Symphony No.47 in G Major-Haydn

Also known as the "Palindrome Symphony" because the third movement is the musical equivalent of a palindrome - it's the same played forward and backward.

White House Yard Sale

In 1882, Chester A. Arthur, the 21st President of the United States, raised money to redecorate the White House by auctioning off presidential artifacts. The items included 24 wagon loads of furniture, 30 barrels of china and a pair of Abraham Lincoln's trousers.

Read more about this and other White House redecorating at: White House Confidential.

Two For One, None For All

The 1997 blockbuster Titanic was the first movie to have two performers nominated for Oscars for their portrayals of the same character; Kate Winslet was nominated for Best Actress as young Rose and Gloria Stuart was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the old Rose role. (both lost)

The same two performance/same character situation happened again a few years later with the 2001 film Iris and again Winslet was involved. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the younger title role while Judi Dench was nominated for Best Actress as the older Iris. (both lost)

Food Cart Quiz

You Are a Crepe Food Cart

You are easygoing yet sophisticated. You have great taste, but you don't make a fuss about it. You can make do and fit in anywhere, but you still maintain your individuality. Your friends envy your confidence and attitude. Of all the types, you are both the most skilled and adventurous. You are curious about the world and constantly learning from it. You don't fear much in life, except boredom and mediocrity. You are driven to be the best you possible. You have a very success focused personality, but your idea of success is constantly evolving and differs from those around you. For example, you might not find having a high powered but stressful career to be successful. You're more of the do what you love and travel the world type.

What Kind of Food Cart Are You?

Breaking Bad

I'm sitting here, whiling away the hours until the newest episode of Breaking Bad airs tonight by listening to the first episodes of the last season which are on the TV behind me.  Listening, because I've seen them and I'm on the 'net, reading any articles I can find about the award-winning series.  I want some clue, some insight as to how the last shows will play out.

WARNING:  If you haven't seen any of the show and intend to, then quit reading now.  I won't reveal everything that happens on the show, but have to mention an important part that explains what led me away from the show and what led me back to it.

I started watching Breaking Bad when it first started, but early in the series I grew extremely uncomfortable with the storyline.  The episode that made me turn away was the one where Walter White has a drug dealer named Krazy-8 tied up in his basement and is conflicted about what he will do with him.  White talks with the drug dealer, more-or-less bonding over shared interests and decides he can't kill him and goes to get the key to release him.  When White realizes Krazy-8 has hidden a shard of glass in order to kill him, White has no choice but to kill his hostage.

What made me so uncomfortable was my own thinking, thinking that agreed with Walter White's decision to murder the dealer in cold blood.  White had been a sympathetic character until that moment and he truly hadn't got to the point of "breaking bad" until then.  What disturbed me was how I also saw there was no other way to resolve the situation and I agreed with his actions.   In other words, I saw a part of Walter White in me and I couldn't stand knowing that about myself.  I quit watching the series then.

Now, I'm not saying I would ever have started manufacturing meth, but I certainly understood how quickly good intentions can turn to bad.  After all, the road to hell is paved with them.  You can't play a game with the devil because the stakes are your soul.

A season or two went by and one night when there was nothing else on (or the Cowboys were playing poorly, I can't remember) I tuned in the show again. I was a little confused at how the plot was progressing, so I searched online and found the Breaking Bad Wiki site and got up to speed. The shows were thrilling to say the least and I regretted my quitting watching. Since that time, I've watched all the episodes on AMC or at other sites (I'd rather not link to). I found forums that discussed the motivations of the characters, the tiny details I had missed - the hidden meanings in colors and plot points I had overlooked and while I knew the writing was brilliant, I now think it's nothing short of genius.

I'm having a hard time waiting on the end to begin. What will be the ultimate result? The writers have left clues, but nothing definitive, at least not to me, not now, but I expect that after the end credits roll on the last show it will all become clear.

Aqualung - Jethro Tull

Certain songs bring back vivid memories of the time they were popular/on the charts and even though this song came out in 1971, this one reminds me of the late 70's, when I was just married and happy.  Jethro Tull was a favorite of my new bride; not particularly one of mine, but I did like the few chart toppers the group had, this being one of them. The marriage didn't last all that long and after we had been divorced for a year or two, we decided we'd like to see each other again and took a trip down to Austin.  Riding along the interstate, I was digging around in her music and had to smile when I saw several Jethro Tull albums in her mobile collection. I got her to plug Aqualung
into her cassette deck and we zipped along the highway, trying to recapture something that had been lost.We failed, but the try was worth the effort.

