zaterdag 30 april 2011

zaterdag 30 april 2011 Up at 7:30. Turn DW-TV. I like Euromaxx.

Of course, they review the Royal Wedding - Der Kuss Des Jahren - but I enjoy the little report about the East German Trabant car. The small family car has become a collectors' item with fan clubs. Many East Germans streamed into West Berlin and West Germany in their Trabants after the opening of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Hash browns and a fried egg for breakfast. Turn on KEXP to listen to CounterSpin. They talk about Wikileaks and the Guantanamo files, but my ears perk up to hear about the BWMs - the Beached White Males. I get concerned and ask myself, "Could it be me?" I think that we all feel vulnerable in these uncertain economic conditions. But Can Manhood Survive The Recession?... HA! Whatever! Social programs should be available to ALL who need them and we should care about the struggling despite race or gender. Check KOMO News. It's almost official - This Was The Chilliest April Ever. In a way, our cool weather caused the violent storms in the South. Here's a satellite loop of the storms as they erupted across the south. The loop spans April 27 and into April 28.

At 10:00, It's Wait, Wait. Walk up to Elliott Bay Books. Browse through the travel section. Listen to my radio while I walk to d'town. Listen to Travels With Mike - fascinating documentary: In Search of America 50 Years After Steinbeck. Back in 1960, John Steinbeck gets into a pickup truck and drives from Maine to Montana to California, and from there to Texas and Louisiana and back to his home on Long Island. Up to Seattle Center to watch the tourists... the line to go up the Space Needle. Check out The Next Fifty.
I head up Queen Anne. It's been years since I've seen the view from Kerry Park. It's worth the work of marching up the hill.
Catch a #2 all the way back to First Hill. Time to relax with a hot cup of lemony water with a little brown sugar dissolved in it.
Turn on the M's v Red Sox game.

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 30: Jed Lowrie(notes) #12 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after he is out in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners on April 30, 2011 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Ow! The M's shut out the Red Sox! Beautiful work! The M's stranded 11 runners from the Red Sox, but they never got to home base. Report - Red Sox Shut Down Again In 2-0 to M's.
Watch Stargate Universe - Air, Part 3. Yes, Universe is a new Stargate. I has potential, but it lasts only 2 seasons. The human refugees on the Ancient ship Destiny must work together to survive. What? No aliens? No shoot-em-up action? No evil bad guys? This show is just about characters... human beings. The concluding music in this episode is "Breathe" by Alexi Murdoch.

Spaghetti primavera for dinner. Today, I bought Skyline to include in my Earth-disaster DVD collection. An armada of giant spaceships suddenly appear in the skies over Los Angeles and immediately set about their business--namely, shooting down immense blue columns of light that hoover every human in sight up into the ships, where aliens will do nasty things to them. Let's watch.
Eric Balfour plays Jerrod. He is amazingly protective of his pregnant girlfriend. He says that the light makes him feel powerful. He manages to avoid the light's irresistible affects. But I say "oh, no!" when an alien sneaks up on him. Leave Him Alone!

vrijdag 29 april 2011

vrijdag 29 april 2011 Can't sleep. 1:11 - Turn on CNN to watch raw video of the Royal Wedding. Motorcades, flags, drums, trumpets, marching, cheers, shouts, "The Queen!" I see celebrities like David Beckham... SMASHING!
Sir Elton John and his partner David Furnish arrive.
...and socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson. Look at that hat and dress! Whew!
I dozed off after William and Harry arrive at Westminster Abbey. So, I missed the vows... but not the kiss.
The crowds fill up Trafalgar Square... estimated at 1 million people.

