The New Musings of a Quiet Geek

Last night, my church hosted a local artist and her "singing crystal bowls." What is that, you ask? The bowls were fiberglass and of different size that kind of looked like a cross between punch bowls and light fixtures. She'd use two probably hollow sticks and, depending on whether she ran them along the inside or outside of the bowls, it would make some kind of sound; some high pitched. She says they were made using spare material from a computer factory. (I guess how exactly they're made she doesn't even know as it's a trade secret apparently.) Her program had 7 or 8 musical compositions but she paused only twice to reposition the bowls so the whole show was less than an hour. After, our ladies group served pineapple upside-down cake and fruit. When I arrived, the musician needed a place to meditate before her concert but the emcee of the evening could only think of the ladies' room for her to go. I offered to unlock the sanctuary for her. She thanked ...

Friday night, my parents came down because my grandfather's birthday party was yesterday. The three of us went to Friendly's. I hadn't been there in awhile so that was different. My mother and I went in to get a table while my father parked. We told the hostess there was three us. She asked if the other person needed a kid's menu. Thinking about this question later, "Yeah we have a two year old parking the car." When my mother said this, I responded, "Well, this is Maine..." Afterwards we soaked in the hot tub at their motel. This may have been the first time I went hot tubbing since my move to Portland... The party the next day was in two parts. We were joined by my grandfather and his wife at Applebee's. Also in attendance were two aunts, an uncle and one of my young cousins. Most of us were set to order from their "pick two item lunch menu" when the waitress noticed us reading it and informed us that was just Monday through Friday. I...

I don't know if I have a readers that I don't have email addresses for but I wanted all who still don't know to know that my book, Winter Storm , while may not be officially released until May 31st (This is unconfirmed by publisher just my interpretation of their comments to me.), seems to be orderable at Amazon . I will, of course, keep you all posted on further developments.

It has been so gorgeous out yesterday and today. I hope it holds out for the weekend. I spent all day outside yesterday and spent a fair amount so far today. Today I tried a take-out burrito place down town and had a Brazilian Burrito. It had chicken, rice, beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon and pineapple. I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Maybe the kitchen sink...It was so good but I was craving a margarita, to celebrate the news item below so I stopped by the "real" Mexican place on the way back here. The biggest news is that the author, the author being moi , copies arrived in the mail yesterday. Funny, yet aggravating, story. I saw a package for me from the publisher before I went to work yesterday on the little shelf under the mailboxes but left it as I was going to my volunteer job and then grocery shopping so I didn't want to carry it around town. I come back to discover the package is gone. I think maybe my neighbor brought it up as he's wont to do...

This past weekend, I went up to see my parents. This time I got a ride up with my boss as she was going to go and visit her sister who lived nearby. (It was at this point I realized I forgot to pack underwear. Thankfully I knew my parents had spares for just such an emergency...) We got a later start than I thought originally but the trip was pretty fun listening to her CDs and sharing the memories the songs had for us. We stopped for dinner and we both had fish and chips but I had white chocolate pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. That was very good but a very small portion if you ask me. Saturday night, we saw Elizabeth on TV. It was the 1998 version with Cate Blanchett. The cast was amazing! I thought was good. Sunday, I went to my mother's church for a change and then the two of us went to see a live production of Jesus Christ Superstar . I had seen the movie of course but I had never seen it live before. I loved it! I especially enjoyed Herod's dancing girls... We decided t...

Only one person asked about the "surprise phone interview" I mentioned on Twitter but maybe some of you are shy. It was for a library director position at a private/boarding school up in Central Maine. I know what some of you are thinking, why am I thinking "big" and not trying for just an entry level position? Well, what they're asking for, I can do. If I get the job it'll mean moving again but we'll fall off that bridge when we get there. I have never had a unplanned phone interview before so I was caught off guard at first. I think got more comfortable as it went along but by that time, she was just asking me seemingly unimportant questions such as why I moved back to Maine and if I knew there was still snow up there. As always, we'll have to see but, in a way, it might have been a good thing they wanted a phone interview with me. Sometimes they are used to make the first round of cuts but sometimes they are the second... I'm going up to see...

Our movie loving cook friend came up this past weekend. No, we didn't watch any movies this time. Instead we watched the complete first two seasons of Sex in the City . My roommate had never seen any and she had never seen the original unedited versions. I had seen about three unedited episodes prior to this. It was an experience for us all. After she left I had to check to see if I was still male... Though it's just a stupid show and, in many ways, not related to my life ever, it did make me think about a few things. In one episode, Charlotte, who I think was the character I liked the most for many reasons, asked a man out. Though they all considered themselves "modern women," they seemed to feel doing so is "being the man" in the relationship. Is this typical for the average "real" woman? And, if so, why? In another episode, Miranda and a bartender broke up because she tried to buy him a suit and he felt emasculated. The class issue was also awkw...

