But get me to the church on time

I once again have an early morning call at the airport. Actually, this morning I'm so early (5:05 a.m.) that there's really not that many people here. And strangely enough, I'm at the same gate that I was at at Christmas time, when a zillion cruise passengers were leaving (a lot less crowded is a good thing).

My early departure today is due to the fact that I'm trying to make a wedding at 4 p.m. today in Cleveland, Mississippi. I'm flying to Memphis and then Little Rock, arriving at the Arkansas capital around 11 a.m. Then there's a 3-hour drive to Cleveland... which means I'll probably arrive into town with just barely enough time to get dressed and get to the church.

Hopefully, I'll make it ok.... and I hope to sleep for most of the two flights. And tomorrow's return should be easier: I have a few more hours to get back to Little Rock for the return flight. My plane preps to boards, hasta....


I'm My friend's getting married in the morning this afternoon
Ding, dong the bells are going to chime

Kinda faded but I feel alright

Another Mardi Gras is upon me... and beginning tomorrow I will attempt to give up my morning stop at 7-Eleven. The big change will most likely be the decreased caffeine consumption, as I won't be grabbing a large Dr Pepper each morning. Hopefully I won't be too tire, nor have too many headaches from it.

Maybe I'll be able to distract myself by further disecting the winners from Sunday night's Academy Awards (Kate won! and did Penélope Cruz--who may have been robbed for Volver a few years ago). And I've also got Torchwood to watch... which reminds me, I should get to watching that. Adieu....


I'm kinda faded but I feel alright
Thinking about making my move tonight

I'm trouble y'all, I disturb my entire town

So I spent most of this weekend, swimming at the 2009 edition of Fort Lauderdale Masters Challenge.

Well, more correctly, I spent most of my weekend at the pool for the Masters Challenge: I swam just 3 events and a relay over the 3 days, so I really didn't swim the whole time I was there. But I was at the pool for a lot of it. Times from the meet:

Friday
1000 free: 10:37.42

Saturday
50 free (relay): 24.63
500 free: 5:03.92

Sunday
1,650 free: 17:19.67 (my 1000 split was 10:30.24...)

Faster than a few weeks ago at the Plantation meet in the 500 and 1000, and slower than last year's Challenge.

And with that, I will leave you to watch the Torchwood Season 1 DVDs I have checked out from the library... (yeah, the Oscars are on, but my lack of receiving t.v. stations puts a damper on me watching them... but I do look forward to digesting things tomorrow).

I got trouble
Yeah trouble now
I'm trouble y'all
I got trouble in my town

Calls to mind the silver screen, and all its sad goodbyes

What is going on with movie ticket prices? Yesterday, I went to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which I quite liked.

I went to see the near-3 hour movie at a matinee showing... and paid $7.50. $7.50! I remember the night price being $6.25 a few years ago... course the night price here is $9.25 (it just went up last month from $8.75, which was also outrageous). The other day, I contemplated whether I should work at one of the theaters to a concession stand worker, to which she responded that they only made minimum wage. I pointed out that making minimum wage, and not having to pay $9 to see a movie would be more than ok.

And while on the topic of movie prices, what's even worse: some of the theaters here are going to 1 matinee a day. Apparently, gone are the days that matinees went to 6 p.m. everyday. Now, it's 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 4 p.m. on Friday-Sunday.

I hope the theaters don't wonder if attendance is down....


To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
There's no comfort in the truth
Pain is the horror you'll find

Black cat gonna cross my path; no reason to run and hide

Today is the first of 2 consecutive months with Friday the 13^th's this year (a cool little function of 28 being divisible by 7--i.e. there's exactly 4 full weeks in a 28-day February...). I spent part of today arranging travel to Cleveland, Mississippi (it's in the center of the picture at right).

I'm heading to Cleveland, MS later this month for a friend's wedding. When I went to book my flight there (after finding out it was a 16-hour drive from FtL), I initially tried to fly right into Cleveland--hoping that would work. So I typed in "Cleveland, Mississippi", hit enter, and Travelocity brought up a whole bunch of flight options... to Cleveland, Ohio.

After checking with my friend, I then started investigating flights to Jackson, Memphis and Greenville (which is only like 20 miles from Cleveland). Through some bizarreness, flying up Saturday and back Sunday ended up cheaper than flying up Friday night (not sure why). Likewise, Jackson proved much cheaper (about $150) as the fly-in city, compared to Memphis ($330) or Greenville ($630).

Alas, there was a slight snag with the Jackson flight: the 2 return options were either:

• Jackson-->Memphis-->Houston-->Fort Lauderdale
• Jackson-->Houston-->Memphis-->Fort Lauderdale

(and both were leaving around noon, and getting into FtL around 11:30 p.m.--the fun)

As I was pondering whether I really wanted to take a tour-de-airports, I thought: maybe I could just fly into Jackson and out of Memphis... which I could do for twice the price (makes sense, right? Fly less, and pay more...). I also didn't understand why the reservation didn't just park me in Houston/Memphis for longer, and wait for the later FtL flight at that airport (but that may have had to do with some default settings about how long on can be laid-over in an airport). In any case, I decided to go with one of the tours flights, only to have it be gone by the time I went to book. The fare then jumped up to $250, at which point I noticed that Little Rock appears to about the same distance....

