Gone

It's been a while since I last posted.

My father passed away at 4:30 a.m. on May 6, 2008. I went home May 2 (after watching Iron Man) not so much to say goodbye as to let him know I was there and be a support for my mother. And to be there with him. I often downplay my role in anything, like this wasn't about me. But then I realized, this was about all three of us: my mom, my dad, and me. We're a family, and this happened to all us, not just him or her or them.

And I haven't known completely how to grieve; I've mostly been just numb. For my father's sake, we're glad he's not suffering any longer. (Those last few days, when the medical staff were administering morphine for pain management, we discovered the morphine was 40% effective at best, as his veins were collapsing or infection was blocking the central line.) We had hoped, of course, that he would recover from the brain cancer, but we also knew it was an uphill battle. And we're confident he's in heaven now, glorifying Jesus.

On Memorial Day, I hadn't gone to sleep until 5:30 a.m. from the night before, and I had a dream that my cat (Clark) was killed in an explosion. It was framed as an angry woman dressed all in red planting explosives in a house as revenge against the home owner. Clark ran away from the house but returned the next morning. I had to leave Clark at the house to go take care of some business, and then the house exploded (I was a couple of miles away but heard the explosion). Someone told me the house exploded; I asked about the homeowner and was told he wasn't even around. Then I asked about Clark and was told he didn't make it.

In my dream, I began weeping and wailing for what seemed like hours. Loudly. Very loudly. I woke up weeping and wailing, and I immediately looked for Clark (he was at the foot of the bed, breathing). Then, I realized the dream wasn't about Clark at all but about my father (just in case you didn't pick up on that bit). And I wept for another 30 minutes or so until I just ran out of tears. God assured me that I would have plenty more times to cry for him, and that it's all good. And I have cried quite a few times since then.

My mom and I miss him terribly.

A Really Big Store

Monday nights, I meet with a men's group for some accountability and mutual encouragement. This past Monday, we wound up not meeting, so I decided to go to Ikea and look around, see what's new, blag blah blah.

If you don't know about Ikea, it's about the size of a Super-Wal-Mart, two stories. You're also guided through all their different departments. One cannot just run in and grab something without getting the whole "Ikea experience".

About half way through the top floor (where one is encouraged to begin), my knee started hurting. When I got back downstairs, it was beginning to edge toward the excruciating side of things. Trying to find the exit, I was limping softly along, and I finished just short of a long step-drag. Yes, there are so-called "short-cut" exits, but you still have to meander through all the departments, just about 75% of the length rather than the whole.

I only wish there had been a manager or comment card available that I could have voiced my opinion of their enforced shopping method. I guess I can search their web site, but I truly believe that unless I have some kind of scooter or am being pushed in a wheelchair, I will not darken the doors of Ikea again.

Some DVD posting babble

Recently, I wrote about Emergency!. I had gotten the first three seasons on DVD. I went to Sam's tonight to get Season 4 to complete the collection of what's been released so far. Sadly, it was not to be found. I'm not sure what will happen now. My life, nay, my collection, is incomplete!

Okay, Deep Discount DVD recently had The Flash TV series from the late 80's on sale, so I ordered it. I received it Tuesday, and I look forward to watching it. I know it's not the greatest, but it's The Flash. I must love it.

Very exciting news, Freakazoid! is finally coming out on DVD. The news was released on the web site, TV Shows on DVD on April 1, so I was a little leery. They have a link to a trailer on the WB website showing Tiny Toon Adventures and Freakazoid! both being released on July 29. I would feel less inclined to believe this a hoax were it available at Amazon.com for pre-order.

Then there are upcoming releases for Teen Titans Go! and The Batman, both Season 5 (and also the end of each series, I believe, though I think The Batman might be revamping into a new Justice League cartoon, which I'm pretty sure won't suck).

Also exciting DVD news to this super-hero geek, Birds of Prey looks like it might actually be getting a shiny spinny release as well. This was a short-lived series from 2002 on The WB about three crime-fighting heroines, loosely based upon a comic of the same name (which itself is pretty kick-you-know-where). Sadly, The WB canceled the show after about six episodes aired (okay, imdb.com says all thirteen episodes aired, but I only saw about six, and I was looking for it all the time and couldn't find it!). I think right when the writers and actors were getting into the groove, the axe came down. Another victim in the only-instant-success-matters-because-the-audience-is-too-stupid-build-up-a-show mentality of network TV. :::sigh:::

I also recently ordered and received Newhart Season 1 and Barney Miller Season 2. I have yet to get Equalizer, even though I've been stoked about it from the first word I heard. It must be expense that has kept me from ordering it (nigh on to $35!). I think I'll wait a few more weeks and order it from Deep Discount's semi-annual 20%-off sale.