Thousands of Americans join Royal fans on the streets of London... and millions more wake up at dawn to watch the big day on TV.
Tofu and toast for breakfast. Shower. Walk up Westlake to work, listening to KBCS on the radio and their show - The Caravan. 10 to 12 - Planning time and lunch time for Charmaine. Liz covers for Patty, but Patty comes back at 11. When the twins are dropped off, I almost expect a melt down. But they want to play with play-doh. We have a little outside time with the Rainforest Kids and Sunshine KIds. It's too crowded so we head to the bike room. What a busy group. I set up lunches while Patty reads books. 12 - Cristin's lunch. Lynette is subbing for Toni today. I get to eat my lunch with the 6 Starfish. Nap time is a bit of a battle. Lynette handles it well. 1 - Lynette's lunch. Quiet time. The kids are sleeping. Now, I can relax. 2 - Patty's lunch. Charmaine is working on NAEYC while I watch the Seahorses sleep. Alex wakes up early, but he lays on his mat. Streetcar to d'town. Drop off stuff at my place. Watch a little KOMO News. Report - Gov. Gregoire Vetoes Sections Of The Medical Pot Bill.

Short walk to Westlake and back up Pike. Watch MSNBC News about the tornadoes of Alabama. Report - Twister Toll Now At 329. Rice, black beans and stir fry veggies for dinner. Watch Stargate - Universe: Air, Part 2. Movie - The Queen. Then The Meaning Of Life.

donderdag 28 april 2011

donderdag 28 april 2011 Up at 1:24. Tossing and turning, I watch a movie - The Angry Red Planet. The director was given only 10 days to shoot the movie and a budget of $200,000 with which to make it. I doze back to sleep, but I can hear Naura Hayden screaming in my dreams. The Martians warn Earth people never to return to their planet, or face destruction of the Earth as penalty for disregarding their message. Awake at 4:28. Spicy rice and fried eggs for breakfast. Turn on Stephanie Miller. She interviews Rachel Maddow in the first hour. They talk about the old radio days they spent together. I remember that Seattle Town Hall. Rachel was awesome, Mama was, well, Mama. Someone on the live blog comments: Rachel so cool, smart, funny. She’s no Momma though. We love our klutz goofy silly Goddess. Shower. Before going to work, I watch Glee - Bad Reputation. Good job, kids, on Total Eclipse Of The Heart!

Turn on KUOW to listen to Weekday - 'A Natural History Of The Planet' With Tim Flannery. What is the human species' relationship to planet Earth? Are we parasites that will eventually self–destruct by exploiting resources to the point of ecosystem collapse? Mr. Flannery offers a optimistic prescription in his new book Here On Earth.

Up Westlake to work. 10 - Cover for Cristin's meeting with her new co-teacher. The 6 Starfish are happy with their stickers. 11 - Lunch prep for Dolphins and Sea Otters. 12 - Pam's lunch. I hang out and eat my lunch with the 8 Sea Otters. They easily go down for naps. 1 - Anne's lunch. Listen to the nap music. I hear an old familiar song - Sweet Lullaby by Deep Forest.

2 - Lydia's planning time. I hang out with the Tree Frogs. Most of them are napping. A couple of them are awake and anxious about me (because they don't know me). Streetcar to d'town. Up to my place. Watch a little KOMO News. Visit Uwajimaya to pick up a few things. #316 bus tunnel back. I hear someone ask, "Does this bus go to Northgate?" The answer is Not Exactly. Back to my place. Salmon rice rolls and salad for dinner. Watch MSNBC. Then the first episode of Stargate Universe - Air, Part 1. Midnight movie - Airplane II.

