1/5/06 - 2:17PM: End of an era - legendary naughty political blogger Wonkette will be handing in the reins of her laugh-out-loud lusty site to become a full-time author, article here.

11:39AM: Suffice to say it's really freaking cold on Pluto. Now please move on to studying something important...

10:49AM: Another "me too" technology implementation by Big Bill. I, for one, will not be ditching the iTunes Music Store any time soon...

9:52AM: Clutch Performance - No, I'm not talking about last night's epic Rose Bowl. While creeping along in traffic last night my VW's clutch suddenly went limp as a well, you know what. Luckily I had just enough momentum to maneuver to the side of the road. And the money-pit deepens...

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1/4/06 - 10:33AM: Wrapping up the 2005 website ramblings and working on a blank slate to start 2006. Gonna try a few new tricks. The overall format will be the same, but thinking of tyring some new fonts/colors/bells & whistles. Tahoma anyone?

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1/3/06 - 12:30PM: 2005: Challenge Accepted - For us 2005 will be remembered as the year we learned the real deal about Aidan. Or at least learned some names we can put on paper for what's going on with him -- Pervasive Developmental Disorder-NOS and Isodicentric 15 (idic(15)). Whatever the hell these entail, whether or not they're related, what will happen down the road, and 1000 other questions still remain unanswered. No two cases are identical, and the prognosis is damn vague.

And yet in some ways vague is comforting; no doctor can tell us with any certaintly that he will always have trouble with such-and-such ability, or he has no chance of ever doing such-and-such. It is not out of the realm of possibility that he will turn out just fine. With vagueness comes hope. Is there even such a word as vagueness?

Watching him struggle to figure something out (or worst still, not bother to attempt to figure it out and move on to something else) fills me with a profound sadness like nothing I've ever felt before... but then 15 minutes later he'll perform a random miracle, telling us he wants to "di dommm" (get down), or gesture the sign for more Cheerios, or point to a Christmas ornament and say something that sounds a lot like "Santa", or dance to music, or moo at a cow, or roar at a lion, etc etc etc. In some ways we have it better than most parents -- miracles are an almost everyday occurrence.

Yeah, we can do this...

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12/30/05 - 11:38PM: Aidan received a collapsible tunnel (see here) for Christmas, but seems to be grappling with some claustrophobia issues upon reaching the halfway point. We'll have to work on it...

Happy to report that from a gastrointestinal standpoint, all afflicted parties are back to normal (see 12/27 post below). I passed up a perfect opportunity to kick my java addiction once and for all. Being sick had destroyed the craving completely. It wasn't easy, but I made it past the 24 consecutive hours of caffeine withdrawal headaches -- my own private DT's, if you will. But it was the OTHER side-effect of quitting coffee that did me in... So who can blame me for caving in?

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12/27/05 - 10:28PM: There are some Christmases you never forget -- that year as a kid when you got that bike you always wanted... your first Christmas with that special someone... your child's first Christmas... the Christmas everyone got sick... that's right folks, fourteen, count them -- fourteen members of the Leo clan spent Christmas face-down inside the bowl. Some ultra-potent stomach virus thing must've spread like wildfire on 12/24 while we made merry. For our household the trauma began around 1AM on 12/26 when Maria felt queasy. My troubles began around 6AM. Details are too gruesome to get into here, but thank God for the half-bathroom downstairs. Props to Grandma Marie & Grandpa Dom for taking Aidan off of our hands while Maria and I lay prostrate on the sofa...

12/25/05 - 8:46AM: Looks like Santa dipped one too many times into the egg nog (see here). Merry Christmas to everyone! If you don't hear from us for a few days, it's because the Mt. Everest that IS Aidan's gift pile has collapsed, burying us all...

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12/23/05 4:30PM: Yule log for your video-enable iPod, Christmas cheer to go !

9:37AM: I am in Password Hell. It struck me the other day when I stood frozen in front of the stairwell entrance to the office, completely drawing a blank trying to recall the door code combination. So after someone came to my rescue, I sat down and tried to make a list of the various passwords/codes/phrases in my life:

Online banking login
Powerbook admin password
Windoze XP computer password
Door code at the office
Padlock combination for the storage unit
Jesseleo.com email password
Google GMail password
MSN Hotmail password
File server at work password
Various admin passwords for web servers at work
FTP password to upload files to jesseleo.com
Ebay password
Amazon.com password
Sportsinteraction.com password
World of Warcraft login and password
iTunes Music Store password

I could go on and on. My New Year's resolution: SIMPLIFY...

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12/22/05 1210PM: IM:'ers beware!

11:58AM: Ebert's Top 10 of 2005, with the excellent Crash topping the list and a few other surprises...

10:13AM: World of Warcraft has been updated to include holiday decor in every town! There are wreaths, lights, decorated trees, mistletoe in every doorway and Santa hats on every innkeeper. It's impossible to walk through a town without getting involved in a snowball fight. You can even partake in a few missions for the big guy himself (pictured here). Good stuff!

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12/20/05 5:39PM: Some thoughts on the whole Bushy wiretapping thing -- while many consider this a borderline impeachable offense, IMHO this whole business will fizzle into nothingness like every other thing he has gotten away with. If push comes to shove, the Repubs will argue that the president was simply stretching his presidential powers to the max in the interest of saving American lives. The Dems, meanwhile, will once again look like "the party of NO" intent on making us less safe. Might as well move on, civil liberties be damned; the spin machine cannot be stopped. Such are the times we live in...

11:42AM: This is creepy -- Stalin ordered the creation of an army of monkey-men, tough as nails and impervious to pain and hardship. Story here.

11:14AM: In its lastest ad campaign McDonalds is pretty much acknowledging that its coffee has always been undrinkably lousy. If you haven't seen the commercial, a dude cautiously takes a sip and yells "It's good!" Then a crowd of thousands cheers out loud. The commercial then announces that Mickey D's has partnered with Green Mountain. So basically McDonalds coffee goes from tasting like Kerosine to tasting like tepid water with a brown crayon dipped in it...

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12/19/05 10:49AM: Rather than type up some long-winded rave about King Kong, I thought I'd just say a word or two of thanks to director Peter Jackson, not necessarily Kong-specific:

As far as I can tell, Jackson is a kid who never grew up. His obsession with monsters, zombies, wizards, battles, dinosaurs, creatures, critters, swordplay, heroes, heroic deeds, weaponry, epic quests, magic, horsemanship -- and all of the other countless things that make kiddom a truly magical time/place -- has never wavered. And now here he is, all grown up with unlimited financial backing and impossibly realistic technology at his disposal to make it all happen. And so on behalf of every kid that has ever wielded a trash can lid for a shield and a tree branch for a broadsword... on behalf of every kid who conducted imaginary battles with action figures under the desk when the teacher wasn't looking... on behalf of every grown-up who would still do these things if it wouldn't land him/her in a straightjacket... we thank you Mr. Jackson.

Some random notes on the film itself:

1) I'm convinced that a genetically enhanced ape was bred/trained just for this film. He looks THAT real. This is not the lumbering behemoth we saw in the 70's cheesefest with Jessica Lange. The way he moves in short, ape-like frenetic bursts just like they do on Animal Planet, the way he gnaws on vegetation...

2) Remember how the creepy-crawley cockroach/centipede scene from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom left you with the heebie-jeebies for hours after the movie had ended? Multiply that times 10, and throw in some sandworms for good measure.

3) Folks, this is a monster movie. Jackson has remained loyal to the original, keep this in mind. Check your brains at the door and allow yourself to be entertained.

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12/16/05 1:30PM: We saw Kong last night, more on this later...

12:46PM: Dubya's defense all along regarding the lead-up to the war in Iraq was that Congress had access to the same Intelligence that he did. Alright everyone, fingers on the bullshit button, ready... BUUUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. So says a non-partisan Congressional Research Service who published its findings today...

