A Dog-gone Good Time!...

Today I took Chili up to Forest Park for the annual "Bark In The Park" festivities. Dogs of all shapes and sizes (and their owners of all shapes and sizes) converged on Cricket Field in Forest Park for the Humane Society of Missouri's annual benefit for rescued animals. There was a mass dog-walk to start things off (we got there late and snuck into the middle of it) and then all the dogs mingled amongst the tents set up for dog-related organizations from all over the area. Several local bluegrass bands performed throughout the day, which I thought was very cool, personally. The Purina Incredible Dog Team performed aerial acrobatics and the St. Louis Police Canine unit showed off their skills. I showed Chili around Forest Park a bit afterwards. She was plum tuckered out! I have posted pictures at my Flickr account.

Sunday Night SOC...

-- this one's early tonight because I covered the late shift at work last night and didn't sleep until after 2:00 a.m., so I'm bedding down early tonight. Yes, that was me you saw watching reruns of "Emergency!" on hulu.com late in the midnight hour. Television medical dramas have come a long, long way in 36 years.

-- Mother's Day tasted good this year! I joined my bro, sis-in-law, and adorable Lydia at my parents' church in Festus this morning. My parents proudly showed off Lydia to their friends as they passed by. She was quiet through most of the service but she got fussy towards the end. We had lunch and a lazy afternoon at my parents' house afterwards. The weather was unpleasantly cool, cloudy, and extremely windy but the sun broke through by late afternoon.

-- felt a twinge of sadness when I read of Dottie Rambo's untimely death overnight. She'd just sung a concert here in the St. Louis area and was en route to a Mother's Day concert in Texas when her bus wrecked on I-44 near Mount Vernon, MO. I suppose if you're a traveling gospel singer as she was, that's how you might hope to go, in a bus on the way to your next gig. I always hate to hear of people dying suddenly, with no chance to say goodbye to their loved ones. Another living legend of gospel music gone on to glory.

-- have you seen that Dannon Activia yogurt commercial with Jamie Lee Curtis? The one that really annoys me? Does anyone really believe Jamie Lee Curtis stopped in the dairy aisle of her local A & P to read a yogurt carton? I mean, really! That almost insults my intelligence. And that $25 phrase she throws out in the middle of the monologue, "Bifidus Regularis" - that has nothing to do with yogurt. It describes Biff after his nightly dose of Metamucil.

-- more musical goodness from Dusty Groove America coming in the mail tomorrow. Yay!

-- was disappointed in Hallmark's offering of Mother's Day cards this year. I didn't find a single one that I liked. There was a LOT of pink and purple and flowers on the cards this year. Add in a ton of trite poetics and you get one non-plussed Matlockjohn. I stopped in at a nearby Family Christian Store and bought a Dayspring card with a nice bible verse inside.

-- memo to all stores who offer "rewards" cards that are all the rage these days. no, I don't have one of your rewards cards, and I don't want one, so please just ring me up and let me get on with my life. That is all.

-- on the lighter side, did you know that the Cateract is the favorite American car in Japan? No charge for that one, folks.

-- it's time to fold laundry and then fold myself into the sack. Have a good week, gentle readers.

The Height Of Evil!...

A good portion of the country of Myanmar was wiped out by a cyclone last week. A humanitarian crisis has ensued as the death toll has reached well into the 5 figures and many thousands more are without adequate food or shelter. Some foreign aid has reached the country and more should be on its way but the military junta government is going on its merry way conducting the country's business as if nothing is wrong! They have blocked distribution of all relief supplies and food so far.

I know the Bible tells us in Psalm 37 to not fret because of evil men, when they succeed in their ways, but I'm having a hard time with this, folks.

Multiplyin' Like Rabbits...

Incredible, but true, folks...I don't make the news, just pass it along.

The Duggar family of Tontitown, Arkansas, 17 children strong, will welcome their 18th(!) child next January.

Read all about it here.

Forgive me, folks, but I find it funny that the husband's name is Jim Bob.

Not A Best Buy...

I was in my local Best Buy last night doing a bit of shopping because I was considering a new cell phone for a certain maternal relative of mine who has a holiday being celebrated this weekend. My eyes fell upon a certain display phone that had no price tag associated with it. I asked a young blue-shirted associate about this and he checked behind the counter. His reply: "we actually don't any in stock and we don't even sell that phone anymore."

Stupidly, I continued on in this conversation. "So if this phone isn't being sold and no one has any hope of getting one from this store, why is it still on display?" "Because we haven't had time to take it off display," he replied. This was about 15 minutes before closing time. There was not much traffic in the store and there were at least 5 other associates milling around not doing much of anything.

I went and looked at LCD flat-panel TVs until about 5 minutes before closing time. The phone was still on display when I passed by.

sigh...

I Am Amused...

at the Major League Baseball Players' Association. They have opened an investigation into why several of its big-name players are still free agents. Players such as Barry Bonds, Kenny Lofton, David Wells and Mike Piazza are still jobless as of this writing. A few teams have job openings that these players would fit nicely into, yet they remain unsigned.

I have a theory, maybe I'm wrong but hear me out. These "star" players they're concerned about are all near or above the age of 40! It's called "they have nothing left and but won't admit they're through!" What's more, Barry Bonds, who is the biggest of the big names, IS UNDER INDICTMENT BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!! HELLO! No team is going to touch him as long as that monkey is riding shotgun on his back. The fact that Bonds' old team, the San Francisco Giants, have removed all references to him from their stadium should tell you how they feel about him.

Now, mind you, I have nothing against the age of 40 or athletes who play up to and beyond that age but if you've got no gas left in your tank you should just retire quietly and move on. Matt Morris is a good example of this - he is still in his early 30s but retired this week after being released by the Pittsburgh Pirates. If the Pirates can't use you, then you know your career is really over, folks.

Should all Realtors whose listed homes aren't selling band together and investigate why that is so? Should all salesmen whose products aren't selling investigate why their products won't well?

Give me a break...

Pedal Pusher...

