tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5278540740252608792024-03-13T20:03:54.777-04:00The Evil Robot!Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.comBlogger568125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-43041269637275810852015-03-14T18:40:00.003-04:002015-03-14T18:44:52.722-04:00Sara's Hoose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There was a show on HGTV a few years ago about a Canadian woman who was fixing up an old farmhouse. But she pronounced it 'hoose.' In honor of Sara, who proved that with just a few million dollars and 24/7 access to master builders, you too can renovate a shell of a barn into an incredible dream home, this post is about our new hoose.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5x2s2VY75EuLWwXo6Nk0Nbb8X_xmSgh_fJV4bJq9jbnYGG7jZBCzhFG47tiCIH88DPznjfmMGGOzpGpKbFAWuV2GfLgTMpJMSxPrGeRzm9qWkZ8rWaV3MSdNJBYdPc4jHfX7IlsWXc4/s1600/20150310_193658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5x2s2VY75EuLWwXo6Nk0Nbb8X_xmSgh_fJV4bJq9jbnYGG7jZBCzhFG47tiCIH88DPznjfmMGGOzpGpKbFAWuV2GfLgTMpJMSxPrGeRzm9qWkZ8rWaV3MSdNJBYdPc4jHfX7IlsWXc4/s1600/20150310_193658.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitcheny area</td></tr>
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The backstory to the house is only really interesting to us, but mainly it comes down to finding exactly what we wanted in the exact right neighborhood and then getting a killer deal on said hoose. We found a highly rated realtor who wound up being an attorney who did real estate on the side, and she helped us get a great deal on the house and get the right things ordered in the property inspection.<br />
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The house was brand new, never lived in before. It was built by someone who wound up not getting their visa to move to the US and had to back out of the house (the area we moved to is right by the Goodyear and BMW and Nissan Leaf headquarters - there is a sizable Asian population). Though there a few really minor things we would have done differently (I would have put an automatic garage door opener in rather than wire the fireplace mantle for a flat screen TV which I never in a million years am going to use), it's almost exactly what we wanted.<br />
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And now, some pix. You can click on these to launch a viewer that will show them all bigger, but for some reason that will leave off the captions. These will skip around a bit randomly...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIMaE_-AJTN7BIbnRyNaEjQ9Fz9VeYTy2o_uM1RWNX74WrI4GdbziUtc-f33HYrO3pm6SZ_Pl0PSgU5xDMLQrHlCID4bgHGabj-OEuHuTks0iIKhxHhqnO1J5UvlJSoD2hoFAKgyf4ts/s1600/20150308_142900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIMaE_-AJTN7BIbnRyNaEjQ9Fz9VeYTy2o_uM1RWNX74WrI4GdbziUtc-f33HYrO3pm6SZ_Pl0PSgU5xDMLQrHlCID4bgHGabj-OEuHuTks0iIKhxHhqnO1J5UvlJSoD2hoFAKgyf4ts/s1600/20150308_142900.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living room. The fireplace is gas and is operated by a light switch, which is neat.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7SQJesHCjoAyUSUyxAkFgduu6_b83tYitMiLzxVECrpc1D24H-WBbzzVunERaxmc1VybGpN6ckmztf-BwwLz8UKsWO37AqrL1etz52KuhNKW9k7ZaFAE5Am93_C7w0PA9n4xLj8uFPQ/s1600/20150308_142914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7SQJesHCjoAyUSUyxAkFgduu6_b83tYitMiLzxVECrpc1D24H-WBbzzVunERaxmc1VybGpN6ckmztf-BwwLz8UKsWO37AqrL1etz52KuhNKW9k7ZaFAE5Am93_C7w0PA9n4xLj8uFPQ/s1600/20150308_142914.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the front room ceiling. This, like 100% of the homes in South, this home has a formal dining room. We are going to switch out the chandelier for a ceiling fan and just make it a front room. We'll eventually get a piano and it will go in here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIkkAPpi0tqtAeU9yeyNrEqSSnkgaj_83NfxVyc9HfNUeGwkpZ5yxH6kA8zSStEkmVmB6fPdBwaiS3A7uItAga-bBSqIabnum6dYDr2J0f6koUYE4gvRDNFJ-7wE1EzU46S-LBmUqkeI/s1600/20150308_142916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOIkkAPpi0tqtAeU9yeyNrEqSSnkgaj_83NfxVyc9HfNUeGwkpZ5yxH6kA8zSStEkmVmB6fPdBwaiS3A7uItAga-bBSqIabnum6dYDr2J0f6koUYE4gvRDNFJ-7wE1EzU46S-LBmUqkeI/s1600/20150308_142916.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Nother view of the front room.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27D03jSkkB8nxgWFsBL17h0rFC9AuNHiWkorhvxZBKG2KepOCQd_jtyDMXjzLnJQQFNK47smQyLU57vteua0H3OrlAJUhlbj6KzEy3FfnKrUnlTLxKsY_L2VrXEHeVtGkz45O7wOrV7g/s1600/20150309_201307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27D03jSkkB8nxgWFsBL17h0rFC9AuNHiWkorhvxZBKG2KepOCQd_jtyDMXjzLnJQQFNK47smQyLU57vteua0H3OrlAJUhlbj6KzEy3FfnKrUnlTLxKsY_L2VrXEHeVtGkz45O7wOrV7g/s1600/20150309_201307.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Madeleine's ceiling. Hers is my favorites room in the house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrcBGBxs5VB6Eh_dfB3t5TMTATCio_cyLYzxJ88AM-A1JCuts7IITctt0PMwTYUM6vrPL-vHc8jOJRKeXjogCSuOvIsF1SC4R2ZPkauEbdBckoerLhXRUM6bMheACiXFm7AANPCWrWxM/s1600/20150309_201313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrcBGBxs5VB6Eh_dfB3t5TMTATCio_cyLYzxJ88AM-A1JCuts7IITctt0PMwTYUM6vrPL-vHc8jOJRKeXjogCSuOvIsF1SC4R2ZPkauEbdBckoerLhXRUM6bMheACiXFm7AANPCWrWxM/s1600/20150309_201313.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Different perspective of Maddie's celing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcjgOXPzgGBGeGrXL8ydk-f0YrxgGnRwRyQnu7H5Gys9c_tPoGyGuRFB2orl_UWcNt-4hXpkmz8qMs8fQLJKHSu6PqLCmO1jNI773h9LTP4jNwx7P5X-dO0Bg8VreeYClM66dKAzgmXo/s1600/20150309_201323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcjgOXPzgGBGeGrXL8ydk-f0YrxgGnRwRyQnu7H5Gys9c_tPoGyGuRFB2orl_UWcNt-4hXpkmz8qMs8fQLJKHSu6PqLCmO1jNI773h9LTP4jNwx7P5X-dO0Bg8VreeYClM66dKAzgmXo/s1600/20150309_201323.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of Maddie's room. The girls have a connecting Jack and Jill bathroom, so they both have these vanities built in in their rooms and then you go through that door and you're in the bathroom/shower area.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJRA1n_tjpa2Jgbv_XBnrYb8-U3Mm4ctbImKNvf7hwLU1zUw1Mi-ilZVO5Bn5BPcLZBwMauLX05ULxJj4IbIAUCrwMToEFJldxmrdrsujO2kEfsNJlpcnbH8dulgROgSa7S7FJH_H8os/s1600/20150310_193159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJRA1n_tjpa2Jgbv_XBnrYb8-U3Mm4ctbImKNvf7hwLU1zUw1Mi-ilZVO5Bn5BPcLZBwMauLX05ULxJj4IbIAUCrwMToEFJldxmrdrsujO2kEfsNJlpcnbH8dulgROgSa7S7FJH_H8os/s1600/20150310_193159.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kitchen. Double ovens + gas cook top = good.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFyP7_eJ1VPiOhPzn8iKAfV2FOwJtnFV7FrAw-VUvTfeSqTjDLxhXx5NDByiu1hDTi_ghokr_MC0Q6j1LqCM3BGJGSYh06YzHT7ppPCbi-0QnzWvaFJ2s75-QH0fhy9u1T9to9Co93dQ/s1600/20150310_193203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFyP7_eJ1VPiOhPzn8iKAfV2FOwJtnFV7FrAw-VUvTfeSqTjDLxhXx5NDByiu1hDTi_ghokr_MC0Q6j1LqCM3BGJGSYh06YzHT7ppPCbi-0QnzWvaFJ2s75-QH0fhy9u1T9to9Co93dQ/s1600/20150310_193203.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The eat-in dining area that we have turned into the full-time dining area.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMxCgxfezvJ2-RK36GIEMPumS7MOi_QudfneJlj-y-oH_fnsBf6DLBvvbYrrd6-ohv3pVAjVnCAA1X5_LOgybgB7V7JOsKS96CCUGApZZ3QJUTHupEjLhmCN5bqbZe5oJ9quHAUIxmCI/s1600/20150310_193304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMxCgxfezvJ2-RK36GIEMPumS7MOi_QudfneJlj-y-oH_fnsBf6DLBvvbYrrd6-ohv3pVAjVnCAA1X5_LOgybgB7V7JOsKS96CCUGApZZ3QJUTHupEjLhmCN5bqbZe5oJ9quHAUIxmCI/s1600/20150310_193304.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The foyer with the front door and the front room.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6fIKdl0D9jC62C7_xxeAYg1Jr7k0VoQyyhcv4m3o7XToSqJX3TJjUAaKNERKCMxdClb8JtRZadaxKlCoGrW0xDuaJnbwoLNuzJqpHi2cTDUAWltcnHwxBd-FE88OhlsGJFMNuglUToM/s1600/20150310_193311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6fIKdl0D9jC62C7_xxeAYg1Jr7k0VoQyyhcv4m3o7XToSqJX3TJjUAaKNERKCMxdClb8JtRZadaxKlCoGrW0xDuaJnbwoLNuzJqpHi2cTDUAWltcnHwxBd-FE88OhlsGJFMNuglUToM/s1600/20150310_193311.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the front room. The door on the left there is a good-sized under-the-stairs closet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiov-6Edtwh5vnKjSXvMWIFQSoJ3mWpMwfzqmvuVWIgHY_AIh-zhDnYV8WlxqdqZf0buFsVjgPUuMO_d0TPeTWZFGhhBKed5ISyem2ZT4nUxwnmbfPfbc2Q58M7nGyDzZLAu2IqFmK65JU/s1600/20150310_193353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiov-6Edtwh5vnKjSXvMWIFQSoJ3mWpMwfzqmvuVWIgHY_AIh-zhDnYV8WlxqdqZf0buFsVjgPUuMO_d0TPeTWZFGhhBKed5ISyem2ZT4nUxwnmbfPfbc2Q58M7nGyDzZLAu2IqFmK65JU/s1600/20150310_193353.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the room I was the most 'iffy' about. Officially, it's just some goofy loft space. We've turned it into a library, though, and will eventually get bean bag chairs or a nice small couch. We are a little worried about Emme having anything to climb on to hop over the banister, though, because it's like a 12-foot drop to the foyer below.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCWcao3qaQmImbovltTxOlu9LFgJdnQOfDlscirRxPTQOMsUIvWTJUS6q7Jc6tFjydStCnEl5HTMNvrRRezwlCjONol0YwsAeC9Ij8W96fPygIPwvfJRQcWjUdsTJruKWwlXhwHBKNMA/s1600/20150310_193317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCWcao3qaQmImbovltTxOlu9LFgJdnQOfDlscirRxPTQOMsUIvWTJUS6q7Jc6tFjydStCnEl5HTMNvrRRezwlCjONol0YwsAeC9Ij8W96fPygIPwvfJRQcWjUdsTJruKWwlXhwHBKNMA/s1600/20150310_193317.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dark area at the top there is the banister area of the previous picture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgom9s2PON5fTdvgsXtOuEkb3r7yMMTXkMVNsHDR3YPZ4-zZxNErLgC__FiUDb5E4Q8oasa-deoQqi0GzwKBpUYGLRkFQcEuzQ7mZz6Ux81dwS1Vy5W1_C47vmKSeCp1G9VKc2qZdeUng/s1600/20150310_193356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgom9s2PON5fTdvgsXtOuEkb3r7yMMTXkMVNsHDR3YPZ4-zZxNErLgC__FiUDb5E4Q8oasa-deoQqi0GzwKBpUYGLRkFQcEuzQ7mZz6Ux81dwS1Vy5W1_C47vmKSeCp1G9VKc2qZdeUng/s1600/20150310_193356.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The staircase + loft area.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NocC3r3M30jYJA-HQehuUKFvAYuM5PS-n8RtsNlXQxN0ejXez-4jtAOvBSGZS2cBn3Ve7b9ioZRdrQcIr7FRTC-_-gGbGGjDCgxN5rxdmMnmdvAULinzM51tuzk84XktfQ-fvUi-UXY/s1600/20150310_193407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3NocC3r3M30jYJA-HQehuUKFvAYuM5PS-n8RtsNlXQxN0ejXez-4jtAOvBSGZS2cBn3Ve7b9ioZRdrQcIr7FRTC-_-gGbGGjDCgxN5rxdmMnmdvAULinzM51tuzk84XktfQ-fvUi-UXY/s1600/20150310_193407.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the 3rd bedroom. It has a bathroom in it, so it's kind of a 2nd master.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNLvsrsLVrdjnDRhjd2twVGw7f06-dVoNOtuD5x6dnEHPZrGz4vBI9l0Dh3I71k9J31Wt4TW16tSpd8jRPsDRLWvxn2Y6Z_LsaDhYjH_XO7-jk9xOep-SgJwavw9AzDpL1xbmyc9C4Ww/s1600/20150310_193529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKNLvsrsLVrdjnDRhjd2twVGw7f06-dVoNOtuD5x6dnEHPZrGz4vBI9l0Dh3I71k9J31Wt4TW16tSpd8jRPsDRLWvxn2Y6Z_LsaDhYjH_XO7-jk9xOep-SgJwavw9AzDpL1xbmyc9C4Ww/s1600/20150310_193529.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maddie's room - it's above the garage and has a potential storage area. That framed area on the wall is a spot where you can pop through and put a door if you want to access some additional room space. We'll see. Not a priority now but may look into that later.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-5O-ZVXCtQ1LhcHoXF-kpuWULWDhriHG_F5sU75bhVkAekeNatcjrWzkj_1AwzAc05ZLDXK5CCXZk24o7xn2d1-Ci4k3-8T66bT-sYnQU8FtMOJmJsjgMZ0jKr_FlxF4tWSLmnhJrbw/s1600/20150310_193545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-5O-ZVXCtQ1LhcHoXF-kpuWULWDhriHG_F5sU75bhVkAekeNatcjrWzkj_1AwzAc05ZLDXK5CCXZk24o7xn2d1-Ci4k3-8T66bT-sYnQU8FtMOJmJsjgMZ0jKr_FlxF4tWSLmnhJrbw/s1600/20150310_193545.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emme's ceiling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmQxAm1Eyvr89Cb4QjIzA1YXy6xAX33gTvJA7ThX4lOlbrtpXOOM6NjxujWuWJ9zDr8bxyZsG0zYot28Lhz_3dG0Uo9OUy9KQfIfT5C2ezqduGhf83pPkMMEUBunxFg6TYhf4MRo_FXs/s1600/20150310_193557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmQxAm1Eyvr89Cb4QjIzA1YXy6xAX33gTvJA7ThX4lOlbrtpXOOM6NjxujWuWJ9zDr8bxyZsG0zYot28Lhz_3dG0Uo9OUy9KQfIfT5C2ezqduGhf83pPkMMEUBunxFg6TYhf4MRo_FXs/s1600/20150310_193557.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emme's room, with her crazy animal toys.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiDZF7K91T6Z7UD0Yj2iUbmf_3h4SlhsngNQUcAxagQyhekNlSp7KCLDFWCaqnhzPum35YdN-dJJTqxj_DCP1k4F7hg8F4vmZ346mkS9nOkHyMPjO2aMgttyKhlymxgeZ3jIEmteeuoM/s1600/20150310_193641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiDZF7K91T6Z7UD0Yj2iUbmf_3h4SlhsngNQUcAxagQyhekNlSp7KCLDFWCaqnhzPum35YdN-dJJTqxj_DCP1k4F7hg8F4vmZ346mkS9nOkHyMPjO2aMgttyKhlymxgeZ3jIEmteeuoM/s1600/20150310_193641.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the family room. We got a rug so we could have a little cushioning. