Green acres ain't the place for me..

You should have seen the fox he was with!

I know that the wizened wizard is rather fond of the furry-feral-ferocious-felons frolicking in the frosty-forest of her forgotten magical glen, but here in the Big City our animals are cut from a kinder, gentler and more refined fabric.

Unlike the rascally weasels inhabiting the wizened wizard’s confines or the masticating monsters lurking in darkened burrows, our concrete-and-glass-urban-jungle canine friends prefer to enjoy more social evenings out with good company and fine restaurants.

May I say what a gentleman this individual proved to be as he waited patiently until my pregnant wife was safely out of our vehicle before exiting his own S.U.V. and opening the passenger side door for his own traveling companion?

I’m sure one would never find one of the Wizards’s frothing-feral feasters exhibiting such refined manners. Yes, living in the country may possess certain rural charms, but city life too offers a certain refined entertainment that is equally valid in its own way.

In conclusion, I would just like to say, “Red Rover, Red Rover, we’d like to invite you both over for after dinner cocktails if you would care to join us.”

I'm sure the wizened wizard would never extend such an invitation to her felonious furried friends for fear of losing her good silverware.

P.S.

Thanks for all the kind comments left by those who were crafty enough to look behind the Wizard's photo editing on my last post and see the true beauty hidden beneath her magical machinations.

Hint, hint...

Picture at an exhibition.

The Dirk_Star Revealed!

So I emailed a picture to the Wizened Wizard and asked if she could take it into Adobe Photoshop and edit out some of the blemishes for me. She returned this photo and said it was the best she could do.

Oh well, it is what’s on the inside that counts...

(She said she had to black out most of that too.)

Sigh...

"Donald, you're fired!"

As any reader of my blog knows, I stay away from celebrity news and gossip. The coming and goings of the “beautiful” people just hold no interest for me. Normally I could care less what events they’re attending, whose clothing they’re wearing or who they’re sleeping with. I just don’t care, period.

That is, until this past week when I started watching a story unfold in the news media that really bothered me as a human being. The story began when Donald Trump took umbrage with some comments made by Rosie O’Donnell on the television show The View.

Quite frankly, my wife and I laughed quite hard at Rosie’s routine and neither of us found anything out of the ordinary in her parody of Donald Trump. I personally didn’t think she said anything about Donald that hadn’t already been said by many a male comedian including David Letterman on the Tonight show.

Now, Donald is free to feel whatever emotional reaction to Rosie’s comments he chooses to feel. As we’ve all heard a million times, “it’s a free country and nobody can tell you how to feel about anything.” My issue with the Trumpster is with his personal attacks upon Rosie’s physical features, personality and lifestyle.

When Mel Gibson denigrated the Jewish community many individuals chastised him for his anti-Semitic profanities. When Michael Richards spewed forth his racist tirade upon the black audience members of his nightclub act many Americans spoke up and denounced his bigoted attitudes.

Why is no one speaking up to Donald Trump and criticizing his verbal abuse of Rosie O’Donnell? Mel Gibson made his infamous comments during a single drunken traffic stop. Michael Richards lost his head during a single show. Donald Trump has now continued ranting for an entire week and no one is standing up to say enough is enough.

Since when did it become acceptable behavior for a man to call a woman a fat-assed-ugly loser on our television airwaves? If you missed the Anderson Cooper phone interview with The Donald last night you missed the Trumpster at his absolute worst. He called Rosie any number of denigrating names and not once did Mr. Cooper call him on it.

Why? Is it because Rosie is a lesbian? Jew bashing is wrong, black bashing is wrong, but bashing lesbians is acceptable? Or is it that Rosie is a woman? Please don’t tell me it is okay to verbally attack women in a public venue the way the Donald has abused Rosie. Are women fair game simply because being a woman makes them a secondary citizen?

The trump has offended me. I watched Anderson Cooper interview the Trump by phone and Donald attempted to justify what he was doing with this comment, “I’m not running for any public office so I don’t have to be politically correct, I can say whatever I want.” I was horrified. Is this the privilege money buys?

