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My family and I used to watch The New Yankee Workshop on PBS almost every Sunday while at my great grandma's house waiting for her to finish up the final details on her famously huge Sunday lunch. I was thinking about that one day several months ago and started looking around the internet and found The New Yankee Workshop website and it brought back nice memories. I decided to email the host, Norm Abram, and request an autograph just on a whim. I had forgotten all about it until I got an envelope in the mail today which contained this:
And this:
AWESOME!
:)Current Mood:  geeky Current Music: Silence! |
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A few days ago I went up to the bedroom to watch a DVD and when I turned on the TV it made a noise that sounded something like "BWAAAAAAAPPPPP!!!" Not cool. So after several days of discussion and several stores worth of TV shopping, Becky and I finally made a decision. Since we hadn't done our Christmas shopping for each other yet, we decided to splurge a little and get an HDTV as a joint Christmas gift and replace the bedroom TV. It was a little more than we had been planning to spend on gifts for each other, but my friend Robert works at Best Buy and was able to get us a deal on a nice looking 32" model (the biggest that would fit in the space that we have). I picked it up today and hooked everything up this afternoon:
I don't really know much about HDTVs...I've been trying to do a little bit of research in the last few days since we've been looking at the possibility of getting one. My big hope is that this one doesn't break down. It came with a 1 year warranty and Becky, being the smart person that she is, suggested putting it on the Cap1 Mastercard which doubles any manufacturer's warranty, so we have it covered for 2 years. Hopefully we won't need to use it.
The picture looks good enough to me...I'm definitely not an HDTV snob at this point and the picture quality looks better than what we had, so I'm happy with it...it's an upgrade. The Wii also looks nice on it, so that's cool :) I picked up a "rabbit ears" antenna that is supposed to pick up over-the-air HD signal for the local channels, but so far it hasn't picked up anything. I'll play around with it a little more...it was just a $10 job, and isn't powered, so I might have to return it and get the $15 plug in variety instead.
So far, I'm pretty pleased...I hope Becky likes it.Current Mood:  excited Current Music: 1st and 10 |
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Click here for complete story.
I really can't believe the Wii is still selling out like crazy everywhere. It was supposed to be the "hot" item LAST CHRISTMAS! I got mine in January after getting up way too early and hanging out outside (and then inside) a local GameStop for several hours for the new shipment to arrive. The news last year was that there would be plenty to go around..."A Wii under every tree" was the motto I was hearing. Then when I started looking for them in January, they were still very difficult to find, but everyone was hearing that they'd be plentiful by March.
March rolled around and no Wiis. Then Summer. Then Fall. Now, we're back to the Christmas buying season and they're saying that it's probably still going to be hard to find one if you are trying to have one under a tree. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime told IGN that he's been checking local retail stores and hasn't had much success finding Wiis on shelves:
"I couldn't find a single Wii system on the shelves - literally as I was walking into a Wal-Mart at 11 a.m., someone was walking out with the last one." So, they're breaking sales records, but still can't meet demand. It's pretty crazy. Since January, I've actually seen Wiis in various stores about a half dozen times...for a while they were actually seeming to be in stock a little more often. Around the time that Kevin bought his I saw them in 2 Targets and 2 Wal-Marts, but since then they've tapered off again and I've only seen them once in the last several months. Bizarre stuff... Current Mood:  busy Current Music: Random TV |
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We read a couple of days ago that current UFC Welterweight Champion, Matt Serra, had to pull out of his upcoming match against Matt Hughes because of a herniated disc in his back. We saw Serra win the title live in Houston way back at UFC 69: Shootout. We even got to meet Serra before the fight in the hotel lobby...Mandy and Becky took a picture with him:
He seemed really nice that day, even though he was just hours away from the biggest match of his life. It was cool to see him win and I was really looking forward to the grudge match against Hughes, but since he can't fight right now, the UFC stepped up with a new challenge for Hughes.