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJb8C0BlPydPxJSd9fW4dieziGOl5VVoZENO6PxPON-MFprpVgVdS8eTdjnVMYBGSg8efpNBARXp7ju5u3IreLxBLkag7lPFtw_T93rNhNNJCSjjicbnyL_Vi1ey9ifMFiOHlkIAKM0w/s1600/20150310_193651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJb8C0BlPydPxJSd9fW4dieziGOl5VVoZENO6PxPON-MFprpVgVdS8eTdjnVMYBGSg8efpNBARXp7ju5u3IreLxBLkag7lPFtw_T93rNhNNJCSjjicbnyL_Vi1ey9ifMFiOHlkIAKM0w/s1600/20150310_193651.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ceiling in the family room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuI1skPsc8tlE9hKG95E9y1AmcHAhA2Qyjot6nNOGLXRjvFHE3sFjmOGlC5HrW9y3c4sN5CJ45Bc-HL-gOKDEfTC09aQGTcGBxU5NP73G3Rqsv6WQYUDr36hcNQl4Z5BTpwZEwzpxyWt4/s1600/20150314_172051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuI1skPsc8tlE9hKG95E9y1AmcHAhA2Qyjot6nNOGLXRjvFHE3sFjmOGlC5HrW9y3c4sN5CJ45Bc-HL-gOKDEfTC09aQGTcGBxU5NP73G3Rqsv6WQYUDr36hcNQl4Z5BTpwZEwzpxyWt4/s1600/20150314_172051.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master bedroom - I even made the bed, just for this picture. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mauW9GGDJvk7uHt1Z5u6YS60RKqoSSstQmDFoBBHSOUAV2Wi_WyGWmN7TWggSzJuX6WqoQd2m5ZVoXpiUk-vl2mHPe7yJ-dqdH0ZSAoGEaG11ZX_RhRjG5MWGOkt8FgqihjvyyYXfO0/s1600/20150314_172054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mauW9GGDJvk7uHt1Z5u6YS60RKqoSSstQmDFoBBHSOUAV2Wi_WyGWmN7TWggSzJuX6WqoQd2m5ZVoXpiUk-vl2mHPe7yJ-dqdH0ZSAoGEaG11ZX_RhRjG5MWGOkt8FgqihjvyyYXfO0/s1600/20150314_172054.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ceiling in master bedroom. I really like that ceiling.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0ahmSzHWVRCafX3Cu8tnpvykN-kam_OD13Z7Oehcw6IMLlMi0d2MTilSY4qMTsayoknu4H-NC-jceXnQctbZrFJbhjhxuugSOynj0gRvNaCnJeuhr6sWOLptA6II-piV5DEIamdUi0o/s1600/20150314_172119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0ahmSzHWVRCafX3Cu8tnpvykN-kam_OD13Z7Oehcw6IMLlMi0d2MTilSY4qMTsayoknu4H-NC-jceXnQctbZrFJbhjhxuugSOynj0gRvNaCnJeuhr6sWOLptA6II-piV5DEIamdUi0o/s1600/20150314_172119.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Different view of master bedroom. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jU0nhqnEir6-_xyxvfPGinxeeBGKs3bkvH4m8l20ru7c00F1n3EkS6hAG4pYlXgZJbptpP_YBFnNUMNE3FQEuBGSWdvMdxi0BOiqcoBxiJFeqN-fucPI1wM1YSyXewCD6PG8zIhUmRI/s1600/20150314_172125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jU0nhqnEir6-_xyxvfPGinxeeBGKs3bkvH4m8l20ru7c00F1n3EkS6hAG4pYlXgZJbptpP_YBFnNUMNE3FQEuBGSWdvMdxi0BOiqcoBxiJFeqN-fucPI1wM1YSyXewCD6PG8zIhUmRI/s1600/20150314_172125.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master bath. The closet is through that door at the far wall. There is a garden tub in between the vanities there under the bright window on the left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6jV3s4M9gcZJ17Rp4X1PvTpKdlAy6ndMHXadBHQBZ4PAzBKoX2GFBY3holgVd4WyMp8Tt9CxL5j5gLXi3Lq7nmW5D-vOZlDOt_lf4mJHFftAyo2wtN95frZKMD3H2tRljDTlpvOaDSI/s1600/20150314_172138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6jV3s4M9gcZJ17Rp4X1PvTpKdlAy6ndMHXadBHQBZ4PAzBKoX2GFBY3holgVd4WyMp8Tt9CxL5j5gLXi3Lq7nmW5D-vOZlDOt_lf4mJHFftAyo2wtN95frZKMD3H2tRljDTlpvOaDSI/s1600/20150314_172138.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tub.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XWnOde0dGIUpREer4NbGTFNYLS97lOTZvYBqusnzaCrFUGFn8oUC5u68ZKn3i3-7NbDafxc2rAr1ZZSiS_L1HMTqg207inKCr7SkGKJmohxc9RU7Eux1ZZPxFJR-uhYjHrueyZBzkc0/s1600/20150314_172149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XWnOde0dGIUpREer4NbGTFNYLS97lOTZvYBqusnzaCrFUGFn8oUC5u68ZKn3i3-7NbDafxc2rAr1ZZSiS_L1HMTqg207inKCr7SkGKJmohxc9RU7Eux1ZZPxFJR-uhYjHrueyZBzkc0/s1600/20150314_172149.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back at the bedroom. The shower is on the left.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWE3bSznN6YuDDztH0o7_82Ae0I2hMvr9njvlqDusNH6_5E6n8OJo2tzKSOx4ZroUaRLqzf3hlLfkRySnq4jFKsv4vgX1AQv1ZK9iTFuY11OjBZeWmn8pG6jWt-NqWNbGlX7_pFhwPjM/s1600/20150314_172507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWE3bSznN6YuDDztH0o7_82Ae0I2hMvr9njvlqDusNH6_5E6n8OJo2tzKSOx4ZroUaRLqzf3hlLfkRySnq4jFKsv4vgX1AQv1ZK9iTFuY11OjBZeWmn8pG6jWt-NqWNbGlX7_pFhwPjM/s1600/20150314_172507.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laundry room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCZJLftAmnkUqbZzi_D9SqlQ7NoWLF8Jkumji1DyiVL7P8U5wqBkKVg_M8UYEzCY8DxkD6ONfs-Dm4gPzeVoAejNCgG6CVudRHwOw_oatXihneBDir8Zy2y3iGuznDLkt8jTR4CBlwj0/s1600/20150314_172526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCZJLftAmnkUqbZzi_D9SqlQ7NoWLF8Jkumji1DyiVL7P8U5wqBkKVg_M8UYEzCY8DxkD6ONfs-Dm4gPzeVoAejNCgG6CVudRHwOw_oatXihneBDir8Zy2y3iGuznDLkt8jTR4CBlwj0/s1600/20150314_172526.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 extremely small cars-garage. I'm electing to park outside so we can make use of the 2nd bay. It's very tough to park in here - if we'd built the house we would have gone with one garage door rather than 2.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-UWROAPG5RTp0K_hvTmkebZf2lkpDPgSat4FR2OuS4YiNPBMuZwfRZopthhyhtH5qySr58dMfZkYNKBsk_ovTyz2SSWSPDxhNuD4Ce0mSCcdvDYc2PhzUDZIiVD0B06LVDnM3-Zcg8o/s1600/20150314_172606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-UWROAPG5RTp0K_hvTmkebZf2lkpDPgSat4FR2OuS4YiNPBMuZwfRZopthhyhtH5qySr58dMfZkYNKBsk_ovTyz2SSWSPDxhNuD4Ce0mSCcdvDYc2PhzUDZIiVD0B06LVDnM3-Zcg8o/s1600/20150314_172606.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the pantry and fridge and stuff. It didn't come with a fridge! We had to buy one, and it was just 'counter depth,' which is lame, but that's all that fit the space. That means it's like not deep.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpRqRb4zvh03qBmbEa_qafpSGrGAkQRg1pLzbNxRYLrx2boNBCWKq_RqPhOkBbCwC2DSx_Cyu6ru7YCd2AJZEMeVF8sR7dTCvBypkPaYozTirOjOKju6pbUy0wRlEcoewkqPCFm8YWuWc/s1600/20150314_172615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpRqRb4zvh03qBmbEa_qafpSGrGAkQRg1pLzbNxRYLrx2boNBCWKq_RqPhOkBbCwC2DSx_Cyu6ru7YCd2AJZEMeVF8sR7dTCvBypkPaYozTirOjOKju6pbUy0wRlEcoewkqPCFm8YWuWc/s1600/20150314_172615.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a view in the kitchen. You can see there that is has a desk area for when you want to do office stuff in the, uh, kitchen, and it has another space that's on the family room side of things. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcI5JLw4FoXdGOsmErBMY5rCZEv0_iNKOnwerSt_PAAwAO-VbyyP1mU9I5hZ4yJCwopZ9bWZNFUUNlU4Fd7gnZJ7RGkZIJAJwPI8QBAcPQMtSpZDShbTsDNJld1oAhL7cDdNjEzN213po/s1600/20150314_172627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcI5JLw4FoXdGOsmErBMY5rCZEv0_iNKOnwerSt_PAAwAO-VbyyP1mU9I5hZ4yJCwopZ9bWZNFUUNlU4Fd7gnZJ7RGkZIJAJwPI8QBAcPQMtSpZDShbTsDNJld1oAhL7cDdNjEzN213po/s1600/20150314_172627.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back yard, in shadow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yoa5MI79QJlS1nVK6jzAFtvrXl-FroFZ6OpsVeQU56YoB95C9hU1pyV_dBAdS1aPQePDnt8v0CzjDElpXsG6KrEJISWWaBh-OiyNoP5LsH3u3-2dPq9JZHMw3z5KDIqtqvDDdX_TU-8/s1600/20150314_172636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yoa5MI79QJlS1nVK6jzAFtvrXl-FroFZ6OpsVeQU56YoB95C9hU1pyV_dBAdS1aPQePDnt8v0CzjDElpXsG6KrEJISWWaBh-OiyNoP5LsH3u3-2dPq9JZHMw3z5KDIqtqvDDdX_TU-8/s1600/20150314_172636.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ceiling of the porch in the back yard.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTCIbQ-WjatJ1YBlY4OWaKDnlcNVOLAMNX1hDnEXu4cOkjb9ZBY3gr3iiIZ4pDqeXzN5pCAi7N1gV0Ndt0QrUGxnwGi1qUl3QkMuYTVIRbvDyMO1To251nDHet9ZQNJrNuq0F6Zo3yVU/s1600/20150314_172640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTCIbQ-WjatJ1YBlY4OWaKDnlcNVOLAMNX1hDnEXu4cOkjb9ZBY3gr3iiIZ4pDqeXzN5pCAi7N1gV0Ndt0QrUGxnwGi1qUl3QkMuYTVIRbvDyMO1To251nDHet9ZQNJrNuq0F6Zo3yVU/s1600/20150314_172640.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Other view of the back yard. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxUsieK5LpBkrgNs3h3QMt2AwRgS-BNTLOH0-qkPIL57IarY4Bl2cAyqiCqpox_RD0G6cWjJ3pwyyGjw7P_o-C9ucnRAlNXIQQ72bSVMmLGbD12XiH2pZMQ9o-b33pzlaOIzZfiP-coQ/s1600/20150314_172803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxUsieK5LpBkrgNs3h3QMt2AwRgS-BNTLOH0-qkPIL57IarY4Bl2cAyqiCqpox_RD0G6cWjJ3pwyyGjw7P_o-C9ucnRAlNXIQQ72bSVMmLGbD12XiH2pZMQ9o-b33pzlaOIzZfiP-coQ/s1600/20150314_172803.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the stairs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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That's it! We're super extremely massively blessed to have this house and these kids! Now we need people to come visit!Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-45857323221896426692015-02-21T14:40:00.001-05:002015-02-22T13:51:36.970-05:00Book Reviews: The Colorado Kid & Variable Star<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.pspublishing.co.uk/ekmps/shops/appleworld/images/the-colorado-kid-hc-by-stephen-king-cover-art-j.k.-potter-out-of-print--557-p.gif"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9rEVY4b2DerOpH1Auzq8Z5TQ70dr9bJ4hfEJmN6Um2c-aYb8mqp5fMwFhtfSh2vGfsy354cxYeojYsq2Agvv-GFPz_2HFW9R6HuCQt-bEBv4fcFyIz6b9gyte-_f9vf3Hnt4gi2dWnE/s1600/colorado+kid.gif" height="320" width="213" /></a><span id="goog_157613047"></span><span id="goog_157613048"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
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<i>The Colorado Kid</i>, by Stephen King</div>
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After the last Stephen King book I read, I swore I was done with Stephen King forever. <i>Dr. Sleep</i> wasn't horrible so much as boring, not scary, too profane, and massively overwritten. But with a limited # of years on Planet Earth, I'd decided there was better literature I could be reading instead. </div>
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However, one of my favorite shows that's still on the air (the list is extremely short these days), Haven, was apparently based on <i>The Colorado Kid</i> novella written by Stephen King. When I came across the audio book at the library, I wanted to make one last exception to see how well the TV show translated the book. </div>
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<i>The Colorado Kid</i>, in a nutshell, is a story told by two newspaper editors to their new reporter as an example of a mystery that no one could figure out. It's about a guy who is found dead on an island in Maine in 1980 or so, and no one knew who he was or how he got there. There are few leads, but all they know is he had dinner nearby at 6 pm - a waitress remembered him.</div>
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Over the course of the story, the newspaper guys explain how they tracked the guy back to Colorado based on some cigarettes he had in his pocket (there was a Colorado tax stamp on them) and eventually found his identity. However, based on witnesses who last saw him, it would be almost physically impossible for him to have flown from Colorado to Maine in time to be seen having dinner at 6:00 pm. </div>
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The reporter marvels at the story.....aaaaand then the book ends. No ending for you. That's it. The point is that 'some stories don't have endings,' I guess. So he was doing something kind of meta. The Colorado Kid story didn't have an ending, so neither does the book <i>The</i> <i>Colorado Kid</i>. </div>
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And it's a shame, too, since the mystery was really interesting, the characters were pretty good and spoke in decently realistic dialogue, and it was building to something really unique. </div>
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What if at the end of <i>Raiders of the Lost Ark</i>, the Nazis steal the ark from Indy and disappear into the night and the credits roll? What if at the end of <i>Star Wars</i>, Luke Skywalker flies his X-Wing in the opposite direction of the death star, never to return? What if...well, you get the picture. Stories need endings. It's a cheat to do otherwise. It's immensely unsatisfying. It's extremely frustrating.</div>
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No, Stephen King, I'm not going to 'write my own ending in my head.' That's your job. That's why I invested like a week in listening to this stupid audio CD. If I could make up cool mysteries in my head and end them in a clever and interesting way, I 1) wouldn't be blogging about other people's books, and 2) wouldn't have read yours. You're supposed to fill in the ending for me. Books have endings. It's like buying a car and finding out that the engine is sold separately. </div>
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So I'm done with Stephen King. Again. The only exception I declare that I'll ever make is if he ever finishes the story and writes <i>The Colorado Kid 2</i>. Until then, I'll find some other hack to fill my pop-horror novel quota.</div>
