Wish List Update

Breaking News.... Cathy and I have both updated our wishlists below. Feel free to buy me crap. Mary and Ryan, you can post your wishlists here if you like.

Harms Family Fantasy Football Brew ha ha

The Fantasy Football league has entered the playoff phase. Andrew with his team of Bastard's has taken home the best regular season record, for that he wins a swift kick during the wedding weekend. It's the playoffs though, so anything could happen.

Christmas Wish Lists

Hi y'all,

In case you're wondering what everyone wants for x-mas this year, check out our wish lists at Amazon:
Cathy's Wish List
Dan's Wish List
Andrew's Wish List

Rock the Crock

I love to make homemade soup in the fall and winter (mostly the idea of it as I have yet to follow through with this). My plan is to dust off the crock pot and start my soup venture this weekend. Cooking is all about building confidence and I think I can handle the simplicity of the slow-cook approach. Throw everything in one pot, turn it on, and have something wonderful at the end of the day (not to mention the yummy, delicious smells that permeate your house). First up in the crock will be Wisconsin cheese soup with crushed pretzels on top and maybe some beer bread.

I'm on the hunt for recipes. Please feel free to share.

Turkey Days are here again

Here are a couple of shots of the family down in Iowa for the Thanksgiving feast. Pat and Dale's foreign exchange student from China, Damien, is second from left in the top photo. Brayten eventually tired of the repeated photo taking. Cathy and Tom took turns operating the camera, hence the disappearance and reappearance of said individuals. At no point in time did the dog, Roxie, operate the camera, even though she manages to disappear from the picture too. While the photos were uploading, Koko clubbed me over the head and stuffed me in the trunk of the car all so she could post the picture of her contemplating the wetness of the water in the backyard. So this post has that going for it too, which is nice. Don't worry I'm out of the trunk now, I don't want to talk about it.

Bathroom Graffiti

It was written in very small letters at the bottom of a stall door. "If you can read this, you are now shitting at a 45 degree angle."

The Wonderous Wonderment of Fall in Our Backyard

It's mid-November and the backyard is exploding with color. I took a stroll with Abby around the pond while Dan watched the Ohio State-Michigan game. Abby stalked a group of songbirds but wasn't quite fast enough to catch them. She then tried to meet up with some turtles who were sunbathing on a fallen tree branch in the pond.

Beach Pictures

A couple pictures from the beach, Cathy and I went to visit Mary and Ryan before Labor Day. Also a couple pictures of the cats, because they made me...


Mary riding the waves.


Caution dumbass in the water.


Yum yum wiggling around on the sidewalk.


Koko skulking in the weeds.

Craigslist ad...

I saw this ad on Craigslist in the “free” section and I had to respond! Quite possibly one of the funniest things I have ever read!

Big Gulp Cup 52 ounces
Reply to: sale-376781356@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-07-18, 3:43PM EDT

I have a big gulp cup from 7-11 with a coupon on it which says present this label to get your free fountain drink. I am not sure if the bar code on it has already been scanned, or if it could be used again. This mug is tremendous...it holds 52 ounces... almost as much water as you need in a day, but not quite. I am up by the intersection of Cole Mill Rd. and Pleasant Green in Durham, but in Orange Co. Let me know if you want it.

My email response was:

Hello...

I was wondering if the big gulp cup was still available? I currently have a 44 ounce big gulp but was looking to upgrade to the 52 ouncer. Can you tell me more about this cup..ie, color, shape, and texture of the big gulp container. With this recently hot weather the extra 7 ounces would come in handy for better hydration.

Thanks


Her response was this:

It is mug shaped. It is mostly black with some design on it.
It has a top which has a spot that closes, I guess to prevent spills,
although I haven't tested it.

It's yours if you want it.
let me know.

God I love the internet!!!

My Concert History

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats.
-- Albert Schweitzer

Every now and again I'm asked about my favorite concert experience. It started me thinking about all the concerts I've attended, so I decided to keep track of my show history. Here it is (minus some gaps):

