comp USA is closing their Sacramento stores and they have started to discount inventory. I thought I might find something of interest when I went over to the Arden store tonight, but no such luck. The discounts are only in the ten to thirty per cent range (actually most products are ten to fifteen per cent off) and that applies to mainly "display" and opened package items that don't really look so great. There is still a way to go before the prices get to the "bargain" stage. In Sacramento, bargains don't last very long. Consumer Education is alive and well in this city.

Kenneth called to update with me about the master bedroom shutters. We need to do some additional measurements this Sunday (when he returns to take on the hot attic) before ordering them. I imagine they will be installed in about a month, or so. It takes three or four weeks after ordering, before they come in. That should be fine.

Dogs In The Park

Nancy got up early today to leave for Fairfield. She is going to spend some time with Kelly and Kristi and the baby. I awoke a little later then I do normally. I probably needed to recapture that hour I lost from the change to Day Light Savings. As usual, I woke up hungry - so it seemed like a good time to fix a "Big" breakfast. And I did. Eggs, bacon, hash browns, coffee - the whole nine yards. After breakfast I did a few chores around the house and later in the evening I went for my neighborhood walk. I encountered Wiggy and Eddy, with their canine caretaker, Carlene, along the way. Carlene and I talked awhile about Eddy's lineage; she feels it's in question, as there is the real possibility that he isn't a full bred Westie. His papers say different, but his appearance is nothing like Wiggy's. She knows for a fact that Wiggy is all Westie. But Eddy, well... he's different. She isn't really concerned, as whatever he may be, he is a truly lovable dog. As is Wiggy. Mike, a neighbor whom I had not met previously, and his dog Tefla, joined us at one of the park benches which are along the lake. Tefla is an Airedale looking kind of a dog. That's not what she is, but she resembles one. At least I think so. Miked told me what she is, but I've forgotten. It begins with a "V". Guess that I'll just have to do some Googling to find out for sure. The dogs decided they wanted to all sit on the bench - so they did. All three of the dogs sit together and we patted their heads and petted their coats. Carlene could see that they also wanted to romp around the greenbelt for a spell. She knew that they needed to do some sniffing and other doggy kind of things. Mike and Carlene unleashed their pets for awhile. After some sniffing, they romped around the greenbelt, but kept their distance from the lake. All of the dogs seemed to be real happy and free and that went on until they wore themselves out - running up and down and back and forth by the lake. They got along together real well. Carlene said that they had visited like this before and they enjoyed playing together. Pretty soon it started to get dark - and we all headed home. Great fun with the dogs today!

Tonight I watched a show that I had saved a while back. The Dateline show about The Da Vinci Code. It was somewhat of a precursor to the Lost Tomb. I just haven't taken the time to view The Da Vinci Code yet - at least not in it's entirety. I plan to do so soon.

My final endeavor for the day was to learn more about the Archos 604 and the 604 Wi Fi personal video/audio devices. Both products have won several awards. The prices have recently dropped on both devices. Apparently the new 704 model isn't too far off. I know quite a bit about both products, but at this point I can't justify making a purchase. I doubt that I would use a personal video device enough to spend three to four hundred dollars on one. With a docking station, to record videos and the like, that is what it would cost. When the price drops even further, I might consider getting the Wi Fi unit. I can think of a few situations where I might have a need for one.

Heat in the Attic

It's been a productive day. Kenneth came over after breakfast and took the measurements for the new shutters to be installed in the master bedroom. While I did some preparations for the attic project, he went outdoors to do some much needed yard work (cleaned fountains, trimmed hedges, etc). Nancy also did a lot of outdoor work today. See, it really has been a productive day. Everyone got into the act. Kenneth and I started the project - running co axle cable through the attic - late in the afternoon, hoping that it would be cooler by that time. It wasn't! Kenneth almost literally "baked" while crawling around in that claustrophobic attic space of ours - and we still didn't get the cable situated properly. The pitch of the roof is the biggest problem, along with the heat. We had to abort - it just got too draining for Kenneth and there was no easy way to reach the location that was needed to drop the cable. He is going to give it another try - next week - after we get some more equipment. Tough kid - and up to the challenge. Also, we'll start at a time that will better optimize the chance for cooler temperatures. We're making progress, but it's not yet a done deal! The HD DVR project will have to stay on hold another week. Darn!

