2014 Official Hat of Summer Voting Now Open

It's your favorite time of year! The voting for the Official Hat of Summer is now open to you.

Your choices--

Ohio State baseball hat

Ohio State visor

Cincinnati Reds hat

South Georgia Seniors hat

Atlanta Braves 1974 hat

Apple hat



The voting is open until the Summer Solstice. Happy voting!

. . . I can't tell ya, who to sock it to.

Photo location: www.123rf.com

I have many things, little quirks that might seem charming, I guess . . . but probably drive you nuts if you have to put up with them all the time. I'm sure if she has the time and the inclination, Lynda can fill you in on many of them and provide lots of insight into how these traits drive her crazy.

Just now I was confronted with another one. Getting an apple from the refrigerator, I fought off the impulse to dump all of the red and green apples out of their mesh bags as they sat within the plastic drawer. Why? What does it harm anything to have the apples remain in their mesh bags? But, I say internally, Why should they say in the bags while simultaneously sitting in a plastic drawer of a refrigerator?

Does the fact that the drawer is clear plastic have something to do with it? Is there a visual conflict that I see the bags through the plastic drawer and that bothers me more than if the drawer were opaque? Or is it far more likely that somewhere in my life, I saw a refrigerator in a photograph or an advertisement or on a television show and liked the way that one looked. And so I've been spending part of my life trying to recapture that Platonic idea of REFRIGERATOR to my own twisted satisfaction?

Really it simply doesn't matter.

What does matter is that I am now convinced that I hear water dripping behind me and when I turn around and wait very patiently, I see and hear nothing?

See . . . I just did it again . . .

and NOTHING!

(Is the basement gaslighting me? Or is my computer chair trying to drive me insane?)

WHAT the HELL is that NOISE?!!!

***

I didn't take the apples out of the bags. I wanted to (and sometimes in the past, I have.) But I didn't do it this time. I talked myself out of it because I thought it might offend someone else in the family. How and for what reason, I can't begin to articulate to you right now. But that is why I stopped.

Figure the rest out for yourself, because I clearly have no good idea why I do most things.

***

As I was preparing to come downstairs to write this, I had a half-mug of microwaved coffee and a plate of apple slices. But then I was confronted with the basement stairs.

What to do?

Proceeding down the stairs with the plate of food in one hand and the coffee mug in the other was clearly not going to be possible. Most downward staircases give me a slight psychological pause these days anyway, and negotiating one with both hands full was not going to be a good choice.

So, I tried shifting the plate of apples from my left hand and combined that with my coffee mug. But it wasn't working very well and besides, the handrail is on the right side. Okay then. put the plate down on the table, transfer the mug to the left hand. Only hold the mug with a strong index finger curled in the handle.Balance the plate on the stacked curls of the middle, ring, and pinkie fingers. Place the thumb on the plate rim as counterbalance. Does it work? Pause, shift?

Nope. The strength of the index finger isn't holding the mug stiffly enough and it might begin to lean. And if that happens, then your hand muscles will begin to compensate and what might that do to the plate full of apple slices? What if this begins when you're halfway down the stairs? Even holding onto the hand railing, you just aren't sure what your body might try to do to hold it all together.

So . . . you sigh. You admit defeat.

Put the plate of apples down.
Go down the stairs and set the coffee mug on the desk.
Come back upstairs.
Grab the plate.
Return down the stairs.
Sit, type, eat, accept.

Try to forget so that next time, you can just go downstairs like any old body.

Shouting into the Void

Man, today was a . . . DAY.

But, looking back on it, I'm proud of how I eventually found ways to work my way through the problems and (hopefully) set a course that will navigate me through the next few days of issues and come out happily on the other side with satisfaction.

Soon, today will just be another grey area in the spotted mosaic of this project. From 50,000 feet, who will be able to identify one crisis from another? Who will care to remember WHAT was causing WHOM to be upset about WHY? Just finish and move on.

I'm like a cubicle shark . . .  always moving . . .

But it's still frustrating because all of that crisis work today prevented me from doing OTHER work. And I just don't have the mental energy to do more work tonight.

But I think fate has provided a (sort of) answer. Sarah is leaving for her school trip to WDC tomorrow and I will need to drop her and her luggage off at the school by 6:15. So why not justify the lack of work tonight (when I'm mentally fed up) by pushing it off until tomorrow morning when I can get into the office even earlier than usual and then only be physically exhausted?

Yes.

This is how we do it.

***

Honestly, I want to be talking about THIS . . .

Click for past playlist videos

. . . but I can't because the friggin' cord that connects my video camera to my laptop's USB port is no where to be found and I can't find the right sort of replacement on the internet and it is delaying me from getting ideas executed and I just don't want to wait and I'm trying to be creating and it is making me unhappy and grrrr.

LOST Rewatch: The Whole Truth

Credit: tle1lost.wordpress.com

It's been a while, hasn't it my friends? How have you been over the last few months?

