U2 3D Movie

Pam, this looks really cool. We need to go see it sometime. Maybe for my birthday [hint]. It opens at the Rave 2/15.

Vampire Weekend - My Favorite Band (this week)

I've been listening to a few of their songs previously, but Vampire Weekend just released their first full album, which I quickly downloaded from Amazon. And I'm now hooked on it. I have read one description of it being a cross between Paul Simon's Graceland album and the Talking Heads (via Fred Wilson here), and that's a pretty good call. Whatever it sounds like, they are simple, catchy tunes, and I'm digging them. You can hear the 30 second previews on Amazon or iTunes, but you can listen to longer versions at Last.fm.

Rock on.

Update: I just saw these guys are playing a show in Cinci on 2/13. Sadly, that's a Wednesday, and I'll be out of town that day. Sarah, you should go and tell me how they were.

Zach's Basketball

Zach started playing for a YMCA (Blue Ash) basketball team this week. He had his first practice Monday night and his first game is this Saturday. He plays nearly every Saturday for a couple of months.

Here is the schedule we have for his games, which Pam pulled together from the coach's handout.

January 26th – 11 am, court 1
February 2nd – NO GAMES
February 9th - 11 am, court 1 (Zach also has Pinewood Derby for Indian Guides that a.m., so don’t know which he’ll go to, if he has to choose)
February 16th – not going, as Zach (and the rest of us) will be out of town.
February 23rd – 9 am (YIKES…no coffee, as no food or drinks are allowed in gym), court 1
March 1st – 12:00, court 2
March 8th – 11 am, court 1
March 15th – 11 am, court ?? (not on sheet, but I think it should be court 1)

More bonus time @ CVG

Didn't take long to get my first delay of the year.

Flight was delayed because our flight attendant "timed out". I've had computer programs time out before, but that was the first time I'd heard that happen to a person.


Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Sleepovers and Bowling with Zach

Cole and Zach both had sleepovers this past Friday. Cole went to his friend Logan's house for the night, where they were joined by another friend Kyle. Cole's report was that they went to bed on Saturday and were up by 6am, so he's been catching up on his sleep since then. When Zach heard Cole was going to be gone, he asked if he could have someone over to stay with him. So, he invited his friend Christian, who lives in the neighborhood. They managed to get to sleep before Saturday arrived (around 11:30) and they slept until around 7, which is still not quite enough shuteye for Zach.

But Zach caught up on his sleep a bit on our way to and from our Indian Guides bowling outing on Saturday. We bowled and ate pizza for 2 hours with the "tribe." Zach would roll the first ball of the frame and I'd finish up. We started slow, finishing last or next to last out of 6 dad/son teams in our group. But the second game, we improved enough to finish first in the group. That probably had more to do with the others teams tailing off, but Zach was excited that we redeemed ourselves. It was lots of fun, and much easier for me this year, since I didn't have to bowl with 2 kids this year.

BTW, Zach's Pinewood Derby will be on Feb. 9th, a Saturday morning, if anyone would like to come by and watch those festivities.

GrandJane Takes a Technology Leap

Today I went up to Lima with Zach for a quick visit to setup our Xmas gift to Mom - her new computer, a new Mac Mini. That's right GJ is now rocking like it's really 2008 as opposed to her old 1.2Ghz clunker!

Not only is she rolling with new hardware (including a sweet 22in flat panel monitor), but she made the leap into Macland. She's got her work cut out for her learning her way around the new Mac, but she was excited to try it. And I think once she gets the hang of the basics, it will treat her quite well. I've not owned a mac myself yet, but I must say they are really easy to set up and use.

So if anyone has delays in getting emails to or from her, cut her some slack as she's in her adjustment period.