One of the days this week, I can't remember which now, maybe Wednesday, the publisher's sent me a PDF of the cover art. Admittedly, I'm not as exstatic about the font they used for the title as I could be but decided not to complain this time. Next book, we'll see... The design as a whole, though, is totally awesome! They actually superimposed an outline of Armenia to it! (I had to check this with Google Maps to confirm my suspicions.) Given my last statement, it's probably obvious that they didn't go with my aunt's design but I'm glad I can't remove her name from the acknowledgement page as she still did help with it and I'm greatful. The current president of the seminary where I volunteer is retiring in a couple months. On Thursday, there was a meet and greet with the new "President-elect." The Board of Trustees won't vote until early next week but it seems fairly certain he'll get in as that's the norm with pastoral searc...

I have now been back in Maine for over a year now and wanted to share my thoughts on how my life is now. The temping just didn't work out. I wouldn't say that the opportunity to transfer to the temp agency's office up here was too good to be true but there were some factors I didn't, and probably should have, considered. The bus system isn't nearly as extensive up here and, more importantly, I don't have the access to rides I did down in Connecticut. I think also their policies on typing speed, etc., also have changed but I could be wrong. Things I do enjoy about living up here is my church and my volunteering at the seminary library. It so great to go in every day to a job I enjoy with people that I not only enjoy working with but enjoy just hanging out with. This is a first for me. One thing I'm really getting sick of, though, is all the drama that is my roommate's life that I've gotten sucked into time and time again simply because I live here. (I...

Two or three days ago, the publisher sent me new page proofs. These aren't to submit new changes, as that part is over, but to see if the corrections I previously submitted were actually done to my satisfaction. I got out my list and looked it over and notified them it was good. Now, I wait for the process to be started concerning cover design. I'm particularly looking forward to this as the cover must grab readers. If it doesn't grab me, it may not grab anyone else... I decided it was best to stay in town this Easter season as my mother's new job would mean she wouldn't even be there most of the weekend. Of course, my father would be just as busy as you'd think so it would mainly be just me and Susie. I miss her but, while she's a good listener, she's not much of a conversationalist...They sent me a Easter Basket, sans basket already anyway. This gave me the opportunity to go to my church's Maunday Thursday potluck supper. After we ate, we had a tra...

It's that time again. The Red Sox Hot Stove/Spring Training Rant. And it's always about one player. Yes, the Sox have dumped Doug Mirabelli. Again. They waited longer this time to do so so maybe they were right to do so this time. Doug's production has been down. He apparently batted like .202 this past season. Even for a back-up catcher, that isn't good. So what do they do? They release him and replace him with Kevin Cash who is a career buck-sixty hitter. The official line is Cash's defense has been better than Doug this spring which could very well be true. Cash also did fill in pretty well when Dougie went down in August. I've seen only one spring training game this year which I think Mirabelli was catching and he seemed fine to me but then I think Matsuzaka was pitching not Wakefield...I have to point out they're paying Cash much less than Doug had Mirabelli stayed. Coincidence? Hell, no. Back-up catcher is a tricky position. If their offense and defen...

Yesterday afternoon, my parents came down to celebrate my father's birthday. Because of my dance group commitment, we ate an early dinner at Applebee's. I had a beer with my Cheddar-Jack Mac and Cheese (which turned out to be Pepper Jack) because, as I pointed out to my mother, all I do is unlock doors and read. After dinner, I took them on a tour of the church and seminary downstairs where I volunteer. Exciting, no? The night got even better during the dance group when I laid down on the floor behind the desk and took a nap. I wonder if anyone saw me as they were much more expedient than normal getting out of the building so I could lock back up. No one said anything to me about it but still I wonder... The birthday "excitement" continued when I stayed home from the library and they took me grocery shopping and then we were joined by my roommate for a walk down to the local Starbucks where I tried their "Leprechaun Latte." I don't know how green it ...

My roommate's movie-loving friend came up this past weekend so here's some reviews: Sidney White : This movie could have been called Sidney White and the Seven Dorks but I guess they didn't want to push it. I've always loved Amanda Bynes but I think What A Girl Wants is better although maybe because Colin Firth is a better actor than John "Bo Duke/Pa Kent" Schneider...Anyway, I hate movies like this on principle because sorority chicks, even if they share the same food allergies, would never fall for a dork at least not after only two brief conversations. Also, biker/goth chicks would also not want to "hook up" with a dork just because she promised herself she would if she met the writer of a blog she really liked. No! No! No! The Day After Tomorrow : Typical Roland Emmerich-directed action movie where shit gets destroyed except this time the enemy isn't aliens or giant lizards. It's global warming. There is no denying, Mr. Bush, that globa...