The Brad Pitt Rule

I'm WAY past my dating prime - if I ever had a "prime" - but I thought this video was cute. It's from The Art of Manliness, a site I recently started subscribing to in my reader. I discovered it when searching for alternative necktie knots (at least more than the single one I've relied upon for years) and spent an hour or two on the site, looking at some of the other informative articles of interest to men.

Sadly, my dating days are mostly over. I'll have to depend upon a woman literally falling into my lap (and wanting to stay there) because I'm certainly not going to impress a lady with my wealth (I have none, and my standards are still high enough to where I wouldn't want a woman who wanted me only for my money. If I ever hit the lottery, I'll get back to you on that.) and certainly can't get a favorable first impression with the way I dress (I'm basically a slob) or my looks (my looks can be described as something between Mel Gibson and Homer Simpson).

The last time I tried to pick up a woman was several years ago when I stopped at a bar to have a beer and saw a cute young thing standing at the jukebox. Working up the courage that only alcohol can provide - in my case - I sidled up next to her and said "Where have you been all my life?" (I never claimed to be smooth.)

She stepped back, slowly looked at me from head to toe and said:

"From the looks of you, I wasn't even around for the first half of it."

Fired Future Famous Funnyman

Jerry Seinfeld had a recurring role on the TV sitcom Benson in 1980, playing Frankie, a mail boy who was always trying to sell jokes. Seinfeld was fired after only three episodes, learning about it when he showed up for a read-through and discovering there was no script for him.

Jerry Seinfeld on Benson

That Casserole Was Mean to Me!

I was going through recipes I had saved this month and saw one for a breakfast casserole that sounded good and thought I'd like to try some day.  I did a search on my computer and found a few more I had saved and thought I'd see if there were others on the 'net that I might want to save in my vast collection. (I save recipes, it's one of my online hobbies)  I saw this recipe at Allrecipes.com, a favorite site of mine: Christmas Breakfast Sausage Casserole.  The recipe got a four and a half star rating out of five, so I thought I'd skim through a few of the reviews.  The breakdown of the reviews was this:

Out of 1,230 ratings, 841 cooks loved it, 272 liked it, 85 thought it was OK, 22 didn't like it and there were 10 cooks who wouldn't eat it.

No matter how you look at it, that is overwhelmingly positive for the recipe.  Sure, there were a few who were tepid in their praise, some who didn't like it and only a few - less than 1% -  who thought it dreadful.   I rate movies on IMDb sometimes and even the movies I love only get a "9" because I've yet to see a movie that didn't have at least a few flaws in it.  I haven't made the casserole, but I would probably be one of the "liked it" crowd because I'm fairly conservative with my ratings of anything.  (That said, I'd give my ex-wife a "7" considering everything, probably a little generous but I wouldn't want to give her a rating of average - she deserves a few points just for putting up with me)

Now, I understand about ratings; it doesn't matter what it is, movies or mayonnaise, taste is subjective and varies from person-to-person. What I have problems with are people who like something but castigate others for not liking it.  It's one thing to dislike...say, a politician, but they should list the reasons, not dislike someone just because they're fat or skinny, black or white, gay or straight.  I'm a Cowboys fan and many people despise the QB Tony Romo, but they don't give a valid reason regarding his play on the field but criticize him for wearing his cap backwards or for dating starlets (before he was married) or liking to play golf. (they didn't want him to take ANY vacations or have a life outside of football.  Silly.)

One of the "most helpful critical reviews" on the casserole was by "hurryup2002" - posted on Oct. 12, 2003, which made me wonder if they were pleased with how fast the year had arrived or still wanted to gripe about the slow pace of time.  Anyway....

They posted this:  "This is not nice at all, i just want to let people know that this is the worst thing ever. It is not nice."

That's one of the criticisms that I wrote about above;  no reason for disliking it, no honest reason why they didn't like it, not that the cooking time was too long or too short or the bread was overly soggy w/ putting it in the fridge overnight, that it was too salty/not salty enough, etc.  No, "it is not nice."

Not nice?  When they put it in the oven, did it scream at them "Hey dummy! Set the oven at 350, not 400 deg.!" or "You don't need to eat me...you're a little too fat as it is." "Don't add any salt, the sausage has it already, ya doofus!"  ???

What's not nice is my review of that review, but it was nicer than I wanted to be.

"It's Just a Dollar"

I went to the grocery store the other day and saw they had a sale on Eckrich sausage;  I don't eat a lot of that, but it sounded good and a pkg. will make several sandwiches, plus some left to be sliced into some slow cooker beans.  I got two packages since they were 2/$5.00, a dollar off the regular price for each.