12:11PM: Finally folks are taking notice to the major fraud problems plaguing eBay. Not that they care much, I'm sure. What with their listing fees, closing fees, and countless other miscellaneous fees they collect on the Paypal transactions (legit or not), it's in their best interest to continue allowing frauds to operate. eBay doesn't care about abuse until the frauds stop paying them. Only then are accounts cancelled and investigations launched. Bottom line - stick to the small stuff on eBay, $40 or under. Or contact the seller and conduct the business on your own.

And since I'm going off on eBay, can we talk about their ridiculously flawed feedback system? I still have a five year old negative comment from a seller listed as "no longer registered" and who was renown for selling imitation products...

10:39AM: Do you know this man? I can't even laugh at this one...

10:07AM: So torture, which was illegal before, is now REALLY illegal. Way to go, Dubya! Maybe next year a bill will be passed making it REALLY REALLY illegal...

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12/15/05 11:17AM: Alright you imposter, what have you done with the president? The president we're used to would never admit he was wrong...

10:35AM: With this arctic blast we're experiencing Madeline has found her new favorite perch (pictured here), curled up on my Chicago Bulls blanket two feet above the heat duct. When I die I want to come back as her...

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12/13/05 3:34PM: Couple arrested for joining the "Mile High Club"...

1:49PM: Last week I had the opportunity to purchase a $5,000 Gift Card at the sparkling brand new Best Buy in Danbury. No, no, this wasn't for me -- it was a work thing. But damn it felt good. I strutted in with my cap pulled down, pants hangin' low and two-day's growth on my face -- the consummate wannabe thug. After casin' the joint and of course stopping at the demo Xbox 360 system they had on display, I approach the cashier with a blank Gift Card in hand. "How much would you like?" she asks. "Five thousand, please." I reply smugly, just loud enough for the customers behind me to hear. That snapped her out of her holiday can't-believe-I-have-to-be-here-'til-closing retail torpor really fast. Quite the row ensued: The manager was of course summoned, then the manager's manager. The company credit card was thoroughly examined. My boss was called for verification (and he, being the smart-ass that he is, jokingly told them to call the police). My driver's license was copied. I was looked up and down, then back up again. But after all this they could find no reason to deny the transaction -- cha-ching! And while the Gift Card was only in my posession for a short while, I swear the pocket on that pair of pants still feels warm from it...

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12/12/05 2:33PM: Question: is it bad if you buy someone a Christmas present and then decide to keep it for yourself? No reason...

12:19PM: Had our annual Christmas gathering with our buddies the Walls and Walshes over the weekend. Over the years this party has morphed from the "Shitty Grinch", which consisted of playing Monopoly while watching the Grinch and drinking ourselves into a stupor, into a much more tame affair consisting of bottled water and child-chasing. Still fun as ever, but my oh my how times have changed.

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12/9/05 12:14PM: Weatherman forgiven - They got it right this time, a doozy of a snowstorm! Absolutely beautiful. What is it about snowstorms that make us feel like kids again? Caught myself giggling to no one in particular while brooming off the car this morning.

12/8/05 12:24PM: Slate on Bushian propoganda, this is required reading. Nice to hear money that is lopped from our paychecks goes towards planting rosy "things are going great!" articles into the Iraqi media...

11:05AM: Fantastic round-up over at Gamespot of the top games of all time. Nice to see the original Quake on the list, in my opinion that was the one game that changed everything. I'll never forget trickin' out my old PowerMac 7500 with a (what the heck IS THIS) 3D accelerator card, dialing up to the internet through my 33.6 bps modem and seeing another player run by for the first time -- a player controlled by a person sitting at his computer somewhere else in the country. A new and incredible concept at that time, and gaming was changed forever.

9:10AM: No excuses now -- mother dropped off a nicely wrapped gift that she insisted was time-sensitive and should be opened RIGHT NOW, rather than 12/25. What could it be? The mind boggled -- a puppy? A ticking time bomb? Food? Live tarantulas? Nay! A membership to the NYSC located just up the road from the office! There is still hope for me to shed these poignees d'amour before St. John! If anyone's looking for me I'll be on the treadmill...

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12/6/05 3:15PM: So it turns out that the "low-key" support role I was hoping to fill on this new basketball team went down the toilet when only five guys showed up for our first game; we all had to play every minute of every quarter. But after the rust started to wear off and my out-of-shape-about-to-burst heart slowed down a bit, we managed to scrape together a nice win. Schedule will be posted once I get my hands on it, for all I know game 2 might be going on right now...

11:55AM: Tease. F-ing tease. I even forced myself out of bed early to broom the snow off the convertible top (someone told me it's bad to let snow accumulate on a rag top). Despite all of the hullaballoo, we got nuttin'. Nada. Rien. Nary a flake. I was SO counting on a delayed office opening at the very LEAST. Calling for "more" snow on Friday, I'll believe it when I see it...

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12/5/05 5:39PM: In case you're wondering what to get me for Christmas: a lycanthrope lumberjack!

5:30PM: WAPO: Java helps the liver...

3:47PM: Since I'm positively SPEWING Mac love today (see below), check out this shot of the first ever Apple Computer...

1:44PM: I make no effort to hide my elitist Mac snobbery. And why should I? It's the preferred platform of the creative, the beautiful, the artistic, the gifted, the inventive... put simply, my Mac screams out loud on my behalf "I refuse to follow the herd!". Ok I got a bit carried away for a second there....

But seriously, my recent encounters with a Windows XP computer have reaffirmed my Mac stance: I get a call from the War Memorial, who uses a Dull, errr -- Dell PC for their financial stuff as well as a members database. Apparently the computer has become plagued with adware, pop-ups, malware, spyware, viruses, worms, Trojan Horses, etc. since they have gotten online. It happens. But my God the countless hours of running scan after scan, using products such as Spybot Search & Destroy, Ad Aware, Hijack This, Microsoft Anti-Spyware, and others... None of them are helping. An attempt was made to install the traditionally trustworthy Norton Anti-virus, but so severe are the infections that this product's installation fails. Symantec's online support was of no help. Time to format, methinks.

Who has time for this Tom-foolery? Not I.

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12/2/05 1:34PM: First 'Kong' review: "jaw-droppingly brilliant".

12:37PM: Read recently that somewhere around 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year. If I kicked the habit that number would drop to around 350 billion.

11:20AM: So I'm back in the baskgetball league. Some guys I know from a former rival team asked if I'd join, so why not. It's always a bit awkward -- showing up and taking some minutes from guys who have been on the team for years. I'm going to try and maintain a "low-key come-off-the-bench" kind of role, as opposed to my usual "shoot first, pass never" mentality. Nice bunch of guys on this team, and good players too. A few of them are police officers, maybe if I pass them the ball I'll get out of a parking ticket or two...

12/1/05 11:25AM: Intersting bit on the Pentagon's "journalistic hirelings" over in Bagdhad. Just makes ya shake your head...

11/30/05 3:33PM: Approval ratings from a recent poll. Some western states still seem to be clinging to hope, or something... (thanks to dailykos for the link).

1:39PM: Aw, shucks... Word has gotten out around the Industrial Basketball League that I'm not on a team this year, and so far two -- count them -- two squads have asked little ol' me to join. Jeez they must really be desperate...

12:14PM: Tree has been wired, watered and fully decorated -- first time ever this has been done before December. Let's hope there is some longevity in those needles. This is also the first time I did not become hopelessly entangled in the wires during the decorating process. I'll post a pic of the finished product once I can figure out how to take a photo in the dark, sans flash. First few attempts resulted in what looked like a pyramid of lights hovering in space. Any digital photgraphers have any pointers?

11/29/05 3:17PM: Got take-out at a local Mexican joint best known for its stellar chicken tortilla soup and chips & salsa. Arrived back at my desk inhaling that salty goodness... then 2 chips into the process deposited the entire cup of chunky salsa all over my trousers, shirt and documents to-be-faxed. I shoulda stayed in bed this morning.

12:59PM: Finally, a Batman that sucketh not - Saw Batman Begins recently. Very, very well done. We finally learn where the fighting, swooping, stealthing, flipping, and ass-kicking skills came from. And while Jack gets a nod of respect for his Joker in Batman I, these other Batman films were for the most part silly.

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11/28/05 5:01PM: Kiss of death...

