Apparently the U.S. Census Bureau has been pretty busy because they're reminding us that on June 1, 1980, Cable News Network (CNN) started its service (source).
Many critics at the time wondered if the public would really be interested in a 24-hour, nothing-but-news channel. Now we have a number of specialty channels, ranging from golf and automobiles to cooking and religion.
Twenty percent of American households had cable back in 1980; now 75 percent do.
I think I've figured out how to get Zoe to want to spend time with me: get the laptop out and do some computing:
She frequently hops on the bed, walks over to my left, looks at me, and meows. Often she puts her paw on my arm. I look at her and say, "What?" I pet her, but that doesn't seem to placate her.
Until we got her, I've not been a cat person. I don't understand Zoe's behavior that well. Our dog Jake is easier to understand. I call his name, and he comes. I tell him to go lay down, and he does. When I ask him if he wants to go for a walk, he enthusiastically responds in the affirmative, "OF COURSE I DO!" I've learned dogspeak. Catspeak will take more time, I think.
Mood: Content
Listening to: "Taste of Cincinnati" Music Sampler
Eating: Microwave popcorn (Smart Balance brand) and Samuel Adams beer
Watching: Late Show with David Letterman
I took the day off work today so that I could go on a field trip with Keisha's class to the Cincinnati Zoo. Jennie, God love her, came along. She had worked last night and decided to join us on our zoological adventure. When I was in elementary school we took a couple of field trips, too. As I went about my day today, I found myself comparing this experience with those I had as a young student, nearly 30 years ago:
The Night Before
The night before the field trip, we would wrap a can of pop in aluminum foil and put it in the freezer overnight. Then we would pack the rest of our lunch, which consisted of a bologna sandwich on white bread with mustard, some potato chips, and maybe an apple or a banana. We'd put the frozen pop in the brown lunch bag, and, as the morning progressed, it would melt but still be cold to drink. Of course, the can would squish the sandwich, but I didn't mind.
Last night we went to Bigg's grocery store to get some lunch supplies for today. Instead of getting lunchmeat and such, we opted for the Oscar Mayer Lunchables™, which were on sale for 99 cents apiece.
The Bus Ride
I don't remember a lot about the bus rides to the zoo. I remember the bus pulling into the school entrance, and we would leave our lunches in a box that would remain on the bus until it was lunchtime. Then the teacher or another adult would bring the box to the picnic area, and we would eat.
Keisha's teacher set us up with four kids: Nathaniel, Austin, Kaylen, and Keisha. Keisha's interpreter, whose name is Miss Johnson, came along with us. We would spend the entire day together: two boys, two girls, and three adults named Johnson.
We got on the bus, and I sat with Nathaniel. As we rode the bus, he and I talked about what we looked forward to seeing at the zoo. We also talked about pets we had at home, what we liked to do in our free time, and so on.
Keisha and her friend Kaylen sat together. I think Jennie took a nap. Austin sat with Miss Johnson.
When the bus arrived at the zoo and parked, we all got out, and packed our lunches in mine, Keisha's, and Jennie's backpacks. No structure, no handouts to complete, just be back at the bus by 1:30 so that we could leave.
Making Our Way Around the Zoo
Walking around the park meant that we would be getting a lot of exercise, and I soon became aware that I needed new shoes. We went to the Cat House, the Reptile House, the Ape House (was that what it was called?), Vanishing Giants (elephants and giraffes), the Komodo Dragon, the Nocturnal House, and the Manatee area.
In between we made several trips to the restroom and stopped at the picnic area for lunch.
In the past we would go to the Insect World and also see the penguins, but we didn't have time for that today.
My favorite place today was the manatees. I was so intrigued by watching them swim around, going up ever few minutes to get air, munch on some lettuce, and otherwise have fun.
In all, it was a good time.
I love season finales. I hate them, too.
Tonight I watched the season finales of 'Lost' and 'Alias', two hit dramas on ABC created by J.J. Abrams and company.
I love season finales because they reveal a lot of plot information I've been longing for throughout the season. At the same time, I hate them because of the cliffhangers and the long waiting period before I'll get to see what happens next.
SPOILER ALERT!
J.J. Abrams and company do an excellent job with this. There I was, excited that a boat had come to rescue the group of "Lost" survivors, only to find that they wanted young Walt and blew up the raft his dad and the other three men were on! Similarly, after all the hubub going on with "Alias", the Rambaldi stuff - Sydney and Vaughn are driving along, contemplating getting married. Vaughn tells Syd that he's really a bad guy, and, before she, and we, get a chance to digest this - BAM! they're in a terrible car accident!
This important announcement was forwarded to me by the Official Mom of 'Journey Inside My Mind':
ALL ARE WELCOME
OPEN TO MEN ONLY
Note: due to the complexity and level of difficulty, each course will accept a maximum of eight participants.