Current Mood:  cold Current Music: Talking on the phone with Kevin |
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1 day...2 meals...2 turkeys...1 stomach.
Now I get to drive 4 hours back to Austin.
Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving!Current Mood: full Current Music: Dirty Jobs |
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While running errands today, one of the things that I forced Becky to go along with was stopping off at Toys-R-Us to pick up the Christmas catalog. On the way over, we discussed the greatness of the Sears Catalog from when we were kids and how it contained a whole world full of toys and more and I couldn't wait to see the Toys-R-Us catalog. When we got there I was incredibly disappointed to see that it wasn't so much a catalog as an extra thick flier / advertisement. I don't know why I thought I needed it and I haven't even looked through it since we got home hours and hours ago (thought I did read most of the latest issue Cook's Illustrated magazine which is AWESOME!).
So while I was looking around the internet, I found this website with a page about the 1985 Sears Christmas Catalog and all of the stuff that he had and that he wanted...that's what this Toys-R-Us one was supposed to be like. I think I have owned 4 from that list at some point between 1985 and now...care to guess which ones?
Nov. 13th, 2007 @ 10:07 pm
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| » What's on your Christmas (or other holiday) list? |
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If you're reading this, I'm curious...what do you want for Christmas (or other holiday)? Becky and I went with Mandy down to the outlet mall in San Marcos today to shop for Christmas gifts for everyone and between the two of us, we came back with ZERO gifts purchased! We had a few ideas there, but didn't buy a single thing! I think Mandy bought like 3 gifts and was disappointed by her lack of purchases also. So we have a dozen or so people to buy gifts for...ranging from nephews to grandparents and everyone in between. If you've made a list, or have something in mind, what is it...who knows, it might help me to see what others want even if I don't know you.
And if anyone is curious, here's my Amazon Wish List...I'm still updating it, but I removed all of the stuff I've received or bought since the last time I updated.
Thanks!
Nov. 10th, 2007 @ 07:39 pm
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| » 70-200mm Lens - Kitty Pics! |
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Richard is covering a MMA event tomorrow for the Austin Chronicle and has a 2nd press pass available. He asked if I wanted to go and I said definitely...and I'd try to take some photos as well in case they wanted to use any with his story. I checked out a Canon 70-200mm/2.8 lens today to use at the event, but of course I had to test it out first. There was little light, and I was shooting at 800iso, but I like these photos:
Nov. 2nd, 2007 @ 02:00 pm
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| » Kevin's Main Event Birthday Party |
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Kevin decided that he wanted to go to Main Event to play laser tag and other games for his birthday party. We all met up with Brad and Mandy at Hoover's for dinner first and then headed over to Main Event. Everyone seemed to have a fun time. There was one of those little photo booths, so we squeezed in and took a few rounds of pictures. Here are the first 2 sets:
I'll try to get a scan of the ones with the four of us plus Kevin and Marla (6 in the booth was a little nutty) sometime soon. I'll post it here if I can get it.
Time for bed...UFC tomorrow!
Oct. 20th, 2007 @ 01:35 am
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| » Migraines and Taco Rice? |
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I had to go back in to the neurologist about my migraines today. I should have gone about a week ago but last week was hectic, so I did the stupid thing and put it off with Tylenol.
Got another injection of Depacon (only had to stick me twice to find a vein this time!) as well as 2 other meds. I don't have them in front of me so I'm not going to post the exact names, but one is a preventative that I will be taking every night for the next month or so. I asked how long I would be on this one and the doctor's assistant said that if it works it could be a semi-permanent thing. The other is to be taken at the onset of a headache and is supposed to stop it before it really kicks in.
I'm hoping these work because I'm getting a little tired of daily headaches for going on 4 months now. I should know something as early as tomorrow. If I continue to have a headache, I'm supposed to go back in. If it's gone, I just start working with these meds they gave me.