As I mentioned a little while ago on the blog, the LOST Rewatch experience ground to a halt unexpectedly one Friday night. I was watching "Two for the Road"--a critical season 2 episode that I haven't yet summarized here yet. And I was watching it with Grace. And some unexpected things happened--which I won't describe here as that is to come when the episode recap is written.

But Grace didn't react well to these events. And so Lynda strongly suggested that we stop. And so we did. I didn't want Grace having nightmares. But I didn't want to rewatch these episodes by myself either. So, things hit PAUSE for an undetermined amount of time. And . . . well, just in the last few weeks, Grace said that she wanted to start up the Rewatch again. I was quite happy with this idea, but my blog was busy with some other stuff that some television watchers might have been interested in.

So, I had to wait until Dean was finished with his guest blogging duties. And Grace and Sarah and I committed to a once-a-week, Friday night schedule of episode watching. And, here we are.

Now . . . as last left things, the Lostaways were mixed up with all sorts of turmoil because of the arrival of Henry Gale. Our mystery balloonist was being held captive in the Hatch's armory by Jack, John, Sayid, Eko, Kate, and Sawyer. The inner cadre hadn't made it widely known to the rest of their "friends" that this Man from Minnesota was being interrogated, detained, and under suspicion by their Leaders. In the most recent recap episode, however, the show has shifted to other topics--specifically Claire's concern over Aaron's fever.

credit: www.images.tvrage.com

But in "The Whole Truth" we shift to Sun and Jin with another glimpse into their tumultuous marriage pre-Flight 815. And on the Island Sun is trying to determine whether to tell Jin that she fears she is pregnant . . . which is odd, since the Flashback tells us that Jin was sterile.

(Not the the Korean fertility doctor admits to Jin publicly that he is the one with the problem. Because Jin works for Mr. Paik and the doctor is seriously worried about getting his practice destroyed by the vengeful industrialist. Oddly, however, it doesn't seem to be a problem to publicly state that Mr. Paik's daughter is infertile, even if that is not true. I guess Mr. Paik won't be emasculated by the fact that he has an infertile daughter? Which won't drive him into some sort of doctor-destroying rage? Patriarchy . . . amirite?)

ANYWAY . . .strike four or strike five for Sun and Jin's marriage, I guess.

Sun is already getting involved with Jae, the smooth-talking (and smooth-headed) son of a hotel magnate. He is teaching her English and hoping to teach her some other things as well. But for now, they are developing a deep friendship. Maybe they don't know the English word for infidelity yet?

ANDBUTSO . . . if these two kids can't have a baby, then why is Island Sun fighting morning sickness and keeping her suspected condition from her husband? Might the baby actually belong to Jae after all?

In the end, the answer to that is no . . . because, as we viewers know, the Island has some magical healing properties. It has already reanimated Locke's legs and eliminated Rose's cancer. So, it should be no problem at all to bring Jin's moribund sperm back to life, or widen his vans deferens or whatever. The Widmore-brand pregnancy test that Kate acquired from Sawyer's stash indicates that Sun is definitely pregnant. Hurray! (Because Claire and Aaron need to get taken down a peg or two.)

What else is happening?

Well, Locke has decided to get Ana Lucia involved in the Henry Gale party. He asks her to use her police interrogation skills to see if the prisoner's balloon story is full of hot air. So, she arrives and gets the same story about Gale and his wife crashing on the island and he even helpfully provides a map to the location of where his balloon is (and where he buried his wife). Sayid and Ana and Charlie follow the map to Henry's indicated spot and begin to search. What will they find, I wonder?

The episode ends with one of my favorite moments . . . Henry is having a morning bowl of Dharma Flakes with Jack and Locke. When Henry learns that Sayid and Ana have used his map to go searching, Henry muses that it sure is a good thing he's not a bad guy. Because if he was, then sending some people off to a mysterious location might be the best place to set an ambush, right?

Bemused smile, munching of cereal. Hey, can you pass the milk?

The Final Part (!!) of Dean's Ridiculously Long GoT Overview

credit: tshirtonomy.com

BEYOND THE WALL
Mance Rayder, King-Beyond-the-Wall
Status: Alive! Beyond the Wall
Why he matters: He is a former member of the Night’s Watch who has united the Wildlings and is leading them on an attack on the Wall.

Craster, Wildling, ally of the Night’s Watch
Status: Dead! Killed by Karl
Why he matters: He was an ally of the Night’s Watch. After the attack by the White Walkers at the Fist of First Men the Night’s Watch flee to his Keep. His overall awful demeanor leads to the Mutiny at Craster’s Keep and the death of Jeor Mormont.

Gilly, Wildling
Status: Alive! At Castle Black
Why she matters: She’s definitely going to get Sam to break his vows. Sam the Coward manages to be brave for her and kills a White Walker and saves her from rape at Craster’s keep.

Gilly’s Son, Wildling
Status: Alive! At Castle Black
Why he matters: If Sam didn’t take her from Craster’s he would have been sacrificed to the White Walkers.

Orell, Wildling, warg
Status: Dead, killed by Jon Snow/Alive, an eagle
Why he matters: He exposes the fact that Jon Snow had not truly turned against the Night’s Watch. He’s a warg able to put his consciousness into animals. Now that his body is dead, he is stuck as an eagle.