I did get in a nice 1.5 hr ride on Grant's Trail late this afternoon, a little over 13 miles round-trip. Temperature was just right with just a bit of breeze. On the map above, I went from 1 to 8 and back.

Sunday Night Stream Of Consciousness...

Last Sunday night's ramble produced one positive review, so I'm going at it again tonight. Let's see what comes out of my brain this time...

-- My Saturday was good, thanks for asking. I took Chili to a couple of pet stores to sniff around and meet other dogs. We came home and did a bit of yard work in the back yard, interspersed with some romps in the grass. Romping is good for the soul, I have come to believe.

-- I'm having a couple of people come by tomorrow to give me estimates on replacement windows for my house. I'd promised myself I'd take this summer off from doing any home-improvements, but it can't hurt to look into it, right? My windows are old, single-pane, and drafty. Not to mention not energy-efficient in the least. Maybe some siding, too? We'll see.

-- "Charlie Wilson's War" - rented it Thursday night. Another great movie. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are the big name stars and they turn in their usual stellar performances. However, the reason to watch this movie is Philip Seymour Hoffman. He's one of my favorite actors. His role as a dumpy, profane spy is a perfect one for him. He steals every scene he's in.

-- Come on without, come on within. You'll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn.

-- My friend J delivered baby Logan on Thursday evening. The pictures I've seen show a happy family. I'm happy for them. Feeling guilty that I didn't remember to go visit them and another hospitalized friend Friday night.

-- My parents babysat Lydia Joy last night while her parents went to church and out to dinner afterwards. I stopped by and visited them and her. Finally! Finally! I got to hold her for an extended length of time! I hadn't held a baby like that since I was back in the nursery at Faith Baptist Church ten years ago. She is four months old tonight. Can't tell you how satisfying it is to see my parents finally getting to enjoy her after being preoccupied with my grandpa's illness for so long.

-- The weather was picture-perfect today, absolutely perfect in every respect. Abundant sunshine, cloudless sky, and just-right temperature. A fine day for a picnic. Which is what I attended after church today. My Monday-night bible study's annual Spring outdoor party took place at Queeny Park and we had a great time enjoying good food and fellowship. Yes, I got some sunburn. Yes, it will probably smart a little in the morning.

-- Will try to get in a bike ride on Grant's Trail tomorrow. I found out I can't participate in the fund raiser bike ride my biking friends are preparing for because it's happening on the day I'm away for my friend's wedding in Kansas. Bummer!

-- Look up the expression "old master" in the dictionary and you'll find a picture of Freddy Cole. He's Nat "King" Cole's younger brother and he's been a jazz vocalist in his own right for decades. His latest CD was Grammy-nominated for good reason. His voice is superb and the Bill Charlap trio backs him up perfectly.

The Odd Things I See Sometimes...

A couple of oddities from the weekend...

Chili and I encountered this on our evening walk last night - look closely:

Taken from inside my car before leaving church this afternoon. Click on this picture and you'll see a PT Cruiser with, yes, *whitewall tires* and 1940s-style hubcaps. oh-so-retro:

Modern Manners...

Today's Miss Manners column was a doozy...witness:

Dear Miss Manners: What do you do when your only daughter has her mother (a redneck) escort her down the aisle instead of her living father? The mother is the force behind this.

As a young couple, the two divorced early. My brother went his way, and she did also. Over the years, he supported the child monetarily and not as much physically.

Her mother's side is more controlling. As aunt and uncles, we all sent gifts, but all went unrecognized. We have excused this with lack of manners from parents.

Should we lower ourselves as rednecks and take care of them in a restroom? Or pretend their actions are a slap in the face to our family, especially my brother, who did the best that he could as a young dad and adult? It leaves me to believe that they are vindictive and money grubbers.

Please help me understand their ignorance. Your comments and suggestions are important and much needed.

Gentle Reader: It strikes Miss Manners that what is needed is a security guard in the restrooms.

Her suggestion is that you all calm down and not hurl charges of ignorance (along with other insults) that could better be used against you.

Galling as you will find this, having the parent who actually reared the daughter give her away at her wedding is traditionally correct. With two parents in the house, it was the father, but the underlying idea was that the bride had been living under his protection, and he was about to transfer custody to the bridegroom.

Now we all know that today's bride does not care to consider herself in need of either such protection. But if she likes the anachronistic custom, she need not scurry to find a male to do it. In the absence of a custodial father, the mother is not an improper choice.

(I added the bold and italics)

Bloglines Notifier...

This little blog is beginning to pick up a bit more traffic lately, so I want to let my readers know about Bloglines Notifier. It's an unobtrusive piece of software that resides in your Windows system tray and notifies you when your favorite blogs are updated. Thus, you would avoid needlessly clicking over here to see if I've updated. Simply download and install the software for free, then type in the names of each blog you read and et voila! I have about 11 blogs that I read regularly so this little program is a real time-saver.

Worth A Read...

Couple of good columns in today's newspaper. Bill McClellan laments the decline and fall of the Pulitzer family culture at the Post-Dispatch. Meanwhile, sports columnist Dan O'Neill weighs in with a great commentary on the decline and fall of Roger Clemens.

A Suite Experience...

I had a great time at the Cardinals game tonight. The Cardinals had a great time at the game too, winning 7-2 over the at-least-for-tonight hapless Cincinnati Reds. Joel Piñeiro held the Reds in check for 7 scoreless innings. Ron Villone and Anthony Reyes finished up, with Reyes ruining the shutout by tossing one errant pitch that landed over the center field wall. The Reds started off poorly with a Keystone Kops-style base running play that killed the momentum they were building. Troy Glaus notched a Little League home run, circling the bases after a Reds outfielder misplayed his double. I think he's still running as I write this.

The suite experience was nice. I consumed a hot dog and 2 plates of nachos, a soft pretzel, and some Blue Bunny Screamer ice cream. Free food does, in fact, taste better. Especially when the home team is winning.

I posted some pictures here.