1:40PM: Guitar pioneer Link Wray died this month. Wray is best remembered for inventing the "power chord" and having influenced legends such as Bowie, Springstein, Townshend and Neil Young. His stuff has been heard in recent blockbusters like Independence Day and Pulp Fiction, but my fav of course is the greasy Mexican tavern scene from Desperado. Can't think of any other jam I'd rather have in my iPod than Wray's 'Jack the Ripper' when I'm shooting up a bar, or driving 80mph, or skiing moguls, or geeking out playing video games...

10:38AM: Look closely, that IS the Dickens classic "A Christmas Carol" Aidan is reading. Overcome with holiday lust yesterday, we spent an obscene amount of cash on fireplace accessories and a Christmas tree taller than the one that will overlook Rockefeller Center. The decorating ceremony will take place this week.

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11/25/05 1:00PM: Seriously liking PC World's Top 100 for 2005 list, note that Firefox, Google's Gmail and Apple's OSX Tiger sit comfortably on top...

12:54PM: Reeling from turkey torpor... but damn those were some good eats. We took the Port Jefferson Ferry to LI yesterday to spend a raucous Turkey Day with Maria's family. Mmmmmmmmm... the cranberry/mashed potato/turkey mush that I concoct on my plate every year on my plate never disappoints.

11/24/05 8:52AM: The ultrasound lady was wrong! About a month ago during the first ultrasound the technician gave us an "educated guess" that we're having a girl, pointing to some linear shapes that resembled "little labias". But after yesterday's ultrasound there's no doubt about it, Aidan will be having a little brother! Woohoo! Name ideas are welcome, because we are totally stuck...

Happy Turkey Day to everyone, we're off to Long Island to get our grub on.

11/22/05 2:18PM: Ah crap, the link below to KitchenAid's website is no longer working. Basically they were advertising a dishwasher that contained two huge drawers, each capable of running wash load separately. Very cool.

12:03PM: A "clean" drawer and a "dirty" drawer? Check this out. Never having to empty the dishwasher? This is brilliant, I tell you, BRILLIANT!

10:55AM: XBox 360 was released at midnight. Check out John Zwinck's photo gallery of the geeks who camped out overnight in the chilly rain to be first in line. Worth the wait? Maybe. I'll have it at some point, of course, but I'm not in any rush. WoW keeps me plenty busy when I do actually have time for gaming these days. And that $400 pricetag needs to come down before 360 is even considered...

10:02AM: In the immortal words of Barry Manilow, looks like we made it! Happy 2nd anniversary babe :)

Tonight Grandma Marie will be staying with Duppy while my date and I take in the Harry Potter flick. Only the best for my gal!

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11/21/05 4:37PM: Kudos to Blizzard, the makers of World of Warcraft, for implementing parental controls. Of course if anyone activates this for MY account I will chop off your fingers...

10:43AM: 'Goblet' took in $101.4 mill over the weekend, and everyone I've talked to gives it the thumbs up. We are SO THERE tomorrow night, and a full review will be posted of course. As this was my fav of the novels, expectations are high...

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11/18/05 6:30PM: Questions. Lots of 'em. In a room hot enough to give a sauna a run for its money. Today's meeting was more or less to provide background information about Aidan's development, as well as family medical histories. While we talked Aidan spent most of the time playing with toys on the floor or pulling on the doctor's stockings. The doctor seems to be a bit of a kook, and based on her "Aidan from Sex in the City" reference (Carrie's boyfriend played by hunky John Corbett) we know she has a bit of freak in her. Likeable, I suppose. Knowledgeable? Too soon to tell. But we did get her complete and undivided attention for 2 1/2 hours, which is better than most doctors these days seem able to do...

The nitty gritty evaluation won't take place for another two weeks, when all the focus will be on Aidan.

10:58AM: Off to St Francis today for another Aidan eval, back this afternoon...

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11/17/05 5:39PM: **SIGH** I knew $0.99 per song couldn't last...

12:17PM: The Empire Strikes Back -- Our veep responds to the recent criticisms with a scathing speech last night, claiming the Dems are merely trying to gain a political advantage. Hey, going offensive worked for Dubya/Cheney during the presidential campaign; showing any opposition to the Iraq War meant you were "unpatriotic", and folks actually bought into that crap. Interesting to see if these tactics will still be effective...

10:38AM: I can quit anytime I want to, man... **twitch twitch**

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11/16/05 4:39PM: So it CAN be done! The twelve fold problem solved at last...

11:30AM: Hmmmmm... just hmmm... Dubya must be running out of speech material. And ideas. And support.

11:10AM: Cusack pulling no punches...

10:29AM: Who says we never win anything? Attended a seminar last night entitled "Toilet Training Your Special Needs Child." At the end of the night we won a raffle for a Bob the Builder potty seat! All our prayers are answered. The seminar itself was pretty informative. Suffice to say the road ahead of us is long, winding and laden with poop...

9:46AM: Contacting our mortgage company today to see if enough time has passed and enough timely payments have been made to allow us to drop our mortgage insurance. That extra $130 a month could surely be better spent, fingers are crossed...

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11/15/05 11:10AM: Just in time for the blockbuster movie release: Kong lives.

11/14/05 3:37PM: My alma mater was featured on the CBS Sunday Morning program yesterday, as they were doing a bit on why we curse so damn much these days. Timothy Jay, author and MCLA psych professor, is something of an authority on the *&$#! subject. As an amusing experiement several MCLA drama students attempted to act out the legendary 'Gone With the Wind' scene where Rhett tells Scarlett that he "frankly doesn't give a damn" -- only the students were not allowed to swear. It was effective in getting the point across, as "Frankly Scarlett, I don't give a hoot" just didn't have the same impact.

11:30AM: Miracle man beats HIV ?

10:22AM: Took advantage of the nice weather yesterday to apply a coat of good ol' fashioned Turtle Wax to the VW. Even enlisted the help of the old lady (pictured here). Though the body is already riddled with rust spots (the VW that is, not the old lady), a coat of carnuba is always a good idea before the snowy, salty, sandy road conditions get here. Behold the finished product. Viewed from the right angle, she's got potential...

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11/11/05 10:01AM: Caught a showing of 'Back to the Future' recently, my 4,632th viewing. Never get sick of that one, I remember wanting to BE Marty -- the suspenders, the walkman, the whole bit. And let's face it, Crispin Glover's portrayal of George Mcfly is one of the great all-time roles ("Hey you, get your damn hands off of her... you really think I oughta swear?").

But to this day two things bother me about the movie to the point of keeping me up at night:

1) Einstein the dog -- after Marty has traveled back 30 years and visits Doc Brown, we see Einstein running around AS A PUPPY. Since when can dogs live 30 years? I keep telling myself that it is Einstein's mother or father we see in that scene...

2) Marty and his interfering with his 17 year old parents -- a couple of issues here. Marty has an older brother named Dave. If his parents were so smitten with the name 'Marty', wouldn't it stand to reason that they would've named their FIRST son Marty? Secondly, don't they find it miraculous that their son has such an amazing resemblance to the mysterious teen who hooked them up all those years earlier, then disappeared forever?

11/9/05 3:13PM: Stumbled across an interesting pictorial of the Mac demographic. Some are beautiful, some are raunchy, but a very cool site nonetheless. And make sure you click on the Linux and Windows links as well...

9:45AM: My wife made out like a bandit for her 30th, TWO count them TWO awesome meals (one homemade by friends, the other at our favorite Mexican watering hole), an authentic work by local artist and friend-of-a-friend Michael Patterson (pictured here), some dough, a pile of maternity clothes, a remote car starter, a gift certificate for a massage, some comfy pajamas... the list goes on and on.

My big gift to her was two tickets to the 2/4/06 showing of The Lion King on Broadway. Yes, that would be 2/4, the SAME DAY WE RETURN FROM ST JOHN. What an idiot I am! Worst part is that I remember while making the online purchase thinking to myself how the show will help ease the pain of returning from vacation. Thank goodness for ebay... Item 6577332832 in case you're interested -- bid high! Bid often!