I'm officially an old man. I had my yearly physical yesterday and I'm now apparently at the stage where I have to get my cholesterol checked. Yes, high cholesterol runs in the family but I thought I was young. Two more signs I'm now old: I was encouraged to start giving myself monthly hernia exams. (I'd make a comment on how I prefer it when she does it but mine is not the right audience for that...) I also had my first rectal exam. Woo Hoo! My glucose level was good and my LDL (bad cholesterol) level was only 11 points higher than normal range which she wasn't concerned with at all. The only thing she was concerned with was my HDL or good cholesterol level which was 17 points below normal which means, apparently, I don't exercise enough. Those of you who know me should not be surprised by this but, in my defense, I am more active now than I use to be. I've been more ambitious fixing lunch lately. I've gotten into this kick of warming up canned soup on t...

Last night I finished a Star Trek book. Book II of the Vulcan's Soul trilogy continues the two-fold story of Spock investigating the aggressions of an alien race called the Watraii towards the Romulans and the group of Vulcans who left their homeworld to colonize the twin homeworlds of Romulus and Remus centuries before. I thought I had reviewed the first book, Exodus , before but I can't find it in the archives. I suppose it was before I started reviewing books. Anyway, Exiles was a very nice read and I can't wait to see how it's concluded. My one real problem with the book, and it's a problem I had with the first book I think, they have appearances by Federation and Romulan characters we know but the two authors made up the Klingons that appear. I have nothing against original characters but it seems like a slight to that race at the very least if not a missed opportunity.

After my week of blah-ness, I went back to work today and managed to stay most of the morning before becoming a bit too tired. I am improving greatly though so that's good. While there, I was doing the striping project and I thought I finally came across a book that didn't not only didn't belong to us, it didn't belong to the Seminary at all. I ran it through and a message informed me it belonged somewhere else. Did we steal this from them? My boss came out and ran it through the catalog which revealed it did indeed belong to us. I ran it through check in again with nothing special happening. The bar code scanner read it wrong. But what a mistake! Long story shorter, this story really doesn't have a point! Oh well... While I was laid up, I finished a new book. Timothy Zahn is one of the main writers of Star Wars books. In fact, he's one of the few "originals" still writing them. I've said it more than once. I used to really enjoy Star Wars books ...

The other night we, and another friend, watched a movie we had wanted to go see this summer mainly because everyone was in this movie. Rendition investigates a bombing in Northern Africa. Part of the investigation by the CIA uses a practice called rendition to basically kidnap a suspect and take him off to get tortured. Reese Witherspoon plays the wife of just such a "suspect." She has a friend (Peter Sarsgaard) who works for a senator (Alan Arkin). He tries to help her find her husband but there's only so much he can do. Meryl Streep plays either the head of the CIA or at least someone very high up and does such a good job being a bitch. Yes, the evil senator she played in the remake of The Manchurian Candidate was similar but she wasn't evil here. She was just good at her job. In other news, I have a cold or I guess you could say that I have "flu-like symptoms" as they say in baseball. I haven't worked at the library for the past two mornings but I a...

My roommate's college friend was up again so we got some more good food, including an awesome chocolate cake, and watch four movies. First up was Gameplan with The Rock as a quarterback for the fictional team "Boston Rebels," a name I'm sure they put a lot of thought into, whose hereto unknown daughter shows up at his door. Disney hilarity and drama ensues. The movie didn't suck but let's just say it won't be going in my collection... The second film was another Disney film: Meet the Robinsons . This film was very good if predictable. One more comment: Nicole Sullivan and Tom Selleck voice this couple. If the two of them were really married, I think one of them would die and Tom's the NRA member so "choo choo on this!" (Best line of the movie...) Film number 3 was No Reservations with Catherine Zeta Jones, Aaron Eckhart and Abigail Breslin. Jones plays a executive chef who feels her employment is threatened by Eckhart and whose sister dies ...

Today, I received in the mail from the publisher a cash advance. Sure, it's only a dollar but it's symbolism anyway. The book is already written. At the moment, I'm in the midst of editing the final draft. I don't have an official release date as of yet but it won't be very long now. I'm very excited. More and more people have told me that they want to read it so it will sell at least a couple dozen copies. Hey! you have to start somewhere... This past weekend, I went up to see my parents and, yes, get a better author photo. I bought a new CD, which was selling for a good price at that: Instant Karma: Save Darfur which is a compilation of John Lennon covers to benefit Amnesty International's efforts in that area of the globe. My parents and I were quite impressed by this double album. I question why there are two cover each of "Imagine" and "Give Me Some Truth" when there are at least three or four songs not included at all, most notably...

Last night while we were watching TV, there was an ad on the SciFi Channel advertising this week's Saturday night movie. The title of this is called Bone Eater . Even if this movie was on Spike, the genre of this movie would not be horror. Bone Crusher. Bone Breaker. Even Shattered Bone wold have been fine but Bone Eater? ::Shakes Head:: Anyone who's been around the two of us knows how immature we are when we're together, and living together could possibly have made it worse, so this was a total laugh riot for us. "Is this Hall and Oates comeback single?" Material, including book description and author photo as well as the actual manuscript, has been submitted. I'm getting very excited now. I'm not expecting the book to win any awards or make me rich over night but this has been a dream of mine for years. I hoped 30 would be a good year but I never expected anything like this. What will I dream about now?