The course covers two days, and topics covered in this course include:
DAY ONE
HOW TO FILL ICE CUBE TRAYS
Step by step guide with slide presentation
TOILET ROLLS- DO THEY GROW ON THE HOLDERS?
Roundtable discussion
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAUNDRY BASKET & FLOOR
Practicing with hamper (Pictures and graphics)
DISHES & SILVERWARE; DO THEY LEVITATE/FLY TO THE KITCHEN SINK BY THEMSELVES?
Debate among a panel of experts.
LEARNING HOW TO FIND THINGS
Starting with looking in the right place instead of turning the house upside down while screaming. - Open forum
DAY TWO
EMPTY MILK CARTONS; DO THEY BELONG IN THE FRIDGE OR THE TRASH BIN?
Group discussion and role play
HEALTH WATCH; BRINGING HER FLOWERS IS NOT HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH
PowerPoint presentation
REAL MEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS WHEN LOST
Real life testimonial from the one man who did
IS IT GENETICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT QUIETLY AS SHE PARALLEL PARKS?
Driving simulation
LIVING WITH ADULTS; BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR PARTNER
Online class and role playing
HOW TO BE THE IDEAL SHOPPING COMPANION
Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques
REMEMBERING IMPORTANT DATES & CALLING WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE
Bring your calendar or PDA to class
GETTING OVER IT; LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH BEING WRONG ALL THE TIME
Individual counselors available
Mood: a little bit subdued
Listening to: Bob and Tom Show
Over the past few weeks, a lot of unfortunate things have been happening, either at the workplace or in my coworkers' personal lives: Pretty heavy stuff. I don't really have much more to say about it right now, except to direct you to Letters to God: Please help my coworkers.
Mood: Upbeat
Watching: Seinfeld on the WB 64
Getting Out
Last night I wanted to do something nice with Keisha, and Jennie happened to mention that she'd called in sick. Therefore if we went out, we wouldn't need to be back so that Jennie could have the car:
Since Jennie had been inside all day, I decided to take them to see "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith". The movie has some great lessons about the subtle temptation to do evil, along with its consequences.
(May 23 Update: My comments on the IMDB.com message board for Revenge of the Sith have been approved. See "Money and Time Well Spent".)
This morning we had a good quiet time together about Ephesians 6:1-3, which talks about children honoring their parents. We learned that to honor means to show respect, which means to take someone seriously.
And now, for the gross part
To change the subject, Jennie, Keisha, and I have had a rough past couple days. Specifically, our sinuses have been acting up. Jennie has had it the worst, coughing up a lot of phlegm. Keisha sounded like she was wheezing as she slept.
As for me, I've been prone to nosebleeds. Bloody snot. That would be a good name for a punk rock band, wouldn't it?
Mood: eager
Listening to: 'Alias' on ABC
Watching: 'Alias' on ABC
In less than two hours I will be sitting in a movie theater with a bunch of other crazy Star Wars fans, watch Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Now is a great opportunity to talk about that and some great developments at work:
Heading To the Big Show
I had ordered my tickets via MovieTickets.com earlier today, and, on the way home, I stopped by the movie theater to pick them up. I had not been at the Cincinnati Mills mall for such a long time. The last time I had spent any considerable time there, it was still called Forest Fair Mall.
I could barely recognize the inside of the place, and I needed help finding where the movie theater was. I followed some signs as I drove, and eventually I got to the top of a parking garage and went inside.
I asked someone for directions, and he steered me in the right direction. I walked up to the box office and picked up my tickets. Because of the large anticipated crowd, they've already got a special area cordoned off for us moviegoers.
Jennie and Keisha are already asleep, and I'm feeling a bit tired from staying up late last night. I'll have to pick up an energy drink or two before I head to the theater. I may get some popcorn and a soda, too.
At Least the Commute Will Be Lighter
Fortunately, I'm going to be working closer to home tomorrow. My employer has an office here in Cincinnati, and, while it's been used more as a sales office, from time to time, people will work out of there.
I'm looking forward to being able to work part of the week, not having to drive so far to work. Jennie is off work tonight and tomorrow, so she'll be able to have the car tomorrow after she drops me off.
Mood: giddy
It feels like Christmas Eve. I got my tickets to see Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith for the 12:05 am showing. The only reason I'm able to go is that my wife Jennie has the night off. It's not her kind of movie, and it's definitely not a movie for my 7 year old daughter.
It will be interesting to see if anyone arrives in costume. I wouldn't be surprised.
The excitement and anticipation is making work a little bit distracting, but I'll press through it. My boss and I are going to head to the Cincinnati office this afternoon, and it looks like I'll be able to work from there for part of the work week.
Mood: cold and a little congested
Listening to: K-LOVE
Dear Mr. and Ms. Meteorologist:
I realize that we're not supposed to shoot the messenger, but could we - please? This has been the coldest spring I can think of. Not only that, but we've been getting teased with warm weather one week and cold weather the next.
Everyone in my family has some sort of sinus-related congestion/nasal drip.
UGH!