Congratulations to our buds Cris and Stephen on the arrival of Evan! You guys are 2 for 2 when it comes to producing good-lookin' babies...

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11/7/05 9:42AM: Can't think of anything clever for thirty. I already have the catchy phrase "Lordy Lordy Maria's forty" lined up to use a decade from now. But thirty is tough. Turnin' thirty and feelin' flirty? Naaah. Maria's thir-i-ty, call security? Horrible. Help me out here...

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11/3/05 4:53PM: Ah, poop! Was hoping to snatch up the domain name www.duppyconqueror.com, but as it turns out some lame sailboat charter company in the Grenadines already uses it...

3:00PM: Blizzard is watchin', not sure how I feel about this. I guess stopping "bot farming" in World of Warcraft is a good thing, but damn...

2:37PM: Thinking of offing yourself via the Golden Gate Bridge? Here is a visual guide to help you plan your descent. Light pole #69 seems to be a popular launching point...

1:57PM: City of Love, my ass.

12:25PM: Talking with a coworker today and had the opportunity to use one of my all-time favorite expressions, "to boot." LOVE SAYING IT, no idea why. Best useage ever - my high school football coach was letting me have it: "You ran the wrong pattern and dropped the ball to boot." If anyone has any idea where this phrase originated, drop me a line...

10:46AM: Have I mentioned that hoops is back? Finally, a reason to turn on SportsCenter again. Kobe hit this shot at the buzzer for the overtime win, GREAT game. I let cousin Blaine talk me into some crazy betting scheme on SportsInteraction.com. I know what you're thinking, cuz I've been thinking the same thing all along. But for the past two NBA seasons, with the help of some of my picks, he has turned $32 into well over $1000. So this year I thought I'd plunk down my 32 bucks and go for a piece of the pie. The key is to strictly adhere to the "scheme", don't ask me how it works. But after incorrectly picking New Orleans last night I'm down $2... grumble grumble... Hey they were getting 12 points!

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11/2/05 3:28PM: Think you've got a lot of "pressure" in YOUR life? Check out this poor little crab. Poor, poor crab...

10:09AM: Got a few pics from our newlyweds out west, congrats to cousin Shana (aka Shewie) and Chris White! Damn good looking couple if I do say so myself.

11/1/05 2:45PM: Well we never found any Munsters reruns, but did end up flipping back and forth between 'Silence of the Lambs' and 'Poltergeist'. Aidan took in a decent amount of loot, not that we're going to let him EAT any of it. We saw a steady stream of kids up until around 8ish. By that point I was feeling too lazy to keep running downstairs to the door, so I ended up lobbing the candy off the deck to the open candy sacks below. Kids LOVED it. Here's a shot of our lil Duppy Dragon with his two buddies from downstairs.

Yesterday during lunch had to run to the mall, so took the opportunity to drive with the top down ONE LAST TIME. Even drove home that night with it down, wooly hat pulled down low and teeth chattering...

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10/31/05 9:39AM: Having a kid is starting to make Halloween one of my favorite times of year again. Attended not one but TWO parties over the weekend, showcasing our stellar costumes on Saturday for Olivia's first birthday party. Olivia being born to parents that are Halloween freaks is very cool because it pretty much guarantees a party every year from this point forward.

Spent yesterday in Cornwall chez Uncle Bubba and Aunt Bocky (don't ask), where Aidan got to try his hand in the saddle, which he immediately took to. Just don't get too comfy up there bud, that is one hobby we will NOT be able to afford...

Tonight will feature a quick trick-or-treat around the condo complex, followed by answering the door 412 times and hopefully unloading the 800 lbs of candy we bought. Of course if there are any leftovers I'm sure we'll find a good use for them. In the spirit of the evening I'm hoping to find some Munsters episodes, or maybe fire up 'American Werewolf in London.'

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10/27/05 9:56AM: Where to start? We'd been trying not to let Aidan's developmental delays worry us too much, figuring (hoping?) that he was just taking his time. But the blood tests don't lie -- he has officially been diagnosed with IsoDicentric Chromosome 15 (idic(15)). We've never heard of it either, but long story short he's carrying around one more chromosome than most of us.

Went to Yale New Haven Children's Hospital on Monday to talk with the genetics folks. We assumed the worst when FOUR people entered the examination room, but as it turned out three of them were residents in training. The doc, a mousy dude in his 30's, looked a wreck -- bloodshot eyes, twitchy hands, nervous stammering. Judging by his appearance he stays up late every night either A) drinking or B) studying. But while his doctor/patient interaction skills need some work, it quickly became apparent that option B applies; this guy knows his stuff.

So here is the good news: Aidan clearly does NOT have either of the two "sub-syndromes" sometimes associated with idic(15): Prader-Willi and Angelman's Syndrome. This would have been really bad. It is also unlikely that he will have the seizures that occasionally come with idic(15). Doc believes that Aidan will come around, albeit at his own pace. There is a lot of hard work ahead, and countless hours of therapy. Most likely as he gets older he will become frustrated with his inability to communicate his needs to us, and this could lead to some behavioral issues.

As for baby #2 (coming April '06 to a hospital near you), Doc believes there is a "less than 1%" chance that he/she will have any problems of this nature. Hallelujah! We can live with those odds.

Thanks to everyone for the deluge of supportive emails, phone calls, etc. It's a great comfort to know the little guy has such an awesome fan base.

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10/21/05 10:31AM: One of the great things about WoW is the attention given to holidays. This time of year all of the major towns are decorated with pumpkins and spooky decor. There are several Halloween, er, Hallow's End-specific missions to partake in: bombarding an enemy town with stink bombs, befouling an enemy taven's beer keg with some yucky stuff, or helping orcish kids at the local orphanage gather treats. Pictured here is poor Agador transformed into a black cat while trick-or-treating (center screen, scrambling around the floor helplessly).

10/19/05 10:05AM: Grandpa Dom to the rescue! For over a month our upstairs bowl has been hopelessly clogged. No amount of flushing, plunging, chemical treating, fiddling, snaking, or swearing helped. All along we had been blaming this burdensome blockage on some supposedly "flushable" cat litter. But this morning when Grandpa Dom showed up with "The Terminator" of snakes/plungers (pictured above), low and behold he extracted two perfectly intact plastic boats!

10/18/05 11:25AM: Question: at what point does one cut one's losses and decide their recently acquired clunker is not worth the dough it would cost to keep it on the road?

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10/17/05 10:59AM: Such a nice, peaceful nation we are...

9:44AM: The entire trip on Saturday lasted about 4 minutes, I drove from Maria's place of work to the condo. But the fall sun was beaming and damn it felt good to drive with that top down. Of course any fondness I had gained for my new car dissipated on Sunday afternoon when, while sitting idling outside the pharmacy, the radiator decided to empty its contents onto the pavement. Phhooosssh! **puff of white smoke**. Hoo boy.

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10/14/05 11:12AM: The new Bond has been chosen! Daniel Craig of (where else?) England... 37... blond... handsome... dashing? We shall see when "Casino Royale" releases next year sometime. Craig seems like a good choice, but can you believe that hunky Clive Owen turned down the role?

10/12/05 11:12AM: Real Halloween spirit around here, someone stole one of our pumpkins. Whoever you are, I hope it rots the day after you carve it so it takes on the appearance of a withered old crone...

10/8/05 6:01PM: It's generally a bad sign when your own mechanic tells you that your car is a money-pit. My too-good-to-be-true Cabriolet, suffice to say, has some issues. Let's see: front axle, front brakes, motor mounts... the list goes on and on. And though this mechanic (one of the few whom I actually trust) followed my instructions and only patched the things that would either get me arrested or killed, the bill was staggering.

I guess with a 15-year old vehicle this was bound to happen. Is a strongly-worded letter to the sellers in order for not disclosing these problems? I'm not really one to talk. Years ago when selling my '93 Corrado, I knew very well that the sunroof leaked during heavy rains. When asked about this by the prospective buyer, my reply was "I don't take it out in the rain." What comes around goes around...