So, I'm now flying into Little Rock (via Memphis) and back. I would really prefer to just fly in and out of Memphis, but if the airlines want me to fly more to pay less, so be it: I can be a willing captive for a bit longer. I just don't completely understand it.

You got a bad, bad reputation
Gonna hang down your head and cry
You got bad, bad luck

Take a chance, you just might grow

Much to the amusement of my sister, a few months ago I planted some redwood seeds (sequoia sempervirens, to be exact) and set them a-growing in my office.

At one point, I had about 8 or 9 sprouts growing, but at various stages, and mostly shortly after my being out of town, some have died off. This was mostly due to a lack of water while away (redwoods need a bunch of water).

At the moment, 4 sprouts remain--3 of which are pictured at left (the 4^th is in the farthest container in the shot--on the upper right side--but in the part of the container not in the picture).

In any case I wanted to share a picture. Hopefully some of these guys will make it to a repotting stage.

Naturally I'm worried if I do it alone
Who really cares 'cause it's your life
You never know, it could be great
...
What you waiting, what you waiting, what you waiting, what you waiting, what you waiting for?

It's just a thought, only a thought

So recently, a few of my friends have "tagged" me with at "25 things about me" note on Facebook (it might be a crossed-over survey from MySpace). Of late I've been rather delinquent on keeping up with my FB stuff, so I've not actually been able to peruse the notes my friends have tagged me to, nor have I been able to write my own in response.

I went to start my list the other day, and thought to include the top-25 songs on my iTunes. But I soon realized there was probably too much encapsulated in my iTunes top-25 for it to be 1 of a list of 25. So instead, it's going here. I will preface (Mom: envision a dash between the "e" and "f" ;-) ) it with a few notes:

• a few songs in the list (still) benefit from their longer history on my computer (e.g. the fact that those 2 KT Tunstall songs).
• #2 should probably be #1, but I've got 3 versions of it (live audio, live video, and the original audio) dividing its total.
• and I'm surprised by some of my 5-star songs that aren't anywhere near being in the top ("One" by U2, "Circle" by Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians).

But enough commentary: time to let the list speak....


The top-25 songs in my iTunes (play # as of 2/7/09):

#1--I Don't Feel Like Dancing Scissor Sisters (111)
You think I could muster up a little soft-shoe gentle sway, but I don't feel like dancin', no sir no dancin' today

#2--Nobody Knows Me [live] Madonna (100)
It's no fun, but the damage is done...

#3--Holiday in My Head Smash Mouth (93)
Do you believe everything that you read, everything that you see on the set?

#4--Restless Alison Krauss & Union Station (88)
There's a restless feeling in my bones, and I know that at times it just won't go away

#5--Time Sarah McLachlan (87)
Time, here, all but means nothing, just shadows that move cross the wall

#6--Red Red Red Fiona Apple (82)
But all I can see is red, red, red, red now... what am I gonna do

#7--Life for Rent Dido (82)
[I didn't know I'd not used this yet!--sweet, I'll use it here :) ]

#8--Black Horse and the Cherry Tree KT Tunstall (80)
With a big black horse & a cherry tree...

#9--Poster Girl Backstreet Boys (78)
I'm falling in love with the right-now poster girl

#10--Land of Canaan Indigo Girls (78)
Well the meaning's changed, for what it's worth, it's just a senseless game...

#11--Standing Still Jewel (77)
Or am I standing still, with the scenery flying by

#12--Minority Green Day (76)
I want to be the minority, I don't need your authority, down with the moral majority

#13--Just One of Those Things Diana Krall (74)
It was just, one of those things; just one of those crazy flings

#14--Suddenly I See KT Tunstall (72)
Suddenly I see, this is what I want to be

#15--Nothing Left to Lose Mat Kearney (71)
Come on and we'll sing... like we were free... push the pedal down, watch the around, fly by us

#16--L.A. Song Beth Hart (70)
Man I'm gonna get outta this town

#17--Left of Center Suzanne Vega (70)
If you want me, you can find me, left of center off of the strip

#18--Bleed Like Me Garbage (69)
Definitely a song here because it's one that's been in my iTunes the longest.... There are other songs by Garbage that I'd prefer to be here. I'm actually perplexed by this one. Not that I don't like the song, but I'm still perplexed.