199?----IMU, Iowa City----Primus
199?----IMU, Iowa City----Ani Difranco
199?----IMU, Iowa City----Fugazi
1994----New York----Woodstock
199?----Gabes, Iowa City, IA----Yo La Tengo
199?----IMU, Iowa City----Liz Phair
199?----Chicago----Pearl Jam
????----Chicago----Lollapalooza
199?----Coralville,IA----George Clinton
1997----Cedar Rapids, IA----Indigo Girls
1998----New Orleans----Pee Shy
1998(?)----Gabes, Iowa City, IA----Robbie Fulks
1999(?----Chicago----Vans Warped Tour
199?----Carver Hawkeye----Nine Inch Nails
1998----Chicago----Lilith Fair Tour (Sarah McLachlan, Bonnie Raitt, Cowboy Junkies, Indigo Girls, Lauryn Hill, Liz Phair, Luscious Jackson, Neko Case, Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris)
1999----Iowa City----Rage Against the Machine
199?----Chicago----Bjork
????----IMU, Iowa City (?)----Smashing Pumpkins
2000(?)----Gabes, Iowa City, IA----Old 97s
200?----Iowa City, IA----Greg Brown
2001----Kansas----Beastie Boys/ Luscious Jackson
2002----First Ave., Mnpls.----Son Volt
2003----Chicago----Ben Folds Five
2003----First Ave., Mnpls.----Sleater Kinney
2005----400 Bar, Mnpls.----Drive By Truckers
2005----400 Bar, Mnpls.----Slobberbone
200?----First Ave.,Mnpls.----Billy Bragg
2005----Fineline, Mnpls.----Billy Bragg
2006----Minpls.----Roma Di Luna
2007----First Ave, Mnpls.----Electric Six
2007----Leaf Festival, Black Mountain, NC----The Be Good Tanyas
2007----Raleigh, NC----The Bottle Rockets
2007----Raleigh, NC----The Allman Brothers
2007----Fletcher Opera House, Raleigh, NC----Wailin' Jennys

Football Update

I've sent out the football invitations, let me know if there are any questions. If you don't sign up, I'll create a yahoo account and send you the info and sign you in. That's what I did for Dad.

I will win!
DAN

DC Trip

More photos from the DC trip

Here are several pictures from the recent trip that Cathy and I made to DC, there are witty labels along with them (as with all of the photos) so make sure you click on the big "i" when you view the slide show. It was a great weekend, wasn't too warm and we got to experience the train for the first time.

Brush with Greatness Part 2

While in DC, Cathy and I hopped into the Residence Inn elevator on our way down to the ground floor. There was another guy in the elevator, I didn't pay him any mind, but after walking out of the elevator I realized it was Professional Golfer Jim Furyk (the PGA was in Maryland that weekend). Anyway, I told Cathy, she was appropriately unimpressed and I'm glad to report there were no embarrassing incidents.

PRIOR COOKOUT!!!

More photos here

Photo evidence of a prior cookout; Dan, Cathy, Mary and Ryan in attendance. A couple weeks ago, Cathy was walking around the neighborhood and saw a "Kitty Walk" in a dumpster. She talked to the people who were cleaning the house out (the owner had passed away) and they allowed her to have it for free. In the photos, that's how we have them contained. They kind of like it, it's better than being inside and we're able to do some things outside without constantly having to chase. Enjoy the pictures.

COOKOUT!!!

Go here to see more photos

A wonderfully ornate cookout was held at our residence in celebration of the birth of the nation. The standard fair of lobster and lamb was forgone for weiners and brats. We took pictures to prove it, please do enjoy.

Vacation Idea

I found a website with some promising vacation rentals. Here's the page for North Carolina rentals:
NC Vacation Rentals

Dan's Celebrity Look-A-Like

Again, click to enlarge photo at your own risk.

Cathy's Celebrity Look-A-Like

Apparently I can pass as Felliam H Muffman


Click to enlarge photo.

EOD

I want to start posting my take's on the day at the end of the day. So will use this post to do that on following days I'll post in the comments section.

Anyway, spent most of today disconnected, when I did get home I saw that Starbucks (SBUX) was down about 4% on it's warning due to increased costs. I think this is a half truth, yeah costs are increase, but I also believe their brand is in decline and that the consumer as a whole will become less and less interested in 3 dollar cofees.

Also, I don't understand the differential in price for iced coffee versus regular coffee, the product is ostensibly the same just with ice, yet it the price is not the same as it's smoldering hot brethren.

SBUX closed at 26.26 and was down further in after hours. I'm thinking the downside may be between 22-24, would need to reevaluate my put position at that price. Also considering buying a call if there is a high volume down day on no news, might be a nice trade on a near term bounce.

Couple links, loved this first video, the dude is really pissed. Love the lame excuse about the auction establishing a "fair market" price.

Florida video

Link to star trib story on stripper in real estate biz.

Positions-
Long NEM, PAAS, GLD, SLV, NSTK, SBUX puts, MTG puts

Wagers-
Thinking about ways to play the latest Yankee slide...

College Basketball Sunday

Several Conference Tournament championships today, I like Ohio State -1, Texas +7, and under 145.5 in the UNC NCSU game. Last one has already gone against me. Oh well. Watching the other two. 32 days till the move, out.

New Abode Photos

Here's a link to pics of the new place

Enjoy responsibly