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As for how the book integrates with Haven, it doesn't. About 2% of the book has anything to do with the <i>Haven</i> TV show at all. So Haven fans, don't read the book looking for an interesting back story on Haven or its characters or plot. At best, it shares a few character names and one or two extremely minor details. And that's it. I just hope that Stephen King doesn't get any royalties from <i>Haven </i>ever. That would be like if I wrote a book called <i>Jurassic Park </i>about a panda who likes snow cones but its name is Sam Neil. </div>
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-0 stars out of 100 million stars</div>
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And speaking of stars...</div>
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<a href="http://www.timetravelershow.com/sff/variablestar500.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AthuO36VMPGEFtQ2koUZC5O-UP1j9eGgoutYiJmgB5hVG4_VdaFhauHF0Vs4mmcIjVrfWTDVRf3SzQURsLID1WfZ4LfVI071icpaz80JHwA2Yvt67RM6PBZN1UsSyLETYn7GUn7p6qA/s1600/variablestar500.jpg" height="309" width="320" /></a><span id="goog_157613057"></span><span id="goog_157613058"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
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<i>Variable Star</i>, by Spider Robinson and Robert A. Heinlein</div>
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Robert A. Heinlein is one of my favorite authors (my version of Ray Bradbury, pace my Cousin Robin) - a cool retro sci fi writer who kept it clean and always had some interesting ideas. Unfortunately, he died several years back.</div>
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However, he left a detailed outline for a book that he never wrote. He was friends with an author named Spider Robinson, and many years after his passing, Spider wrote the book. </div>
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To keep it brief, a guy is dating a girl and the year is something like 2400 AD or so. As soon as the guy proposes, the girl reveals herself to be the grand daughter of the richest and most powerful man in the galaxy. Joel, the guy, asks the rich guy for permission to marry Jinny, the girl, and the rich guy, Conrad (stay with me now), tells him yes but that doing so will result in Joel having to take over the family business and sacrifice his every life plan in favor of being a powerful businessman.</div>
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He doesn't like that plan and runs away, so Conrad cancels his music scholarship and Joel is forced off the planet and onto a rocket that is on a 20-year trip to a distant planet to colonize it. </div>
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If the book is about 400 pages or so (I had the audio CD), then everything I just described was in pages 1-40 or so. In pages 41-350 or so, absolutely nothing happens. Joel gets better at the saxophone, gets a job on a dirt farm on the ship, dates some women, hangs out with his friends, and so on. In the last 50 pages, someone makes an insanely clumsy and dumb and insulting and ridiculous speech about how the Iraq war led to 'hundreds of thousands of innocent deaths' and led to the downfall of civilization because the US 'could not forgive.' And then it has a really good but very rushed ending.</div>
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But apart from the Iraq thing, I'd almost pretty much recommend it, or at least the audio cd of it, because Spider Robinson is an excellent narrator and the book is hilarious. Almost every line is clever or funny in some way. It's really enjoyable. He wrote it in about 2005 or so so I guess he had the war on his mind and decided to do something stupid with that. But it's his editor's fault for not deleting that entire section, not his for writing it. It's poorly written, takes you out of the book entirely, and even worse, has absolutely no bearing on the overall plot of the story whatsoever. The guy makes a speech, everyone slow claps, and you never hear from the guy or of the revenge story line ever ever again. Pointless. Poor editing. </div>
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And that's the only thing (other than too much language, again. Heinlein would have never loaded the book with profanity like that) that I didn't like about the book. I didn't even mind its languid pace or lack of a plot, because the writing was so enjoyable. </div>
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I don't get why people (mainly liberals) feel like they have to make up reality if actual reality doesn't conform to their expectations. Why else would you write up a false future in which the political outcome you didn't prefer leads inexorably to the collapse of civilization? It's like a <a href="http://proteinwisdom.com/?p=31163">Jeff Goldstein</a> quote I love:</div>
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<i>[Obama is] most like Matt Damon: his genius, such as it is, comes from having written a script in which he gets to play the role of a genius...</i></blockquote>
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Anyway, good book, uneven, get the audio cd version if you're going to read it!...</div>
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Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-43013334480322390052015-01-25T13:44:00.001-05:002015-01-25T13:44:07.312-05:00Book Review: The Fire of Faith, by John H. Groberg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.byubookstore.com/webitemimages/439/1570088772.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqY92gKHHfHEI3MLz4EFgWGCf54tsdAyP7whte76xi-0ZmiT4Lw8Bk-g5Ati0Gz2-ee_HgoKQkz_7kyq98t-ZgBC0r2ScgUZldmVUyQQw47UxmV3x0fRL-UfGOGDn1LaApJp2cXTgoHhY/s1600/1570088772.jpg" height="319" width="320" /></a><span id="goog_1582585589"></span><span id="goog_1582585590"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
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<i>The Fire of Faith,</i> by John H. Groberg</div>
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I was a big fan of John Groberg's <i>The Other Side of Heaven</i> and <i>Anytime, Anywhere</i>. Both were very good, and highly spiritual, filled to the brim with interesting stories and incredible miracles. <i>The Fire of Faith</i> was kind of like a 'deleted scenes' from those books, with stories that were gentle and nice...and gentle....and mild...and not really stories...</div>
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The book is mainly about him being a mission president in the South Pacific in the late 60s and then a general authority in Hawaii in the 70s. The stories in this book are mostly about the preparation he did for a 50th anniversary jubilee of opening the Tonga (I think) mission. So right off the bat, you know that it's not going to be as miraculous as his other stories where he survives being thrown overboard and surviving a major ocean storm, or meeting and talking with people who had passed on, one of whom teleported him to Hong Kong and spent the day with him. I'm making all of that sound kind of weird but it was all super cool and spiritual in the original books.</div>
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The miracles in this book are mostly about catching a flight on time, or having a good meeting, or calling the right person. He does have a vision of the Tonga temple once, which was cool, but most of the entries are like this:</div>
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<i>"I was sitting on the plane, finally. I was exhausted. I closed my eyes for a long time. When I opened them, we were in the air. I looked out the window and saw the little light at the end of the wing. How much like that little light are we? Always blinking...going on airplanes... [3 more pages of going on about the wing light analogy]"</i></blockquote>
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Still good stuff, but less 'meaty' than his other books. It took me a LONG time to read. I started reading this book when we still lived in Miami over 9 months ago. It's been on my bedside table for a very long time. I tried to get through more of it but it was pretty difficult to really get into. </div>
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So definitely recommended for the Groberg buff in your family, but not for the impatient. </div>
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I give it one airplane analogy out of 2 mission calls.</div>
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<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-61992286149917491132015-01-11T08:19:00.001-05:002015-01-11T08:28:31.729-05:00Movie Review: Jack Ryan - Shadow Recruit<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.impawards.com/2014/jack_ryan_shadow_recruit_ver3_xlg.html"><img alt="Extra Large Movie Poster Image for Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" height="320" src="http://www.impawards.com/2014/posters/jack_ryan_shadow_recruit_ver3_xlg.jpg" width="216"></a></div>
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I initially thought Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit was a totally fine TV movie kind of film that was mildly diverting. Then I went to sleep and woke up at like 4:30 AM thinking of all of the plot holes and other general things I didn't at all like. So I don't go crazy, here is a list of all of them. [Spoiler alert]</div>
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<li>Kiera Knightley looks like she's deaf. She makes numerous 'deaf' faces for the entire movie that you wonder if she is honestly specifically supposed to be deaf and that everyone talking to her is doing so in sign language just outside of frame. Without going back to re-watch the movie to get a few specific deaf screenshots, here's one from Google that's kinda close.</li>
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<a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/04/article-2443436-1881CB2D00000578-204_634x343.jpg"><img height="108" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/04/article-2443436-1881CB2D00000578-204_634x343.jpg" width="200"></a></div>
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<li>There's 1) No way that Deaf Kiera Knightley (Hereafter DKK) flies to Russia to follow Kirk to his audit, and 2) even less chance that she will be able to find his hotel that he's staying in and 3) find his hotel room in the hotel and 4) gain access to his hotel room and 5) when in his hotel room, find a gun in his nightstand.</li>
<li>After DKK finds Kirk's gun, she asks him to explain what is going on, and he admits he's in the CIA. Instead of saying 'really? seriously? Are you joking with me or are you serious?' or any other thing that a normal person would say, she is elated and hugs him and cries, "I thought you were having an affair!" This must be the murdery kind of affair because what does having a gun prove about an affair? </li>
<li>For the entire time that a hitman tries to kill Kirk, they cut to a maid out in the hallway. She is vacuuming and keeps turning her vacuum on and off when she hears commotion in the room, like gunshots and screams. You are made to think that the maid is like a CIA protector or another Russian hitman or something, but apparently she's just the maid. The whole scene is confusing, and apparently after it's over you figure that the suspense was...I guess that she would hear the commotion and knock on the door or something? Maybe alert the management? Which doesn't matter because it's just a normal hotel - it's not like an enemy hotel or something.</li>
<li>Kirk's hitman poses as his bodyguard chauffeur and picks him up at the airport. He drives him all the way to his hotel and when they get there, he pulls out his gun when Kirk's back is turned and fires at him. Why not kill him in the car when he's cornered and completely unsuspecting? You don't even need a gun. He's not suspecting a thing, and you had time to prepare for his arrival. Why not roll up the divider window, lock the doors, and hit a 'poison gas' button when you're a block away from the airport? Plus, why kill him? At this point, no one knows he's in the CIA. Does Branaugh just hate audits that much?</li><li>After Kirk kills the hitman, the hotel room is trashed. Shot up, broken, etc. He meets with Kevin Costner for a bit and he then says 'Your room should be fixed by now.' Kirk return and finds the CIA has perfectly repaired his room! They had all the right hotel replacement parts ready to go and silently repaired the whole room with no one noticing in an hour. Also...why? That room wasn't important. Kirk wasn't going to meet a terrorist in that room or something. Why not check into another room? Or another hotel? </li>
<li>Kirk invites Kenneth Branaugh to dinner and he clearly says no thanks. But then a few beats later in the conversation Branaugh says 'We see your girlfriend has checked in to your hotel. Bring her to dinner or we won't come.' First, it's weird that they would know that, and second, he just said no. Did he change his mind after a silent internal struggle?</li>
