Sunday

Sorry for not getting on here the last few days.  Life kind of got in the way.

The saga on computers at my office remains an open exercise.  The laptop is now serviceable, but I'm still just getting up-to-speed on the new machine and the updated software.  Turns out that the computer came equipped with an additional SEM card that was an AT&T add-on.  The Verizon air card couldn't get past the SEM card for some reason.  The IT installer finally noticed the extra piece of hardware, pulled it, and wow!  The laptop worked.

The desktop is still messed-up.  Our contractor has absolutely failed on this project.  I was livid on Friday.  Inconvenience has moved to unacceptability.  To be continued.

2's dinner at the Figge on Thursday night was a success.  She served as hostess for the short program following the meal...and did a nice job dealing with an uncooperative sound system.  Let's make her Daughter of the Day in recognition of this effort.  Way to go, Kiddo!

The Geneva Christmas party last night was a lot of fun.  Good friends.  Good dinner.  Top-shelf wine.  That bottle of Jordan Cab may have been the hit of the evening.

It looks like we are close to a final agreement on the house for the #7282012 events.  Tahoe Phil made an on-site inspection this weekend and I have contacted the owner about inking the deal.  Not far from Phi and Jan's, good space-age, and reasonable pricing.  Our check-in will be Sunday, the 22nd.

Anybody catch the replay of the brawl at the end of the Cincy-Xavier basketball game last night?  A number of those players should be kicked off their teams, and maybe even out of their schools.  Nothing short of thuggery.  And then the Xavier players actually go to post-game pressers and justify the physicality/retribution due to Cincy's lack of "respect" for the Xavier team.  Just like in the 'hood.

So Pujols took the money and went to LA.  It was a choice.  Take less money in StL and embellish his icon status in the best baseball town in the country.  Or follow the money and become A-Rod in LA.  I have no problem with him following the money.  And I have no problem with the Cards' not trying to match silly money for an aging star.  Maybe Albert figured that he'd always be second to Stan the Man, so why not take the money?  It's bid'ness.  (A hard-and-fast rule that has application in sports, business, politics and social-climbing:  When they say it's not about the money, always remember, it's about the money!)

2's flat tire yesterday morning brought into play a tool that I have never used for changing tires: the 4"x4"x4' club.  After finally unscrewing the lug nuts (they were on so tight I couldn't figure out which way was off!), the tire was still held fast to the axle.  I tried pulling, yanking and kicking with no success.  We actually went back inside the coffee shop to warm up and to review the owner's manual again to see if there was a "trick" that was unique to the Focus.  Terry O'C gave his input too.  (Uh, Terry...you were worthless!)

I finally went over to the trash bin at the next-door construction site and found the 4x4x4 and began to seriously whale away at the tire.  It finally popped free.  We got the donut mounted, stopped and aired-up the donut and the other front tire and took the car over to a tire shop on Brady.  Surprisingly, the fix was cheap enough for 2 to afford, and she's back fully mobile today.

A small visual factoid:  I was wearing the Dale Earnhardt NASCAR gawdy-printed black leather jacket while performing this tire-change service.  It was not a quality pit stop on the clock.

Now headed over to Gold's to sweat out some vino.

BCOT