Oh, and during the game I worried a bit about having to walk back to my car afterwards. I parked in a lot 5 blocks away from the stadium and even if I stayed with the crowd, well, you just never know. Well, as I'm walking away from the stadium, who do I find in front of me but one of the pastors from my church, his wife, and another couple whom I know! They were parked in the same lot as me so we all walked together in safety. Thanks, God!

SUITE!...

Sunday Night Stream Of Consciousness...

-- I really enjoy sleeping late on Saturday mornings; by late I mean 8-8:30 a.m.-ish. The usual routine is: take dog out to do her business, come back to do spiritual business (morning devotional: My Utmost For His Highest, Updated Edition - I highly recommend it), throw on some clothes and take dog for walk if weather is good, return and have breakfast, and then on with the day.

-- Did some shopping yesterday. Really need some new work shoes and non-work tennis shoes. Could not find anything that I liked. Made a late-afternoon trip to Crestwood Mall. (sorry, recently its name changed to Crestwood COURT since its new owners took over). The mall is in really sad shape these days. Almost a ghost town inside, a far cry from when my mom and brother and I would journey up there from Festus when I was a teenager. I did find a new pair of khaki Dockers to replace my current pair of khaki Dockers, which are an unknown number of years old and falling apart at the seams.

-- I'm so proud of myself. I have actually purchased a wedding gift more than a week in advance of the wedding. Wish I could get off work the day before the wedding, not looking forward to the solo drive to Wichita.

-- I'm proud of myself for another reason. I accomplished a household repair all by myself! The toilet in my half-bath was leaking water all over the place so one new water supply line plus one new fill valve equals no more leaky toilet. YAY!

-- Rented "Lars And The Real Girl" last night. It's a quirky little movie that you, too, should rent. Trust me on this one.

-- I am now the owner of a really nice La-Z-Boy side chair/recliner and 2 end-tables that had been in my Papaw's front room. My front room needed some more furniture so my mom brought them back with her yesterday. She was in Malden Friday and Saturday beginning the long process of cleaning out the house and preparing it for sale. Yes, it will be hard to say goodbye to that house. If I had the money, I'd buy it.

-- My mom and dad logged some Lydia-time at the Missouri Botanical Garden on Wednesday and they got in some Chili-time while they were at my house today.

-- My friend J was due to have her baby today but her husband G reports tonight that baby L is reluctant to come out so J will be induced later this week.

-- Got a bad case of love, people, my heart is filled with misery - so sings B.B. King. That song blew my mind when I was shopping at Eddie Bauer one day. I immediately iTunes'd it onto my iPod when I got home that day. Some people play air guitar or air drums; being a one-time keyboard player, I play air-organ on that song.

-- Employment at my company does have its occasional perks. I and my co-workers will be enjoying this Tuesday night's Cardinals baseball game from one of the Busch Stadium suites, courtesy of our advertising division. In addition, I was able to score 2 FREE TICKETS to an upcoming performance of Jersey Boys at the (Fabulous) Fox Theater. Enjoy the show, Mom and Dad!

-- was supposed to ride bikes with last Sunday's pack of riders but it was raining and 49 degrees at the pack leader's house this afternoon so he cancelled our ride. Amen, brother.

-- It's now after 11:00 so I really should do my body a favor and get to bed soon. I leave you with the end panel from a recent re-run of a Calvin and Hobbes comic. It really hit me hard, in light of recent events in my life. The context: Calvin has just found out the baby raccoon he rescued has died. His words :

"I'm crying because out there he's gone but he's not gone inside of me"

Whatchootalkinbout?

I almost never spend any time watching the BET cable network, but last Sunday I was surfing and happened upon a rerun (re-run?) of "Diff'rent Strokes." Oh, the nostalgia...

Feel The Burn...

knocked out 15 miles on the bike today. Some friends from church and I met at Creve Coeur Lake to enjoy the Spring sunshine. We went west across the northern edge of the lake then turned northwest to parallel the Page Ave. extension and crossed over Missouri River, before turning around at the Katy Trail. I neglected to bring sunscreen so I may be feeling the "burn" tomorrow, hopefully not too bad. I had a great time and managed to keep up with the others pretty easily. Not too bad for my first long ride of the year. I did a short preliminary ride on Grant's Trail yesterday to make sure my bike was still in good shape.

I would like to teach Chili to run beside me as I ride; am I dreaming?

*EDIT* - no sunburn but lingering soreness... : )

They Found Him...

....that person that TV news always seems to find when covering a natural disaster. By the way, Chili and slept through the earthquake but I did feel the aftershock this morning.

Another Year Older...

Now I am officially 34 years old. I am reminded as I am every birthday about the OB/GYN whose lunch hour was interrupted so I could be delivered safely. My arrival was early by about 6 weeks; I guess I just couldn't wait any longer.

Much has happened in the last year. It hardly seems possible that a year has gone by, actually. I still remember well what was happening this time last year. My unfortunate root canal, the Virginia Tech shootings, my birthday supper at Pietro's.

If I'd only known how much would be different a year later! I am a first-time uncle (love ya, Lydia Joy!). I am a first-time dog owner (love ya, Chili-dog!). I am now grandparent-less (love ya, Papaw and Clara!).

What will this birthday year bring?

Annoying...

It's annoying when a co-worker's unattended cell phone rings, but if their ringtone is REO Speedwagon, I guess it's not so bad.

Our Security Is Outsourced...

A few days ago, a company-wide e-mail was sent reminding all employees to wear their badges at all times while in the building. I didn't think anything about it but I really should have. Today another company-wide e-mail was sent announcing the outsourcing of our security guards to a local security company. I assume this means all our company-employed security guards will be out the door soon. This is why we should wear our badges because the new guards will not know who we are, as opposed to our familiar guards, whom we see every day and know who we are. I suppose some of our guards could still be around but they'll be working AT my company instead of FOR my company, likely at a lower salary and benefits level.

**SIGH** another harsh reality of corporate life in the modern economy...

And if you're wondering if this could happen to me, it could--but it absolutely won't, I am assured by my managers.

Best $5.99 I've Spent In A While...