#19--What You Waiting For? Gwen Stefani (69)
Take a chance, you just might grow

#20--Trouble P!nk (68)
I'm trouble y'all, I disturb my entire town

#21--Si voy a Perdete Gloria Estefan (67)
Si voy a perderte ya

#22--Fotografía Juanes & Nelly Furtado (66)
En la distancia te puedo ver, cuando tus fotos me siento a ver

#23--Imitation of Life REM (66)
C'mon, c'mon, no one can see you try

#24--Foolish Games Jewel (64)
You took your coat off, and stood in the rain; you're always crazy like that

#25--Always on Your Side Sheryl Crow (63)
My yesterdays are all boxed up and neatly put away, but every now and then you come to mind


And tied with #25 at 63 plays are:
-Over My Head (Cable Car) -- The Fray
-Time -- Hootie & the Blowfish
-Is It Any Wonder? -- Keane


But if my life... is for rent
And I don't, learn, to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
'Cause nothing I have... is truly mine

Here's a quarter, call someone who cares

Last night I finalized my 2008 Federal taxes and sent them in, and I'll be getting a nice amount back as a refund, which is cool. And I'm way happy about the hybrid car credit I got, which helped to considerably increase my return.

I'm a little dismayed, however, by 3 things of late... all aimed at helping to revive parts of the sagging U.S. economy. All of which I just miss out on, 2 of which apparently because I was ahead of some trend.

• 1. There's (now) a first-time home buyer's credit that went in effect for purchases beginning in April 2008. Apparently, I was a year-and-a-half ahead of this, as that's when I bought my place. So strike 1 (I think it's more of a government loan with no interest, though...).
• 2. Congress is contemplating a new car purchase credit for this year (2009). But I just bought my new car last year (strike 2).
• 3. And Congress is rumored to be looking at encouraging a mortgage rate decrease. Of course, if this is anything like the previous drops in the past year or so, it won't do me any good. I'm not in a position to refinance my loan to get a better rate (low/negative equity in my home, combined with the depressed re-adjusted local market, make me a no qualifier or that I just have to pay the amount in fees that the dropped rate would save me). And what's even worse: I'm trying to do the right thing: not be in trouble with my bills, staying current/on-time in my payments, etc. Yet, no reward/pay-off for me for my good, appropriate behavior... (which is a bummer).

Life sucks as an adult, sometimes... but I just try to laugh about it, and be ok that I can make my payments, and balance the debt I have and not worry too much about the retirement I'm not really saving for or the insurance I don't have, et al. One day it'll get better--that's my hope for change.


Call someone who'll listen and might give a damn
Maybe one of your sorted affairs
But don't you come 'round here handin' me none of your lines
Here's a quarter, call someone who cares

If you're gonna do it, do it right

Call me good

• I saw The Reader while in Columbus: it was good (once I got past the minor/adult affair that's a key point to the plot).
• I got upgraded to First Class for the second half of my return flight home, allowing me to finish watching The Last of the Mohicans on my plugged-in laptop (the were power plugs in the seat).
• The Year of the Ox stamps I order were waiting for me when I returned home (that's it pictured).
  
• Tonight I found a really good reason to love the car I did get (rather than the one I didn't): because I bought a hybrid (and the type of hybrid I got) I get a $1,050 tax credit, which appears to be boosting my tax return from a $400 refund to a $1400 refund. And I'm paying half as much money for gas as I was and its better for the environment (so all that and a bag of chips).
• After 3 months, I finally finished reading The Secret Agent over the weekend.
• I found a cool version of Josh Joplin singing I Am Not the Only Cowboy, live in Atlanta on YouTube....

Call me bad

• I am now back in Florida, and the cold weather appears to have followed me, somewhat. The low tonight for there area is in the high 30's: quite cold for here (particularly when exiting the water in an outdoor pool).
• I completely missed getting a free Grand Slam at Denny's (I read about it shortly after the 2 p.m. end time yesterday).
• Last month, I put a request in with my local library to check-out a DVD. I was put on a waiting list due to all copies being checked out at the time. Well, turns out, my turn for checking it out came... and went over the weekend. Apparently, the library has a 5-day holding period before it goes to the next person. My 5 days were Jan.28-Feb.2 (basically while I was gone in Ohio).

Call me anything...

• I heard Wham!'s I'm Your Man while driving the other day... which got me bouncing a wee bit in my car as well as go the song stuck in my head. (The song itself, made me smile, so I guess that's a good thing, no? And looking it up on YouTube is making me bummed that I missed seeing George Michael in concert when he was here last year... particularly since the entire audience seems to be singing along.... :-/ )

I don't need you to care
I don't need you to understand
All I want is for you to be there
And when I'm turned on, if you want me
I'm your man

If it makes you happy...

I find myself again at the airport terribly earlier in the morning. Instead of Fort Lauderdale, however, I await in Columbus for my flight back.

Yesterday went alright. There was a House marathon on t.v. to keep me occupied while I avoided watching the Super Bowl and was packing up. And the snow began to melt in earnest yesterday, leading some stream-like flows in through the yet melted ice/snow, like that at left.

It also led to some exposed earth patches and clear sidewalks, and I feared would lead to ice on the roads this morning. However, I appear to have missed the ice... or maybe my driving to the airport at 4 a.m. was before the ice could form--like the ice didn't want to be up and about that early, either.

And did someone say groundhog?

If it makes you happy
It can't be that bad
If it makes you happy
Then why the hell are you so sad