Sincerely,
Dan Johnson, Jr.
Dear Zoe:
Jennie, Keisha, Jake, and I are all pleased to have you live in our home and be our cat. We would, however, like to clarify something with you.
For the most part, we are awake when it is daylight outside. We have noticed that you prefer to spend this time underneath the bed located in mine and Jennie's room.
As it becomes night, you come out from under the bed and expect us to pet you. Night time is when we usually sleep. Please don't get upset, therefore, when we decide to nudge you off the bed.
If you want our affection we suggest that you adjust your schedule to better reflect our lifestyle. Jake, our somewhat neurotic dog, was able to do that after about one month, so you're definitely on track.
Also, we've never had a cat before, so we cannot be expected to understand the varied meanings of "Meow". Please bear with us.
Sincerely,
The Johnson Family
I have a dream that one day there will be no such thing as butterfly-shaped interchanges:
To say the least, it's dangerous because vehicles are merging in opposite directions.
Here's an aerial photo of one at I-275 and I-75 in the Cincinnati area.
Here's one of I-75 and I-70, which is being reconstructed to a safer design (see I70-I75 Interchange Project).
One of my pet peeves lately is poor written grammar. While I tend to be more tolerant when English is not the primary language, I don't have a lot of mercy, however, for my fellow Americans; specifically, those who live in the metropolitan area where I live (emphasis added):
Perhaps these people should obtain a copy of the "Vocabulary Builder-Upper", as heard on the Bob and Tom Show.
I've heard it said that, when you read a fortune from a fortune cookie, you're supposed to add the words "in bed" to it:
That's why, for a long time, I couldn't stop laughing after reading the fortune I'd gotten yesterday. Remember to add the words "in bed" at the end.
I first obtained this list when I was in college. At the time I had four other roommates. Now that I've been married, it applies to how I live with my wife and daughter. The cat and dog, too, perhaps:
Based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Above all, love each other deeply - 1 Peter 4:8
Mood: hungry
Listening to: K-LOVE
Mondays at my company are always hectic because that's when payroll processing begins. What makes it challenging for me, as a programmer, is that I have to be available to troubleshoot problems with applications I've written that are used to automate payroll entry into our system.
In most cases, it just takes less than an hour to diagnose and fix the problem. Today, however, is different. We have one client who has decided to change things around on the file they've sent us:
I made the changes to the application, but the business was not ready to handle the exception messages. This new layout has uncovered mistakes that client has made, as well as mistakes made on our (the business's) end.
My job is not to necessarily tell the business how to handle these; it's really just to interpret it for them.
At the same time, I'm trying to finish testing another application for a client who will be sending their payroll within the next few hours.
As we in the United States get ready for Mother's Day this coming Sunday, let's consider this:
My Mom mentioned today a story about a junior in high school who was suspended for talking on his cell phone to his Mom, who is currently serving in Iraq.
Is this the lesson the school system is trying to teach our children?
Is this the message that the school system is trying to convey? Can't they be a bit lenient in this case?
I'm outraged.
Because I can, I've created a post with the following date/timestamp:
05/05/05 05:05
There's gotta be something significant about that. Not just that it's Cinco de Mayo.
It's been kinda quiet around our home for the past few days:
Jennie has had laryngitis since Saturday afternoon. As we were shopping on Sunday afternoon, Keisha remarked that she felt like she was losing her voice.
"I can only hope," I said to Jennie, jokingly.
In order to communicate, Jennie has had to use sign language. When we were driving on Sunday, I couldn't watch her and the road at the same time - contrary to what you might think. We had Keisha, who is hard-of-hearing, interpret so that I could concentrate on the road. It wound up be pretty effective.
Now, as Jennie's voice is returning, she's sounding like Don Vito Corleone from "The Godfather". When she calls, she says stuff like, "I need $600 under the table, or you'll need to get ready for the 24/7 dirt nap."
This comic strip web site is spoofing the Star Wars saga over the next few weeks. Here's where it started (apr 18) http://yirmumah.net/?date=20050418
YIRMUMAH ONLINE
Mood: Upbeat
Listening to:Positive and Encouraging K-LOVE
Eating: Dannon Light 'n Fit blueberry yogurt
Zoe is gradually getting used to her new home:
She and Jake are learning more about each other, too. More than anything, I think it's curiosity on both sides. Jake probably just wants to play, and that's why he's probably wondering why Zoe is underneath our bed.
Jennie and Keisha wooed her out yesterday with a can of tuna fish. She loved that.
This sounds weird as I type it, but we're looking forward to when she uses her litterbox. I think that we're eager for her to use it because we don't want her to go anywhere else.
Mother's Day in the US is Sunday, May 8, 2005. The US Census Bureau has released some facts for us to ponder:
BACKGROUND
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License
by Daniel Johnson, Jr. & Jazzmania Productions
Keeping the 'fun' in dysfunctional
Everything written here is my personal opinion and not that of any employer, past or present.