10 Matlocks headed to Steak and Ale tonight for dinner and conversation. The steaks were really, really, good. What better way to top it off than with a slice of apple pie? My Uncle J. and I decided to indulge. This was the restaurant's version of apple pie:
a MINIATURE apple pie, served warm and a la mode.

Oh. My.

It was as good as it looks. The cost? $5.99 but I would've paid twice that.

Down South(west)...

I'm blogging tonight from Springfield, MO. My cousin S. got married here a few hours ago. All but one of the Matlock brothers and sisters came for the occasion. (Well, the sister had to be here since it was her son getting hitched!) It was a nice wedding and reception. We are getting together tonight for a dinner and "catch-up" session at local eatery somewhere close by.

It's been 13 years since I've been in Springfield. The last time was during a tour stop with the NEMO Singers of what was then Northeast Missouri State University. One thing I will take away from this trip: if you want to get anywhere in this town, you have to take Glenstone Ave. to get there, at some point.

Chili is once again being served by St. Louis Pet Sitters. Their last visits with her were, in their words, g-r-r-r-eat.

At Three Months...

My niece Lydia Joy turned 3 months old last Friday and was dedicated at her church on Sunday (along with 22(!) other babies and toddlers). She wore a white dress that was a gift from my dad.

She did make the trip down for her great-grandpa's funeral, but had to hang out in the church nursery. She met lots of family members for the first time!

My brother sent a bunch more pictures out on Wednesday - see them here.

Back Home...

I'm back in the saddle of the 'Lou tonight. It's way too early to write in-depth about what I experienced over the weekend. For now I'll just describe it as distinctly cathartic, if I'm defining that word appropriately. Lots of releasing happened; stress, tension, pain, and emotion were released in varying degrees.

Thanks to everyone who prayed.

P.S. - Thanks to St. Louis Pet Sitters for taking such good care of my doggie!

In Memory Of...

Bill and Clara. They married quietly on a Sunday afternoon in June, 2005--two widowers who needed someone with whom to continue the sunset of their lives. I was more than a little wary when they announced their decision to marry but I figured they were old enough to know what they were doing! Clara proved to be a sweet woman, different in many ways from my beloved Mamaw but still a wonderful partner for my Papaw.

Their earthly bodies died within forty-eight hours of each other this week. Clara passed away on Wednesday morning following unforeseen complications after surgery on March 27. Bill's struggle with cancer ended on Friday just after 8:00 a.m. His health had been in decline since last summer and his last months were spent at home in hospice care.

I was fortunate and blessed to have known them. Gone but never, ever forgotten.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his godly ones. (Psalm 116:15 NASB)

Indeed.

They've Gone Away...

The smile of your spirit
The glory of your soul
Aren't you so happy to be free
And flying in the air, so wonderful....

U-verse: Installed and Online...

I've been online with AT&T's U-verse internet TV and broadband service for a few days now and I'm very happy with it. If any of my readers have the chance to get it where they live, check it out! My installer was very professional and competent. It took about 4 hours to get everything wired and installed properly. The TV comes in through my existing co-axial cable so no new holes in the house! YAY! The picture seems brighter and clearer, somehow. I guess it's that digital signal coming in, huh? : ) I'm now using the co-axial cable that fed into my computer room but never got used. The broadband internet is as fast as promised as well.

I discovered a really cool feature the other night. I can browse my Flickr photos on my TV! Since my TV signal and broadband share the same connection, my TV and computer can interact. I switch to a certain channel, press a button on the remote, and in a few seconds, my pictures come up! This happens because my Flickr login is the same as my AT&T/Yahoo! login (Yahoo! owns Flickr and is partners with AT&T).

Now, being an incurable button-pusher, I have already managed to screw up a button or two on the remote, so I'll be calling tech support at some point.

Girly Rasslin'...

It seems my alma mater Missouri Baptist U. is ahead of the curve for once. P-D sports columnist Kathleen Nelson writes that MBU is going to field a women's wrestling team next fall. They'll be just the eighth college in the country at any level to do so.

Oh the Missouri Baptist Convention is going to love this... : ) Oh, wait, they don't love MBU as it is.

Townhouse For Sale...

My bro and sis-in-law have put their house on the market this week. They need more room now that Miss Lydia is on the scene.. It's a great house in a great city location and it shows very, very well. Interested? Leave a comment or follow the link below.

See it here.

Boob Tube Groove...

I decided to take the plunge tonight. At the risk of promoting a monopoly, I ordered up AT&T's new television service with a souped-up internet connection thrown in. After Sunday it'll be goodbye Charter, hello 100 channels of U-verse goodness.

In other, less glamorous news, I'm taking a day off work tomorrow to get my car serviced and a tooth serviced at the dentist. Bleh.

Easter 2008

This was what was going on periodically throughout Easter Sunday in these parts. Cloudburst snow showers! On Easter Sunday! We didn't get a white Christmas but we got a (periodically) white Easter. I guess God wanted to remind us that because of Easter our sins are washed white as snow. A good visual aid if you ask me!

I attended church with my parents in Festus. My dad sang with the choir so my mom and I sat together. She's been away from home much of the past two months caring for my grandfather and I've not seen much of her. Much to my surprise, she cooked up a great Easter lunch. Ham, green beans, her FAMOUS (to me) potato salad, and her FAMOUS (again, to me) banana puddin' for dessert. It was totally unexpected but much appreciated. My bro and sis-in-law and Adorable Lydia spent the weekend in Columbia with the in-laws.

For My Aunt M., Who Reads This Blog...

I injected myself with a shot of culture on Saturday night. The St. Louis Symphony performed Joseph Haydn's oratorio "The Creation" (or, "Die Schöpfung", which is more fun to say). The P-D's classical music critic deemed it a "not-miss" in her preview of the performance so I decided to go. I had to pay $48 plus change to sit just below the nosebleed section of cavernous Powell Hall. It was worth the price of admission and more. The symphony, chrous, and guest soloists all performed beautifully.

Here's the P-D's review from Sunday's paper.

Side note: the bass soloist was the Italian opera singer Ildebrando D'Arcangelo. Now there's a name!