I wasn't getting many other items and happened to see that one of the packages of sausage rang up at the regular price.  I pointed it out to the young woman running the cash register and she immediately looked annoyed that I had even spoken to her.  She glanced at the register readout, sniffed in a disdainful way and said:

"It's just a dollar."

I told her if it was "just a dollar", then maybe the store could pay the difference or better yet, she could get the money out of her own pocket and pay it.  She didn't look to see the sale price in the circular, didn't call a manager or do anything else about it, just stared at me as though I was something she wanted to scrape off the bottom of her shoe.  I told her I didn't want it then, didn't want any of the items I had that she'd already rang up and I turned on my heel and walked out the door.  I may never go back, there are two other stores here in town where I'm treated much nicer than that.

I'm just getting tired of the attitude of people who deal with customers, it's happened several times over this last month.  A few weeks ago I was wearing a Texas themed t-shirt and the checkout girl told me she didn't like my shirt.  I asked her why and she she said "Texas sucks."  I wanted to reach out and slap her insolent cheeks, but instead went home, got on the company website and sent off an email complaining about the hateful little wench.  The next day I got an email from corporate headquarters and a phone call from both the store manager and the district supervisor, all apologizing and promising it would never happen again. I told them it had better not, that their competitor was just across the street.

I've always been Caspar Milquetoast on these things; when I ordered a steak and it wasn't done as I liked, I'd eat it and not send it back.  When I wouldn't get good service, I'd go ahead and leave a tip or if my pizza arrived later than promised and cold, I'd just eat it and not complain. Never again!  I got a burger yesterday at the best place in town and when I ordered, I asked that some ketchup be put into the bag, explaining to the young woman who took my order that they always left it out.  She assured me she'd take care of it, but when I got home, there wasn't a single packet in the bag.  I will be letting the owner of the establishment know about it, too. 

What these people need to understand is that, while their boss signs their checks, I pay their wages!  Without me...and other customers...they wouldn't have a job!

I worked at a liquor store while going back to school;  I was a good hand and single-handedly worked the busiest times, the evenings and Saturdays.  The morning staff never had more than a dozen customers from 10-2 and all they had to do was check deliveries (and more often than not, didn't stock the items and left it all for me to do) and were supposed to dust and clean, but none ever did.  One young "lady" told me "This would be a great job if it weren't for the customers." (she had several come in the store while she was trying to watch Days of Our Lives and that annoyed her)

I'm sick of that kind of attitude. 

Tale of the Tail

The Opossum is the only North American mammal with a prehensile tail.  It can use its hairless, foot-long tail to grasp objects and climb trees.

We know about 'possums, having had several close encounters.

Operator - Jim Croce

One of the saddest songs ever.


"You can keep the dime."

hyperhidrosis

hyperhidrosis hy·per·hi·dro·sis [hahy-per-hi-droh-sis] noun Pathology

abnormally excessive sweating

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I knew this word, but had forgotten it until I read the definition and then I remembered the first time I ever saw it. I was in junior high and had developed an embarrassing condition of my palms profusely sweating; oh, not all the time, but mostly when I was holding hands with a girl. (or before a test or a ballgame or trying to explain to my dad why I hadn't done the chores he had wanted me to do.) I found the symptoms and this term looking through a medical encyclopedia while trying to find out what was wrong with me.  Looking back now, I realize I didn't have hyperhidrosis, but suffered from the same anxiety and shyness most other teen boys did. Teenage angst, the wet kind.

Still, I did perspire a lot.  Sometimes during a basketball game after shooting a free throw, someone would slip on the pool of sweat that had dripped off of me while standing there taking the foul shot.  I would also sweat through shirts on a warm day, leaving visible circles under my arms.   I'd try my best to hide them by not raising my arms more than an inch away from my body, but I'm sure I then looked like a sweaty Frankenstein. I also had problems with sweaty, stinky feet, but getting on the other side of puberty and starting to wear cotton socks mostly solved that problem.

I still sweat a lot, though.  I've learned to put a bandanna or handkerchief in my pocket before starting some strenuous activity or otherwise I'll be blinded by the sweat rolling off my forehead into my eyes if I don't stop frequently and mop my brow and head.  I don't think that's "abnormally excessive sweating" but is actually a healthy and normal bodily function.

Several years ago, I went to the doctor for an unrelated matter and shook his hand after we had talked.  I had been more than a little anxious worrying about what might be wrong with me and was relieved that it wasn't what I had thought it might be.  My hands were clammy and damp and the doctor noticed.  "You have sweaty palms much?" he asked.  I admitted I did when I was overly anxious.  He scribbled something on a prescription pad and told me that would help.  I went to the pharmacy and got the prescription filled; the vial was full of little blue pills.  I didn't recognize the name, but took them for a day before calling a friend who had a "pill book" that listed most medicines.  She knew what they were when I spelled out the name...I had to spell it out, because I wasn't sure how to pronounce "Xanax".  "You'll like them." she assured me, telling me almost her entire family took them.  Hmmm...pretty mellow family, I thought, guess I'll keep taking them.

