Cable TV/Internet/Phone has been a complete hemorrhoid in my life lately. I used to be a Verizon FIOS customer, a very happy FIOS customer but then one day it changed. All of the sudden one day it changed. My DVR would randomly reboot throughout the day and if it were in the middle of recording a show, you’d lose a big chunk of the show. I went through 3 or 4 “new” DVR’s from Verizon, all doing the same thing. So I got fed up, called Cablevision, got a good price and switched. One month later, with my tail between my legs, I called Verizon and schedule them to come and re-install their service. Verizon’s service might have its issues but Cablevision, YOU SUCK…PERIOD!! (I will miss MSG HD though..)
Speaking of things that suck… Trees and their leaves, you also suck. I have enough to do on the weekends but now there’s a whole backyard of leaves calling my name and Dylan’s and Terri’s!!
Dylan is a summer kind of kid. Getting out of the house in the morning lately now that we need a hat, coat and gloves hasn’t been the easiest task. I know it will get better but it’s a bad sign to be wishing for summer in November.
I can’t believe I am starting to think about and plan for Christmas lights. It really is true, the older you get the quicker the years go by.
Halloween…was it a success? That seemed to be the first question I got asked as I walked into work this morning. Lets say this, I think Halloween was kind of a bust, or at least it was a bust for a while.
Dylan had soccer at the Y in the morning and then came home for lunch and took a bath because he was extremely sweaty and got into his costume after his bath. It rained a good part of the afternoon and after running some errands while it was raining, we got home around 4pm to find the rain starting to stop. Dylan put on the rest of his costume and out the door we went. When we started, it was still misting some, then for a brief minute of two, the rain really came down but then eventually it just stopped. Everything was going pretty well except that he wouldn’t go to a house that had anything “scary” on the steps, porch, door, etc. and by scary I mean anything Halloween. Then, we got to this one house which seemed normal, like it would be a normal stop on our route but he rang the bell and then the shit hit the fan. The guy who lived there answered the door in a scary mask. I was standing in the driveway waiting while Terri and Dylan went to the door, I wasn’t looking when he answered but all I heard was a hysterical scream and cry and saw Dylan trying to haul ass away from the house. The guy took off the mask, gave Dylan candy but it didn’t matter, from that point on he was done. He had gotten his M&M’s so he was a happy kid about that and just wanted to go home. We got him to a few other houses but Halloween 2009 ended shortly after the mask incident.
We ended up eating dinner at the mall, getting candy from a few stores still giving it out while we were there and eventually got to ride on a motorized Dragon, which made him very happy.
Last year, while trick or treating, there was this one house with a scary display out front. It was dubbed the “Scary House” for the entire year since but we didn’t go up to it this year (probably because of the idiot with the mask) but we ended up seeing the owner of the “Scary House” while across the street at another house. Lets just say that I have a new name for this house this year. While talking to her about how much of an impression her house made on Dylan last year, she lifter her arm out because she was walking a dog. Normally, there’s no issue when one does this but this woman, had no bra on and one of those shirts where the arm hole is like the entire side of the shirt. It makes one a little uncomfortable when talking to someone and their boob tries to join in on the conversation. I mean you’re in public, shouldn’t you cover up a bit?
Yup, I am still here. I’ve ignored this place for a little while but I’ve had some good reasons for it. I am writing a blog for the Blgouin Network that covers the New Jersey Devils so I’ve been throwing most of my spare time into writing over there. You can find Bloguin here or my site here
As for things going on around my life. Dylan is pretty much potty trained. His school was the driving force behind it as they called us up one day and asked us to send him to school in big boy undies with lots of changes of clothes. At first he had accidents and occasionally now he’ll have an accident here or there but really he’s been wonderful at going in the potty. He’s apparently been accident free for 2 weeks because he got to start swimming at school today where the rule is accident free for 2 weeks to be allowed to do that. So those of you out there going to do the potty training thing, everyone told us to just stick him in underwear and he’ll get it. We didn’t believe it but its true, it really did work.
Rooney: We rescued Rooney from a kill shelter from the help of a rescue group a few weeks ago. He’s a beagle/basset hound and he’s a good little dog. He’s fully grown, weighs 28 lbs and is just the perfect size. He’s got his issues tho, most abandonment issues. If we don’t crate him when we leave, he freaks out. Poor little guy and curses to the people in this world that treat animals poorly.
Playroom: Going slower than I had hoped but its all framed, the sheetrock on the ceiling has been started. I am hoping to really put a dent into the amount of work needed next weekend.
I found this song recently even though it’s a few months old now (it was released in February 2009). It’s from the latest solo album from Darius Rucker (Hootie!!) which is actually a country album. I’ve always found Hootie’s stuff very relatable and this song is no different. Anyone with little kids, or even big kids, will certain get what he is singing about. Not a day goes by that I don’t look at Dylan with amazement that we’ve already reached the age of 3. The song is called “It Won’t Be Like This For Long” and it’s about the stages in life. It’s VERY country which is very unlike me but like I said, I’ve always like Hootie & Darius Rucker and always found a connection into what they were singing about and this song brought a tear to the eye.