On the other hand, the master bedroom project is moving along nicely. As mentioned, Kenneth will be doing the installation on the shutters in about a month's time. I've been adding some accessories to the room over the last couple of weeks (pictures, lamps, rugs, etc.). Check out the picture at the bottom of the blog page. Still lots to do, but the daylight saving time switch will help. I really like the extra daylight!

Today was rather uneventful - deliberately so. Nancy and I had a quiet morning and later in the day we decided to stay home and fix dinner, rather than go out to eat. It was a good choice, because we fixed a great meal - steak, baked potato, salad and pastry for dessert. Afterwards we saw the movie Borat. I have been hearing so much about Borat lately that I wanted to see what all the commotion was about. It is controversial. And rightfully so. It teeters between moments of "poor taste" and "abominable taste". It even manages to be funny at times. It's - in a nutshell - ingenious and outrageous! As for viewing the proposed sequel - I'll have to think about it. The next movie that we watch will probably be, "The Last King of Scotland". I know it will have more depth than Borat and it should also be more satisfying. I guess it was an OK experience viewing Borat - if for no other reason than to form my own opinion so as not to just listen to the spin of others as far as it's value to the film industry. Personally, I think it has a somewhat limited value when compared to films that I consider really exceptional i.e. Hud, Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf, Sound of Music, Wizard of Oz, etc., but for this movie's genre (movies that uses toilet humor, bigotry, anti-Semitic jokes, anti-gay and racial slurs - all of it packaged in a way so as to offend virtually everyone) - it works rather well. No doubt, Baron Cohen (Borat) is laughing all the way to the bank.

Lab Work - Shots - Tech Stuff

This morning I awoke early, in order to get my lab work completed at Kaiser before having to deal with the onslaught of people who typically visit the hospital on Friday. I don't know what it is about Fridays and hospitals, but that day seems to be the worst day of the week for me to have an appointment. I was also due for a tetanus shot (which is now combined with a whooping cough vaccine as well), so that was taken care of as well. Afterwards, Nancy and I fixed a big breakfast - very tasty! We had eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, fruit, fruit juices and coffee. Since I had been fasting for fifteen hours prior to my lab work, it really hit the spot.

This afternoon I took my walk around the neighborhood and later in the evening Nancy and I worked on the HD TV/Comcast DVR hookup. I still have to run a co axle cable extension across the house attic to reach the spot where I want my connection, so it will be a couple of more days before HD is up and running. It's getting there, though.

Looking forward to another sunny day tomorrow. It's the last day before we change to daylight savings time. Starting Sunday, we should have sunlight until a little past seven PM. That works for me! More time to be outdoors!

Great Weather - Fun Day!

Our local weather was nice and warm today. That's an especially nice experience since it is only early March. I ran some errands today. One, in particular, that I have been wanting to do for some time. I picked up a Comcast Digital DVR box this afternoon. Tomorrow I will hook it up to my HD Plasma screen. I'm looking forward to viewing some shows in high definition. The other errands were more routine, but made more enjoyable than usual as it was a really pleasant day to be outside.

Nancy went to Fairfield today - to see Kristi and baby Brandon. Both are doing just fine. I've been asking Nancy to take a picture of their dog - Shadow. She is eligible for my celebrated Dog Wall of Fame (it's in the garage, in case you've forgotten). She does lots of tricks and now must take on the additional duties of watching out for baby Brandon. That is certainly "wall of fame" credentials. I've attached her picture to the blog (right hand side). Congratulations to Shadow, you're now a renown member of the Dog Wall of Fame!