On a lighter note, I was looking for something completely different and stumbled upon a blog entry about "Taco Rice" the other day. It's basically taco salad but instead of chips or a tortilla bowl, you eat it with sushi rice. Of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try that one. I made it tonight with all of the typical taco salad ingredients and this is what we ended up with:
It was actually pretty good! The switch from chips to rice didn't really make much of a difference other than the texture. The flavors were all solid though, so it was a tasty dinner. I think it would make a good casserole if we needed to take something to a potluck dinner or something like that.
The other thing I've been working on is my Fulbright application. I hit the "submit" button for the third time about 20 minutes ago. Hopefully this time it's actually the final version. I keep getting review edits/suggestions and, while I appreciate them all and they have been vital for improving my proposal and making it as solid as it is, I'm just ready to have this in the hands of the Fulbright committee and out of mine. I'll post what I submitted and what the various reviewers said in the near future, but I'm going to wait until after the final deadline before I make it too public.
Oct. 16th, 2007 @ 11:20 pm
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| » Tony's Wedding |
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Went to Tony's wedding in Wallis today. Just took my little camera, so the pics aren't the greatest, but it's something...
Wedding cake...yum! Always one of the highlights!
Sep. 2nd, 2007 @ 12:21 am
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| » San Diego Comic Con 2007 Other Stuff |
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One more post of San Diego Comic Con randomness. Here are some non-art pickups from the convention...
I wanted to get something signed by the G4 Attack of the Show folks that I could have in my office, so I brought along a baseball. Olivia threw a big ol' autograph across one whole side of the ball:
Jul. 31st, 2007 @ 04:22 pm
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| » San Diego Comic Con 2007 Art |
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I had a chance to head to the lab today so I could scan the artwork that I picked up at the convention. Enjoy...
This first one is Usagi Yojimbo and Gen by Stan Sakai. I was able to set this up prior to the convention and pick it up from Mr. Sakai at his booth on Preview Night. The scan looks nice, but it's just beautiful in person!
Jul. 30th, 2007 @ 03:03 pm
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| » San Diego 2007 - Day 16 |
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Last day...
Live advertisement for an upcoming movie called Postal:
Jul. 30th, 2007 @ 10:12 am
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| » San Diego 2007 - Day 15 |
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Today is the last day of the Convention, last day of vacation, and the day to fly back to Austin. But before all of that, here are yesterday's photos...
Me getting punched in the face by Maddox:
Jul. 29th, 2007 @ 09:01 am
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| » San Diego 2007 - Day 14 |
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Hmmm...what did Brandon stand in line for today?
Jul. 27th, 2007 @ 08:35 pm
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| » San Diego 2007 - Day 13 |
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More Con photos, including a gathering of Slave Leias in metal bikinis!
Old school Batmobile!
Jul. 26th, 2007 @ 08:30 pm
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| » San Diego 2007 - Day 12 |
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Tonight was Preview Night at the Convention. I'm tired. Short comments with photos only tonight.
G Hall...spent a few hours sitting right here:
Jul. 25th, 2007 @ 11:16 pm
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| » San Diego 2007 - Day 11 |
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Today was mostly relaxing and getting some stuff done before the convention. Didn't really go anywhere photoworthy. Becky made chicken via Mandy's recipe for dinner and it was fantastic! Went swimming a couple of times. Went shopping a couple of times. Tomorrow Becky and I might go to the zoo or Balboa park in the morning and then I get to sit in a bit line for a few hours waiting for Preview Night at Comic Con '07 to start. I think Becky's Aunt Barbara is going to go to Comic Con on Thursday with everyone...not exactly sure who "everyone" will be this year, but it should be fun since she's never been before. Will be trying to get some sleep tonight...busy day ahead...
Jul. 24th, 2007 @ 10:36 pm
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| » San Diego 2007 - Day 10.5 |
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I hope that Twitter post above didn't confuse things too much. Here's the latest "real" entry...
I'm at the cyber cafe down the street from Gram's, so I thought I'd upload a few higher quality videos from the last few days.
Here's more polar bear fights from the San Diego Zoo:
Jul. 24th, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
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