Month: April 2005

 

The doggie in the window

If there’s one thing on my mind more often lately, it’s gettign a dog… My younger brother went and got himself a great Dane puppy, my family hasn’t really had an active dog since Brownie passed a few years ago. Honey — god bless her, was a sloth who just loved to eat and didn’t do much besides sun herself outside.

Under Jenna’s influence, I’m interested in getting a Whippet but my sources are non existent. I’m not looking for a champion but I’m not looking for a mutt either… I’m also not looking for an over-physical dog tha will jump all over me and knock me around without knowing (thus why I haven’t gone after a pitbull).

Movie Trivia – Round 3

Anyone care to answer? Anyone? Anyone?

Which movie star was originally cast to play Mrs. Robinson’s husband in the 1960’s classic, “The Graduate?”

Hint – he and Dustin Hoffman used to be roomates.

The X-(mas)Files

Fair warning people….

Eight more months till Christmas. Those shopping days are counting down to a very precious few.

…As long as they both shall live

Anyone else noticing For Better or for Worse is setting up for its swan song?

I’m a regular comics reader — every day in the paper, sometimes the funny papers are the only highlight of my day (until the day gets going) and sometimes they’re the only good news to find in the newspaper. The dramedy of the Patterson clan – be it John and Elly, Grandpa Jim and Iris, Michael and Deanna and their brood, Elizabeth and April – and their daily life is something I enjoy reading daily. Yet I am aware that Lynn Johnston is supposed to be ending the series when her contract expires in 2006. I ALSO recall several snide remarks in my local paper, by comic critics, that thought it wasn’t soon enough for Johnston to go away.

And why?

Oh, it was all over the fact that Lynn introduced a gay character a few years ago and, at the time of some publishing upheveal, she was bringing him back for Mike’s wedding.

At any rate, John Patterson is talking retirement from the dental industry, Elly Patterson is contemplating selling her store…. Mike’s living on his own, as is Elizabeth and April could probably have a music breakout before things are through (as she plays in a band and has been keen on music since Grandpa Jim introduced her to it).

Or maybe I am wrong? Of course the story can keep going — but I don’t think it will be. I think the end is nearing.

Sports MEdia Whoring

The NFL Draft begins todays and like usual there is a wide net of coverage all over the Internet and throughout the media…

The St. Petersburg Times introduced their city editor as a blogger — Kevin McGeeve — to help cover the draft… That or to increase online readership?

McGreeve points to a couple of Times articles by staff writers and neglects several things that make bloggers different from traditional print media. One of those things is relying on a derth of sources, personal opinions and holding people’s attention.

While I continue to monitor the blog and see if there are any updates, I can’t help but agree with someone who commented on Kevin’s first post — Why is anyone showing up at this blog? There is better coverage at ESPN.com or on another media site. McGreeve hasn’t really blogged anything worth reading. Maybe that will change today. We’ll see.

Comment Problems once again

Damn Spam Karma — it is treating some comments as if they were spam. I apologize to anyone who has commented and it hasn’t gone through.

Movie Trivia – Round two

Bah, this time at least take a guess if you don’t know the answer….

Anyhow — Trivia round 2 is upon us.

In The Godfather films, what is routinely used as a death sign before a killing?

Humor me

In your humble opinion, what do YOU think a Stonegauge is….? Or what do you think of when you hear the word?

Oh yeah, and answering “You” doesn’t count :-p

Under Construction

Well, until I figure out how to get this page to look like it should – and right now it looks like shit because I’m still trying to figure out what I want Der Stongauge to look like – consider the site under construction. I apologize if the look of the page makes you want to barf. 🙁

Mad props, yo

It always makes me feel a little better when I get a compliment on something I have written… Especially when it’s coming form a higher up who is established in the writing community in some way, shape or form.

That’s why I’m beaming over some of the praise I’ve gotten from James Mirtle on his blog, directed at a post I made on Boltsmag. James is a hockey journalist and if I ever get ANY recognition from the guy for what I write, I’m usually happy.

Speaking of writing, I had a letter published in the St. Petersburg TImes today — titled “Going Down the Wrong Road.” First time in a while one of my opinions is good enough to print.