We spent the weekend with our friend Ari and Amber and their two sons Harrison and Elijah. We had a blast. We took the kids to Six Flags The Great Escape on Saturday and boy was it hot. I know Dylan had a blast jumping on all the rides and then making it over to Wiggles world. While at Wiggles World he got to ride on the Big Red Car, something he had been talking about doing for days because we told him about it a few days before we went. In fact, on the ride up he kept mentioning it but we went up on Friday night and I think he was a little disappointed the Big Red Car wasn’t at Ari and Amber’s house. He got to hug Henry, Wags, Dorothy and the Captain, which I know he loved.
Saturday was a very HOT day, maybe the hottest day this summer. After we got back from the Great Escape, we jumped in their pool for a bit which certain made us feel much cooler, ate dinner, put the kids to bed and watched Role Models, which was pretty funny.
Sunday we got up, played with the kids, talked about hoopty’s, took some very tired kids to breakfast, returned to the house to play for a little bit more then got on the road for the trip home. Trip home wasn’t too bad, Dylan took a nice nap in the car and then played with his legos and water table when we got home. Thanks to Ari and Amber for being such wonderful hosts, can’t wait to do it again someday!!
We had a lot of fun this weekend but it was one extremely tiring weekend. I think next weekend is going to be more of the same. Saturday we’re going to the RenFaire for the day and Sunday is my nephew’s 6th birthday party.
Hard to believe that the original Woodstock was 40 years ago. It’s kind of hard to believe that the second Woodstock to celebrate the first Woodstock happened 15 years ago. I was supposed to go to that one before my parents put the kibosh on those plans and ended p watching it via PPV.
All these were classic performances at the original Woodstock and 1994 tried to re-do what 69 did but it just wasn’t the same but I do have a few favorites.
Primus – My Name is Mud – Considering it poured before Primus came out, there was LOTS of mud
Green Day – Paper Lanters – The INFAMOUS Green Day Mud Fight with Fans… Best quote of the show: “This isn’t peace and love, its fucking anarchy!!”
Cypus Hill – Insane in the Brain – Hip Hop, something no one in 1969 ever heard of!!
Nine Inch Nails – Closer – You could put the entire NIN set up here as it was insane, amazing, etc..
I know this one is from 1999’s version but its up for a reason:
Limp Bizkit – Break Stuff - 1999’s Woodstock was an Epic Fail due to the rowdy crowds that completely lost it, trashed the place and created complete caos. I trace it back to this moment of the show. Limp Bizkit invited everyone to let out their frustrations and anger and the crowd tore up the place. After LB got off the stage, Rage Against The Machine came on and just fueled the fire. There were too many angry bands that led the march and ruined the original Woodstock message, which is why we’ll hopefully NEVER see another Woodstock.
For Father’s Day this year I got a Flip. I love the thing. It makes taking video in situations where you wouldn’t carry a video camera a breeze. They come out in HD and make it simple to upload to a PC. It’s an awesome little camera. It has a rechargeable battery in it but in a pinch, takes 2 AA batteries so you’ll never be without power.
Case in point, Terri and Dylan went to the Land of Make Believe on Saturday while I stayed home to work on the house. They came home with a ton of videos for me to watch. How cool is that?? Here are 2 of my favorites.
This is Dylan on the Train and LoMB which he absolutely loves…
LoMB has a castle where they do live shows but use the guests at the part to act in them. This is the second time Dylan has done it, this time as a Spriggan?? Whatever that is.. of course Dylan sees the horns and thinks cow!!
Doesn’t it seem like Hollywood is out of original ideas? I mean how many things are going to get remade? I kind of felt it last year when 90210 returned to TV but I admit I did watch it all year long, even though it wasn’t that wonderful. This year, they’ve remade Melrose Place, which in my opinion was a REALLY bad show the first time around. I am getting tired of this trend and thankfully there are some shows and movies that are made from original ideas. However, I will admit to being happy that Rob Zombie has redone the Halloween movies and it continuing with Halloween 2 which like his first remake adds something more to the story.
I’ve also said that if I were going to remake a show, I’d pick Dawson’s Creek. I mean the original show was far better than 90210 or Melrose and the ending of the original show certainly gives a writer enough story lines to continue on with it. In the original, Joey and Pacey ended up together, Jen died leaving her daughter to Jack and Dawson moved to Hollywood and created “The Creek.” So where would I pick up? I’d follow Pacey and Joey who have moved back to Capeside in order to be closer to family while they raise their family. They have a son who’s name is..ready?? Dawson.. in memory of their childhood friend. Jack’s still in Capeside raising Jen’s daughter and in fact has become the first gay mayor of Capeside. Dawson’s (Leery not Witter) mom and sister still live in Capeside as well. Of course there would be new characters as well. Hey, if you can do it with crappy shows like 90210 and Melrose, why couldn’t you do it with a better show like Dawson?