But things could be worse. I successfully commuted with the Cabriolet on Friday, and it's running quite well. And there may even be a day or two before winter sets in that warrant taking the top down, though rain is expected for the next four days :(

10/5/05 11:03AM: The really big news of course, is the announcement of baby #2! Yessiree, the little pooper is on deck, due early April. We are thrilled! Kinda looks like a little E.T. doesn't he/she? Now, to come up with a name. We welcome any and all suggestions...

10/4/05 9:55AM: Tried to come up with some catchy phrase like "Turnin' sixty and lookin' nifty"... or maybe "Congrats on turnin' sixty, hope you like our gifty"... but nothing really seems to rhyme with sixty. Does it? Kind of like the word "orange". Anyway, Grandpa Dom is the king today -- HAPPY 60th!

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9/28/05 9:34AM: Calamari for everyone! For the first time ever (aside from the movie version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) a live Architeuthis dux was captured on film. As if these awesome creatures don't have enough problems dodging marauding Sperm Whales, this poor fella had his tentacle ripped off.

9:21AM: Now that's some serious booty. I've been digging in the wrong place!

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9/27/05 5:30PM: "Ninety-nine, don't tell me he's a KAOS agent!"
"Max, he's a KAOS agent!"
"I ASKED you not to tell me that..."

Or:

"Max, take a look at these two photos of the suspects. Don't you see any similarities??!"
"Sure, they're both 8 X 10 glossies..."

Don Adams passed away this week, obit here. If I can remember cheesey one-liners from, I dunno, 25 years ago, it goes without saying that I LOVED that show...

9/26/05 3:02PM: Deflated - Sadly it has been decided that The Deflators, our basketball team for many years, will not be participating in its usual Industrial League this season. There are a number of reasons for this, but for the most part it's a financial matter. As we have always remained proudly sponsorless it has become increasingly difficult to foot the ever-increasing entry fee. But hey - we had some great times over the years and even managed to scrape together a win here and there. If I can get back in shape I may try to latch onto some other team and ride the pine, we'll have to see about that.

10:36AM: Flipper on the loose, hide the women and children. This is almost as good as "sharks with frickin lasers on their heads!" (see Austin Powers for details, email me for the video clip)...

9/23/05 12:34PM: Life's biggest question, answered at last...

11:41 AM: Grrrrrr... Talked to the seller yesterday, there appears to be a slight "issue" with the car's title. That is, they don't have it. RED FLAG RED FLAG! Apparently when he and his wife moved recently, DMV mailed it to the old address and they never got it. He assured me that he was on top of it, and expects the title to be sent in 2 weeks. He even offered to drive to DMV headquarters in Weathersfield on Saturday to try and expedite the process. He also offered to bring the car all the way to my house in the interim. Or, he says he'd understand if I wanted to cancel the whole deal. Am I being given the runaround? Been called a trusting fool before. Maybe he doesn't want to sell anymore... maybe someone else offered more dough... maybe he wants to buy himself 2 more weeks in the nice weather so he can joyride around with the top down... or maybe things are exactly as he says they are, and I just need to be more patient...

Speaking of being given the runaround, I stop in a gas station/mini-mart thing the other day en route to work. Bag of cornnuts, 1 Vitawater, The Bargain News, 1 Powerball ticket... give the guy a $20 bill, I am 100% CERTAIN of this. He hands me back a couple of bucks change, thinking I gave a $10 bill. Argument ensues, it's basically my word against his. He did not keep the bill on top of the register like a good cashier should. What to do in a situation like that? Ask to check the security camera tape? I had 11 minutes to get to the office, Aidan and Maria are in the car waiting... I ended up letting my Bombay-born store owner keep his little charitable contribution and stormed out spewing expletives. Moral of the story folks -- PAY ATTENTION at the register.

9/22/05 10:43AM: Everybody dance!

9/21/05 4:45PM: I have found my clunker! A 1990 VW Cabriolet will be my modus transporti for, well, as long as possible. That's the thing with vehicles in the price range I was working with: this could very well be the sturdy servant that I desperately need for a year or two... or it could explode on Route 7 a week from now. But until then I've got my commute covered!

10:42AM: Warcraft update - Agador recently tried out the new dungeon called Zul' Gurub. Screenshot here -- Agador is center-screen, and note the bat-lady up top with the glowing green aura about her... She proceeded to swoop down off her perch and deal out punishment, wiping out the entire party :(

9/20/05 4:55PM: Things continue to go as planned in Iraq...

3:54PM: At long last, some vacation pics...

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9/19/05 5:30PM: OK Doc, I was thinking of a cross between Brad Pitt and David Beckham, see what you can do...

5:18PM: Bill Gates is not screwing around...

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9/16/05 4:53PM: Well said, John.

4:02PM: Gives new meaning to EEEK A MOUSE!

3:56PM: Some good juicy celebrity gossip - Renee Zellweger dumped Kenny Chesney after 4 quick months, citing "fraud" as the reason for the annulment. Normally I wouldn't give a damn about Chesney but since he owns property on St John, he's cool with me.

3:43PM: Long live the King. B.B. turns 80 today.

10:13AM: Still haven't gotten around to organizing the Block Island pics yet, so to hold everyone over here is an awesome sunset shot from the North Lighthouse. That place is a pain in the tuckus to get to - it's either a mile walk on a rocky beach, or a terrifyingly risky 4WD adventure. But always worth the trip.

Been trying without success to gather up my thoughts on BI, which I'm convinced is imbued with some sort of magic. Hey it's possible for an island to be magical, don't you watch Lost? But unlike that show, this is a benign magic. Let's look at the facts:

-- The senses are heightened by about 25% while on the island - things smell better, taste better, colors are more vivid, our ears are more tuned in to nature's chorus...

-- No one disputes that every hour spent there ages you backwards, that is you actually get younger with the passage of time.

-- The skyline glows. Look closely just before dusk during Septober (local term for September/October), you'll see what I mean. A glass or two of Pinot Grigio helps. Magic, I tell you!

The list goes on and on. Whatever it is, leaving the island puts me in a week-long nostalgic funk every time. And this has nothing to do with the tee shirts, trinkets and souvenirs (though I have more of those than I care to admit). I find myself wondering, even today, is it better to have Blocked and left than to never have Blocked at all? But a very wise woman once told me that if there is sand in your shoes, you'll be back...

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9/14/05 4:11PM: I pledge allegiance to the flag... Oh no you DON'T...

3:22PM: A new Player vs Player (PvP) WoW Battleground has been added, Arathi Basin. Of course Agador (my level 60 Shaman) jumped in to see what the fuss is about. Ran around for about 5 minutes like a chicken with his head cut off, got turned into a sheep by an evil mage, then was knifed in the back by a rogue. Guess I'm a bit rusty after vacation...

11:57AM: Drop that iPod... I said, drop that iPod... I SAID DROP THAT iPOD!!!! Oh nevermind, just click here.

11:45AM: LOVE that pic, thanks Mary! We often vistited La Farme Des Animaux at the Hotel Manisees while on Block Island. As long as you have food, they will snuggle.

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9/13/05 2:17PM: Bacon speaks out on "Six Degrees". C'mon, admit it. You've ALL played at one time or another...

10:06AM: Jack was solid. His is one of those bands that you just can't be sure about seeing live -- I was a bit apprehensive at first. His voice isn't particularly powerful, nor is it particularly remarkable. But it's extremely likeable, and that's more than enough to make for a great late-summer show in Central Park. Jack is a very accomplished guitarist, and the dude named Zack in his band is an all-around amazing musician. All night while providing background vocals and doing some wiggly wet pasta dance, Zack bounced masterfully from piano to accordian to some harmonica/keyboard contraption.

But don't think just because we had a nice time at the concert that for one minute I'm through bitching about vacation being over. There's something about Block Island that I must get off my chest, problem is I can't figure out exactly how to do it. Photos are comin' too, just need another day or so to sort and upload...

9/12/05 9:21AM: Technically vay-kay hasn't ended yet! Heading to NYC today for a Jack Johnson concert at Central Park. Hopefully this will take some of the sting out of our post-Block Island blues...

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9/11/05 8:58AM: Back. Miserable. Sad. Settling in. Loads of laundry to get through, though right now the only motivation for unpacking is to find that pound of Block Island Blend coffee beans we bought yesterday...

