Message 622

Yesterday afternoon I watched the Sharks beat Toronto 3-2. It was a closer game than it should have been, but we won. It was an afternoon game because it was played in the Eastern time zone. The Sharks are on a long road trip, so all of their last three games before the Olympics break are in the East. As a result, Joshua did not make it to my place in time to watch hockey, but he did make it for 24. Afterward I finished reading Science. For some reason I did not get any mail yesterday. So far as I know, it was not a holiday, so no mail is a mystery. I always get some junk at least.

Message 621

Yesterday I met Helen and Jim at Starbucks, and Julian brought Annie by to join us so I could watch her while he and Vanessa took Beech and his buddies bowling for his birthday. Jason took Ellie to Beech's party too, and Maureen took Vanessa's brother's kids Vivian and Jessie. I took Annie back to my condo for a while after coffee and then took her to McDonalds where she had a 4-piece chicken happy meal and played on the playground. She is big enough now that she enjoys running with the pack of kids on the playground, so she did not want to leave. She fell asleep on the way back to her house, so I let her sleep for a while before Julian came out and took her in. By then it was time for me to watch the Super Bowl, which I thought was a very good game. I did not care who won, but I am glad New Orleans got a chance to celebrate a victory after all these years.

In the evening I watched the last part of Emma on PBS. It was originally advertised as a four-part series, so I was surprised that it ended, but now I realize that they combined parts one and two and showed two-hours on the first Sunday three weeks ago. Anyway, it was a good production. I also finished The Economist before I went to bed.

Message 620

Yesterday I did my grocery shopping and started reading The Economist. In the afternoon I watched the Sharks beat Nashville 4-3. It was a closer game than I would have liked, but at least they won. Joshua did not make it because he was getting ready to drive up today to ski and watch the Super Bowl in the ski lodge. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie Flyboys. It is based on the true stories of the Americans who joined the French Lafayette Escadrille to fight the Germans in World War 1 before the US joined the war. It was very nicely done and gave a good rendition of the time and place. I give it 4 stars.

Message 619

Yesterday I spent a quiet day working on my memoirs. I went back and added a couple of things to my high school years. After the Friday PBS shows were over I got a call from Larry and Judi and joined them in seeing the movie A Single Man.. I had seen and heard a lot about it on Charlie Rose and did not expect to like it, but it was quite well done. In spite of its bleak view of life, I give it 3.6 stars.

Message 618

Yesterday I met Vanessa at Heidi's Pies for our usual Thursday breakfast. In the late afternoon I watched the Sharks beat St. Louis 4-2. The game started early here because it was at home for the Blues. Joshua brought in a pizza during the second intermission, so he was able to watch the third period with me.

After the game I watched a DVD of the movie The Girl Next Door. It was a slap stick comedy and was sort of a chick flick. Jack's daughter from 24 played the girl who was a porn star trying to change her life, but she had no nude scenes. It was pretty lame, but I give it 2.8 stars.

Message 617

Yesterday I worked a little on my memoirs again for the first time in a while. In the late afternoon I went in the hot tub for the first time in several days. Jason had to come up to pick up a prescription at PAMF, so he and I and Caroline and Ellie had dinner at Ten Fu. It was good to see them all again.

In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie The Man in the Moon. I think maybe I saw it sometime previously, but I have only a few vague memories, so I can not be sure. It was made in 1991 and has a great cast. It is Reese Witherspoon's first movie, and she looks about 14 years old, which is the age of the girl she is playing. Sam Waterston who plays her father also looks very young. It is set in 1957 Louisiana and gives a good feel for the time and place. It is a coming of age movie about a family with four girls. Reese is the second oldest and she has something of a sibling rivalry with her older sister who is scheduled to start Duke in the fall. It has a very heavy ending, but it is a very good movie. I give it five stars, although if I did see it before, I do not think I thought so highly of it the first time.

Message 616

Yesterday Beech had a cold and had to miss school, so I had him at my place for a few hours so Vanessa could take Annie to her Little Wonders school. Beech was real good. He just played with his new electronic game system, I think it is call an LS, or something like that. In the evening Joshua brought in burgers from Jack-In-The-Box and watched the Sharks game with me. They scored the first two goals, but then lost to Detroit 2-4. I guess even the best teams can not win all of their games, but it is disturbing that even though the Sharks have the best record in the NHL, they have lost all three games to the Red Wings this year. I hope they do not have to play them in the playoffs. After the game I read some more of my science fiction book Hyperion.