Halloween Carvings!

Been a while since I've posted. Well, here's the latest from the Shopkeep's home. The advent of Halloween!

Guess which pumpkin belongs to the Nilly, the Shopkeep and the J-man. It's not that hard to predict.


The Bad Cat
Sally
The Freak Out


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Great Scot! He's a Patriot

Who would have thunk that Craig Ferguson, newly minted naturalized US citizen could eloquently put together words that would say to the American viewer, "Think about the issues, not the brouhaha media feeds you" about the election?

He's got more heart than staunch Democrats and Republicans alike.

If anything else, listen to his rant. Maybe it will make you believe that your vote counts in the upcoming election.

Vocab 101, Please

For Kat--

My girlfriend and I have made the word "Phelpsed" a catchphrase at work. It means someone has done something quicker or faster and better than you.

Example: I can't believe Roddy gave the same report as I did and got credit for it!
Dude, sorry to hear that you got Phelpsed.

Other words:

What is the plural for doofus? Doofuses? Doofi?
Is there a superlative word than STAT? Someone at work said, "The doctor said the test should be ran stater." So, is STATER acceptable?
Should bootilicious be taken out as a vocabulary word? I know I think it should. So as the vocab word "air quotes".

Check out a new favorite vocabulary website of mine. You'll be impressed.

Last but not the least, Keith Olberman contributing to the urban dictionary.

Niagara Falls

Starting this blog entry is hard. I mean, how do you talk about Niagara Falls without sounding like a cliche? Niagara Falls-- a place for lovers? The best thing across the boarder? Niagara- a naturalist's delight?

NF for me was a long-deserved getaway. Nilly and I anguished over where we were supposed to go this year to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary or the 10th year commemoration of the day we started dating. So, choosing between the falls and spending a wad of cash at the Hershey Lodge became a no-brainer.

The 6-1/2 hour drive from Podunk Town to the Canadian Boarder was a little more stressful than I thought, thanks to the Little League Baseball event taking place at the Pennsylvania boarder. Once we made through the slow-crawling traffic, the trip was really a breeze.

Our first stop was our hotel called the Sterling Inn and Spa.



A recent addition to the hotels at the Tourist District, Sterling Inn and Spa is located in a part of town that is being revived. Imagine our surprise when we saw how "strange" the hotel looked from the outside! Later on, we've learned that the building used to be a Borden cheese manufacturing site.



Our room was on the first floor. We had a huge king-sized bed, a wonderful fireplace (which sadly, we can't use since it was warm), sliding windows from the 2-person whirlpool tub, a glass sink, and a rainhead shower with water body massagers. ****AWESOME**** is an understatement. Not to mention that they had Bath and Body hair products and body gels. Okay, so I am easily impressed. Leave me alone.

We also had hardwood floors, an empty refrigerator to put cold cuts and water in without constantly buying $2 water bottles.

The Inn also had an in-house spa. Nilly and I took advantage of their services the day we hiked 8 miles to and from the rapids. For $120 per person, we got a 60-minute Swedish massage where our masseuse did not speak to us except to give us instructions to roll over and how to prepare ourselves for the steam room. Definitely money well spent.

Same night, we experienced the most wonderful dining experience at the Falls. The AG (which is the chemical symbol for Silver-- get it? Sterling Silver? I know, geeky chemistry joke) was not just a meal. It was a moment to savor. Our bartender, who looked a lot like Deputy Leo, was an easy going guy who made the most wonderful amaretto sour drinks--yum! He gave us our menus, served our meals (Nilly got a Wellington Beef that was to die for while I had the salmon-- a real mouth melting treat!) and helped us choose desserts (Nilly had a baked on the spot pie and peach sorbet while I had the cheesecake with candied ginger and cherry--ecstatic!). Superlatives cannot justify the meal we got.