To vBB or not to vBB, that is the question

I have an odd Dilema with Baseball Boards. I have a very limited number of posters and lack of reputation under the current name. The lack of posting is hurting just as much as the lack of members is hurting.

That being said, I’m still playing with the idea of what could improve things and improve member additions to the site.

The site merger is all but nixed — too much uncertainty and too much negative outlook. Too little control. What I am toying with to bide the time, however,is to have vBulletin put onto the site instead of phpBB. VBulletin gives a better look to the forums and mroe functionality. PHPBB is open source, hackable… Extra spamable.

I need to ask around if I should make the switch… Its just a thought right now – and it will set me back 90 bucks at least.

Movie Trivia – round one

OK, I want to try to do a weekly thing that will at least keep me from being entirely bored with der Stonegauge…. It’s soemthign that I usually reserve for Internet Message boards and the like. So I figure it can’t hurt to try it here on the site.

OK, what will happen is eithe ri post a quote or a question concerning films. Just answer the question and presto. You can eithe rask me a question to follow up or you can post a quote and ask me what movie it’s from.

Anyone willing to play? I’ll make the first one easy:

What was the phrase that is inscribed in black-speech on the One Ring in Lord of the Rings?

Catching on = Not

OK so it’s only a poll on a cheap little mailing list (that I happen to run) but it’s sort of intersting to see that the 8 respondants to this poll only see a Segway rarely if ever out and about.

With gas prices going up up up, the visibility of the Segway HT seems to be going down down down. Go figure.

Social Saturday's

Great news to report regarding me hanging out with Leah on Saturday!!

I FINALLY got my DVD’s — Resevoir Dogs and Equillibrium – back! Oh joy! Oh joy! 😀

I also got a wakeup call seeing an old friend and attending his wifes baby shower. I won’t go into details for the sake of trying not to sound judgemental, but to go from hard and at the high point and then get responsibilities while enjoying yoruself sure can change a person.

Arbor Day and the Old Oak Tree

You know I just posted about wanting to plant something on April 29th….

It seems the City of Clearwater is giving away trees for residents (and this will likely be repeated depending on where you live):

On TampaBayEntertainment.com:

If You Plant Them, They Will Grow! – As the summer sun beams down on Clearwater, the thought of sitting in the shade of an old oak tree becomes appealing. Clearwater residents are invited to receive two free trees per household, plant them and watch them grow! Come to the Public Service Complex, 1650 N. Arcturas Ave. on Saturday, April 9, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Trees will be given away on a first-come, first-served basis and proof of residency is required. The tree giveaway is part of the city’s Arbor Day celebration. Patrick Keough and Gary Zippier with the Florida Division of Forestry will present the prestigious Tree City USA flag to Clearwater. City staff will answer questions relating to maintaining and watering the new trees. Call 562-4950 with questions

Still Themeing

Didn’t realize Alex King was using this very theme I am employing.

Gotta find something else… Cuz I feel like a knock off right now.

Anyone want to suggest a theme? They are all right here….

Boarding pass

John F – former Administrative Community Manager – FanHome.com

John F – former Administrator – The MLB Forum

John F – Administrator – Baseball Boards

John F – Administrator – The MLB Forum?

TMLBForum has had a whirlwind couple of weeks – a negative whirlwind at that. The owner threw a hissy fit and took all of his sites off line. His posters are on another site, he’s caused a great deal of damage…

And oen of my firends who post there and talks to the guy suggested that i take over the ship when the site is live again.

I have reservations becasue I want Baseball Boards to be a success. I have a few of my own people who I am loyal to who I want to agree with me on anythign that goes down.

I also think taking over that site with such a negative vibe will mean more work. Those who don’t know me will not trust me. Those who know the site and what happened will not trust the site to remain there for them. You can NOT be professional and take something so personal that you close the buisness down in a hissy fit, and then expect people to come back. People will come back after technical problems, people will come back after downtime, but people don’t want to come back whent he site no longer seems to give a damn about the fact they are valuable members.