<li>Kirk figures out that they'll have to get to Kenneth Branaugh's computer to figure out this big terror plot, and to do that, they'll need to find 10 minutes in the dinner in which Kirk can leave. So they hatch a big scheme to get Kirk to act like a jerk and get kicked out of dinner while DKK will flirt with international terrorist and cruel madman Kenneth Branaugh. 1) Why not just send in a separate agent to hack into the office while Kirk and DKK distract him for like 2 hours at a charming dinner? 2) Why not send in a trained CIA operative to pose as Kirk's girlfriend? Branaugh hasn't seen her - it could be anyone. Why send in the untrained nurse practitioner real girlfriend when the fate of the US is on the line? This entire movie you get the impression that the CIA only has about 5 employees in the entire place.</li>
<li>Branaugh gets a notice that his computer has been broken into and grabs DKK and storms out of the restaurant. Kirk comes back, completely out of breath and looking extremely suspicious. He gets DKK and says 'Sorry to eat and run, gotta go.' Branaugh LETS THEM GO. He tells a henchman, "Follow them" and they kidnap DKK a few minutes later in a really high risk shootout. Why not kidnap them both right then, and/or shoot them dead on the street? It's Russia, no one will care.</li>
<li>Kirk steals DKK back a few minutes later after a brief car chase, and Branaugh tells him, basically, "There's nothing you can do to foil my terror plot, it will happen and the world will burn! Ha ha ha!" The CIA guys with Kirk say "Jack, we've gotta go, the cops are on the way!" Uh...why not grab Branaugh and torture him throughout the night to find out details on this terror plot? Instead they all run away, fly back to the US, and start trying to figure out the terror plot from scratch. </li>
<li>DKK has just been kidnapped by a dangerous terrorist. When they get back to the US she tells Jack, "I'd better go to work at the hospital today. They might need me." Certainly being kidnapped and slapped around and flying back from Russia is worth one PTO day. Plus, you'd have to think she'd still be in some danger. She goes back to work at her same job using her same name. Branaugh could have sent someone there to kill her or kidnap her again.</li>
<li>They discover the terror plot is to blow up Manhattan with a massive van explosive. Kirk finds it and it has a timer on it for about 3 minutes. Instead of calling the CIA to find out how to disarm it, he drives the van through the city to get to the river to drive the van into the water so it will explode safely in the water. No way he gets there in 3 minutes. Infinitely more risky than just getting bomb disarming instructions on the phone.</li>
<li>While he's driving to the water, he notices that the Russian terrorist has climbed into the back of the van and is trying to manually set off the bomb. Dumb.</li>
<li>The van goes off the thing and into the water, but when you see the explosion it's like a mile out into the water. That's some jump!</li>
<li>Branaugh knows he failed and is summoned to meet his boss. He goes to the meeting, knowing he'll be shot. He is shot. Why not just take some cyanide at home? (We learn earlier in the movie that he has 3 months left to live due to liver failure, so no point of going on the lam. But still, why elect to be shot or tortured at the hands of you evil superiors?)</li>
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So enjoy Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, while I undoubtedly think of more things wrong with it.</div>
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Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-37318964146901816852015-01-07T22:57:00.000-05:002015-01-07T22:57:07.481-05:00Book Review: Wool <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silo_(series)#mediaviewer/File:Hugh_C_Howey_Wool_Omnibus.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKJOEfKYsisHHG-KVLhLrnXOWHrWg2ZAAPsxwsEB-5hShooOKMiEnu1GARnvvR0EDRMOIvH3zpYZY31UtcrH42m7Ez6B0XKvDeGWe6xP-h4QCm_E1kEMDmGAblpGz_mzWZerhvgnDLNw/s1600/Hugh_C_Howey_Wool_Omnibus.jpg" height="320" width="263" /></a></div>
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<i>Wool</i>, by Hugh Howey</div>
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<i>Wool </i>is the kind of book that aspiring authors such as myself love to hate. This is because:</div>
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<li>It's a good book idea, competently executed</li>
<li>The author self-published it on Amazon Kindle one novella at a time</li>
<li>The book became hugely popular</li>
<li>The author got a 'real' book deal out of it and released all the <i>Wool</i> novellas as one 500-page Wool omnibus that reads as one consistent novel</li>
<li>The book is being made into a movie now by Ridley Scott</li>
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Argh. I'm always jealous of authors who do something like this that seems in retrospect so easy. This book is good, but it's by no means brilliant or important or special. It's just an interesting (if slow) read that takes a few interesting turns. And the guy wrote it and released it bit by bit, picking up a bunch of fans along the way who wanted to see how the story turned out. This seems SO DOABLE. </div>
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I wish I had the time and talent to do this. </div>
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The book is about the whole known world living in a huge silo in the ground, because the air is toxic and humans can't be exposed to it. The silo is never described from the outside because the story is from the perspective of the people who live inside. The worst thing that can happen to a person is to be sent for 'cleaning,' which is to be banished outside the silo to clean the sensors that relay video images of the outer world onto a massive screen inside. </div>
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Along the way, some people voluntarily get sent for cleaning. You get the impression that the air is actually OK to breathe and that the silo people have been lying to the occupants for hundreds of years. But the novel takes you through several twists and turns, so it's not all that easy to predict. Which makes for a good read.</div>
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But it is slow. Very slow. The first half of the book is extremely slow. It took me 3 weeks to read through that part alone. I almost gave up on the book. But then it got good and I finished the rest of the book in 3 days. So if you give this a shot, hang in there for a bit. And they do tend to kill off a lot of good and interesting characters. I never give authors or TV people credit for that. Yeah, we get that no one is safe. But when the characters are just disposable, you learn to not get attached to or invested in anyone. Especially if they are older or have a handicap or have an unresolved relationship or...</div>
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There's some sparse language - pretty much just from one character named Bernard. It's out of place because the rest of the book is really quite clean. And I will say that many of the twists get 'softened' subsequently. Like (minor spoiler) some person is attacking people and nearly killing them and it turns out to be a confused teenager. So the build up was for this scary dangerous serial killer type and then it was just a kid. That happens a few other times. Big threat/big lead up/weak payoff. But it does have the effect of being a page turner at the end, and I did like the ending. Could have ended many different ways, too, which is interesting. You get to write your own alternate <i>Wool </i>novel in your head. Which we all know you are dying to do.</div>
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3 1/2 out of 5: Two steel wool sensor cleaning pads up!</div>
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<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-35372128536236894852014-12-24T17:26:00.001-05:002014-12-24T17:26:35.013-05:00Merry Christmas!<p dir="ltr">From.Joseph, especially...</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAlK-1d9cdgKzUaJ245_67dS0Y-2GBJwbtAS2ktJBxAznGmaMVW0Olud92sHo3mzgTx8Q5Az6Dom_3dGHEO79bjHD1-WE70lviKUYsNT37VfZG5ze591g8Lz5iMfKIhWrXk2yrgIep64/s1600/Screenshot_2014-12-20-08-40-39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAlK-1d9cdgKzUaJ245_67dS0Y-2GBJwbtAS2ktJBxAznGmaMVW0Olud92sHo3mzgTx8Q5Az6Dom_3dGHEO79bjHD1-WE70lviKUYsNT37VfZG5ze591g8Lz5iMfKIhWrXk2yrgIep64/s640/Screenshot_2014-12-20-08-40-39.jpg"> </a> </div>Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-16659288490941087502014-12-22T20:45:00.001-05:002014-12-22T20:45:07.080-05:00Almost here...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Y5iz567P7CF71TDCZBH1ai8W1YMvpdMOrCfXnBcGFdFxBqpGDNAi3SLAq46EGrfvMAYW_gFlPTckuWa34o-baYgyRDmh99DCtTNVFQWLcKpb0R8dW0pYrC-V2ldpJ4K-FpHMNCjcPWw/s1600/Screenshot_2014-12-20-08-30-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Y5iz567P7CF71TDCZBH1ai8W1YMvpdMOrCfXnBcGFdFxBqpGDNAi3SLAq46EGrfvMAYW_gFlPTckuWa34o-baYgyRDmh99DCtTNVFQWLcKpb0R8dW0pYrC-V2ldpJ4K-FpHMNCjcPWw/s640/Screenshot_2014-12-20-08-30-35.jpg"> </a> </div>Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-22735090134653887592014-12-14T02:00:00.000-05:002014-12-14T02:00:02.890-05:00Draw Something! Roundup!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUAqg4bmZGo3QpCRphcjIGkpkh8QU49DAbe3yCuzGu-zRMMqdLvPzjRyTE2lugrWQeYnXOdZARaMYPNPD4F73qwTFcLJd0LFRSOjflkboSZ4xzQv0xlb8Mpi3hpoSboNRLfLeiLhtGSE/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-25-21-35-21.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCUAqg4bmZGo3QpCRphcjIGkpkh8QU49DAbe3yCuzGu-zRMMqdLvPzjRyTE2lugrWQeYnXOdZARaMYPNPD4F73qwTFcLJd0LFRSOjflkboSZ4xzQv0xlb8Mpi3hpoSboNRLfLeiLhtGSE/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-25-21-35-21.png" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mads insisted on doing the "L"! :)</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDKSVU49pP5r825Jea94TgKLPAkXfogdCnCAleOgUapFSsh2wy6rwGFCpmH-zxq_TNxXcRxY61MYx0xEd7ilQHtzLD3IxgFY8cELMeGgee6p7qTJmgoIpszfNpkJ78qxnWyEC3PZl19c/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-30-22-39-51.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXDKSVU49pP5r825Jea94TgKLPAkXfogdCnCAleOgUapFSsh2wy6rwGFCpmH-zxq_TNxXcRxY61MYx0xEd7ilQHtzLD3IxgFY8cELMeGgee6p7qTJmgoIpszfNpkJ78qxnWyEC3PZl19c/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-30-22-39-51.png" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig09EqlRapL_Tedqq1GtLJVDoLHSBsvutAEvwxFuI56y3h3nbNhCtzqfpJ0iiJGnSi1-AlVjxH6pGdeCYLpu59tfGMqTDSfqGy1hqvqGSs_Zt9z2OWDAMSoGEDAHQdRNX6I8G9IAsZRx0/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-30-22-47-14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig09EqlRapL_Tedqq1GtLJVDoLHSBsvutAEvwxFuI56y3h3nbNhCtzqfpJ0iiJGnSi1-AlVjxH6pGdeCYLpu59tfGMqTDSfqGy1hqvqGSs_Zt9z2OWDAMSoGEDAHQdRNX6I8G9IAsZRx0/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-30-22-47-14.png" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wine looks a lot like hot sauce in my mind.</td></tr>