Throughout the couple of days, unfortunately, we've not been able to experience the same culinary greatness. Mediocre was a definite staple. We ate lunch once at Wolfgang Puck. The meal was above average. We returned for dessert a day later and the service was horrible. So horrible that after waiting for 10 minutes to be acknowledged, we finally left. We also dined at a place called Carpaccio which was voted best place to dine for a succession of years. We were disappointed!!! We spent almost as much money as we did at the AG for fare that is up to par, if not sub par to The Olive Garden. We vowed that the next time we return, we will try eating at The Waterfront. We're skipping the pubs and whatnots. Another place to skip for breakfast? AlMac's. Other than the fact that it's a buffet place, they are overpriced and almost inedible. Go ahead and just have a meal at Denny's or Perkins. At least, you'll know what you're getting. You'll thank me for the suggestion later.


Things We Got To Do

1. The Maid of the Mist- of course you have to do it. Getting thisclose to the falls was a breath taking moment.










2. Behind the Falls- I was a little disappointed with this but I may try to walk behind the falls on the American side.










3. The Rapids- It's a nice 3 mile walk from the Bridalveil falls. It's another 1/4 mile walking close to the Stage 5 white water rapids.











4. The Buddhist Temple- Right across from the rapids, it was a nice quiet break.










5. The Whirlpool- Nilly did the ride. At this point, I was "watered" out. It was another 2 miles from the rapids.

We didn't do Marineland, the Butterfly Museum or the Aviary. We also opted out of the numerous haunted houses, wax museums, and the ferris wheel located at Victoria Rd. When the brochures said that Clifton Heights was tourist trap hell, believe it. It took us forever to get through the throngs of people.

We went to the Outlet Mall because our camera died. It's such a shame. Now, we have a small snapshot camera-- you tell me what you think about it-- the photos should speak for themselves.

On the last night of our vacation, we watched the fireworks. It was a nice way to end an evening. Having missed fireworks this past 4th of July, the pyrotechnic show was a nice change. Having it over the waters was magical.

Anyway, after 4 days and walking about 20 miles, our vacation had to end. At first, we decided on taking our time driving back home. 20 minutes into the trip, we decided to drive as quickly as we could to see the J-man before he falls asleep. Seeing his face light up when we pulled into the driveway was a sight to see.

We're planning another visit to the falls maybe 5 years from now. Hopefully the boy will be big enough to experience the falls for himself!

Dr Horrible's Act II Is Up!

Act II of Dr. Horrible is up. Watch it now before it gets pulled off the internet. Nathan Fallon is getting nastier and NPH is getting more desperate. Who's going to win?

What I've Been Watching On the Net

Because I have nothing better to do...

Awaiting the second act:

Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog- It goes without saying that I have learned to love all things Joss Whedon (when he fell in love with VM, and I started liking Firefly and the soon to be shown The Dollhouse), Neil Patrick Harris, et al. Singing about doing something horrible had never felt so right.... Especially while doing laundry.

And a throwback: seeing Daria live the Y2K generation in her own dPod (a version of the iPod) commercial (version Jerk It Out) or another version (Maneater) for your entertainment.

What has been your current web obsession?

George Carlin, RIP

Call him acerbic. Call him misogynistic. But he called a lot of things as what they present themselves.

In the 71 years he lived in this earth, George Carlin had said some of the most prolific things such as “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television.” You know them... I don't have to recite them. However, his delivery is so great I cannot do it justice.

Instead, I leave you this in his memory:

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key. You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your
dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!" May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!


HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them."

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.

10.Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.


AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Live the Carlin way. Enjoy life. Cheers, George. Now, ask Jesus what he thought of Catholicism WOW.

Caprica

A Battle Star Galactica spinoff?

Zach Quinto on Star Trek

I may not be a trekkie but he definitely would be a reason for watching. Here's a little vid about him talking a bit about his stint on the Starship Enterprise and what may be in for him on Heroes' Season 3.

Veronica Mars Reunion on Heroes?

Who would've thunk that Weevil and Veronica would reunite on Heroes? Eep!

Visit Whedon's 'Dollhouse'

Squee! Here's Echo, a preview to the new Fox show "Dollhouse" by Joss Whedon. Enjoy!

The Demands of a Foo

It's funny to see that The Smoking Gun has a list of demands bands have when they go on tour. Take for example Foo Fighters. I was about to pass out from laughing when I read some of their demands. Funny, they're not as diva-ish as I've heard of from other performers. Read if you dare.