Still no work

Got another polite rejection in the mail today. Of coruse I don’t know if I would have really wanted to work for these guys. I had what it takes for the position they were looking for, just not the recent references.

Oh, yeah, that and phone ability.

I did a bit of chatting yesterday about being discouraged and got told some stuff about the resume game. Gave me a bit more hope and gave me a bit more feeling that I should be aggressive with the job applicaiton process… Not so limp.

We’ll see if there is another opportunity soon.

Arbor Day

April 29th is National Arbor Day and wouldn’t you know it? I have at least oen tree ready to be planted. SInce I started harvesting the Laurel Acorns last fall, I’ve had 5 of them take and start growing, while my sixth Laurel sapling is 18″ and over 2 years old.

Now if only I had a safe place to plant the damn things… Somewhere they wouldn’t be mowed over and yet someplace that isn’t in the middle of nowhere which cna use a tree.

I always thought that somewhere along the Lake Tarpon Outfall Canal woudl be a good spot but I’m not sure aobut that any more.

The people and things….

I got nostalgic yesterday a bit not just because of where I was and who I was with, but also someoen I ended up talking to via email….

Eric Rosell, one of my best friends growing up – the kid aroudn the corner – got married in a small ceremony at a local church. It was the first time I had seen his parents in a few months, the first time I had seen his brother in a few years and the first time I had seen his sister in more years. It was amazing I was attending Eric’s wedding, surreal even. (sidenote – is it bad luck if a Catholic is married on teh day the Pope dies? I hope not)

I grew up playing or hanging out at Eric’s house. I was the one that was first notably enamoured with someone of the opposite sex… Or at least the first to make a big deal otu of love and romance and stuff like that. This, that and the other thing – I saw my childhood before me — even as it disappeared further.

The nostalgia didn’t end there as I heard from Danae – the girl who live ddownt eh block for a time who I was flipped out for. I had sent her an email wishing her a happy birthday — strange how sometimes you feel like it’s not yoru place to say soemthing like that and yet you have no problem with doing so with other people who are almost complete strangers. She got to breaking me the news her grandmother – who lives down the block – had passed away at Christmas (which I wasn’t aware of) and other things. I remembered being smitten with the saphire-eyed girl who lived at the corner… I thought of the memory of the past – and the awkwardness and malignance the relationship had in general.

But of all negatives in the past – they’ve been forgiven. If not forgotten by me.

Poped Out

You know, I’m a Catholic. Non practicing mind you — sorta Agniostic, but someoen who respects the Church at times and ridicules it at others….

Pope John Paul II’s passing is sad mostly because this is a very famous person who has been in the spotlight, at the head of the Roman Catholic Church, for 26 years. I’m not saying that to ridicule the Pontiff, nor am I trying to insult or ridicule anyone by thsi regard. It’s just the first immediate observation of the Pope’s passing.

That being said, I’m getting sick of some of the covnersation on TV and have chosen to turn it off instead of watching news coverage of the Pope’s final hours.

“Father, What are Catholics feeling right now?” was asked a few dozen times by various news sources and it just seemed like the most ignorant, stupid quesiton that could be asked. Someone’s getting ready to die – someone famous, and they are askign what people – because that’s what catholics are, not some alien race – are feeling?

I wanted to hear the clergyman reply, “They’re upset — someone’s fucking died for heavens sake! Someone they may not have been that close too but someone who was famous died. But guess whatt!?!? Life goes on! They’re grieving but they’re living their lives, having weddings, working, etc…. Now please ask me something RELEVANT to the passing of a Pope! Something that leaves you with a shred of journalistic integrity… please?!”

OK, I'll try to give this another shot

OK so I pissed off Melanie because I shut down der Stonegauge seemingly….

I also got a stern talking to from my comrade-in-blogs Tommy….

So maybe I will keep on typing? I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? I bore you? Of course I bore you – you’re on the Internet and that means you are already bored for crissakes… If I was an excuse for you not to be bored, i got news for you….

😉

I’m going to go one post at a time for a while and see how it goes… Maybe I will go back to the multi-bullshti posting in a bit… THat is if I can get the spark behind the Stonegauge once again.