9/7/05 1:45PM: And the blue sky perfection continues. As this sublime vacation draws closer and dreadfully closer towards its conclusion, my life's goal has become perfectly clear: to spend every day on this island between my birthday (6/23) and Columbus Day. Hey, a fella can dream, can't he?

9/2/05 10:06PM: Is it possible that two best weather days ever seen on Block Island can happen consecutively? That must be the case, because yesterday and today were amazing. If "Block Island Blue" is not already a color from a J Crew catalog, it should be.

As this is something of a working vacation, I've been spending a fair amount of time with the Powerbook hanging out in Juice n Java. It is under new management, and a lot has changed here in the past two years. Don't get me wrong -- it's still the best coffee house on the planet. But it's definitely lost some of its swank. Replaced are the aging creaky floor boards, clean white tiles now shine brightly. The ceiling no longer leaks during heavy rainfall. The reggae music now streams from an iPod, and the dented CD Player with a penchant for skipping is long gone. The not-so-sanitary sofa in the back, usually littered with hippies, is nowhere to be found. The barristas are no longer clad in granola-gear, covered head-to-toe in tatoos and piercings, and they certainly don't reek of petchoulie. Instead they're beautiful young bucks looking as if they just wandered off the set of "Will and Grace." But the kicker came when I visited the bathroom -- the ancient poster with Frank Zappa sitting on the crapper is GONE!

To most folks these all would seem like improvements. But when they come at the cost of character, fuhgettaboutit... On the plus side, Block Island Blend is still an acidic mocha marvel in my cup, and the WiFi connection is snappy...

8/31/05 11:39AM: The SS Blow Chunks - It was about 7:20 when we realized our ferry was leaving at 8AM, NOT 9AM. AAAHHH!! In the car NOW! But we made it, and we are here, and we are at peace once again...

The drama didn't end there though. With all of the freakishly hard rain coming down, we were expecting a rough ride. But miraculoulsy the surf was relatively smooth; nary a drop of puke anywhere... except all over Maria. That's right, about half way to Block Island Aidan started fussing. Maria picked him up to comfort him, and, BLLLEEEEEEEEEEECCHHHH! Chunks all over him, her, and the floor. A handsome gay couple nearby looked on in horror. Then, BLEEEEEEEEEEEEECHHH! Another wave of vomit, even chunkier than the first. Ah, vacation...

Anyway, despite this rocky, er, chunky start we are having a terrific time. Powerbook is here, and there is WiFi, so I'll try to post often. I left the damn USB cable for the camera home, however, so photos may have to wait :(

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8/29/05 10:59AM: Katrina and the Waves - Packing and preparing furiously for Block Island, w00t! Hurricane Katrina could make for some interesting surf, to be sure. We've been out on the Block during Hurricane season of course, it's actually kinda fun. Just hope Katrina is merciful during our ferry ride.

Realized in a panic that since getting the SUV we had no way of transporting our bikes out to the Block. My old bike rack is not compatible, so we were in quite a pickle. Quickly evaluated the cost of renting 2 bikes for a week vs buying a new rack, and the latter option was a no-brainer. After much swearing and sweating (the directions were a joke, thanks a lot Thule), Grandpa Dom finally helped us get the damn thing mounted on the roof of the car. And though the bikes jiggle slightly up there, I feel far more secure driving with this new rack than I ever have in the past. I've spent entire road trips peering anxiously in the rear view mirror, waiting for my mountain bike to become dislodged and cause a 9 car pileup on I-95...

Never really got into Frank Miller, though Dark Knight was fantastic. But over the weekend took in Sin City on DVD. Very, very cool. All shot in a grim Film Noir CGI world, with some color thrown in for good measure -- screenie here.

Also caught most of the MTV Video Music Awards last night. Two observations: 1) Shakira is so hot that smoke issues forth from her pores... 2) Hammer can still shake his ass after all these years, though it was sad to see much of the hip hop community giggling at him as he performed.

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8/26/05 11:32AM: "Sex in the City" fans, start your bidding!

11:07AM: Almost a week gone by and we haven't smashed up the new vehicle yet (knocks on wood). Tonight I get to meet a potential commuter clunker, fingers crossed. Time to swallow the pride, cuz this thing ain't gonna be pretty...

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8/23/05 10:34AM: Six has aired its last episode. We're still a season behind on DVD rentals, but we're getting close and I'm really wondering how they're gonna wrap this thing up. NYT review of finale here, WARNING: SPOILERS!

9:58AM: Dorky enough picture, but there is our slightly worn in Honda Pilot in all its splendor (splendour if we were in the UK). You will note that for privacy reasons I have skillfully obscured our license plate numbers -- don't know why, it just seemed like the thing to do. Plus I really love the Photoshop Blur Tool. Anyway, now we have to call the Block Island Ferry and try to convince them not to double the cost of our ferry ticket (we had made the reservation for our teeny tiny Civic many months ago, and when it comes to car ferry reservations, SIZE MATTERS). I really enjoy driving the new vehicle, though it's depressing to watch the fuel gauge sliding towards "E" during the commute. You can actually see it moving as you drive! But it's big, roomy, safe, and tres cool. And best of all, I did not have to pay our Civic & Accord payments this month! The hunt for my clunker (see 8/21 post) continues, but there are a few leads...

Wondering why we never hear anymore of those mysterious color-coded Terror Alerts that were so common during the months leading up to the election. Oh wait, I just answered my own question. These were used to great effect whenever W's approval ratings needed a jump start, as reported by WAPO and many others. Nary a warning since he got his four more years, interesting...

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8/21/05 8:22PM: OK new plan - we are in fact moving ahead with a Honda Pilot, but a used one (2002). Both the '99 Accord and the '02 Civic will be traded in. We'll be saving some cash each month, and have the cargo/people space we desperately crave. But I have no desire to drive this thing to death every day to and from work, so here is where you, the loyal JesseLeo.com'ers come in. I need to find a shit car. I'm talking a real clunker. Anything under 100K miles need not apply. I want to feel skeeved out just sitting in it. This cannot be a car you would take home to mom. The stinkier, the better. Can you help?

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8/16/05 10:05AM: Condition is improving daily, all that lingers is some discomfort in the fingers when typing and flipping people the bird. Starting to doubt it was/is Lyme Disease, but what then?

Speaking of diseases, did you know that certain reptiles can kill off HIV? Breakthrough medical discovery, or a load of croc? Story here...

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8/15/05 5:53PM: According to this article, Ligers have seen a Dynamite boost in popularity since the hero of the 2004 insta-classic Napolean Dynamite declared them as "pretty much his favorite animal." As much as I love that movie (and do not dispute Napolean's claim that they possess magical powers), I have a hard time with this one. This is not a combo that would occur by itself in nature. Saw some footage of them on the Discovery Channel -- they look unhealthy and clumsy as they move, almost as if they aren't meant to be...

5:16PM: No one is forcing you to click on this link. But here it is again, in case you're wondering what the world's ugliest dog looks like. Don't say I didn't warn you...

5:03PM: After a substantial amount of poking/prodding/questioning by the doc, I got a prescription for antibiotics and approval for some blood tests. Oh happy dagger, Jesse's arm be thy sheath! They took about 67 gallons out of me -- I no longer have enough blood to sustain my vital functions, but at least the tests will be accurate. My "vampire" was flirtatious throughout the leeching, which of course is welcome. But then again, they're probably like that to ALL of their nervous-looking patients.

1:04PM: Lord Voldemort aimed his wand at me and hissed "Crucio!" That can be the only logical explanation for the muscle aches and pains that have taken over. Started Thursday night with the flu, now this. It's actually much better now than it was over the weekend -- right now it's mostly in the forearms/wrists/fingers. Things such as opening a car door or a bottle of water have become Herculean tasks. The "come hither" wiping motion used while changing Aidan is a major chore (but then again that always is). Typing/mousing sux too. To rule out Lyme Disease, I'm going for a test in an hour... fun fun !