TV Getting Good Again?

I am really excited to hear that Dollhouse by Joss Whedon seems to sound better and better by the minute. Not only does the have Elisha Dushku on board as a Doll but the other Dolls do sound really interesting.

Let's hope it doesn't disappear off the radars before it actually takes off. With as bad TV is right now (at least the big 3 and the Fox/CW channels), I have to root for something to care about next season.

I Like A Man With A Sense of Humor

Come on, you have to find John Mayer funny.

Running Out of (TV) Ideas?

I was elated when Rob Thomas said he was re-envisioning Cupid for ABC. But 90210?
The rest of the spoilers for this season and the next is on Kristin's E!Online posting.

... Can't believe someone wants to have a Brenda 2.0 or a Peach Pit...

Belated Happy St Patty's Day

There is nothing that says St Patty's like an Irish song like Danny Boy.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall PReview

Here's a little something for all Apatow/Kristin Bell fans out there. Now, if only the studios would release Fanboys.

Preview shown is Restricted. So, be careful!

Bah Humbug!

Saint Valentine says,

"Go buy some flowers and chocolate. Go get some candles and purchase anything from Victoria Secret (no, put down the Fredrick's of Hollywood catalog!). Blow your money on a string bean and a sliver of steak. For tonight may be your lucky night (unless the headache comes on).

Do this to commemorate me."

Okay, so I don't think this is a direct quotation but you get the gist.

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!!!!

Post Strike TV Wrap-Up

According to Ausiello's Post-Strike episode generator, here's what's up:
(Thanks, TV Guide and Mike Ausiello for keeping tally!)

Chuck
No new episodes until fall.

Friday Night Lights
No new episodes expected for this season. Future TBD.

Gossip Girl
Expected to shoot 5 or 6 episodes to air in April/May.

Greek
Kicks off second half of Season 1 on March 24. Still awaiting Season 2 pickup.

Grey's Anatomy
Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May

Heroes
No new episodes expected until fall.

House
Expected to shoot 4 to 6 new episodes to air in April/May.

How I Met Your Mother
Expected to shoot 9 new episodes to begin airing on March 17.

Men in Trees
Eleven pre-strike episodes remain, the first of which airs Feb. 27. No additional episodes expected this season.

Moonlight
Expected to shoot 4 new episodes to begin airing on April 11.

Private Practice
Slim chance it could return with 4 or 5 new episodes this season. Either way, it'll be back in the fall.

Pushing Daisies
No new episodes until fall.

Reaper
Three pre-strike episodes remain. Expected to shoot 5 or 6 additional episodes to air in April/May.

Samantha Who?
Three pre-strike episodes remain. Expected to shoot an additional 3 episodes to air this spring, likely after Dancing with the Stars.

Scrubs
Four pre-strike episodes remain. Four additional episodes will likely be shot; unclear whether they'll air on NBC or go straight to DVD.

Supernatural
Two pre-strike episodes remain. Expected to shoot 4 or 5 additional episodes to air in April/May.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Four pre-strike episodes remain. Future beyond that TBD.

Ugly Betty
Expected to shoot 4 to 7 new episodes to air in April/May.

The rest of the list can be seen on Ausiello's Post Strike List.

Feed The Hungry While Feeding Yourself

Barilla is holding its 2nd annual Celebrity Cookbook and I am very excited to try the recipes out. Last year, I've tried at least 3 of the recipes and I was floored at how good they are! Most of them were quick and easy. If anything else, it was fun to prepare with the hubby in the kitchen or when friends come over for a nice get together. For a moment, it felt like Giada DeLaurentiis and Mario Batali were actually cooking with me. No, I take that back. It almost felt like I was a guest in Jaime Oliver's show where he has friends over and help him cook. It was THAT fun.

It was a pleasant thought while it lasted.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that for every downloaded cookbook, Barilla donates to Second Harvest, an organization that helps stock up food shelters and soup kitchens in the US. So, do your share. It's a free download. Help feed the hungry.