You Know, I've Done This Before...

I was doing an online chat with a Hewlett-Packard tech support representative (who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) today. I needed assistance troubleshooting one of their deskjet printers that had a couple of front panel lights blinking ominously. After I briefed him on my situation and how I had tried to fix it so far, I kid you not, he asked me this question:

"Did you turn it off and back on again?"

I've been in the tech support business over ten years now, buddy, so, yeah, I tried that.

We went back and forth for almost an hour before he gave up after searching in vain for a record of my printer's serial number. He finally punted, directing me to call the phone support tomorrow.

Unfortunate Reality...

My company announced a round of layoffs today. 31 people got the ax. This was completely unexpected, though not surprising. My company's industry as a whole is struggling, due to the effects of the internet and our struggling economy. Many other companies similar to mine are playing out the same scenarios. Editor and Publisher magazine tells the story well here. My department was not affected (cut back the tech support folks at your own risk, people!) and was never in any danger. A small group of people within our division did lose someone, though.

I've been fortunate in my 10+ years at my company. Never before in the company's history has there been a layoff of this magnitude. I've never been present when someone had to gather their belongings and leave as I was first thing this morning (I was helping someone in that person's department.) The whole affair was a bit mucked up when our website published the news of the layoffs before we were notified internally. I don't know yet exactly who all is leaving but it's likely I knew them. That part hurts.

I was briefly nervous even though I knew I was safe. What if I did have to leave? Am I employable enough?, etc...

Luckily, I had planned ahead and took the afternoon off. I was on call after-hours for the past 7 days and had a half-day coming, as a result. The mood was uniformly somber around the building so I was glad I was leaving. The local NBC affiliate had a news reporter parked outside on the sidewalk. She asked me if I knew anything and I gave her a polite "no comment" as I walked by.

A walk in the woods seemed to be in order so I gathered up Chili and headed out to Castlewood for a few hours. The weather was perfect this afternoon; cool breezes and bluff-top views are just the thing to ease a guy's stress level.

New Musical Goodness...

Thanks to Dusty Groove America I have a couple of new imported CDs coming my way in the next week. Swing Out Sister has a new CD just out in Japan and since an American release isn't guaranteed I am splurging to get the Japanese version. The other CD I bought is what I'm more excited about. Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends' 1968 self-titled album was released on CD by a small British record label a few years back. Swing Out Sister used a sample of one of its songs on their last CD and I've been trying to acquire the entire album since. It's all about California sunshine pop music and if the samples I've heard are any indication, it'll be worth the wait.

The Definition Of "Classic Movie"...

Memo to American Movie Classics - "Death Wish 3" does NOT qualify as a classic movie. Charles Bronson notwithstanding.

Baby Love...

My niece Lydia was 2 months old yesterday!

Snow Angel...

The predicted snowstorm happened today; ALL day it did. I was discouraged greatly when I awoke this morning at 6 a.m. and nothing was happening. By 8:00, however, the snow was falling in earnest. It took a small break in the early afternoon but soon resumed with renewed fervor and didn't stop until after 5:00 p.m. Driving to work was treacherous but the drive home was almost normal. I measured between 5 and 6 inches at my house. This snowstorm formed a narrow band of intense snow that fell mainly in the St. Louis County area. Areas just to the west and east were barely touched. Chili didn't react any differently to this snow than she did with the previous snows. I made the above snow angel in my front yard after I shoveled my driveway this evening.


OK, Mom Nature - you've unleashed your last blast of winter; bring the Spring! : )

Body Worlds 3...

I checked out the Body Worlds 3 exhibition at the St. Louis Science Center last night. It closes tonight after being here for several months. All objections about exploitation, voyeurism, where did the bodies come from aside, I found it to be a fascinating experience. It was fascinating to see how intricately designed our bodies are. How great is our God to create us so perfectly and wonderfully! I especially wanted to see how the human knee is designed because I fractured my kneecap almost 8 years ago and I realized again how foolish I was to injure it in the manner I did.

We'll leave it at that.
......................................

In weather news, the temperature has soared into the 70s today but, guess what! Winter returns! Tomorrow with heavy rain changing to sleet, snow, and other forms of slippery, icy goodness! Tuesday! Chance of heavy snow!

This has to end soon because Chili's doggie body has signaled its winter fur coat to begin shedding and I'm NOT buying her a cute doggie sweater. Non-negotiable.

Name That Tune...

I changed the quote up above just now - can any of my readers name the song from which it is taken?

(EDIT: The song is "Marie LeVeaux" by the man himself, Bobby Bare. It plays regularly on the classic country radio station I listen to but the deejay seemingly never names the song or artist. It's hard to imagine that song making on radio today.)

The Looming Apocalypse...

Better get your Starbucks while you can today. According to published reports, every, yes I said EVERY Starbucks coffee house is closing tonight between 5:30 and 9:00 p.m. local time for a "barista re-education" time.

This calls for worldwide standby of local, regional, state, and national law enforcement officials!

No, this is not the only blog about this story.

That Little Embarassing Detail...

James Brockman "Brock" Olivo was a standout football player at the University of Missouri during the mid-1990s. After college he enjoyed a brief career in the NFL. He's recently declared his intention to run for the Congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Kenny Hulshof. (Hulshof is running for Governor of Missouri after Matt Blunt declined to run for re-election.)

According to a story in today's Post-Dispatch, public records show that Olivo has NEVER voted in any election since he's been eligible to vote. He admits to being a "recovering apathetic."

Would you vote for Olivo, knowing this fact?

..................

Also, Ralph Nader - please sit down and shut up. You're an irrelevant nuisance.

That is all.

Ah, Winter!...

Chili was pleased with the ice rink that became my backyard after Thursday's sleet storm.

The ice melted away on Saturday but a new blanket of snow fell overnight.

The view from my kitchen window, looking over my backyard.

Snow always beautifully coats the holly bushes by my front porch.

Slip Slidin' Away...