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8/11/05 10:07PM: Flew to Savannah, GA yesterday on another fool's errand for work. Don't be fooled by the old stereotypes -- I saw nothing of the southern belles in bonnets sipping Country Time lemonade under the willow tree on their sprawling plantation. Folks down there are every bit as miserable and cranky as us Damn Yankees are up here. Things were looking up when I received a free upgrade to a convertable from Dollar. But about 10 minutes into the drive I realized that I was the ONLY person in the state of GA with the top down, it's too goddamn hot for that sort of thing down there.

Have I mentioned how much coach sucks? And what a tease to think you're going to get BOTH seats to yourself the entire boarding process... watching the passengers creep down the aisle peering at their boarding passes... "please don't sit here please don't sit here please don't sit here." You think you'll be OK until at the very last second the tallest guy you've ever seen lumbers down the aisle and plops next to you.

Visited Fair Honda tonight to look into getting a larger vehicle, because we just don't spend enough on gas. A Pilot, while dreamy, is just a tad out of our range. Developing...

I have Friday off so we're headed back to RI for some beaching. I'll have Powerbook and digi cam in tow, and expect to grab some nice shots. Oh, what I would give for Jeremy's T1 connection...

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8/9/05 3:55PM: Recently spotted - Agador, my WoW character, having consumed a potion that temporarily transformed him into a ninja with stellar dance moves.

1:09PM: Mick, tell us how you really feel! I've always been a Stones fan, and they just moved up 3 notches on my list, click here.

12:45PM: Just sent my submission (and hell no I ain't tellin') for Contest #14, I suggest you do the same. Fame and fortune await...

12:11PM: So Discovery is back. And this cost us taxpayers how many millions? To show that... they could? PLEASE NASA, stop wasting our money.

12:00PM: Flying cats. Weird.

11:35AM: Since the knee is more or less healed, guess I'm all out of excuses for avoiding the treadmill. For almost six months it gave me jolts of agony with even moderate activity, and this damn near broke my spirit. But with the Kent Pumpkin Run looming this October, Aidan and I have some serious training to start. I've done that 5-miler a few times over the years, and in my prime was actually able to finish a respectable 12th. Of course now given my woefully out of shape heart/lungs/legs/ass and the fact that I'll be pushing Duppy, I'm going into this one with a different mindset. I mean, what's more important: having a good time, or having a good time?

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8/8/05 3:10PM: Hold me closer Tiny Dancer - Had a hoot over the weekend at a reggae/calypso concert in Kent. Who knew that our little Duppy had da music inside, mon? We've never seen him have so much fun -- running around, grinning and yelling, causin' a ruckus, cuttin' up the dance floor. Click here for the video clip (Quicktime format).

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8/5/05 10:30PM: Finally getting caught up here, where was I? Oh yes, Martha's Vineyard. What to say? The place is overcrowded, overpriced, infested with mosquitos, hard to get to... and it felt DAMN good to be back! I think what I've missed the most are the sounds of belly laughter emanating from the porch. While taking my post-feast outdoor nightly pee, I hear the conversations and laughter of people who don't see nearly enough of one another. Then I smile. Then I smack a mosquito on the back of my neck and run for cover as they swarm around my head.

Ryan on babysitting duty

Upside down baby

Rachel strikes a pose

Dancing Meadows nonsense

More Dancing Meadows nonsense

Marion tends to the kabobs

Placid Katama Bay

A tribute to the late great Uncle Peter

Serenity

Finished Harry Potter while I was out there. Wow. I mean, wow. Cannot BELIEVE the ending. Email me if you want to discuss my theory about Snape...

Had a great Katama Bay tribute to Uncle Admiral, and scattered his ashes into the winds of his favorite place on earth. This was not so much a maudlin affair, the laughs outnumbered the tears -- this is how he would have wanted it I think. It was about 20 years ago, but I can picture it plain as day: we were on the deck of the ferry around dusk, wrapping up yet another rapturous vacation. The Admiral watched Oak Bluffs fade into the distance and said quietly, almost to himself, "We've got to keep coming back." Amen.

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8/3/05 8:32AM: Martha's VD pics coming, I promise... work is crazy, and tomorrow I'll be in up-up-up state NY (way up, I'm talkin' borderline Canada) all bloody day :(
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8/1/05 9:13AM: Back. Wonderful. So busy. Full details ASAP. Wonderful!

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7/27/05 11:06PM: Leaving tomorrow at the crack of ass, err, dawn for a LONG overdue Morris family gathering on Chappaquiddick. I'll have the Powerbook in tow, but probably won't be able to blog til we get back -- internet access will be extremely limited, and probably through a **gasp** dial-up connection. Yes, we'll be living like savages and loving every minute of it. Lets see: swimsuit... check! Harry Potter book... check! Toothbrush.... check! Sunblock... check! We're golden.

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7/26/05 4:11PM: Single ladies, try to control yourselves. This is your lucky day, click here...

2:13PM: Revenge is a dish best served WARM

1:28PM: Hung like a caveman...

12:56PM: Since the sports world is still reeling in Lance Armstrongdom, I can't resist posting this photo from Lance's earlier days, when he was wanted in six states for shoplifting bananas... (many thanks to Rachel for the link!)

12:28PM: If you can't beat 'em, wipe 'em off the map... Microsoft's newly released Virtual Earth software provides a bird's eye view of the planet using satellite photos. But interestingly, if you check for the Cupertino, CA based Apple Computer campus, you will be shown a vacant lot (the sprawling Apple campus actually consists of 11 modern buildings and a meticulously landscaped courtyard).

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7/25/05 12:29PM: Speaking of "Wedding Crashers", some vets have taken issue with an ad for the movie which makes light of Purple Hearts. Long story short, during one scene **chuckle chuckle** the guys use bogus Purple Hearts to get free drinks... of course a Purple Heart is not a laughing matter, but jeez guys, it's just a movie...

10:59AM: He won again, with considerable ease. What's his deal? Better genes? Better diet? Better training regime? Better teammates? A combination of all of the above? Or **gasp** dare I ask -- could the "juice" rumors be true? I don't think so, too much at stake if he were caught...

8:47AM: The weekend of the movie - Gorgeous as it was weather-wise, we watched about 47,000 movies this weekend. Started off with the excellent Million Dollar Baby - we'll have our hearts back now, please. Honestly, it's worthy of every award it won. But if I want that kind of a downer I'll take drugs, or maybe balance my checkbook...

We also took in The Wedding Crashers, partly because the reviews looked hilarious and partly because my Uncle Stephen played an extra (photo here, my uncle is the tuxedo-clad silver fox seated a few yards behind Christopher Walken). It needs to be said that "extra" does not do my uncle's role justice. I counted THREE instances during one of the wedding reception dancing scenes where he was center screen, masterfully cutting a rug alongside Walken, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. Practically stole the show. After all, these critical scenes couldn't be trusted to just any ol' extra.

Wrapped up last night with The Chorus, a French foreign film which, if pressed to sum it up in a single word "sweet" would do the trick. But man, do I need to brush up on the French; didn't stand a chance of following along without reading les sous-titres...

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7/22/05 11:40PM: Note to self: next time attending a riot, wrap self in aluminum foil...

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7/21/05 2:19PM: For everyone's information I have begun compiling a list of some of the stupid-but-frequently-used names we have for various family members and pets. This will be a work in progress, since there are countless dumb names, some of which go back decades... Link here.

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7/20/05 5:11PM: Big article on dooce in the BBC News.

4:10PM: Appears as if bitterwaitress is trying to set up a database of lousy tippers... is 15% still enough these days?

2:48PM: James Doohan, aka "Scotty", dead at 85. Obit here.

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7/19/05 1:12PM: Just posted on Slashdot - a way for Agador to make a fortune.

11:58AM: Duppy is more mobile than ever, and I've since found a new name for our pain: Baby Fatigue. No one ever warned us about this. It's difficult to describe, but it seems to stem from exerting 100% of our focus 100% of the time on a baby. At no time can we not be completely aware of exactly where he is and exactly what he's up to. "No no, put that down, we can't play with that... Come over here... No no, don't grab the kitty, be nice... Aidan don't touch, that's HOT... Hey don't you bite mama... No no, that's yucky..."