Chocolate Skittles

Note: This should have been published 3/28, but when I tried to publish via email, it came back as undeliverable, and I just didn't get around to it until today.

I went to Wal-Mart last night (and didn't buy a DVD!). At the checkout, I impulsively picked up a bag of the new chocolate Skittles. Someone (CR) had said they were horrible. I won't go that far, but I don't think I'll choose to eat them again. They left a bad chemical aftertaste in my mouth. When chocolate is apparently your first and favorite food group, something like this does not aid in spreading the joy of chocolate.

Your mileage may vary. Splenda tastes poisonous to me (except in very rare circumstances), while others (e.g., DA) love it. Fifty cents at Wal-Mart, it's not a big investment to buy a bag for yourself and make up your own mind. I'm not gonna do it for you.

Emergency!

I recently bought season one of the 1970's show, Emergency!, going on my memory of enjoying it as a kid. I started watching it last Saturday, and it's just as much fun now as I remember it as a child. (I was 7 or 8 when it came out.)

The pilot episode covers the establishment of the paramedic program in California. We take such a program for granted and a given today, but who could imagine that it was ever not around, and that it could have been controversial. Apparently, the controversy arose over the paramedics not being doctors, and many doctors wanting true doctors to be doing everything (that is, if the show's plot had any basis in reality — and I believe it does, unlike any sit-com out there today, which has no basis in reality because people never act as stupid in these types of situations as they are portrayed).

Anyway, the vehicles look very dated, though I'm sure they looked quite modern at the time the show was made, but other than that, it's quite enjoyable.

I Could Never be Your Woman

Have I ever mentioned I love movies? I watched a movie last Friday night, I Could Never Be Your Woman, that was released direct to DVD. Normally, this is the kiss of death for a movie, but in this case, nope. I saw it reviewed on Ebert & Roeper, and both critics gave it a thumbs up. I'm glad in this case that I took them at their word (normally I ignore critics). While Romantic comedies typically follow a pattern (thus becoming far too predictable), this one breaks some of the patterns.

It's a May-December romantic comedy with the guy being younger this time. I didn't buy Jon Lovitz ever being involved with Michelle Pfeiffer (he's the ex), and I don't buy Paul Rudd passing for "29" (he was born in 1969, and a few too many wrinkles show here and there) — and this should probably be the last time an attempt to pass him off as that young. But those two quibbles aside, this movie was quite enjoyable, certainly heavy on the comedy side. And the night club scene really bowled me over; Paul Rudd should try a really physical comedy (I have a feeling he wasn't acting so much in this movie), as it appears he has such great timing.

Don't bother watching the deleted scenes; they add nothing. (And the second one really destroys the tone of the rest of the movie; I'm glad it made it to the cutting room floor.)

More Eli Stone

Hey, Look! a new entry! Sorry, I've got lots of thoughts, most of them irrelevant, but I'll see if I can remember to share them anyway. And, please, drink my milkshake — I'm lactose intolerant.

Now that I've watched a few episodes of Eli Stone (all but the last episode), I must say it's really grown on me. There's a certain predictability a la House (three wrong diagnoses and a final pronouncement), but the writers (yay writers!) really keep it interesting. And the last episode I watched (from 3/6) was a real I-can't-believe-they-did-it moment, really setting up for a good story arc over the rest of the season, however long or short it winds up being. I really like this show.

Eli Stone

Pardon me as I'm typing this standing up.

I had read about Eli Stone a few weeks ago. A very promising premise (precisely!) piqued my curiosity, much like Pushing Daisies: quirky, different, not something run-of-the-mill. Mr. Stone starts having hallucinations of George Michael singing "Faith" in his living room, the lobby at work, etc. He finds out (eventually) that he has an aneurysm (something apparently hereditary so maybe his dead dad wasn't just an alcoholic).

Overall, a very enjoyable show. And, no, I don't think this episode encourages parents to stop giving vaccinations to their children (the plot of episode one involved a mother who claims her son developed autism one week after receiving a vaccination. It's just a show, people.).

The only problem I have with the show is the concept of God they portrayed, which seems to be more the pantheistic (God is everything) style. We'll see where they go.

Here's a poem I wrote last night. excuse the roughness.

What a Day
For the first time ever,
The cheerleader who lives across the way
Saw me and smiled at me.
It was really wild.

For the first time ever,
The jock down the street
Gave me a glance and chuckled.
Sure beats getting pantsed.

For the first time ever,
The traffic cop saw me waiting to cross.
He could not hide his beaming face.
At least it's not a downtown ride.

For the first time ever,
I had a really good day.
No sneering or leering, jeering or fearing.
Maybe I've just imagined it all.

As I got ready for bed that night,
Contemplating the beauty I had encountered,
What did I see when looking down:
My shirt tail poking through my fly.

© 2008 - 42 Penguin Productions

A Quote to Live By

Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
--Unknown