Chili and I awoke early this morning to a sleet storm. The "significant winter storm" that was predicted arrived much earlier than was forecast. Consequently, the early commute was one big wreck seemingly everywhere. My drive into downtown was thankfully uneventful. I used common sense, believe it or not, and drove slowly with at least one car space between me and other vehicles. Once again I bundled up in my ski pants and heaviest winter coat and hat/gloves ensemble. My house saw about an inch or so of pure sleet. We're in between storms at the moment with another wave of ice on the way. This officially makes this winter the harshest in several years.

I am reminded of a Pat Metheny Group tune from their "Letter From Home" CD - "Spring Ain't Here." Indeed.
....................

I don't often get personal on this blog, but if you're so inclined, keep my family in your prayers. My grandpa's cancer came back last summer and all attempts at fighting it have failed. He is now in hospice care at home and will be leaving us soon.

The Spoils Of Victory...

I had a rather profitable evening last night. I was part of a trivia team participating in a fundraiser trivia night for the St. Louis Spikes semi-pro baseball team. It was only my third trivia night but the third time was the charm. My team WON by 1 point! We split a $500 prize amongst ourselves, so it was $50 each minus the $20 entry fee so we each saw a $30 profit for a hard night's work. Not bad, I'd say. I think it was the pre-trivia Bandana's BBQ that helped me. : )

Dude...

I believe it was Elton John who said, "sad songs say so much." Sometimes, however, only one word is needed.

Another For The List Of Blogs I Am Reading...

I have added a link to Whipp Adventures on Blogspot. It's authored by my old friend Melissa Whipp. She was among the first people I met when I began attending the church I belong to now, back in the summer of 2001. I quickly grew to appreciate her unique personality. She married an Aussie musician in 2004 and they now live in Colorado. I recently re-connected with her via Facebook (*Yay* social networking) and enjoyed catching up with her.

He Was On The Scene...

Interesting story in the sports section of today's Post-Dispatch. Reporter Tom Timmerman covers the St. Louis U. Billikens men's basketball team for the P-D. He was on the scene when the Billikens set a modern NCAA record for the fewest points scored in a game - 20 against George Washington U. last December. While reporting for the Los Angeles Daily News in 1991, he was also on the scene when Loyola Marymount U. set the record for the most points scored in a game in their 186-140 win over U.S. International U. That game also saw a USIU player score a record-setting 72 points.

Two Historic Games: One Common Denominator

(Edit: SLU avenged the GWU loss and then some tonight by the score of 63-38 at home)

#$%@*!$# Borders Rewards Program!...

why do you keep sending me coupons for 40% off CDs??? Don't you know that's my weakness?

: )

Elegy For Kirkwood...

Sweet madness it must be wrong
What kind of fool imagines love
With all this going on
Stars burning in the empty sky
And the city is aflame
With a million lights

And they come and they go
In the blink of an eye
People are like suns
And they're burning up inside
People are like suns

Science will enable us to hear
To be crystal clear
To make diamonds in the shifting sand
Better take all the love that you got in a single hand

And they come and they go
In the fullness of time
People are like suns
They are burning up inside
People are like suns

Breathing into life
All that's good in us
To saints become
It can't be helped
Doesn't stop me from thinking aloud
I could have done something

And they come and they go
Yeah they come and they go
People are like suns
People are like suns

And we'll go out tonight
Set the town alight
All fade into white

"People Are Like Suns" by Neil Finn © 2007 - Chrysalis Publishing Ltd. from "Time On Earth" by Crowded House

Completely Zonked...

Chili and I met a friend and her dogs at Queeny Park this morning and we all went on a nice long hike together. (The temperature was spring-like today but winter returns with a vengeance tonight!). After lunch, it was time for obedience class at HSMO.

And now Chili is in full recharge mode.

Not For Cat Lovers...

Super (Soaker) Tuesday...

After dropping 6 inches of snow last week, the skies opened up and dispatched copious amounts of liquidity today. I started today installing new computers at one of the P-D's delivery depots and made several mad dashes to my car in the rain. Light snow is forecast for tomorrow after the temperature hit 75 degrees yesterday. Sunday's high temperature will be all of 16 degrees. Such is St. Louis weather in February.

It was pouring down rain as I drove home tonight so I wasn't motivated to stop and vote in the primary. Don't worry, folks, I'll do my civic duty when it matters in November!

There was some thunder and lightning mixed in with the rain today and Chili was pretty keyed up when I got home. Fortunately, she didn't destroy anything.

Whodathunkit, Again, Again....

There's a Manning who won the Super Bowl last night and it ain't Peyton. The P-D's Jeff Gordon correctly stated that every Super Bowl game falls into one of two categories: thriller or blowout. This year it was a thriller of the highest caliber. The big bad Patriots thought they had the Giants down on the canvas with one of their trademark scoring drives. However, Eli and the Giants rallied magnificently to win one for the good guys. Sometimes, they win.

Song Book...

I picked up a great book today at Borders. "Song: The World's Best Songwriters On Creating The Music That Moves Us" is a collection of interviews from American Songwriter magazine. It covers nearly the entire spectrum of song from Bacharach to Beck, from John Denver to John Mellencamp The book reads like a text version of the old VH-1 television series "Behind The Music." and I really like what I've read so far.

Happy 30th...

to my bro J. - his best birthday present came about a month early in the form of an adorable baby girl and I'm proud of the way he's embracing daddy-hood.

Snow Day...

Had about 6 inches of snow at my house this morning. This is the second major snowfall of the winter so far, making it a snowier winter than we've had in several years. Chili and I did walk the neighborhood as usual today; the snow doesn't faze her much. I bundled up in my ski outfit for the ride in to work this morning.

You Think?

[Britney]Spears Has 'Mental Issues,' Friend Says

A Monday in January...

I've only been blogging sporadically lately. It's January, it's cold, blah, etc...no excuses, I know.