Remaining in this constant state of intense focus takes its toll. It's not really a lack of sleep thing, it's more like a deep body/brain exhaustion -- running a marathon while simultaneously studying for the SATs. But then he'll giggle or pick up some object and babble into it like it's a phone or do peek-a-boo... instant rejuvination :)

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7/18/05 4:05PM: If anyone has seen Wonka, I demand that you email me a review (sans spoilers) immediately! The trailers look sufficiently creepy and Burton-esque, but trailers can't always be trusted. We're gonna try to catch it sometime this week...

2:47PM: Yowza, half a billion served... Guess this music store thing is for real...

12:28PM: Back after a great weekend in RI. Buckets of quality beach-time, even if the crowds were out of control. No, that's not Coney Island... When not fighting for a spot in the sand we were napping, relaxing, and of course plowing through Harry Potter. Yesterday we made it over to Springfield for a gathering of the moms (pictured here) -- that's newest arrival Caleigh in the middle with beaming mother Toni.

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7/16/05 6:29PM: Spent some time at a local beach today with the book. Although much of my reading consisted of two sentences snuck in between chasing a sandy-bottomed Aidan all over the beach, my initial impression is VERY positive :)

7:41AM: Assio Book! Let the madness begin - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince has been available in the US for 7 hours and 41 minutes.. and I DON'T HAVE A COPY YET!!! Initial reviews around the web are very positive. The problem is that we are in Rhode Island for the weekend, and my reserved copy is back in good ol' Kent, CT. Quite the conundrum, do I wait until our next journey to Kent? Ummmm...... no. There's a Stop & Shop around the corner, back in a few...

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7/14/05 10:11AM: Congratulations to our buddies Toni and Craig! Caleigh Autumn Wall was born yesterday at 7:54AM in Springfield, MA. She is 7lbs, 9oz, and we're pleased to hear that baby, moms and pops are doing well.

I've tried to complile a list like this in my brain 1000 times, and I'm having a hard time disagreeing with any of Charley Rosen's selections. No surprise at the #1 slot of course. A little miffed that 'Nique didn't even make it as a runner-up though...

Guess this is good news on the Apple/Intel front, though it still feels like sleepin' with the enemy...

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7/13/05 10:59AM: Became accidentally addicted to "Rock Star: INXS" this week. It's not something I'm proud of. Watched the first episode on Monday for work... no, really! Long story, can't get into it here. But I gotta say it's 500 times better than Idol (I know, that may not be saying much). But these kids can rock. Well, most of them. And I've fallen ass over tea kettle in love with Jordis. Hey if my wife can worship this guy, I'm allowed...

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7/12/05 10:22AM: Will Netflix soon be offering some sort of downloadable movie-on-demand service to our computers? Hackingnetflix.com seems to think so...

9:05AM: Harry Potter update! A few copies have been leaked in Canada! Story here. The distributor has managed to get an injunction which prohibits the lucky ducks who received the book from revealing any info...

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7/11/05 1:49PM: Spent most of last Saturday up in Kent, where Aidan and I both received excellent haircuts from Aunt Kasey. This was immediately followed by a bubble tutorial hosted by Aidan (above).

With "Half Blood Prince" due out this Saturday, I am in complete and total 'arry Pawt-uh mode. The web is seething with rumors, er rumours I should say... just who is this Half Blood Prince? How will the wizarding community respond now that the return of You Know Who is public knowledge? Will Harry and Cho hook up? What about Ron and Hermione? I must have it now!

Speaking of Harry, check out the extreme security measures that are being taken to ensure no one gets a hold of the novel before midnight on Saturday -- steel containers, GPS tracking units, signed legal documents... sheesh!

As for the next Harry flick, "Goblet of Fire" (my personal favorite of the novels so far) is due out 11/05. Trailer looks frickin' sweet, check it out here.

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7/7/05 1:24PM: At last, a useful Tiger Dashboard Widget! WAKAWAKAWAKAWAKAWAKAWAKA ...

12:06PM: Send me money! My God, I will give every dime I have for Yoda's cane...

9:59AM: London hit - So much hatred, how have things gotten to this point? Stepping back and looking at the big picture, this really is a crummy world we live in. Someone please cryogenically freeze me like Austin Powers and Walt Disney, I want to remain in a state of icy tranquility for a thousand years. With any luck by then the world will have imploded from its own hatred, cleansed itself, and started anew. In this utopia I will coexist with the dinosaurs and the monkeys, foraging and going about my business without worrying about suicide bombers.

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7/5/05 9:50PM: The Patriots - What's not to like about the 4th? Barbecues, egg tosses, Coronas with lime, fireworks (well, on TV anyway), an under-inflated kiddie-pool at Great Grandma's house...

One of the big hits of the 4th of July celebration we attended was my wife's indescribably delicious dessert. People were positively swooning - it's just too sinful to NOT post the recipe:

Maria's Orgasmic Oreo Surprise:

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 1 hr 45 min
Makes: Makes 24 servings, 1 bar each.

Ingredients:
23 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, coarsely crushed (about 2-1/2 cups crumbs)
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
3/4 cup PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts, chopped
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
Preparation:
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix cookie crumbs and butter until well
blended. Sprinkle 1 cup crumb mixture onto bottom of lightly greased
8-inch square baking pan.
SPRINKLE with chips, marshmallows and peanuts; top with remaining
crumb mixture. Pour condensed milk evenly over crumbs.
BAKE 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Cut into 24 bars. Store in an
airtight container at room temperature.

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7/3/05 9:39AM: Aack! Yet ANOTHER shark chomping in Florida this week!

7/2/05 9:35PM: Took in "War of the Worlds" on Friday. In a nutshell, it is exactly what you'd expect it to be -- a big, bold, loud, explosive, blockbusterish popcorn flick in the purest sense of the term. You will be awestruck with visual effects, and you will probably be entertained. Just don't expect to come out a better person from the experience :)

It's Good To Be The King - The best part of the movie? The preview for King Kong, due out this Dec. The trailer sent chills up and down my spine, check it out (Quicktime required) here. Will Peter Jackson outdo his "Lord of the Rings" masterpieces? I have a grandoise Kongian vision: take the beautiful storyline of the original (I don't even acknowledge that catastrophic remake we saw in the 70's starring Jessica Lange) and infuse it with modern acting and special effects that defy explanation... CANNOT WAIT!

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7/1/05 7:38PM: Luther Vandross (1951-2995) - Ever been to a wedding and the DJ started playing "Here and Now?" Of course you have, who hasn't? And you always rolled your eyes because it has been played a virtually EVERY wedding since 198-whatever. But by the second verse you find yourself cuddled up close to your sweetie, swaying and batting your eyelashes.

With Luther the pillow talk was always Rated-PG, always from the heart, always pure silk. Too many hits for me to name a favorite, but "Never Too Much" and "Superstar" are both once-a-week listens, even after all these years. Biography here.

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6/30/05 10:32AM: Ouch! Celebrity blogger and liberal hawk Jeff Jarvis has posted a scathing letter he wrote to a Dell executive regarding his recent computer catastrophes -- give 'em hell, Jeff!

9:59AM - Delighted to hear this AM that my relatives up in Vermont have a brand new chocolate lab pup! Myself a former Chocolatier, I definitely have a soft spot for these dogs. I'm told they're accepting name suggestions, and I've already sent them mine - "Ripley" (from Sigourney Weaver's heroic character in the "Alien" movies). Guys if you read this, please please please please don't use any name that derives from chocolate or the color of chocolate -- Hershey, Cocoa, Chestnut, Ginger, etc are OUT!

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6/29/05 1:24PM: Bah! My nomination to Time's Top Fifty List must have gotten lost in the mail or something ;)
Nice to see dooce made the cut!

11:53AM - Bushy's speech last night seems to have churned up renewed criticisms. After all this time he still seems to confuse 9/11 with Iraq. I'm no geography expert, but to help our president along I have posted this. Hey, just doing my part...

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6/28/05 12:00PM: Jaws of Death