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<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-47854817239608505612014-12-12T02:00:00.000-05:002014-12-12T02:00:00.719-05:00Draw Something! Roundup!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqveXBpRiNiTJ5xDDHaI_6_nx3Q-1lsS670T3MemXqz79Wl0AanPEby4XNJ8PKn83GuExEwmd5w8ACMa7MPYRv0Qowfeo8aBharx3ObmO8Ou9pUnOrtzpPe4qwb9Vhr4CocY-jF1pwa4/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-11-21-40-07.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqveXBpRiNiTJ5xDDHaI_6_nx3Q-1lsS670T3MemXqz79Wl0AanPEby4XNJ8PKn83GuExEwmd5w8ACMa7MPYRv0Qowfeo8aBharx3ObmO8Ou9pUnOrtzpPe4qwb9Vhr4CocY-jF1pwa4/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-11-21-40-07.png" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPUvPfvjzmZrm2KCl1r2y0FxMs1vrAvwmCZZmmP-dpUmDW94tzMkhS5T5XzgzS0vNQ1API2glU8Ybj-Sdy32UVpvanb8dllqtH1tMq8FCq5g5DWL1eb358p7X1vDU9pCd8nyDO2cfUME/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-21-21-24-20.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIPUvPfvjzmZrm2KCl1r2y0FxMs1vrAvwmCZZmmP-dpUmDW94tzMkhS5T5XzgzS0vNQ1API2glU8Ybj-Sdy32UVpvanb8dllqtH1tMq8FCq5g5DWL1eb358p7X1vDU9pCd8nyDO2cfUME/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-21-21-24-20.png" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8eavBuHpxwmUkcqxv8awj8bjkpSp_43t53VTjnG6z1mfn5ydc1qoIm5Rm-ZSJ-u-UBDCwtAiQEqj3n1mjmPDUPe7gohSXs4r8-wPz7lyThtxVr9DJTD2L-eRb7CHkCnBRR1gyx1UKpk/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-25-21-42-00.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8eavBuHpxwmUkcqxv8awj8bjkpSp_43t53VTjnG6z1mfn5ydc1qoIm5Rm-ZSJ-u-UBDCwtAiQEqj3n1mjmPDUPe7gohSXs4r8-wPz7lyThtxVr9DJTD2L-eRb7CHkCnBRR1gyx1UKpk/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-25-21-42-00.png" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZMqYBmDyPk5seVWnPKhxVxA0Gg4Y61ieplPaqy_W6c6UxzpLknw6joy8sgX7XhE4qoczrvg7hJRbMpoaMNTwdGwrJ06AdaPQPncbq3Qul0-uB1lIKumQY1XFAKSsFVXyrW5j1Wpei80/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-30-22-35-09.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwZMqYBmDyPk5seVWnPKhxVxA0Gg4Y61ieplPaqy_W6c6UxzpLknw6joy8sgX7XhE4qoczrvg7hJRbMpoaMNTwdGwrJ06AdaPQPncbq3Qul0-uB1lIKumQY1XFAKSsFVXyrW5j1Wpei80/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-30-22-35-09.png" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-79743779088944687142014-12-10T21:56:00.000-05:002014-12-10T21:56:00.161-05:00Draw Something! Vol 5<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEbsfWEDF75dOD1z06WgP8CQY-XkwBqb0j8InZcTwt6LLHlk0gvod_Pv6TrNfaNHMILDgh4NNJGmdL7qRF3cq_t_bOAkbcc2CIcOEfj8qviM6BysVINS9gkNt9Iw2M8QrxDzpK1v2sS4/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-10-22-36-18-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEbsfWEDF75dOD1z06WgP8CQY-XkwBqb0j8InZcTwt6LLHlk0gvod_Pv6TrNfaNHMILDgh4NNJGmdL7qRF3cq_t_bOAkbcc2CIcOEfj8qviM6BysVINS9gkNt9Iw2M8QrxDzpK1v2sS4/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-10-22-36-18-1.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof that they can't all be winners - Mickey and Pluto, from memory</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDt0lkWmzfjzazeXCPm-YkhLT4vCd58S43r26y9wBa_LWn7MVSJpa9s7dtBmI5FntnZa_v8XZfnTUOA-trTnt7sitz8n6WSqYzN83aU4rOSW_VRko7UtUf2OzYvH-6GMTyvQqS4JiWbBk/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-20-21-18-17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDt0lkWmzfjzazeXCPm-YkhLT4vCd58S43r26y9wBa_LWn7MVSJpa9s7dtBmI5FntnZa_v8XZfnTUOA-trTnt7sitz8n6WSqYzN83aU4rOSW_VRko7UtUf2OzYvH-6GMTyvQqS4JiWbBk/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-20-21-18-17.png" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-AD7Rzt8mrQijtGf1vzxe6heOZPYgZTYNqIbReeo09tYee58Melr7E1U17ueNhC6uRzzT7svxmxp4u-_8LdXtZJLqwiYFFQnY__clfK_hoRcbFdrIkIADFMVi7TPrv2U-DzXM7cz8lA/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-20-21-32-01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-AD7Rzt8mrQijtGf1vzxe6heOZPYgZTYNqIbReeo09tYee58Melr7E1U17ueNhC6uRzzT7svxmxp4u-_8LdXtZJLqwiYFFQnY__clfK_hoRcbFdrIkIADFMVi7TPrv2U-DzXM7cz8lA/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-20-21-32-01.png" height="640" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry for the white line thing - my screenshots on this app don't always work right...</td></tr>
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<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-17167782337482861292014-12-08T02:00:00.000-05:002014-12-08T02:00:05.920-05:00Draw Something! Vol 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijr-Hr4Nsj1_Ds8CzLI9YJUQhNnjmnkAeuN6-6jvshNCKrKV8rhDNyzyzbgHej-2lUsqE6f_RHjUmy0lx5jBNpj2nKPFu1PvGFZiyyveOUAZRapByHEZgxDYq_9oIaDChmUoK7TW5e4BE/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-02-11-24-56.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijr-Hr4Nsj1_Ds8CzLI9YJUQhNnjmnkAeuN6-6jvshNCKrKV8rhDNyzyzbgHej-2lUsqE6f_RHjUmy0lx5jBNpj2nKPFu1PvGFZiyyveOUAZRapByHEZgxDYq_9oIaDChmUoK7TW5e4BE/s1600/Screenshot_2014-11-02-11-24-56.png" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-4523758928830600652014-12-06T02:30:00.000-05:002014-12-06T02:30:00.729-05:00Draw Something, Vol 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-54588269134144006562014-12-04T08:00:00.000-05:002014-12-04T08:00:08.229-05:00Draw Something! More!A roundup of some of my recent amazing Draw Something entries. Be forewarned: they are complex and amazing.<br />
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<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-54548253230749807322014-12-03T21:42:00.001-05:002014-12-03T21:45:49.219-05:00Books and more books<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e4/OldMansWar(1stEd).jpg/200px-OldMansWar(1stEd).jpg"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e4/OldMansWar(1stEd).jpg/200px-OldMansWar(1stEd).jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>Old Man's War</i>, by John Scalzi<br />
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It's time to catch things up on my recent readings. And there are many. We start today with "Old Man's War," AKA 'Some Weird Sci Fi Book I Came Across Somewhere.' It's an interesting premise: in the future, humanity has figured out how to download people's consciousness into cloned bodies. They clone the bodies from your own cells, so it's your body when you were in your prime. And then they modify your body so you have a computer in your brain and are super muscle-y and you have green skin (something about photosynthesis and how it gives you more energy). And then they download your consciousness into this new body, throw your old body away, and then make you fight as a soldier in wars across the galaxy against random aliens.<br />
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I guess there was a little more to it than that - the aliens apparently attack human colonies throughout space, so there was some kind of internal logic going on. Old people get a 2nd chance at being young again and so they're super into it - instead of getting sick and very old and dying, they get to go out with a blast as young hot green people who have semi-super powers. Honestly, I'd be halfway tempted to sign up for such a program today, even if it meant being green, if only to get my hair back.<br />
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I actually really thought this book was pretty good. The main old guy character was well written and had some strong narration, including some decent humor here and there. And it was just a fun goofy premise and an easy read. I give it two green thumbs up.<br />
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<i>Asylum/Sanctum</i>, by Madeleine Roux<br />
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This book and its sequel were OK. They're about a group of teens that go to a summer school at a private school that used to be a psych hospital. When they were there, they experience many strange things and start to hallucinate and have weird dreams. The books sorta have a fun vibe about them, even if the details don't work out to be all that memorable. There's a semi-Harry Potterishness feel about 2 teenage guys and a teenage girl teaming up to take on a dark mystery. But the parallels end there - the author doesn't do much with the premise.<br />
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The books are very picture-heavy. The first one, Asylum, has many pictures in it from real life broken down asylums that had long since been abandoned. So it was kind of a "Mrs. Peregrine" rip-off. And the 2nd one just had cheesy staged fake old timey circus pictures.<br />
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The characters are not well-written. The lead guy is awful. He's basically Thomas from the Maze Runner - all questions, all passive, no action. The plot happens to him, he doesn't drive the plot. Having a passive protagonist is a great way to make your story fizzle out quickly. Plus, the dialogue isn't very entertaining. The characters all have personalities, but they happen to all be boring. Can't any of these people be interesting or funny or unusual in some way?<br />
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Other complaints: Massive plot holes in both books, especially the 2nd. Many unresolved things. Which maybe she's saving for a 3rd book, but I don't really buy that. If she planned on the plot holes, why not call attention to them and have characters wonder about them? Why does the main character keep having dreams from the psych hospital warden's point of view? He died decades ago! No answer - the answer is just 'try not to think too hard about that and enjoy people behaving in ways that humans don't actually behave in.'<br />
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Also, there's too much casual profanity in the books (nothing about PG13, but much of it) and the author takes a needless snarky partisan swipe at Republicans for no reason than to try to assert that she's superior somehow. Which is technically not possible for a girl with a pixie cut, which should be illegal. Girls, I know you like the ease of managing a pixie hair cut. But if guys were attracted to pixie hair cuts, we'd just be attracted to guys and be done with it.<br />
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Much more to come! I have read...a lot of things. Like, 9 books or so.<br />
<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-58704539133583315882014-10-12T21:39:00.001-04:002014-10-12T21:39:24.819-04:00Draw Something<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBi8tmamRAFFKZsJplJt_zdBgIR2OI8myfjRSp8_PK1Ck3PuWb4e7AqYLNunra9qrskXG0BPZHcNdi5vIhw8PjXIT7Ue8h2egxRVHxBY66zm4Zv9QTeOvv-_s_nlDaKasGj1umV5Ufz6o/s1600/2014-09-27-22-06-45-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBi8tmamRAFFKZsJplJt_zdBgIR2OI8myfjRSp8_PK1Ck3PuWb4e7AqYLNunra9qrskXG0BPZHcNdi5vIhw8PjXIT7Ue8h2egxRVHxBY66zm4Zv9QTeOvv-_s_nlDaKasGj1umV5Ufz6o/s1600/2014-09-27-22-06-45-1.png" height="320" width="282" /></a></div>
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If anyone's up for a game of 'Draw Something' (it's basically Pictionary for smartphones), I can be found at the following id: ch2k</div>
<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-14915704197796817562014-10-12T17:44:00.004-04:002014-10-12T17:44:43.118-04:00Yeats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYlF9EuHWvYo8wrfMJyX8fr004ED02lFCubaA2eE8sZ-9ON8rdMDFd-6z0ZF9As4Eft1nX7G2bO7L53X8_V7JcIkwHYl8yHrCKXMJ_jrD6XAS51slSg_gAODe7FY96cvac3_ukYE5f0Y/s1600/yeats.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmYlF9EuHWvYo8wrfMJyX8fr004ED02lFCubaA2eE8sZ-9ON8rdMDFd-6z0ZF9As4Eft1nX7G2bO7L53X8_V7JcIkwHYl8yHrCKXMJ_jrD6XAS51slSg_gAODe7FY96cvac3_ukYE5f0Y/s1600/yeats.tif" height="320" width="308" /></a></div>
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Turning and turning in the widening gyre <br />
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;<br />
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;<br />
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,<br />
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere <br />
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;<br />
The best lack all conviction, while the worst <br />
Are full of passionate intensity.<br />
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Surely some revelation is at hand;<br />
Surely the Second Coming is at hand. <br />
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out <br />
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Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds. <br />
The darkness drops again; but now I know <br />
That twenty centuries of stony sleep<br />
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, <br />
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, <br />
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?<br />
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-<a href="http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/172062">William Butler Yeats</a>Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-1357002318977298932014-10-07T07:36:00.001-04:002014-10-07T07:37:17.611-04:00Halloween arrives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5nK-di6DY9U-LPW8nWxizDugcU-Rc5bp5QNZdSvfTUMDytMqPMbZLjNWAApADsmezX8Ng7d4rRQ0FHz5YwHc7rJ2HZyO2MUpqCgYXa3YG4StLx5xyrbs-IqUTy-5JW8tFzXJ4TpAp0k/s1600/20141005153607.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid5nK-di6DY9U-LPW8nWxizDugcU-Rc5bp5QNZdSvfTUMDytMqPMbZLjNWAApADsmezX8Ng7d4rRQ0FHz5YwHc7rJ2HZyO2MUpqCgYXa3YG4StLx5xyrbs-IqUTy-5JW8tFzXJ4TpAp0k/s640/20141005153607.gif"> </a> </div>Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-52837725376667456042014-09-27T09:07:00.000-04:002014-09-27T09:16:13.431-04:00Song Review: The Logical Song by SupertrampI stumbled across "The Logical Song" on Pandora the other day and it was a real blast from the past. I think it's probably been decades since I last heard it - at least 20 years or so. I think it was on at a dentist's office? It had existed on my distant periphery but if you hummed a few bars I probably could have finished the rest.<br />
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But it's been on a constant loop for me this week ever since I heard it again - I'm simultaneously hooked on it and fascinated by it. The entire point of the song is that the guy says 'they' sent him away to learn how to conform and how that just made him into an unthinking vegetable, and how free thinking will get you called a commie liberal just because you refuse to live in the Man's button-down world. </div>
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Today, this song is deep science fiction, as if Roger Hodgson had written had written about how it's liberating to breathe nitrogen on Neptune's moons. Let's dive in and examine closer...</div>