Chili's obedience classes have started back up after holiday break. We're going on Saturday afternoons now that I'm back on a 9-5 during the week. There were 9(!) dogs in the first class, which sent Chili into super hyper-ized mode and distracted her terribly. This discouraged me greatly, more so when the instructors introduced new, tougher graduation requirements. I figured she could pass, given a year or two of practice. We had to miss the next class but we went back this past Saturday. There were only 2 other dogs that made it to class and it made for a much better time. Very amusing is the massive Saint Bernard/Great Pyrenees mix that its owner is attempting to train. He appears to be a gentle soul, fortunately. Chili did better, so I re-enlisted us for another 5 weeks.

Chili and I took advantage of the mild weather yesterday. We took a long walk around Jefferson Barracks park in the late afternoon sunshine. I really have to work on her behavior around other dogs. She still goes nuts whenever another dog approaches.

I broke bread (or rather, pizza) with some of the guys from my Monday night bible study on Saturday night. We indulged at Dewey's Pizza in beautiful downtown Kirkwood, MO

I rented the latest entry in the "Bourne" series of fine action thrillers after the pizza party. "Ultimatum" is certainly worthy of the critical praise it received - the stunts and non-stop action were awesome! Chili got a little spooked because I cranked up the volume on the ol' home theater system and she crawled up into my lap a couple of times. Folks, you really need to have the experience of having a 70-pound dog crawling in to your lap. In her attempt to get comfortable, she put her weighty paws near some um, very sensitive areas of my torso. :)

My church is going through a preaching series on the wisdom of Solomon and how it applies to our lives. Yesterday was sex day. Yeah, we talked about it, from Proverbs 5. The "M" word was thrown out by pastors in the main service and my contemporary Quest service.

(Riotous moment: The Quest service has been employing homemade "man on the street" interview films as visual aids during the message each week. The pastor has gone to the Delmar Loop area where a diversity of people can be found. This week's question: "Do you think the world has become overly-sexualized, and if so, is that a good or bad thing?" One of the interviewees was a grandma-type older lady. She replied with an emphatic "YES" and when asked why, replied "because these kids today --BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP--our congregation howled.)

It was odd to see Crowded House playing on Austin City Limits Friday night. I always associated that show with country music but then again my local PBS hasn't shown many episodes in the past several years. I've liked Crowded House since I saw them opening for Bruce Hornsby at the Fox Theatre way back in 1986.

I haven't gotten to see my niece lately but I hear she's still doing great. I have the day off this Wednesday so maybe I can see her then.

I've been in a strange sort of cleaning mode lately. My cubicle at work has been seriously de-cluttered and looks much nicer. Chili got a good bath on Saturday morning and my car got its bath in the afternoon.

Faith...

Re-discovered this definition of faith today while ridding my bible of old bulletins:

"Faith is the willingness to bet your life on the promises and character of God"

Don't know if that's original or not but I liked it enough to write it down.

What Will I Do With My Weekends Now?...

Don't dance on the bar in St. Charles, MO

They actually proposed a ban on cussing, as well.

In Spite Of The January Cold...

I have been walking my doggie twice a day. In the morning just after sunrise and in the evening just after sunset when I get home from work.

Let's Be Blunt For A Moment...

The governor of our fair state announced yesterday that he is not going to attempt a re-election campaign this fall. One term and he's outta there. He apparently managed a rare achievement with this news - without exception, no one saw this coming. Even in a small government town like Jefferson City, word gets around before it's official but not this time. Everyone was shocked.

The guv went YouTube with the smiling wife at his side and claimed he "has accomplished all [he] set out to do when [he] took office."

The cynic in me bellows, "yeah, right!" But let's consider the bigger picture...

The editorial in the P-D this morning said it best, 'curious timing.' Very curious, indeed. The guv just gave his "state of the state" address last week and set his priorities for the coming year. Now he's walking away suddenly? Something just ain't right. My irreverent conspiracy theories:

1) The wife insisted he come home and be a family man.
2) There's bad things a-brewin' and the shame factor is potentially disastrous
3) He has Congressional aspirations and this is part of something bigger.

Seriously, I think his experience in the office of Governor hasn't turned out to be what he had hoped it would be and he just wants to get out. I experienced similar feelings last fall when my community choir re-convened for rehearsal after summer break. I found that I was simply not interested in singing with them any more and resigned quietly.

Now the state Republican party has to scramble to field a viable candidate with very little time to do it. This hurts the de-facto Democratic candidate Jay Nixon because he now he has to re-tool his campaign strategies since he doesn't know who he's running against.

The guv stuck to his previous script at a news conference today, insisting he has no further public service aspirations and just wants to be a family man.

We'll see.

Whodathunkit, again!...

There's a Manning playing in the Super Bowl this year, but it ain't Peyton. I guess it's finally little brother's turn.

Life Without The Internet...

Can you even begin to ponder it?

Dealing with a prolonged Internet outage on a Friday= NOT FUN.

Whodathunkit?

Well there is a Manning still playing in the NFL playoffs but it ain't Peyton...

Got Offense?

If so, send it overnight to the Saint Louis University basketball team. They scored all of 20(!) points in losing to George Washington U. last evening. If you're wondering, yes, it did set a modern record for fewest points scored in a game. SLU's leading scorer scored 5 points. 5 POINTS!

A Different Class Of People...

From today's "Miss Manners" syndicated column:

Dear Miss Manners: I am attending a "White Tie" ball. I was taught by my late father that White Tie included the tails, white pique shirt, vest and tie but should include white kid gloves, a white silk scarf, a top hat and walking stick.

I own all of this apparel, so it is not a problem to locate such items. Is it still proper to dress this way for a very formal event such as I mention above?

Miss Manners' reply:

As long as you don't line up with any gentlemen who are similarly outfitted and all start tipping your hats and twirling your walking sticks in unison, Miss Manners would consider the full outfit to remain appropriate, not to mention dashing.

[I added the bold type]
.........

Who owns all of that apparel? I'd like to live in their world for a few minutes.

The New Mommy And Daddy...

My sis-in-law sent these out today and my mom (proud grandma) suggested blogging them so here they are.

Lydia's Birth Announcement...

is finally online here and here. She's listed twice but be sure to click the "next" link under the picture. There are 4 pictures per listing.