Ygritte, wildling
Status: Alive! South of the Wall
Why she matters: She leads Jon Snow into an ambush after he fails to execute her. She gets Jon to fully break his vows. She shoots Jon when he flees back to the Wall. Everything she does is trouble for Jon.

Lord of Bones, Rattleshirt
Status: Alive. Beyond the Wall
Why he matters: His raiding party captured Jon Snow and Qhorin Halfhand. He has an awesome skull mask.

Tormund Giantsbane, Wildling
Status: Alive! South of the Wall
Why he matters: He is leading the attack on Castle Black.

Stiv, Wildling
Status: Dead. Killed by Theon Greyjoy near Winterfell
Why he matters: He fled south with Osha to escape the White Walkers and attempt to kidnap Bran.

Wallen, Wildling
Status: Dead. Killed by Robb Stark near Winterfell
Why he matters: He fled South with Osha to escape the White Walkers and attempt to kidnap Bran.

White Walkers
Status: Walking
Why they matter: Normal weapons don’t hurt them. Bring some fire and dragonglass.

Wights
Status: Undead
Why they matter: The dead are rising again. Better burn them.

credit: randomization.com

INDEPENDENT ACTORS AND PEOPLE I MISSED WHO ARE ACTUALLY NOT INDEPENDENT AT ALL

Sandor Clegane, the Hound
Status: Alive! In the Riverlands with Arya Stark
Why he matters: He’s protecting our beloved Arya as the newest odd couple on Game of Thrones (now that the Brienne and Jaime traveling roadshow is done). He killed Micah. He killed Berric Dondarrion but he got better. He tried to take Sansa from King’s Landing but she (probably wisely) refused.

Petyr Baelish, Lord of Harrenhall
Status: Alive, on his way to the Eyrie to try to marry Lysa Arryn
Why he matters: His scheming led to the death of Eddard Stark and Ros. He brokers an alliance between the Tyrells and the Lannisters. He is a scheming bastard.

Mhaegen, mother of Barra
Status: Alive, in King’s Landing
Why she matters: She helps confirms Eddard Stark’s suspicions that Joffrey is not Robert’s heir.

Barra, bastard of Robert Baratheon
Status: Dead, killed by the Janos Slynt.
Why he matters: His hair is brown. All of Robert Baratheon’s bastards have brown hair. Joffrey is not his heir. Also Joffrey is a monster for ordering the deaths of babies. But we knew that already. Janos Slynt is a monster for killing babies.

Ros, prostitute
Status: Dead, murdered by Joffrey Baratheon
Why she matters: She was the star of numerous sexposition scenes for many of the notables around Westeros. She used that to her advantage to raise her rank in the world until she betrayed the trust of Petyr Baelish who gave her to Joffrey for target practice. Poor Ros.

Jaqen H’ghar, Faceless Man
Status: Dead! Now a new person.
Why he matters: As a reward for saving his life, he takes three lives for Arya Stark (although Arya manages to work a few more lives from him). He helps her escape from Harrenhall. He can change his face.

Varys, Master of Whisperers, the Spider
Status: Alive, in King’s Landing
Why he matters: He has a network of spies in Westeros and across the Narrow Sea. He often works at cross purposes with Petyr Baelish. He seems to be working to get Joffrey Lannister off the throne. Littlefinger wants to rise in the world, Varys cares about the kingdom (or so he claims, he is a spymaster after all, his motives may be more opaque).

Maester Pycelle, Maester of King’s Landing
Status: Alive
Why he matters: He’s not really independent. I should have put in under Lannisters. Even though he is a member of the Small Council he works closely with Cersei Lannister and is jailed by Tyrion for spying for her. He is released by Tywin Lannister and restored to his post.

Polliver, definitely should be under Lannisters
Status: Alive, last seen at Harrenhal
Why he matters: He kills Lommy Greenhands. He is a nasty piece of work who beats old women.

Locke, should be under House Stark, soldier for Roose Bolton
Status: Alive, last seen at Harrenhal
Why he matters: He chops off Jaime Lannister’s hand and throws Brienne in a bear pit.

Qyburn, former Maester
Status: Alive, in King’s Landing
Why he matters: He treats Jaime’s infected stump. He was kicked out of the Order of Maesters for his experiments. I’m sure that’s not going to ever come up again. You should forget about it.

Steelshanks, should be under House Stark, soldier for Roose Bolton
Status: Alive, at King’s Landing
Why he matters: He escorts Jaime Lannister back to King’s Landing.

I may have missed others, but honestly this is 24 pages long and I no longer care. This is the end. Thanks to Game of Thrones Wiki for making this possible.

[ed. note: You're a champion Dean. Thanks for all of the free content this week and congratulations on getting it done in time for tonight's HBO premiere of Season 4 of Game of Thrones. If this series of posts won't get you ready for it, nothing will. And I've had fun looking up House sigils all week--especially today when I had to find some "nonstandard" ones to fit these categories. I recommend you enjoy some of them as well by Googling "Game of Thrones sigils".]