Monday, February 28, 2005

Monday morning

I watched only a part of Chris Rock's opening monologue last night and then switched over to Independence Day on Fox. Believe it or not, I had never seen it before. It was OK.
At least I didn't fall asleep watching American Chopper, which I have been doing lately.
I think I have been alone too long.
Only two more nights in the rooming house and then I head to Asheville to get the family.
HURRAY!

Saturday, February 26, 2005

diet

I think part of my lack of motivation lately has been my diet. Honest.
This is the kind of place I have been eating at lately.

If you look real hard you can see the sign to Danny's Pizza further down the road.
I have not eaten there. Pizza isn't a great one-man dining experience. A slice now and then is ok but it's got to be at a place that serves a lot of slices like Barley's in Asheville. They serve a lot of slices -- and beer.
Once the wife gets here -- one week from today -- I am expecting my diet to improve. Not that she does all the cooking but that I will have access to a stove, oven and full sized fridge. It has been fast food take out or micro wave food for almost three months. good golly, how have I lasted.
I have also been eating at this place a lot.

They cook your food after you order it. Far superior to Chinese buffet food that sits in it's own juices all day.
Fruit salad stewing in its own juices is something I can stand, even like.
I didn't take that Smiley China photo. I found it on a web site when I did a google search. I linked to it because it is identical to a photo I took with a little disposable a week or so ago. Neat.

Saturday Morning

Tons of stuff to do today and I can't seem to get motivated. I walked to work and took some photos with my fading digital camera.
Really all I have to do today is write one editorial and I can still put stuff off until tomorrow. Tempting.
I am not always happy in the morning, but I don't mind getting up early. I slept in today and did not stir until 7:30, I took this picture just as I was getting ready to go to work. I didn't realize I looked so grim. So I took another one. . I managed to get the glare out of my glasses but the light wasn't right and I still didn't look as happy as I generally am. So, I took one more. That's more like it.

I decided to walk to the office. I am not sure how long the walk is. I managed to listen to 6 songs on the new Elvis Costello CD I bough the other day. The Delivery Man. I really like it.

Here's a photo of the house I have been staying in. My room is the middle window ont he second floor. I think, although I have not explored too much, that I am the only person with his own bathroom. Everybody else shares.



OK. I gotta get to work. I am going to write an editorial about the school principal who might not get re-hired. A touchy subject. I think I am going to go down the middle of the road. I can really see both sides on this one. Great guy who made some basic administrative errors.
When I get if figured out. I'll let you know

Friday, February 25, 2005

Three season room

I am hoping this turns out to be a place where we spend a lot of time. It is a three season room that abuts our very large deck.
It faces the east so it should be a great place to read the Sunday paper.

more on photos

I have to work on the size issue, but I think I have it figured out as far as posting.
I have been struggling with an idea for a Sunday editorial. I think I am going to go with high speed rail for Ohio.
Not sure how I stand on the topic.
I am for trains but I am against building something that people will not use. but if gas continues to go up may be people will start to use trains. aargh.

testing photos

I am still working on the photo deal. This is an oldy but goody from Lucy

Hunter Thompson

I have been trying to think of something to say after hearing about Hunter Thompson's suicide.
Today I was writing my weekly column and remembered something I used to read to high school kids in a journalism class at Franklin Academy in Malone, N.Y.

"It's always bad business to try to explain yourself on paper--at least not all at once--but when you work as a journalist and sign your name in black ink on white paper above everything you write, that is the business you're in, good or bad. Buy the ticket, take the ride . . .That is a thing you want to remember if you work in either journalism or politics . . . and there is no way to duck it. You will be flogged for being right and flogged for being wrong, and it hurts both ways--but it doesn't hurt as much when you're right."
I got it from the preface to his book, "Generation of Swine." It used to make me feel better to know that someone who seemed as bold and obnoxious as Thompson still felt bad when people flogged him.
It happens to journalists all the time and it makes this a very difficult profession. It's incredible how free people feel to berate you and call you names. Often, the writer doesn't give a lick about the issue he is writing about. It's a job. And we tend to keep writers away from topics in which they have an interest. Even so, we get accused of being biased or on the take or letting someone write for us, all the time.
It ain't easy, but it's fun.

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Are you going to church?

I spent eight years in North Carolina. Church was a big deal. The best night of the week to go to the grocery store was Wednesday because all the Baptists were at prayer service or had to stay home so no one would see that they were not at prayer service.
Still in those eight years only two people asked me about church. One was a minister that I was interviewing. He asked me were I went to church, when I told him I didn't go, he gasped. Then told me I was looking for to hard for something that fits and that I shouldn't be so picky.
Another was a very old man who came into the newspaper office to complain. We had mistakenly cut off a wire story before it ended. I ran upstairs and printed out the entire story for him. He really just wanted to know what happened to the people in the story.
"Are you a Christian?" he asked and before I had a chance to answer he said, "I hope that you are."
I told him I was.
I have lived in Ohio for just over two months and I have had three invitations to attend church.
I never know what to tell people.
I just got off the phone with a woman who knew I was new to town but has never met me. She invited me to church this Sunday. I am planning on working. I hemmed and hawed for a while and then said, "I'm Catholic."
So she let me off the hook. I just hope she doesn't report me to the monsignor.

workroom

I hope to be spending a lot of time here:
cc_basement_workroom
The croguette set does not come with the house.

More snow

I moved to Marion, Ohio on Dec. 13 and it started snowing. I expected some snow. But on Thursday, Dec. 23 we experienced the worst storm this area has seen since the 70s and then the weather got bad. It's flooded, it's been cold, it's snowed and it's rained. I can count the days it has been sunny without taking off my shoes.
I usually don't whine about the weather. It is what it is. But, for some reason I am starting to take this winter personal.
Maybe because I have been here by myself while we sell the house in Asheville and buy a house here.
I am still trying to figure this out but a photo of the back yard is abov

cc_backyard


cc_backyard
Originally uploaded by catnap40.