The New Family...

Well, Mommy and Daddy and Lydia made it home around 8:30 last night. Both sets of grandparents and I were waiting anxiously. A nice home-cooked dinner was warming on the stove and we all gratefully partook once the new family got settled. It was satisfying to see my mom and dad finally get to hold and cuddle a grandchild in their arms. I suppose it's a moment all moms and dads look forward to once their children are adults themselves.

My own reaction to having a niece has troubled me a bit. I didn't feel a huge rush of emotion or get teary-eyed or anything. It was like I was just sort of "there," not really emotionally connected to everything. I was almost more concerned with capturing everything on film or video rather than experiencing the moment. Another thing - after the baby was born it seemed everyone but me had had friends and family to call to deliver the good news to. I stood outside the nursery with the grandparents and mentally went through my list of acquaintances and found there was no one I was close enough to to call.

One very sweet part of the homecoming last night was the fact that I was able to be there. My work schedule changed again and I ended up back on my former schedule of M-F 9-5. The new schedule took effect last night with another co-worker working the Sunday night shift. I was SO HAPPY not be working.

More baby pictures here.

FINALLY!!!

Little Lydia was unhooked from her tethers today and is loving life on the outside with mommy and daddy. They'll all be leaving for home in a couple of hours. I FINALLY got my arms around her for a few minutes this afternoon.

Baby Lydia Update...

Click here for more pictures of little Lydia. Picture opportunities have been few and far between, unfortunately. She swallowed a bit of meconium prior to birth so she's been staying in the Special Care Nursery while she does 48 hours of precautionary antibiotics. She will be going home with her mommy and daddy tomorrow evening.

Just Call Me Uncle...

This is Lydia Joy Matlock, born to my brother and sister-in-law this evening at 8:47 p.m. She weighed in at 9 lbs, 9 oz. and is 21.5" long. Yes, she really weighed over 9 lbs at birth. As a result, she didn't look much like a newborn, already fleshed out and chubby-cheeked. She has a full head of dark hair. Of course she's the most beautiful baby we've ever seen!

Both sets of grandparents and I were waiting in the waiting area when my brother suddenly appeared with baby and nurse. He grinned proudly as we oohed and ahhed over little Lydia. Mom and Dad and Lydia are doing just fine. These are my snapshots. Better pictures of her will come soon, I promise!

Ouch...Very Ouch!...

In today's "Tipsheet" blog at Stltoday.com, online sports guy Jeff Gordon weighs in with this gem:

"What sort of endorsement opportunities will arise for plus-sized Jayhawks coach Mark Mangino now that he is famous? Will he get a clothing deal from a tarp manufacturer?"

Organization...

...is a good way to start off a new year. My bedroom closet before:


And after:


My dad installed the organizers on December 28 as part of my Christmas. Santa's Home Depot gift card covered nearly all the expenses.

Almost Famous...

Some of my friends made the evening news yesterday. They were included in a story about Cotton Bowl-watching parties. My friends are the ones at the house party, NOT at the bar.

The video (best viewed in Internet Explorer, sorry):

Catching Up On Recent Events...

Happy New Year, everyone. I spent New Year's Eve at a party with lots of friends, mostly from my Monday-night bible study. My bro and sis-in-law made an appearance but didn't quite make it to midnight before they ducked out. I was surprised they came but glad they did.

I was exceedingly glad to see ol' Mizzou whup up on Arkansas. The Tigers played with the right amount of intensity and passion to put a victorious stamp on their dream season. I always say that the the best way to respond to being ripped off is to try and make the people who ripped you off look foolish, so take that, Orange Bowl. The game featured two(!) Heisman Trophy finalists but the stars were the Tiger defense and a fleet-footed tailback named Tony Temple. Arkansas obviously prepared for a passing attack and Missouri responded by letting TT run HOG WILD (there I said it!). Oklahoma lost in the Fiesta Bowl tonight, so there's a good chance that Mizzou could end up with the best record on the Big 12 conference this year. Wouldn't THAT be nice!

The much-hyped, much-dreaded, overexposed shutdown of I-64/40 happened early this morning. Rush hours this morning and evening were almost problem-free. Road crews and news crews prepared like it was the second coming of D-Day and they ended up with a NON-STORY! Traffic was light, as it always is following the holidays. Either the media over-exposed this and scared off the general public or they just flat-out failed to anticipate the light traffic. By the time I got to work at 8:00 a.m., the party line was "well, just wait until next Monday." Already covering their derrieres, they were.

Hamming It Up...

This was Chili's Christmas gift from her Aunt A. She got it at Target, of all places. I looked and looked for something like this at my local Petsmart and Petco stores and found nothing like it.

All Dressed Up...

...to either rob a bank or walk a dog on a cold day in January. I did the latter on New Year's Day. This is also how I dressed to go skiing last February in Colorado.

Isn't It Ironic!...

From my second hometown of Festus, MO comes this story:

Practical joke leads to cop's shooting

By Christine Byers

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

01/02/2008

FESTUS -- Police believe a practical joke led to the shooting Tuesday of a 23-year-old Ste. Genevieve police officer.

The rookie deputy allegedly faked a break-in around 9:45 p.m. at his brother-in-law’s home in Festus, said Festus Police Chief Tim Lewis. The brother-in-law thought an intruder was about to enter his house and reacted by shooting him.

A short time later, Festus police noticed a car speeding along Veterans Boulevard and realized the vehicle was racing to Jefferson Memorial Hospital. Once there, they recognized the shooter as an on-call minister for the police department.

Festus police have turned the investigation over to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office citing a conflict of interest.

The names of the victim and shooter are not being released because of the ongoing investigation.

............

If the young officer doesn't die from the gunshot wound, he'll surely die of embarrassment. What could possibly be more ironic (or idiotic) than a police officer faking a break-in? I think his career in law enforcement is over, at least in Ste. Genevieve.

So we have a police officer who faked a break-in and a police chaplain who shot him during said break-in. In the NFL, that would be called "offsetting penalties - replay the down from the dead ball spot."