Outing to Benihana

This evening Tom and I went to Benihana - for our every other week outing to one of our favorite eating places. As usual the food was very good. This time we actually had our own chef, as there was no one else seated in our area. The chefs at "Bennys" prepare your food right in front of you; cooked on a 450 degree grill that sizzles with terrific smelling seasonings used to cook veggies, shrimp, chicken and steak to perfection. Martinez did a great job cooking tonight and Rose kept and attentive eye on our beverages during the entire meal.

There was a birthday party going on directly across from our table and Rose was doing some special preparations for the event. She mentioned that she was decorating some plates for the occasion and we asked to see her work. As you can see from the attached picture (right side of page), she is quite the artist. There is always a lot of creativity going on at the Citrus Heights Benihana and that is why it is one of our favorites. We'll be back Rose - in a couple of weeks.

Little Brandon's First Cake

Nancy talked with Kristi a couple of times today. Kristi will be leaving the hospital later this evening. She and the baby are well. Nancy will do a return visit to Fairfield tomorrow, so she'll get to see how little Brandon does at home. Kristi and big Brandon are going to be out some big bucks when it comes time to buy shoes for this kid. He's got big feet! No size eights for him. He'll grow into size twelves in nothing flat. Nancy says he is a handsome baby and he's already showing signs of being real smart. When I saw his picture, I thought he looked kind of hungry. So, I made him a cake. Nancy will take it with her tomorrow when she goes to Fairfield. Technically, I guess you could say that I've made him his first birthday cake. How about that! It's a good looking cake too - just take a look at the attached picture (bottom of page).

Baby Brandon Makes His Debut!

We got a call from Kelly this morning saying that our granddaughter, Kristi, had just arrived at North Bay Hospital in Fairfield, California - to have her baby. Nancy wanted to be there when the baby was born, so she immediately left for the hospital. At 8:21 pm Kristi gave birth to an eight pound twelve ounce baby boy. His name is Brandon Kevin David Brookshire. All is well for both baby and mother. Nancy is excited about her first great grandchild. She will enjoy helping Kristi with the baby. Welcome to the world, Brandon!

I've posted a couple of pictures of Brandon on the blog. A slide show will be added later, after I edit the pictures that Nancy took while she was at the hospital today.

Louisville Takes Second Place in The Big East and The Lost Tomb Airs on the Discovery Channel

I suppose for some of the readers of this blog the title headings may seem sequentially out of order - at least regarding their importance as to what really matters in "life". However, I imagine that some readers might actually feel that the sequencing is just fine and perhaps even appropriate. Actually, I did it that way deliberately, so as to maybe stir up a little discussion on the two topics.

So far, at least in my small circle of friends, the showing of The Lost Tomb hasn't generated much meaningful conversation. At least the conversations that I have had prior to the actual airing this Sunday were more "casual" in nature then anything else. No one's core beliefs about the essence of life has seemed to change. Now that it has aired, maybe that will change? But, maybe not? If topics dealing with science and religion are no longer of interest to most people, then what has replaced these topics that contribute so greatly to our very definition of "life"? As for me, just call me "old school" - because I remain insatiably interested in the topics of science, religion and, of course, politics - oh, and basketball as well. So if you happen to read this, let me know what you thought of "The Lost Tomb". I'd like to hear your opinions. Oh, and also about that last Louisville win too.

As for Louisville and it's achievements on the basketball court this year. Here is my spin. It should be of some major importance to "Kentuckians" since it keeps the state of Kentucky in the forefront when speculating as to which NCAA team might have the right stuff to win a championship (not that it matters in the larger scheme of things, right). But many of us know how much basketball means to my "home" state - and to me as well. It would be nearly impossible to grow up in Kentucky and to not have some opinion about basketball. I guess I'm just a die hard fan of the sport. It's not something that I can ignore.

So there you have it. This constant dilemma of dealing with trivial matters and matters of great importance. And then there is also that continual pursuit to find a balance between the two. Got to love the game, though. It's what keeps things interesting!