Simon: Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet your captain, Captain Oveur.
Clarence Oveur: Gentlemen, welcome aboard.
Simon: Captain, your navigator, Mr. Unger, and your first officer, Mr. Dunn.
Clarence Oveur: Unger.
Unger: Oveur.
Dunn: Oveur.
Clarence Oveur: Dunn. Gentlemen, let's get to work.
Simon: Unger, didn't you serve under Oveur in the Air Force?
Unger: Not directly. Technically, Dunn was under Oveur and I was under Dunn.
Dunn: Yep.
Simon: So, Dunn, you were under Oveur and over Unger.
Unger: Yep.
Clarence Oveur: That's right. Dunn was over Unger and I was over Dunn.
Unger: So, you see, both Dunn and I were under Oveur, even though I was under Dunn.
Clarence Oveur: Dunn was over Unger, and I was over Dunn.

woensdag 27 april 2011

woensdag 27 april 2011 Up at 3:10. Turn on DW-TV and watch Made In Germany - Real Estate Boom: More And More People Are Investing In Berlin. Germany - on the up-swing. I doze back to sleep until the alarm goes off. Hash browns and fried egg for breakfast. Turn on Stephanie Miller. Steph and Hal are reminiscent about their Sexy Liberal Show in Madison. And Dan Savage - author, media pundit, journalist, and newspaper editor - talks with Steph about his book, It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating A Life Worth Living.


When I heard this, I let out a heavy SIGH - Tennessee 'Don't Say Gay' Advances In State Senate. Walk up Westlake to work. Lots of time outside with the Rainforest Kids on the playground and the Moons & Stars in Fairview Park. Fun, fun, fun!



12 - Kechelle's lunch break. The 5 Sunshine Kids eat lunch with me. Things go smoothly. They go to the potty and lay on their mats for nap. A couple of them conk out right away. 1 - Sharyn is subbing for Julie. It's her lunch break. Most of the Moons & Stars are sleeping. Quiet hour. 2 - Alicia's Lunch. She's subbing for Jessica. I take a couple early risers to the Bike Room. Maddie and I sit at the window watching the weather. Streetcar to Whole Foods. Pick up some stuff at the salad bar. Walk the rest of the way home. Turn on KOMO News. They like to promote their sponsor - Hawaiian Air. Some guys visit the studio to talk about the new Aulani Disney Resort & Spa.

Short walk around d'town - to Century Square and Pacific Place. Back at my place. Catch the end of the M's game in Comerica Park. Storms were threating, but they still play their game. Smoak, Mariners Rout Tigers 10 - 1. Chili spaghetti for dinner. Turn on MSNBC. Lots of news and opinion about President Obama presenting his long-form birth certificate. On Hardball, Mother Joness' David Corn and Talking Points Memo's Josh Marshall talk about the winners and losers in the birther game. Question: Will The Birther Crowd Stop Its Madness? Birtherism by other means. Then Rachel Maddow - Links For The 4/27 Show. I can relate to the special guest Op-Ed, Goldie Taylor. Why Obama Shouldn't Have Had To 'Show His Papers' - Full Version.

How many times have I sighed today? Lots. "I thought that we were better than this," Goldie Taylor says. Sigh. Me, too.

dinsdag 26 april 2011

dinsdag 26 april 2011 Up with alarm. Turn on KOMO News. Quick! Look at the sun peeking out on our city before it goes away! Away it goes.

Egg salad sandwich for breakfast. Turn on Stephanie Miller. Oops. I missed The Rude. Steph talks with Ian Millhiser - policy analyst for The Center for American Progress - about the GOP’s frivolous spending regarding The Defense of Marriage Act. Speaker John A. Boehner has vowed to defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, but... the Law Firm Backs Out Of Defending Federal D O M. Ali Velshi from CNN also calls into the show to give his 2 cents worth about raising the debt limit... and why it's so absurd that Washington is headed toward a showdown over debt and the deficit tied to the question of whether to raise the national debt ceiling. It's the The Politics Of The Debt Ceiling.

Shower. Before heading to work, I watch Glee - Home. The parents of glee club members Kurt Hummel and Finn Hudson begin dating. Kurt gets another solo. He's awesome. A House Is Not A Home.

