WALL-E = Instant Classic

The whole family went to see WALL-E at midnight last night. As you probably expect from Pixar, it is absolutly terrific.

My new phone is an AT&T Tilt. It is amazing I am sure, but it took me an hour just to figure out how to make a phone call.

Today is my last day working at Sun. What will I ever do with myself now?

My New Phone

My new phone is almost here. You can track its progress with this link.

Also, more good news. My co-worker says we are guaranteed to get rain next week, since he is off work and scheduled to play golf. Yes! We could really use some rain.

Also lunch today in honor of me, since it is my last week. Nice of the guys to take me out, even though I am just a contractor, or will be for another 2 1/2 days anyway.

The Baby Borrowers

This looks pretty funny, esp if you have teens:

"Five teenage couples, each presumably marital material, live through a kind of child-rearing marathon in which they're required to take responsibility for, in succession, a baby, a toddler, a preteen, a full-fledged and fire-breathing adolescent and then -- as a kind of afterthought, which is how this group often ends up -- "the elderly." The idea is to see how (and whether) these couples would function as parents, the preordained moral of the tale being that parenting is a tough job, rife with potholes and pitfalls."

The Baby Borrowers on tonight on NBC at 8pm.

Kim Loves Blogs!

Kim has a new blog!

Marj has been blogging a lot, too.

Good News!

Apparently Anne Hathaway has broken up with Raffaello Follieri!

Only Questions

Can you relax?
Can it mean less?

Can you wake up?
Can you feel more?

Who will it show?
Are you in there?

Thinking of me?
Or are you through?

What do you see?
Will laughing last?

Can I still touch you?
Do I still touch you?

Do you still love me?
Or could you forget?

Will you ever see?
Will I ever know?

Is he there for you?
Was it meant to be?

Can you keep from crying?
Do you still remember?

LADYTRON-GHOSTS (OFFICIAL)

Free is a Good Price

Free Family Film Festival! YES!!!

Mary Ann's View

Mary Ann was kind enough to recommend my blog.

I have to say that she is as nice in person as she is on her blog, and her photography is not to be missed!

Cell Phone Busted

My cell phone display broke. The phone still works. I can call people, and they can call me. I just can not see who is calling me, nor can I get to voicemail if they leave a message, or even know if someone left a message. I can not look up anyone's number in my phone book. I can not see the time. It is a company phone so I am not sure how to get it fixed or replaced yet. At least it should not cost me anything to fix it.

A Dozen Movies Now Playing That I Want to See

1. The Visitor

2. Get Smart! - UPDATE: Saw this one. It was great!

3. Young @ Heart

4. Kung Fu Panda

5. U2 3D

6. The Fall

7. The Promotion

8. The She Found Me

9. The Strangers

10. War Inc.

11. The Happening

12. Nim's Island

P.S. And we are all at my house very much looking forward to WALL*E which opens on the 27th

The Sibleys

My Sister started a blog.

Father's Day

My nephew is staying with us. He has lived with us several years now. In all of that time, we have not heard from his father once. I thought he lived in a distant part of the state (and Texas is a big state). As it turns out he lives right here in Austin. I just found out and I was shocked.

He was visiting my sister-in-law and he tells her, "Tell the kids I said hi". That's it. My nephew was over visiting his mother, and his father can't even bother to come in to the house and say hello to him.

I just don't get it. He is a wonderful kid and has not been any trouble at all. He is a star on the basketball and football teams. He is protective of his mother and he has a great sense of humor. Who would not want to be his father?

"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him." - Psalm 127:3

I do not understand it. Why would anyone throw away their rewards? But they do, and I consider it my gain.

My children are my rewards. They are all, each of them good people. I love being with them. But I am not the only one that thinks so. Once, for example, we were visiting my father in San Diego, and I turned in early and so my son Quentin was hanging out with my Dad. The next day my Dad made a point to tell me what a great guy Quentin is, how well he communicates, and how much he enjoyed spending time with him. I guess he expected some sort of awkward teenager, and not the intelligent thoughtful guy that he is.

Yesterday when I got home from work it was better than a pile of puppies. I was laughing and wrestling with Kim, Marjorie, Nathaniel and Emily until RA had finished cooking my breakfast. Fun! Never a dull moment. It does not get boring or lonely at our house.