Yep, was no sweat taking them...no worries, not a care in the world, actually.

Oodles of Doodles

You Are Having a Challenging Day

You have a strong sense of humor, and that includes a tendency to make fun of yourself. You are thoughtful and reflective. It's likely that you're taking stock of your life right now. Your thoughts are very far away from what's going on right now. You have something important on your mind. You are friendly and easygoing. You're generally happy with who you are and the life you lead.

The Doodle Test

rarefied

rarefied rar·e·fied [rair-uh-fahyd] adjective

1. extremely high or elevated; lofty; exalted: the rarefied atmosphere of a scholarly symposium.
2. of, belonging to, or appealing to an exclusive group; select; esoteric: rarefied tastes.

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Sounds like a word this Congress and administration would use to describe themselves.

Put It On My Bill

The Australian Pelican has the longest bill of any living bird, up to 18 1/2 inches long.

Get Outta My Way - The Dirt Daubers

If the pretty, voluptuous middle dancer with multiple tattoos looks familiar, then you're probably a fan of American Pickers on History. Her name is Danielle Colby-Cushman and she "plays" the office manager on the show.

The Results Are a Little Low

Your Quirk Factor: 61%

You're so quirky, it's hard for you to tell the difference between quirky and normal. No doubt about it, there's little about you that's "normal" or "average."

How Quirky Are You?

Suitcase - Simon's Cat

He's a Rat for Doing This

Did You Know?

You may have noticed some of the trivia posts are labeled "did you know".   It might be redundant to have both that and a trivia label, but they ARE a little different, namely that when I ask "Did you know...?" it means I did not know it and found it interesting/cool.

The Texas Bell Tower Sniper

Today in history on August 1, 1966, Charles Whitman climbed to the top of the University of Texas Tower in Austin with a large cache of weapons and killed 16 people and wounded 32 others during a shooting rampage on and around the university's campus.

Before going on the killing spree, he murdered both his wife and mother and left a note apologizing and asking that his brain be examined after his death. After being killed by Austin PD officers Ramiro Martinez and Houston McCoy*, the autopsy on Whitman showed he had a brain tumor.

*At first, Martinez was credited with killing Whitman, but McCoy was later found to have administered the fatal shots.

Sack

Deacon Jones, Pro Football Hall of Famer and leader of the Los Angeles Rams "Fearsome Foursome", coined the phrase "sack" to describe tackling a quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. "You know, like you sack a city - you devastate it."

In 1999, Jones provided an L.A. Times reporter with some detailed imagery about his forte: “You take all the offensive linemen and put them in a burlap bag, and then you take a baseball bat and beat on the bag. You’re sacking them, you’re bagging them. And that’s what you’re doing with a quarterback.”

The Bike Test

You Are Confident

You've accepted yourself fully, and you're happy with where you are in life. You are extremely content. Your gut reactions are neither negative nor positive. You tend to see both sides of issues. You are efficient and savvy. You don't get tied down by unnecessary details. You are very self sufficient and independent. You prefer to rely on yourself.

The Bicycle Test

Bubble Wrap Bike

I want one of these.

Fishy Fingernails

Did you know the pearly essence in many lipsticks and nail polishes is made up of fish scales? (usually from herring)

There are vegan-approved nail polishes which use mineral silica, synthetic pearl or particles of metal such as bronze or aluminum.

I Could Do This Bike Trick

Choose Your Own Title

For this post because I sure can't think of one.

This reminds me of a video game I used to play on Nintendo.

Joy for Breakfast

Did you know Mrs. Butterworth's first name is "Joy"?

dreck

dreck noun Slang.

1. excrement; dung.

2. worthless trash; junk.

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I probably should have named this blog "Top of Texas Dreck", huh?

Slightly Phobic

Not too many things frighten me...at least to the point of being an irrational fear, making me run away screaming. I'm not fond of enclosed spaces and don't like being in large crowds, but I wouldn't say those fears are phobias. (maybe they are, but...) I don't like spiders, but I'm cool after they've been smashed. I don't care for snakes, so I just avoid them. How phobic are you?

You Are 24% Phobic

Scared? You? Not really. Everyone has a few normal phobias, and you're no exception. It's okay to be afraid of a few things. You wouldn't be human if you weren't.

How Phobic Are You?

I Want You to Want Me - Cheap Trick