Streetcar to work. Things are a little more normal today. 10 to 10:45 - Cover for Patty's meeting. The 8 Seahorses have free play. Clean up time is a little better today. 11 - Patty's lunch. Concetta is subbing for Charmaine today. I let Mr. E visit Cindy with the Tree Frogs. I hang out with the other kids while Concetta set up the lunches. 12 - Pam's lunch. The 8 Sea Otters are going down for naps early. They're all asleep by 12:30. It's a magical nap time. 1 - Anne's lunch. It's still quiet. 2 - Concetta's lunch. The 8 Seahorses sleep. Streetcar to d'town. Short walk up First Hill. Just a few sprinkles on me. Back to my place. Listen to the Mariners - Tigers game. Good job, M's!

Then Hardball - The Theories Surrounding Barack Obama. Spicy rice and stir fry veggies for dinner. Watch Stargate Atlantis - Vegas. Vegas, baby! Vegas! A little Goth goes a long way toward disguising a Wraith in Las Vegas - Neil Jackson (Wraith). Neil Jackson! Great Alt Reality show.

Finish movie - Cleopatra. Cleopatra's suicide: 'Life has been only a dream...someone else's dream. Now begins a dream of my own, which will never end... Antony wait'

maandag 25 april 2011

maandag 25 april 2011 Up at 4:28. Listen to BBC News for a little bit. Hash browns and egg salad for breakfast. Turn on Stephanie Miller. It sounds like Steph, Hal and John had fun in Madison with their first Sexy Liberal Show. You go, kids!


Steph interviews Scott Keyes from Think Progress about his experiences of filming Rep. Paul Ryan where he gets Booed At A Town Hall For Defending Tax Breaks For The Rich.

Shower. Watch Futurama - Obsoletely Fabulous before going to work. Bender finds himself feeling obsolete compared to the new Robot 1-X, but he cannot get himself to get the upgrade, so he flees to a distant island. The X-1 robots are my friends. Listen to KUOW on my trip to work on the streetcar. Callers talk about their quintessential Seattle experience for the Metropolitan Diary. I agree with one caller about hearing Even Flow by Pearl Jam.

Uff da. Tough schedule. Six lunch breaks between 11 to 2:30. Before I know it, the kids are eating lunch and going down for naps. Some teachers get 30-minute lunches and some get 36-minute lunches. I get to leave at 3. Glad to leave the craziness behind me. Turn on The World. I like the report about the Statue Graveyard In Moscow. Most of the monuments were built during Stalin's reign. “Now they are just here as a testament that such state officials existed,” one Moscovite admits... but most want to forget those years.

At my place, I watch some news. By the way, according to the census, Seattle is one of the whitest cities in America. Walk down to the Harbour Steps to look at the sound and the mountains. The view is beautiful. Back up Union Street to my place. Watch Futurama - Three Hundred Big Boys. Richard Nixon's head is distributing 300 dollars to every citizen after profitable war, the Planet Express crew, among others, are out to find ways to spend this extra money. I've sent you each 300 buckaroos in the form of a Tricky Dick Fun Bill! Knock yourselves out! Fry decides to blow it all on a hundred cups of coffee. Everyone is in mortal danger from a fire at an art show, but Fry doesn't notice as all he can think about is coffee. He drinks his 100th cup. Suddenly, time freezes for Fry, as he reaches a stage of coffee-fueled enlightenment. He can move so fast that he cannot be seen except as a blur. He manages to save everyone at the reception and extinguish the fire, but no one notices this as they have only seen a kind of mysterious orange blur.



Tofu fried rice for dinner. Switch to Stargate Atlantis - Identity. I'm heading toward the end of Season 5. Watch movie - Cleopatra. I get more than half way through the film... past the murder of Caesar the Ides of March 44 B.C. Past Cleopatra's trip to Tarsus to see Antony. Octavian clamors for war against Antony and his "Egyptian whore". I stop with the war... The Battle Of Actium.

zondag 24 april 2011

zondag 24 april 2011 Fall asleep after 1 AM. Sleep until 8:05. Turn on BBC News. LIVE coverage of the Bolton vs. Arsenal match at Reebok. It's Bolton 2 - 1 Arsenal. The crowd roars! Hash browns and egg salad for breakfast. Shower. I love it that KPCC plays Wait, Wait and A Prairie Home Companion side-by-side. Yay for 89.3 FM!