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<i>When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful,</i></div>
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<i>A miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical.</i></div>
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<i>And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily,</i></div>
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<i>Joyfully, playfully watching me.</i></div>
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OK straightforward. Before I went to school, life was 'beautiful, magical...'</div>
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<i>But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible,</i></div>
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<i>Logical, responsible, practical.</i></div>
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<i>And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable,</i></div>
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<i>Clinical, intellectual, cynical.</i></div>
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EVERY ONE OF THESE THINGS WITH THE PARTIAL EXCEPTION OF CYNICISM IS A GOOD THING.</div>
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<i>There are times when all the world's asleep,</i></div>
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<i>The questions run too deep</i></div>
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<i>For such a simple man.</i></div>
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<i>Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned</i></div>
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<i>I know it sounds absurd</i></div>
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<i>But please tell me who I am.</i></div>
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Now that I am intellectual and dependable, I have completely lost my sense of identity. Can't I just be an ignorant flake again?</div>
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<i>Now watch what you say or they'll be calling you a radical,</i></div>
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<i>Liberal, fanatical, criminal.</i></div>
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I don't know what pop culture was li<span id="goog_1767318659"></span><span id="goog_1767318660"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a>ke in 1979 but in 2014 this is the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/05/14/liberal-thought-police-lagarde-hgtv-benham-free-speech-column/9098133/">exact </a><a href="http://www.laissez-fairerepublic.com/policorr.html">opposite </a>of<span id="goog_1767318648"></span><span id="goog_1767318649"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/charles-krauthammer-thought-police-on-patrol/2014/04/10/2608a8b2-c0df-11e3-b195-dd0c1174052c_story.html">reality</a>. The <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/13/opinion/parini-evangelical-college-clubs/">thought police</a> live almost <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/045759_thought_police_sexist_words_political_correctness.html">exclusively</a> on the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-buzz/post/rush-limbaugh-calls-georgetown-student-sandra-fluke-a-slut-for-advocating-contraception/2012/03/02/gIQAvjfSmR_blog.html">left</a> and <a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/547754/the-17-best-or-worst-celebrity-apologies-where-does-jonah-hill-rank">will </a>not <a href="http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/all-apologies-how-celebrities-say-theyre-sorry-20942.gallery">tolerate</a> even the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/jonah-hill-apologizes-correctly-article-1.1817348">mildest</a> <a href="http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/news/celebrity/2014/07/18/jason-biggs-apologizes-for-malaysia-airlines-crash-joke">dissent</a>. </div>
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<i>Won't you sign up your name, we'd like to feel you're</i></div>
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<i>Acceptable, respectable, presentable, a vegetable!</i></div>
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<a href="http://weaselzippers.us/195347-creepy-obama-birthday-begging-you-will-sign-the-birthday-card/">Ha</a>. <a href="http://jonathanlast.com/the-cult-obama-cont/">Ha</a>.</div>
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In short, being clean cut and religious and conservative today is about the most daring, dangerous, counter-cultural, subversive thing you can do. <a href="http://s336058867.onlinehome.us/index.php?i=1797">Greg Gutfeld</a> says it better than I can:</div>
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<i>In short, liberalism is based on one central desire: to look cool in front of others in order to get love. Preaching tolerance makes you look cooler than saying something like, "please lower my taxes." This is why the only true form of rebellion left on this planet is conservatism. Conservatism, by rejecting the trademark forms of romantic rebellion (anarchy, activism, [etc.]) turns out to be far more subversive than anything on the planet. The conservative, every day, knows that he or she says things that aren't considered cool among the media elite. Yet the conservative still comes out and says it. This is why Dick Cheney is closer to the Hell's Angels than Hunter S. Thompson ever could be. And why Jon Stewart is about as daring as a diaper filled with Nilla Wafers.</i></blockquote>
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Still, great song. The best part is probably the 'take it take it take it!' part that segues into a blazing saxophone solo. And at 97, this guy has aged better and sounds better than he did when he was like 30.</div>
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Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-1985855001361328272014-09-21T11:36:00.003-04:002014-09-21T11:40:36.980-04:00Book Reviews: The Flight of the Silvers and The Scorch Trials<br />
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<b><i>The Scorch Trials,</i> by James Dashner</b></div>
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Having hated The Maze Runner, I moved on to the sequel, The Scorch Trials, to see if I would hate that as well. I listened to the Maze Runner on Book on CD, and while the prose and story and characters were all written at the 3rd grade level, the voice acting was top notch. And these are not lengthy books; each one takes about 4 days of driving to and from work to get through. So I gave this one a shot.</div>
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The story was somehow even less interesting than the Maze Runner. This one is set in the desert. Thomas and the other Gladers meet some zombie people and some other teenagers. There's the 'way too friendly' Brenda and the 'very spanish' Jorge, whose every other word is 'muchacho' (the spanish word for 'moustache,' if I'm not mistaken, and I'm not). Together, they'll have to make it through the 'scorch' to get to the end of the desert and get the cure for the Flare, which is a disease that the whole world has that turns you into a gross zombie.</div>
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They make it through the desert. Some not very exciting things happen. Characters come and go. A guy that attacks them is strongly hinted to return later. He never does. Some killer robots appear at the end. The Gladers mostly kill them. There's a lot of bad lightning. It kills more of the Gladers. By this point, there should be about negative 7 Gladers. But there are several (and yet we still only know the names of 4 of them). </div>
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The writing is painful. This is a nearly verbatim quote:</div>
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<i>Thomas was shot! He closed his eyes. It hurt. It hurt really bad. He felt bad. </i></div>
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The characters are reduced to personality traits that run about 2 microns deep. Newt's personality is based around being irish and saying the word 'buggin'' a lot. Jorge, 'muchacho,' Minh-ho, 'slim it, guys!' and so on. And Thomas remains the most boring and 1-dimentional main character ever. He's not smart, he's not brave, he's not interesting, he's not cool. He just exists. </div>
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But now I'm roped in and have to see how this whole big mess ends and if there was a point to anything that has come before, so on to the 3rd one...</div>
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<b><i>The Flight of the Silvers </i>by Daniel Price</b><br />
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This one was much better, but I don't know if any of my readers would like this. It's a tough genre to peg - I guess sci fi would be the closest. There's a touch of fantasy, maybe? The plot is pretty complicated, so bear with me.<br />
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Basically, some strange angel-like people save the lives of a few people as the world is ending. They put silver bracelets on their wrists and the world kind of disappears. The people wind up in San Diego on an alternate Earth that is the same as our Earth but their timelines diverged in 1913. This Earth has figured out how to do a lot of really interesting and cool things with time. With technology, they can move extremely fast, or slow time down to a crawl. Some devices work like microwaves and restore food to when it was new. Some machines can repair injuries by sending the person's body back to before they were injured.<br />
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There are unknown plans for these saved people, who some scientists gather and call "the Silvers." There is a bad guy who is repeating the last 5 years over and over who hates them and is chasing them. They break out of their scientific center when they are attacked by people who think that their being in the world has disrupted time and will cause major problems. And there is a FBI-like woman who is pursing them.<br />
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This isn't a great synopsis, but with a story with this much plot and this elaborate of world building, it's tough to condense. The most impressive thing is how well thought-out the world of the book is. There are really interesting applications of the time technology and how the Silvers find that they can do all of those time things themselves without technology, and what affect that has and what different 'powers' everyone has. One girl can summon time portals and send herself notes back through the past. One guy can summon visual and audio representations of past events that occurred at whatever place he's at. But rather than make that a one-off power, the author makes it part of the technology tha the world has discovered and so the police use it to re-create crime scenes, and he talks about what affect that had on society and crime and all sorts of other interesting applications. There's also movie theatres where people can watch a 3-hour movie in 20 minutes, or restaurants where you can have a leisurely lunch in 2 minutes but it takes hours, etc. Really great details.<br />
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I was also glad that there was really surprisingly little language in it, up until the end. This book could easily be made into a PG-13 movie without sacrificing any of the story or characters. If this gets popular (I think it just came out in 2014), it would be a great movie. But it's pretty lengthy (17 discs, which is 700 pages or so, maybe?) and, if it has one flaw, it's that it has WAY too many characters. There are literally about 25 people that you get to know to some degree. Even really minor characters get a back story. There are also some minor plot holes, but hopefully those get worked out in the sequel that the author is just now finishing...Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-9028784666108635782014-08-27T22:04:00.001-04:002014-08-27T22:22:19.428-04:00Threefer: Book reviewsIt's been a bit since I posted some book reviews, so let's have a few, shall we?<br />
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<b><u>The Maze Runner</u>, by the delightfully named James Dashner</b><br />
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<u>The Maze Runner </u>is pretty weak. And I feel bad since it's an LDS author and the language is clean as super soap and nothing immoral happens in the book and it's a nice harmless read for today's young adults, but boy this is dull.<br />
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First, it's a <u>Hunger Games</u> ripoff. Everyone's going to compare it to that, but that's only because it's TRANSPARENTLY A <u>HUNGER GAMES</u> RIPOFF. And I haven't read any of the HG books but I assume they have better writing and better characters than in this book.<br />