I will not participate in any more of Donald Trump's endeavors from this point forward in my life. I have heard him using derogatory statements involving phrases like; Fat-assed loser, ugly, who would want to kiss a face like Rosie’s and I am concerned about his attitude towards women. If he is willing to denigrate a woman in this manner in a public arena I have to wonder what he is like in private. I will not support such an arrogant bully in his money making schemes in any way at all. I am done with the Trumpster.

There is one thing I have learned about money from Donald Trump this past week. It has long been known that money can not buy happiness. Now I have learned that there is one other thing that money can not purchase and that is class. Of all the commodities Mr. Trump pours his money into, class is clearly something he’s never invested a single penny into acquiring. In my opinion he has shown himself to be a vulgar, brutish lout completely lacking in style or class. I have no interest in following his example of manliness.

Mr. Trump, as I continue to enjoy Rosie O’Donnell and The View each morning with my coffee you may rest assured that you and your drunken phony Miss America will be the furthest two things from my mind.

Trump, you’re fired!

Yesterday...

When I was younger, so much younger than today...

The most surprising gift I received for Christmas was the new Beatles mix by Cirque Du Soleil. You see, I’ve been a Beatles fan since I was a small boy living in Jeffersonville, Indiana. I saw their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show and was profoundly changed by the experience.

I grew up with the Beatles and their music has always been an important part of my intellectual and spiritual growth. What they talked about in interviews and sang about in their music became interests of mine that I’ve pursued to this day.

World philosophies and religions, the peace movement, even politics and psychology are topics that became significant to me because they were important to the Beatles. When they said, “All you need is love.” I believed them then and I believe them now. It is still a code by which I try to live each and every day.

Usually, whenever I hear a band do a cover of a Beatles song I am disappointed. The music of the Fab Four contained intricate and beautiful harmonies. They were amazing vocalists and perhaps the best group of singers I’ve ever heard perform together. Yes, there are some amazing individual singers that surpass the vocal talents of either John Lennon or Paul McCartney, but as a group of four voices working together the Beatles were special.

No one understood the musical vision of the Beatles better than George Martin. If you really want to experience the boys at their very best look for the name George Martin listed as producer. Together, this combination of talent changed the face of music. Like it or not, it’s the truth.

When I removed the gift wrapping and discovered a Cirque Du Soleil Beatles C.D. the disappointment was difficult to restrain. I quickly set it aside and moved on to what I hoped would be more exciting goodies. The new digital camera I unwrapped a few minutes later saved Christmas and in my eyes redeemed my wife’s gift giving expertise.

As many couples do on Christmas day we decided to venture out into the world and catch a holiday movie. Now, I figured the drive to Huber Heights would be a good opportunity to give my new C.D. it’s one and only play before it wound up sitting in a rack gathering dust for the rest of eternity.

The C.D. captured my attention from the moment it started playing. I was singing and head bobbing like a teenager. I opened the booklet that came with the two disk set and started reading. George Martin and his son, Giles had produced the music for the Cirque Du Soleil production. No wonder it sounded so fresh and vibrant.

I have been listening to the C.D. for days now and it is pure musical genius. If you’re already a Beatles fan, you’ll love this collection of remastered and sometimes reworked songs. If you’ve never been a Beatles fan, give this C.D. a listen and you’ll discover why they were so popular in their heyday. Good music is timeless and the Beatles are great music. Cirque Du Soleil proves it.

My wife never ceases to amaze me. She continually surprises me with her ability to show me new things. I love the way she intellectually and spiritually enriches my life; just like the Beatles did when I was younger. She is teaching this old dog a lot of new tricks and I am a much better man for it.

Thanks, babe. I love the musical gift you gave me for Christmas and I love the gift of love you give to me each and every day.

I'm gonna wait for the midnight hour...

Welcome to Eddie Central.

Thanks go out to my wife for the new digital camera. I’m still reading the manual and trying to figure out all the features so bear with me for day or two. So, that’s my work station. When the late night hours come washing across the time stream that’s where you’ll find me finding you.