Sure kids can be expensive, but how much would I pay for them? I can not say I could name a price. It is like you get something of infinite value for what, a few thousand dollars. That is a very great reward!

I thank you everyday, God, but let me thank you publicly for my very great rewards (and you too, RA).

P.S. Don't miss Fred on Fathers Day

Made Her Laugh

My last day of working at Sun is June 27th. I enjoyed working for Sun and will miss the job.

There is a Hispanic lady here in housekeeping. I have smiled and said hi to her, but my impression is that she would prefer to be left alone. Well anyway part of my job here is to receive new computer parts and ship back old parts. It tends to come in waves. So I got a big pile of boxes to sort through. There were so many boxes that I built a cave around my office door. They literally go right up over your head. You can do things like this when you only have a few weeks left at work. Anyway she came to empty my trash and smiled and laughed at my cave. A breakthrough!

School is going well. I am taking two classes and doing well in both of them. One is an online general computer class (very easy) and the other is a database programming class, which is very interesting. Database programming is one area of computers that I have not explored yet. I am sure it will get easier when I am not working two jobs, too.

The kids have something cooked up for Father's Day for my tomorrow, but I am not sure what it is.

Texas Governor's Mansion Burns!

Governor's Mansion burned last night! They say it is arson. Interestingly, the media does not speculate who might have done it or what their motive might be.

I could be wrong, but my guess is that it is related to the polygamist roundup civil rights violation. I doubt an FLDS did it, since they are non-violent. My guess is some supporter wanted to make a statement that at least some Texas residents do not take kindly to strong arm tactics by the state.

For the record, I had nothing to do with it. Fortunately no one was injured and I believe the valuable historical items were not inside, since the mansion was being remodeled.

Be Careful of the Lemonade!

If you think CPS overreaction can only happen to polygamists you would be mistaken.

Bad Google Docs!

I have been using Google Docs for everything these days, but today I noticed a problem. I was updating my ToDo List, and I noticed all of a sudden it was blank. Not sure how that happened, but I thought no problem, because I had not saved it yet. Alas, apparently Google Docs immediately saves everything for you and so now all of my data was gone. On the plus side, suddenly my ToDo list is very small.

Never Use a Pay Phone

Never use a pay phone, unless you life depends on it! Ruth Ann needed to make a call and it did not list the price, or accept coins. So she used a debit card, and it costs $11 for a local call!!! What a ripoff!

No Child Left With Mom

So anyway, apparently Texas CPS has a new slogan

If you are still a supporter of the state, read the statements from the onsite mental health case workers who were fired for being "too compassionate".

The children arrived healthy and happy and left sick and crying.

And here is a person who really does need some help.

Digital TV

I got my two coupons for digital TV converter boxes, and then picked up my boxes. I got two two different models: the RCA box, and the Zenith box. They are both good.

If you still watch broadcast TV like we do a converter box is HIGHLY recommended. When you get the signal the reception is crystal clear like cable or satellite. On the first night I brought the box home I was picking up a Houston station and the signal was coming in perfectly, although that is not typical.

I did notice that the signal seemed to get poorer when it was storming outside.

The remote control is very nice if you have old sets and you do not have your old remote control any more.

The coolest thing is that you get more channels. Several stations broadcast two channels, not one. Here is what I am picking up now:

KTBCDT FOX (7.1) - Fox Network

KLRUDT PBS (18.1) - First PBS Channel

KLRUDT2 PBS (18.2) - Second PBS Channel

KVUEDT ABC (24.1) - ABC Network

KXANDT NBC (36.1) - NBC Network

KXANDT2 NBC (36.2) - KXAN 24 Hour Weather Channel

KEYEDT CBS (42.1) - CBS Network

KEYEDT2 RTN (42.2) - Retro Television Network

KNVADT CW (54.1) - CW Network

There is supposed to be a second 54 channel, but I do not think it is lit yet, and I am not sure what it will carry.

There does not seem to be any thematic difference between the two PBS channels. There are just two instead of one.

The one I am excited about is the second 42 channel: the Retro Television Network. It is an attempt to start a new network of just old shows. The TV Land like channel starts tomorrow and I can not wait (four hours from now as I type this!). New TV seems like such crap compared to old TV, so it will be very nice to have a good alternative.

I wonder if stations are limited to only two channels, or if we will see an large expansion of the number of channels and networks? Interesting...

And the best part: it is all free!