The conversation for Who's Carl This Time is interesting. And John Waters plays Not My Job. Very interesting, indeed.

Yes. Well. The morning drizzle is gone. Take a walk up to Pacific Place and around the Denny Triangle. Down to Westlake Station to catch a train to Uwajimaya. The store is pretty busy because of Sakura-Con and the Mariners game. Take stuff back home. Turn on the baseball game. It's a quick-paced game. Report - Mariners Continue To Fail with RISP In 5 - 2 Loss To Oakland. Turn on Netflix. Watch Doctor Who - The Waters Of Mars. The Doctor Who Wikia has a tempting banner ad from Hawaiian Air.

Anyway... I know that when the Doctor appears, calamity is never far away... and the Doctor usually leaves behind a line of casualties in his wake... even in the Gusev Crater on Mars.

Next - Stargate Atlantis: Infection. Then Futurama - Mother's Day and (never seen by me) A Bicyclops Built For Two. Close to Midnight movie - Alien v Ninja.

zaterdag 23 april 2011

zaterdag 23 april 2011 I'm in and out of sleep last night, but I'm out of bed at 7:05. Hummus on toast for breakfast. Turn on KEXP to listen to CounterSpin. Dave Lindorff talks about Standard & Poor's "negative outlook" report on the U.S. debt, but my ears perk up when I hear him ask: Is The S&P Running Interference For The Right To Help Crush Social Security And Medicare? He suspects political shenanigans. A new blog. Yay!

This Can't Be Happening

I find a cute commercial for Sakura-Con on YouTube. I need to drop by and visit later.

Shower. Walk up to Capitol Hill. Shop for t-shirts and a new hoodie at Value Village.Drop off stuff at my place. Snack on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Head over to Freeway Park. The radio says it's 64° outside. Lovely day.

Meander around d'town - the library, Barnes & Noble, Westlake Center, Pike Street. The Sakura-Cons are everywhere... at every hotel and park. Back to my place. My prescription tells me to avoid sunlight. That's ashame. It's a sunny day in Seattle. Watch 3 Futurama episodes - A Clone Of My Own, Lrrreconcible Ndndifferences, and Spanish Fry. I've never seen A Clone Of My Own. I laugh out loud when Farnsworth says that The Speed Of Light was increased. It is impossible to go faster than this new speed of light. However, old light waves are still at the old speed. And Why Do I Have To Be The Hump?

Next - Stargate Atlantis: Brain Storm. There are lots of Cameo Appearances in this episode: Dave Foley, Bill Nye The Science Guy and Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. It's like an episode of Weird Science with the repercussions of a wish... to save the Earth from global warming. A bolt of blue light bursts violently across the room, freezing one of the scientists solid. It's freeze lightening!

Since I recently jumped to the 5th Season of Stargate Atlantis, I go back to review older episodes like the award-winning Childhood's End. And I want to understand the migration of Atlantis across space to a new planet - Adrift and Lifeline. In honor of Sakura-Con, I watch Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles.

vrijdag 22 april 2011

vrijdag 22 april 2011 Happy Earth Day!