How was Christmas for everyone? My wife and I had a very warm and happy holiday and now she’s off work for the next week so we’re going to finish the baby’s nursery.

(I’ll be sure to post some before and after photos.)

Over the holiday break I took the time to revisit a few of the blogs I’ve been keeping an eye on this year. One of the nicest sites that I’ve been watching is called, Read This Sign. It is the personal blog of a woman who goes by the screen name of Sign Gurl.

I first came into contact with her around the Ohio St. vs. Michigan football game. Although we only posted once or twice I wanted to keep an eye on her and see how things progressed with her gastric bypass surgery. According to her blog the surgery was in October, 2006.

Since then she has experienced a number of ups and downs. Most of the downs have been supplied by family members. See her Thanksgiving post and you’ll see what I mean. The up moments have come about as a result of her loving daughters and Mr. Sign’s ceaseless support of her efforts.

What impresses me the most about Sign Gurl is her gracious spirit and loving nature. I think these are two of the most beautiful qualities she possesses. This woman is sensitive, loving and a wonderful mixture of devilishness and naiveté. I adore her posts.

One in particular made me embrace her into my heart and filled me with the desire to introduce her to our little family; "A Daring HNT Return." Her shy eyes and tentative smile warmed my soul. The photos are enduring, but it is the spirit enfusing her that makes them beautiful.

Mr. Sign is going in for the gastric bypass surgery on Thursday and Sign Gurl has asked for our prayers. I’d like to extend the hand of friendship as well as our prayers. Please visit her and introduce yourselves to a woman I hope becomes the newest member of our little band of gypsies. Sign Gurl, you are beautiful and wonderful in so many ways, I hope you bless each of us with your sweet story in the new year to come. Please, go read this sign.

I’m pulling for you Mr. Sign!

Momma don't take my Kodachrome away...

"Look, I'm watching television!"

Christmas festivities always begin for me with the David Letterman Christmas show; Jay Thomas throwing footballs at the meatball-tree topper, the infamous Lone Ranger anecdote and Darlene Love singing her lungs out in the big production number.

Nothing puts the fun in Christmas like throwing footballs at a Christmas tree...

Once I’m feeling the Christmas vibe its time to watch the Grinch on our Sony big-screen-television. Of course I mean the real one with Boris Karloff as the voice of the green one himself. (Sorry, but I really do not like the Jim Carrey version.) Now were talking Christmas frenzy!

Then, it is time to put on my Santa hat and go out delivering Christmas cookies to our friends and family with my wife. I always enjoy the surprised looks on people’s faces when they answer the door and there we stand with plates of delicious cookies. Oh how I do love Christmas!

This year we were finished with our Christmas shopping by December twenty-second. Thus my wife and I were safely ensconced in our warm and cozy home watching Christmas specials while the rest of you were going crazy at the Malls. Ha!

Christmas Eve we attended church at Westminster Presbyterian in downtown Dayton, Ohio. It is always High Church at Christmas and this year was no exception. At the end of the service the choir came down from the altar and took up positions at the end of each pew.

They began lighting the tapered candles each member of the congregation had been given upon entering the sanctuary. As the overhead lights dimmed in the church a warm yellow glow filled the room. Everyone sang silent night and every other verse was hummed as the candles were held aloft. It was beautiful.

Christmas Day has been warm and loving. This was our last as a married couple. Next year we will celebrate as a family. Earlier today we opened gifts and cried over loving cards. We went to the movies and watched “Night in the Museum.”

We liked the movie and in spite of what the critics are saying I would recommend the film. It feels good and is a solid holiday flick.

The rest of the day has been spent eating good foods and watching television. Man, I am one blessed fellow. I have a great wife, a wonderful life and a new digital camera!

Did I mention that my wife totally rocks!

We interrupt your holiday cheer...

Pixie made me kill the the elf!

*See post for 12/06/06

I said no memes and I meant it!

Did Pixie listen?

No...

Now, the elf is dead.

Please, don't make me have to kill the reindeer.

I'm dead, thanks Pixie...