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Young adult Thomas wakes up in a strange maze world where about 50 other young adult boys live. They have all had their memory erased. They run in a big maze. A girl gets sent to the 'Glade' where they live, and immediately goes into a coma. There is a bit of maze running and some hints at some genuinely interesting mysteries.<br />
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All of these mysteries fail to pan out. And the people who erased Thomas' memory erased his personality as well, along with anything that would make him interesting or a compelling or a realistic character to base 3 entire books around. He isn't funny, he isn't cool, he isn't interesting, he isn't well written, he has no interesting thoughts, and he's not attractive. So obviously let's make him the main character. He is mostly a passive observer of events. He comes up with a few ideas, and has one heroic scene thing, but for the most part he runs to and fro looking concerned and wondering if the girl in the coma likes him.<br />
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Spoiler: no one knows or cares. The ending arrives and few questions are answered. And, apparently - and I'm completely serious here - one of the very main characters apparently died and I didn't even notice it. I'm on the 2nd book (don't ask) and said character isn't in the book at all, and no one has even mentioned that he isn't there anymore. So either he died off-screen with no mention at all or he died onscreen but it was so poorly written that it barely made the slightest impact.<br />
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I read this because there's a movie version coming out in September that is getting terrible advance reviews. I did these things because I enjoy tormenting myself, apparently.<br />
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On a side note, books like this make me mad that I never wrote a book. Other than not having any ability to write dialogue that doesn't sound like it comes out of a late 90s Riesen commercial (look it up - they're painful) and having no ideas whatsoever for any interesting plots, my big holdup was 'why write a book if you can't write the BEST book'? Now I wish I'd just rehashed a popular YA fiction series and cashed in while the cashing in was good. Even I could have done better than <i>The Maze Runner</i>.<br />
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<b><u>Doctor Sleep</u> by Stephen King</b><br />
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I read this because it's the sequel to <u>The Shining</u> - the only Stephen King book I've ever enjoyed. This book isn't a) scary b) good c) anything like <u>The Shining</u>, though, so it was pretty much a bust as far as sequels to <u>The Shining</u> go. It's also, like everything SK has ever produced, hopelessly over-written. Why use one paragraph to describe something unimportant when you can use 17??<br />
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Dan Torrence is all grown up and is an alcoholic. A young girl named Abra can communicate with him telepathically. They meet on page 1800 of like 2000. (This felt like an insanely long book since literally not a single interesting thing happens from pages 10-one million.) There is a group of vampire-like people who are searching for Abra because if you kill telepathic kids, they give off 'steam' that said vampire-like people ingest and it makes them young.<br />
<br />
All of the vampire characters are annoying and terrible. Dan is OK but you think his alcoholism has a point but it doesn't. It doesn't come into play at all. He quits drinking on like page 200 and never drinks again. Some insane coincidences occur but never pay off. i.e. a guy in Dan's AA group is Abra's pediatrician. He knows both Dan and Abra are telepathic and gifted with paranormal stuff. But he never introduces them ever. They meet in a completely different way. So what was the point of this pediatrician?<br />
<br />
There are one or two sort of clever things in here about how the telepathy works (I liked a scene where Abra was able to write messages on Dan's blackboard from many miles away) and the ending was pretty OK in a high level kind of way. Like, I like the plan Dan came up with to kill the vampires. But meh.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9p1M4xU9Wl2QNDwSi0BsoL52Bk2FCjD8fcempMw1vlO3nbcKUzJOsvzNv_2fDMG1MftIUy9X3xlR6mg3zsidWz80feqntKaTliNXXZe9-j5NO0HF6fCUMrxUhp1Txjhrh6Inw54zhzM/s1600/martian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9p1M4xU9Wl2QNDwSi0BsoL52Bk2FCjD8fcempMw1vlO3nbcKUzJOsvzNv_2fDMG1MftIUy9X3xlR6mg3zsidWz80feqntKaTliNXXZe9-j5NO0HF6fCUMrxUhp1Txjhrh6Inw54zhzM/s1600/martian.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><u>The Martian</u> by first-time novelist Andy Weir</b><br />
<br />
I saved the best for last; this is the best book I've read in years. It's hilarious. I couldn't put it down. The main character is brilliant. The supporting characters are a little weak but since the main character is 95% of the book it's fine. It's about an astronaut who gets accidentally left on Mars because his team thinks he died in an accident. Turns out he survived. The entire book is about him and NASA trying to get him off of Mars. Lots of language, unfortunately, but everything else about this book is perfect. It's very heavy on scientific talk but it all sounds pretty accurate; the author reportedly spent over 3 years researching this book, and it shows.<br />
<br />
It's not a comedy officially but it is laugh out loud funny. The main character is a riot. The plot moves quickly - much is going on. You're rooting for this guy from the first few pages of the book. It immediately hooks you and you stay hooked because the dialogue is so great. Thematically I guess it would be considered sci fi but it feels very realistic and is set in the very near future, so don't shy away if you're averse to sci fi...<br />
<br />
It's been optioned into a movie to be directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon, who is 100% the wrong casting and will utterly ruin this movie, plus I hate Matt Damon. Plus, the entire gist of this is that it's a guy's journal log entries. Many things happen, but they're kind of not the point. His stream of consciousness is the star. So unless you want to film 2 hours of an astronaut typing up journal entries, 99% of the charm of this book will not translate well to film.<br />
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More to come! My constant absorption of odd books continues apace...<br />
<br />Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-58985411438184108932014-07-17T23:37:00.000-04:002014-07-18T13:16:41.111-04:00Movie Review: Johnny Lingo<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.imgur.com/CG8KmoZ.jpg"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/CG8KmoZ.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Johnny Lingo</i> is a unique little slice of LDS cultural lagniappe, and as such is very easy to take for granted. Anyone raised in the Church is familiar with the story, and the concept of being an '8-cow wife' (more on this in a second) and the other distinctive aspects of the 'movie,' which at 29-minutes long is more a one-episode TV mini-series than a movie, but whatever.<br />
<br />
We start off with Johnny Lingo, ruggedly handsome dude and all-around good guy, who is Polynesian and yet has a name that sounds like he was one of Patrick Swayze's surfer gang members from <i>Point Break</i>.<br />
<br />
Johnny Lingo is interested in marrying a girl named Mahana, and shows up at Mahana's house to bargain with her dad...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="I felt like Moki when Johnny Lingo offered 8 cows for Mahana." src="http://thatgoodpart.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/img_9092.png?w=600&h=399" height="213" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured here, sporting his very best 'Velma' haircut.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
...and his best friend, the enigmatic and nameless 'counselor' of completely indeterminate age and gender.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_pKz9rH2QLvty3nOMpK5uxZNWTLF-7TDlMj_bdRjuoQyxVCDZZ7Vy2ZPXesTouHhsHHsHhgDIusVAkIe8j_fUe80-JmQKkw39S0AfxoO6AhDuGRGtQmoByYdr480nI_l1IXUYO4iohM/s1600/counsellor.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ_pKz9rH2QLvty3nOMpK5uxZNWTLF-7TDlMj_bdRjuoQyxVCDZZ7Vy2ZPXesTouHhsHHsHhgDIusVAkIe8j_fUe80-JmQKkw39S0AfxoO6AhDuGRGtQmoByYdr480nI_l1IXUYO4iohM/s1600/counsellor.tif" height="216" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you gave me a million dollars I still couldn't tell you if this is a man or a woman.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
Poor Mahana is (figuratively) beaten down by her dad and, with no modern Disney movies around, has no way of knowing she just needs to believe in herself, and would it kill you to put on some makeup or something?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrKi4CPtLBWOvHHDoF0Tg2GlL_fCqcETqlcfRbT8thY45LgrXraJsSw4hcuSSwKrFXNvL_T09v0yG6R4c7DxUytGDjl1oArxYWVfB0zM-olrikRjqbrGdfF6h1bUgGMYzTbif0G-81Yg/s1600/mahanayouugly.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrKi4CPtLBWOvHHDoF0Tg2GlL_fCqcETqlcfRbT8thY45LgrXraJsSw4hcuSSwKrFXNvL_T09v0yG6R4c7DxUytGDjl1oArxYWVfB0zM-olrikRjqbrGdfF6h1bUgGMYzTbif0G-81Yg/s1600/mahanayouugly.tif" height="220" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mahana: for when you're attracted for some reason to the 4-day heroin binge look.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Dad thinks Mahana is worth, at best, 3 cows, but Johnny blows everyone's minds when he declares that he will pay 8 COWS for Mahana. This is the cow equivalent of demanding to pay $2,000 for USA For Africa's "We are the World" on 8-track. This despite Dad exclaiming, "Mahana, you ugly!" just moments before.<br />
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGqkWyZFU9vHR-KfAI1S3qdBRc8lLLeNzgO6EEwIYPlLl4XnaKxQbxWH12KNgJCzge7h72UvPdb99u9oa_j7OoIeNtO8c8bJaBxV3cTTo3mabyvQ_eZWfvZCqFY0fzRKOBJABsHgiM2w/s1600/mahana.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGqkWyZFU9vHR-KfAI1S3qdBRc8lLLeNzgO6EEwIYPlLl4XnaKxQbxWH12KNgJCzge7h72UvPdb99u9oa_j7OoIeNtO8c8bJaBxV3cTTo3mabyvQ_eZWfvZCqFY0fzRKOBJABsHgiM2w/s1600/mahana.tif" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You're no Adam Levine yourself, Dad."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anyway, despite Dad's doubts, Johnny Lingo makes good on the cow thing, and shows up to whisk Mahana away to places unknown, 'visiting many islands.' They get married (apparently - it's off-screen), but the shoot really hits the fan when some juvenile delinquents make up a mean anti-Mahana chant at the wedding dinner, and Johnny Lingo runs them off with a nonsense threat.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7G_VYwydxAl5yec8bX1YY7bc3JLRrhIEJ65BeN7gBoCf0BhQBmIPTl1VxQMMmdxrS2aiCL_wYWR11znIPEJn0Cv8fnSFi_YCXF6YTP5bCFfmlsoYeViFoF08Cosm4ZAiiMgPCZS12-A/s1600/lingo.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7G_VYwydxAl5yec8bX1YY7bc3JLRrhIEJ65BeN7gBoCf0BhQBmIPTl1VxQMMmdxrS2aiCL_wYWR11znIPEJn0Cv8fnSFi_YCXF6YTP5bCFfmlsoYeViFoF08Cosm4ZAiiMgPCZS12-A/s1600/lingo.tif" height="200" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Kooie Phlay!!!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Around this point I'd like to mention that the film didn't apparently have any lights for the shoot and thus filmed about 25% of the movie by, apparently, moonlight.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Johnny and Mahana Lingo take off in his 8-cowpower boat and that's the last we see of them until the end, when a shopkeeper guy (oh sorry, there was a shopkeeper guy) hears that the Lingos are finally back from their honeymoon. He arrives to deliver something that Johnny had put on layaway, and discovers Mahana's Dad leaving in disgust, mumbling that Johnny Lingo had 'cheated him.' Baffled, the shopkeeper goes into the Lingo's house to discover...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUEidHd_L5ugKsSmMXmdE_7b6VLv-QcD4JMf8cZKHDALyI0TEjtLlVTnioqJelQlzWAjlw1YO26MUHeg2IWwJIHlVYn1nWmNTBfcxrR9yoVIca4ea5JKtJPN-xUaAvj_N4fsOGcXNWEU/s1600/red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzUEidHd_L5ugKsSmMXmdE_7b6VLv-QcD4JMf8cZKHDALyI0TEjtLlVTnioqJelQlzWAjlw1YO26MUHeg2IWwJIHlVYn1nWmNTBfcxrR9yoVIca4ea5JKtJPN-xUaAvj_N4fsOGcXNWEU/s1600/red.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone got a JC Penney card...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