I'm testing a way to add an occasional video or slide show to my blog.
The first link will take you to a video that I recently made using my mini Samsung camcorder. There is no sound for this video. I'll try adding a video that has sound later. Check it out!

http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/jimdaviselkgrove/?action=view&current=NancyinVallejoNoSound.flv

The below link will take you to a website where you can view a slide show of photos that were taken in San Francisco while on an outing with the "CES Boys". I'll update with a link to a newer slide show very soon. This one goes back about a year and a half ago. So... a new one will be forthcoming.

http://travel.webshots.com/album/480151077HzgiWk

B Street Theater Outing

This evening we went to the B Street with several friends. We do this about every other month and afterwards the group goes out to dinner. Tonight's play was exceptionally good - "The Cocktail Hour". It will be interesting to see how the critics view this play. Everyone in our group was impressed with the quality of the script and the cast did a superb job of portraying the characters. The play originated in New York and had it's world debut in San Diego (at the Old Globe Theater). Very enjoyable theater and a fun time catching up on happenings with our friends.

After the theater we went to one of our favorite restaurants - Sae Jong. As usual, the food was terrific and the service outstanding. The staff at Sae Jong seems to make a special effort to please everyone when we visit. They serve Korean food and the prices are quite low for the portions and the quality. However, they do not have an extensive dessert menu. Nancy and I like to have dessert after our meal and we decided that tonight we would venture over to Leatherby's Ice Cream Parlor for our dessert. Most members of the group were rather tired and ready for bed. But Katherine and Terry were up to the challenge and so the four of us headed over to Leatherby's to savor our treat. We had some very tasty ice cream sodas and sundaes. Leatherby's is a family owned ice cream parlor that serves extra large portions and rich creamy ice cream. Just the way I like it! A great outing! Take a look at the attached pictures for a visual representation of our Saturday night out.

Awoke early this morning and did a few routine tasks around the house. Bob called in the am and we talked for over an hour - using Skype. His cordless handheld Panasonic Skype phone was loud and clear. Later in the morning Tom called and provided an interesting update on yesterday's trip to San Francisco. Tom said that he would soon have some pictures to share from the trip. Should be interesting.

Tonight I finished the "oldies" Cd. There are twenty four songs on the play list. It's an iTunes disc, with songs that I have purchased over the last couple of weeks. The label looks pretty cool - a picture of a hot rod car which had stopped at a gas station. The station is one from the fifties, so the scene has an "oldies" look to it. Nancy and I plan on listening to the Cd on our way to the B Street Theater tomorrow. We have a group of eight going to the play and then out to dinner afterwards. It should be fun.

Maintaining Good Health and Debugging The Brain

Spent part of the morning getting my every other year physical at Kaiser. I've pretty much kept up with my "scheduled maintenance" - so, exam wise, everything was in the normal range. I do the labs on Monday. You have to fast prior to the lab work. I won't be able to eat anything for twelve hours after dinner on Sunday.

This afternoon I started a new "oldies" Cd. I say new, because I already have several oldies Cd's. I plan to put around thirty songs together for this disc. So far, I have fourteen songs in the play list. I heard Gene Vincent on XM (the 50's) today and decided that I needed to include a couple of his songs on the CD. One song of his that I really like is titled "Wear My Ring". After I finish the disc, I'll make a label for it. I'm not sure of how I want the label to look just yet. I'll check some art work on Google, before deciding.

Tonight I prepared the frames to hang in the master bedroom. Tomorrow I will see if I can find the prints that I want to use. It's difficult to narrow down the prints. I want something that will stay appealing over a long period of time. I guess I'll know when I see it.

Before going to bed I'm going to try and finish an article that I started reading earlier in Wired magazine. It's about a man that had electrodes planted in his brain to slow the progress of Parkinson's disease. They basically rewired his brain. The neurosurgery is amazing and almost beyond belief. Deep brain stimulation is being used to combat abnormal neural activity. It's in the infancy stages, but it appears that it can help really improve the quality of life for those afflicted with a brain disorder. Amazing science!

My brain is tired and I need to rejuvenate - so time to close for today.

Tim, thanks for the comments about your pets. I bet their glad that you can just let them be (just like Wiggy and Eddy). You are a good canine care taker.