Up at 2:42. Turn on France 24. They air The Week In The Americas - United States: Credit Rating Under Threat? The United States endures further economic woes as Standard and Poor’s lowers the nation's credit outlook. Also, the United States deploys Predator drones armed with Hellfire missiles in Libya. Play with Google Earth to explore Los Angeles. Beans and couscous for breakfast. Turn on Stephanie Miller. They discuss the Shots For Signatures movement in Wisconsin. I heard about this on Rachel's show.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Shower. Before going to work, I watch Glee - The Power Of Madonna. Fun episode. Streetcar to work. 10 to 10:30 - Planning time for Raul. We get the 6 Rainforest Kids ready for the playground. 10:30 - Break for Sabrina then Kenn. 11 - Patty's lunch. The Seahorses and the Starfish play outside. We need sunshine and warmth, but it stays cool and cloudy. I head inside to set up lunches. 12 - Toni's lunch. The 7 Starfish eat lunch and go down for naps. Easy-going hour. 1 - Cristin's lunch. I take one non-napper out to the lobby for a little while. 2 - Kenn's lunch. The 8 Seahorses are fast asleep, and they sleep until I go home. Walk up to Whole Foods to get a few things. Walk through the convention center. Party time for Sakara-Con!

Watch KOMO News. Report - Chase Bank On B'way Targeted By Anarchists (again).

Investigators in Olympia said the anarchists may be targeting financial institutions. Watch Futurama - Why Must I Be A Crustacean In Love? It's definitely a parody to Star Trek: The Original Series episode Amok Time. Fry and Zoidberg fight to the death during Claw-Plach.

"Once invoked, the sacred tradition of Claw-Plach can not be taken back. It is a recent tradition, only 18 years old, but it is a tradition none the less." ―Decapod Emperor

Sesame noodles and tofu for dinner. Watch Stargate Atlantis - Remnants. Then Stargate Atlantis (Ronon) Marathon - Runner and Sadeta. Our noble savage - Ronon Dex - played by Jason Momoa.

Watch movie from the 60's. - Fantastic Voyage. Midnight movie - Blazing Saddles. It looks so good on my iPad.

He rode a blazing saddle He wore a shining star
His job to offer battle To bad men near and far
He conquered fear and he conquered hate
He turned our night into day
He made his blazing saddle A touch to light the way

When outlaws rule the West And fear fills the land
A cry went up for a man with guts To take the West in hand
They needed a man who was brave and true With justice for all as his aim
Then out of the sun rode a man with a gun
And Bart was his name,yes Bart was his name.

donderdag 21 april 2011

donderdag 21 april 2011 Up at 1:54. Watch last night's Rachel Maddow. Report - Does Wisconsin Signal A Political Shift?

"There's something going on here." Rachel interviews the director Dante Chinni of Patchwork Nation. He suggests that Republican attacks on public union workers are playing badly in counties where government jobs are a mainstay of the economy. Interesting stuff, but I fall back to sleep for a few minutes. Up again at 4:14. Listen to BBC News. The UK is getting ready for The Royal Wedding. They have a discussion about the pros and cons of living in a monarchy. Beans on spaghetti for breakfast. Turn on Stephanie Miller.

Comedian Rick Overton joins Steph in the studio for some fun. Shower. I think that I'm fighting a bladder infection. I'm really uncomfortable walking. Take the streetcar to work. Lydia signs me up to be with the Tree Frogs. We hang out with the group in their classroom and do a little art project with dot bottles. We eventually head outside for some fresh air. We join the Sea Turtles on the playground. 11 - Tanya's lunch. We spend most of the hour outside. The sun peeks out from time to time I eat my lunch with the Sea Turtles. 12 - Pam's lunch. The 8 Sea Otters are going down early for naps. In 30 minutes, most of them are asleep. 1 - Anne's lunch. Pam deals with Mr. O. I'm feeling really uncomfortable. I tell Pam about it. I manage to make it through my last lunch break... Sea Turtles' nap time. Streetcar to d'town. The convention center is getting ready for the next Sakura-Con.

Change clothes. Watch Futurama - A Head In The Polls. Up to First Hill to get some Cipro. Drop by #404 to say "hi' to Gregg and Michael and the cats. We watch The Ed Show. Ed's Guest List... Michael Steele, Former RNC Chairman. Report - Michael Steele Faces Real Americans.

Back to my place. Finish movie - Superman/Batman Apocalypse.

Fall asleep during Hercules Versus The Barbarians.