Mahana is pretty now! Or at least she smiles a little more. You see, all she needed was a little nurturing, a new wardrobe, some makeup, a nearly total make-over, a haircut, a pedicure, a manicure, posture lessons, an eyebrow plucking, a completely different personality, and a wealthy/attractive husband who excessively spoils you, and poof! She's hot and emotionally stable, just like that!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRMDiu-yXqh45pX8Q0L6O5QawKiJRxjFl9zep94i-o66Oqn8LKzQgLaV56SZqVB7STv5zKUnEDiO4NROsNgNb1G_FPBQ6ZMWRdSJlT_Bkdm0MYIeKa93JzmEzmuqzfYQ_hl3uEhfUHJY/s1600/johnnylingo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRMDiu-yXqh45pX8Q0L6O5QawKiJRxjFl9zep94i-o66Oqn8LKzQgLaV56SZqVB7STv5zKUnEDiO4NROsNgNb1G_FPBQ6ZMWRdSJlT_Bkdm0MYIeKa93JzmEzmuqzfYQ_hl3uEhfUHJY/s1600/johnnylingo.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And all it took was love, and several thousands of dollars.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The shopkeeper pervs out on Mahana and almost literally starts drooling on himself until Mahana, realizing that things are getting weird and not a little bit uncomfortable, excuses herself to attend to an urgent errand involving walking over to the beach for no reason.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBVCJjU3e0sir5WgWTJm00mFsMDanHni5Ur1Pey8M6mquRb2sVW5AhPZQmnmZ9C3wj1qkZDNX0s9bu9HrrAwSnil6wlqAlT8Or46jChcxt7N1N2VLM3VSnHu53fpV0EYF3nurOgsvbrc/s1600/shopperv.tif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBVCJjU3e0sir5WgWTJm00mFsMDanHni5Ur1Pey8M6mquRb2sVW5AhPZQmnmZ9C3wj1qkZDNX0s9bu9HrrAwSnil6wlqAlT8Or46jChcxt7N1N2VLM3VSnHu53fpV0EYF3nurOgsvbrc/s1600/shopperv.tif" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK pal, let's reel it back in a little...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
Johnny Lingo helpfully explains to the shopkeeper that blah blah blah something believe in yourself blah blah possibly plastic sugery, you too can be hot like us. </div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I give it 8 cows out of 8. And if you want to, you can watch the entire movie <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfahoLfrddU">here</a>.</div>
</div>
Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-22148501041276465242014-07-17T22:39:00.004-04:002014-07-17T22:39:44.170-04:00Book Review: President Me, by Adam Carolla<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91-MBHyJQaL.jpg"><img height="200" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91-MBHyJQaL.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<br />
OK, the book cover is dumb. I know that. It looks silly. My wife has told me this many times. But I have read all of Adam's books, and each one is funnier than the last. <i>President Me</i> is no exception.<br />
<br />
The interesting thing about how he 'wrote' the book is that he reportedly did it by calling someone up while he was stuck in traffic in LA every day and by dictating it to them. They would transcribe it and edit it together later. He's basically so productive that he felt like sitting in a car was a waste of productivity that he couldn't tolerate, so he decided to write a book.<br />
<br />
And that's mainly the recurring theme of the book - hard work is what leads to success, not government welfare or luck. Much of the book is political, and, despite some salty language in places, it's really funny, particularly because of how non-politically correct he is. Things that wouldn't have been controversial at all 20 years ago are now side-splitters. He's pretty fearless.<br />
<br />
If I hadn't have had a library copy, I would have highlighted about half the book. As it is, I took a few pictures of some parts I really liked. Here are two of them:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>And let me say this quickly about "community organizers." We sing the praises of "community,' but why is it the more that word appears in your life the worse off you are? If you go to a community clinic, community college, or are represented by a community organizer, you're in tough shape. The only time you want the word "community" to describe part of your lifestyle is when the word "gated" is in front of it.</i></blockquote>
And also this part:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
[About Elizabeth Waren saying that the 'system' is rigged against people]<i> Stop telling people the system is rigged and that the deck is stacked against them. Tell them to forget the deck and focus on themselves. But you won't convey that message because if you tell your constituency to actually do something for themselves, they won't elect you to do it for them. You have to keep preaching how they system is rigged and that they'll never get a fair shot so they'll elect you to unrig it. That's how your party stays in power - a perpetual-motion machine of hopelessness.</i></blockquote>
There's stuff like this on nearly every page. And after reading the whole book, I'm pretty much ready to go door to door to get signatures to draft Adam into the actual 2016 election.Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-15361242749926438702014-06-29T11:43:00.001-04:002014-06-29T11:43:24.244-04:00Book Review: The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger, by Stephen King<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://momentumbooks.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/5stephen1.jpg"><img height="320" src="http://momentumbooks.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/5stephen1.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I really hate Stephen King. By my count, I've read, I think, 5 of his books (<i>The Shining, Insomnia, The Green Mile, Nightmares & Dreamscapes, </i>and<i> Everything's Eventual</i>). With the sort of exception of <i>The Shining</i>, I hated them all. I think he's a sloppy writer, not that creative, really tacky, and obnoxiously liberal and heavy handed.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So why read another one? Curiosity, mostly. <i>The Dark Tower</i> series was almost going to be made into a movie or or movie series or TV series or something like that, and didn't happen, and then might happen again, and everyone talked about how unfilmable the series apparently is. So what was the big deal?</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In short, the big deal is not remotely a big deal, at least as far as the first book is concerned. It's set in a desert and would only have two sets: an old west town and a cave. But let's back up.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger</i> is about a cowboy guy who befriends a young boy and has a 300-page flashback in which nothing happens, and over the entire book tries to track down a bad guy wizard person. He finds the bad guy wizard person, who tells him that there are multiple dimensions. The young boy is from New York on Earth. The Gunslinger is from some other Earth-like planet. In the end, will The Gunslinger stick with the young boy or will he allow him to fall off a train track in a cave when he probably could have saved him without much effort? </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Spoiler: He allows him to fall off the tracks, making you wonder what the point of having the boy be in the story was in the first place, and why him falling into the cave was apparently a pre-requisite to meet with the bad wizard guy. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The budget of this movie would be about $500, most of which would be used on CGI to make a raven be able to talk like a parrot. There are also some 'mutant' cave people that glow in the dark, so you'd need to get some glow sticks for them. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Is this a good story with good characters? Good story, not remotely. Good characters? The Gunslinger guy (who has a name - maybe something like Ronald Chastain or something like that?) is fine, but 99% of his personality is in his thoughts, so it would be tough to translate that to TV/Movies without a lot of voice-over, probably. The bad wizard guy - eh, not really. The ending is just a set-up for the rest of the series, and I think that sucks. Stories should be able to stand on their own. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In the end, I give <i>The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger</i> 1 gun out of 7. If you find yourself craving a supernatural western, I would instead recommend reading <i>Shane </i>and<i> War of the Worlds</i> simultaneously - it will make more sense than this.</div>
Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-89917608135978991602014-05-07T22:07:00.001-04:002014-05-07T22:07:31.496-04:00Quick hits<br />
<ul>
<li>Maddie and I sometimes sing goodnight songs at night. Tonight we sang "Daydream Believer," which she calls "Sleepy Jeans." We got to the part that says 'and our good times start and end without dollar one to spend, but how much baby do we really need?' Maddie sat up and said "One." I said "One what? One dollar?" She said, "No, one baby." She told me that Emmerson was the baby in the family and we needed to have one baby in the family, in response to 'how much baby do we really need." Problem solved.</li>
<li>Jan told Maddie that they could work on some crafts while they're still in the extended stay hotel while we're waiting for our house items to ship up from Florida. She told her that Father's Day was coming up and maybe they could make a card for Daddy with paper, glue, and glitter. Maddie said, "Uh Mom, Dad's a boy." Mom said, "Oh." Mads thought for a minute and looked concerned. Maddie then said, "We'll have to use blue glitter."</li>
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Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-527854074025260879.post-86530005620405899202014-04-30T23:32:00.000-04:002014-04-30T23:32:16.584-04:00On the Road Again Part 2<div style="text-align: center;">
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When last we left off, we had made it to Savannah, GA. </div>
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8:00: Enjoyed complimentary breakfast at the Marriott. Silently judged the misspelling of 'Sugar' on a sugar bottle. (It was labeled 'suger.')</div>
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8:45: Drove downtown and wandered around briefly to take some pictures. I've posted all the noteworthy ones on Instagram. It was OK. Probably not as cool in the early morning as it would be at night. The next time I find myself there, it's probably worth going on a ghost tour so I can get more of the history. </div>
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9:15: Back on the road. I drove over an extremely tall bridge that went over the Savannah river that forms the border between GA and SC.</div>
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9:17: In SC! Finally!</div>
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9:19: Things already are much more green and lush and noticeably prettier. I drive through a nature preserve to make my way back to I-95.</div>
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10:00: I stop and gas up...and the gas is $3.55 - a full $.33 cents cheaper than it had been in Miami. Not bad. While in the store to buy a water bottle and some life savers, I notice a local newspaper. The main headline: "And that's when my dryer completely exploded..."</div>
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11:00: I make it to my turn and head up to Columbia.</div>
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12:00: I stop at the temple. It's microscopically small and on a very very small bit of land. I feel sorry for people who get married there, because there are no temple grounds. And I'm not just exaggerating. There. Are. No. Temple. Grounds. There is a tightly fenced-in sidewalk area. If you tried really hard, you could probably get a close-up picture at the south side of the temple. The scenery would be a big white wall behind you. I wonder why they didn't build on a spot with more grounds?</div>
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12:15: Back on the road to Greenville. There are hills!</div>
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12:45: OK I now realize I am slowly driving up a mountain. There are a lot of hills, and the altitude is steadily increasing. Scenery is great - lots of trees and still very lush!</div>
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1:30: I make it to town. Hooray!</div>
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The rest of this would involve me getting lunch and settling in at my palatial imitation extended stay apartment, but I'll spare you those thrilling details. So far, the city is like an A, the job is a B (has some issues but nothing that can't be solved) and my wife is an A+. She has handled the entire move all on her own while I've been up here. I head back down to Miami (on a plane) again tomorrow to help finish the move and bring everyone else back up! </div>
Christianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05732916390641586475noreply@blogger.com0