Happy Birthday Amanda!

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Amanda, prior to her 24th birthday

Yesterday, Amanda turned 24 years old.  Hard to believe.  Seems to me that she was only born a few years ago, but that’s because I’m so very, very old.

Amanda chose a restaurant in Fairfax City for her birthday dinner.  It was called Choices by Shawn.  I’ve seen the place about a million times, but I never knew it was a restaurant.  It’s a great old Virginia house right on Chain Bridge Road.  Food was great (see menu at the link), and they make their own ice cream!  Yum!  Gabe, Erin and Julian joined us.  We had a great time.

Hope you had a happy birthday, Amanda.  Love you.

New Website!

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The “Brenda’s X-traordinary Child Care” website is now online!  Check it out by clicking on the picture on the left.  Or type

brendaschildcare.sussmans.com

into your browser machine.

Leave a comment on her site, or if you have suggestions regarding the layout or mechanics of the site, better leave the comment here. ‘cuz  I’m the webguy.

New Shins!

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I love the Shins. No, love is too weak a word for what I feel… I lurve the Shins.   When I first heard New Slang, I knew this was the song I hoped would be running through my head as I faded out of this life.  It made me think of myself as a 10 year old up in the Big Tree in Beaumont Woods just feeling the breeze on a warm summer day.  I think my brother Gary managed to get a small limb from that tree before it was cut down to make room for…I dunno… the 4th Beaumont Hospital Money Bin, or something…but I digress…

Anyhoo, here’s the new single from The Shins from their highly anticipated (by me, at least) new CD Port Of Morrow due out in March.  It’s pretty good…but of course, as always when it comes to music, your mileage may vary

H/T TBogg

Halftime in America

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That Superbowl Chrysler commerical was…well, bad ass! C’mon, Clint Eastwood? Cool!

And based on some of the comments to the You Tube video below, it seems to have hit nerve with some folks. They are screaming that it’s nothing more than an ad for Obama. And they have a point.  First, ”Halftime in America” echos Reagan’s “Morning in America” ads.  Second, every Republican, including Mittens, opposed the help the Obama administration gave GM and Chrysler.  But the U.S. auto bailout has been a huge success, not only because it saved those two companies and the jobs of their workers, but also because it saved the surrounding cluster of firms that are suppliers of goods and services to the auto industry.  Without them, Ford would have probably gone under too.  Here’s one of America’s Nobel Prize winning economists on that very subject.  So, they were completely wrong and don’t like that being brought up. 

The NFL had this video removed from You Tube, claiming copyright violation, but I see it’s up again. Enjoy.


 

Rat of Extraordinary Size Sees Shadow

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Candlemas, or Imbolc, or Groundhog Day is the halfway point between the shortest day of the year and the Spring equinox. The weather prophesies that we still mark as Groundhog Day go back to a time in Northern Europe when that day was an indicator of whether a farm household would survive well or poorly until the Spring.  Today it’s the name of a movie starring Bill Murray.  That’s progress.  By the way, the stupid Groundhog in PA saw it’s shadow this morning, so 6 more weeks of winter.  It has to be true – he’s a groundhog.  Happy Groundhog day!

If Candlemas be bright and clear,
There’ll be two winters in the year;
If Candlemas brings snow and rain
Old winter shall not come again.

Nick Says Hello!

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Here’s Nick playing with his dad while his dad plays with a cell phone.  It’s so great to see these videos.  I love grandkid vids.  But I don’t get nearly enough of them.  And I’m talkin’ to you Don.  I needs me some Kelsey, Austin, and Alexis vids.  And I don’t have many Dane vids either, Brian.  Now get recording you guys.  As far as Julian goes, that’s my fault.  I’ll just have to get myself a cell phone with a video camera on it.  I have no choice.  Hands are tied.  God’s will.  etc….  Love you guys.  Now give me more videos!  Viiideeos! [shaking fist].

Year of the Dragon

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Young Chinese performers dressed in dragon costumes prepare to perform at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Dragon on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. Falling on January 23 this year, the Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, which is based on the Lunisolar Chinese calendar, is celebrated from the first day of the first month of the lunar year and ends with Lantern Festival on the 15th day.

Wow! I just noticed that I haven’t posted anything since Don’s birthday – 1/10/12. I am:

Worst.  Blogger.  Ever.

I got nuthin’.  Let’s see…put in a new laundry tub and faucet in the laundry room…still waiting for my Chinese iClone.  Apparently it’s on a boat…I made sure the two best pro football teams made it to the Superbowl…oh, wait…

Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year!

Sparty Beats Georgia in Triple OT Thriller!

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Wow!  Down 16 to NOTHNG at the half, MSU came back to win the Outback Bowl 33-30 in the third overtime by blocking Georgia’s field goal attempt to tie it up.  Now some of you haters may be saying “Oh MSU didn’t win, Georgia just lost by blowing the field goal in the first overtime.”  But I disagree – MSU won that game because shut up, that’s why.  Go Sparty!

UPDATE:

Top Time-Wasting Videos of 2011

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I’ve been seeing several “Top 10 Viral Videos of 2011″ articles lately.  For the most part they all have the same videos – several laughing baby videos, honey bager (posted below in case you haven’t seen it), UC Davis Occupy protestors being pepper-sprayed, cat mom hugs baby kitten (awwww).  But I hadn’t seen the e Harmony video bio.   And it made me laugh.  When she tearfully says “I know I can’t hug every cat!” that’s when it becomes art.  I don’t care whether it’s fake or not.  It’s funny. 

Honey Badger Don’t Care! (not safe for work)