So Long, Leo, and Thanks For All the Cheese

'West Wing' Actor John Spencer Dies at 58

"John Spencer, who played a dedicated politico on "The West Wing" who survived a serious illness to run for vice president, died of a heart attack Friday, his publicist said. Spencer, 58, died at a Los Angeles hospital, said publicist Ron Hofmann. He would have been 59 next week."

This is a real kick in the teeth, as John played former Chief of Staff and current VP Candidate Leo McGarry with warmth, humor, and style. He's one of the main reasons I started watching The West Wing, as I remember enjoying him as Tommy Maloney on L.A. Law these many years ago.

I can't imagine what The West Wing will do without him. They wouldn't dare replace the actor because he's too high profile a character. If they write him out of the show before the presidential election (which will likely be at the end of the current season) I don't see how the Santos campaign can recover and win - and if that's the plan, for Santos to win, it will almost seem contrived if he does. I don't know. Whatever they do, I hope it's with class and respect for the character and he doesn't just become a plot point.

This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out.

A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, 'Hey you. Can you help me out?' The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on.

Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, 'Father, I'm down in this hole can you help me out?' The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on

Then a friend walks by, 'Hey, Joe, it's me can you help me out?' And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, 'Are you stupid? Now we're both down here.' The friend says, 'Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.'


-- Leo McGarry, "Noel" episode of The West Wing

Thanks, John.

Special Christmas "Get Well Soon" Wish

My office-mate and partner-in-crime Hatamaran is out for a few weeks on medical leave.

I just wanted to wish her a get well soon and a speedy recovery, because, well, these Corporate Policies I have to post on our employee intranet are starting to pile up... ;)

Get Well Soooooooon, TP!

Friday's Feast

Feast Seventy-Four - Friday, December 16, 2005

Appetizer - What is a word that your family uses that would not be considered common?

"Maybeland", which is the name of a fictional land in the 1938 Christmas radio drama, "The Cinnamon Bear" that we've been listening to. It's a serial children's drama that was broadcast once a day for about 15 minute episodes, starting 11/29 and continuing right up to Christmas Eve. I'll do a post on it sometime.


Soup - What theme of calendar do you have on your wall this year?

All right, all right. I confess. The Vehicles of Star Wars. Hey, it looked cool and I thought, with the new movie coming out... *sigh*


Salad - Name 3 people you speak with on a daily basis.

My wife and my two kids. Other than them, I don't see the same people every single day.


Main Course - If you could put a new tattoo on someone you know - who would it be, what would the tattoo be of, and where would you put it on them?

Ok, first of all I loathe tattoos. Anywhere, and kind - I can't stand them. But if I had to pick one I'd have "GO VOLS" tattooed on Steve Spurrier's forehead.


Dessert - What is the last beverage you drank out of a glass bottle?

IBC Black Cherry soda, though it's been a month or two since I bought any. Hmm....

(This Feast contains questions from leftovers from an August 2004 meal.)

Murder Most Fowl

Woman's body discovered on ‘Sesame Street’ actor Carroll Spinney’s Connecticut property

"A man charged with kidnapping a jogger told investigators he accidentally hit her with his car and only tied her up because he was trying to hide the body, which was found in a shed owned by a “Sesame Street” performer, authorities said Wednesday.

Scott Deojay, 36, was arrested Tuesday and charged with kidnapping. He appeared in court briefly Wednesday and was ordered held on $500,000 bail.

Deojay is a handyman who had done work on the Woodstock property of Caroll Spinney, who plays Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on the long-running children’s public television show "Sesame Street." Police said Spinney had nothing to do with the crime."

You Like Me! You Really, Really -- Well, Maybe..

You know I'm all tapped out creatively when I'm "memeing" (which is illegal in seven states...).

Copy and fill out the following blanks in the comments (or email)...

01] I _____ Barry.
02] Barry is _____.
03] If I were alone in a room with Barry, I would _____.
04] I think Barry should _____.
05] Barry needs _____.
06] I want to _____ Barry.
07] Someday Barry will ___.
08] Barry reminds me of _____.
09] Without Barry _____.
10] My memories of Barry are _____.
11] Barry can be _____.
12] The worst thing about Barry is _____.
13] The best thing about Barry is _____.
14] I am _____ with Barry.
15] One thing I would like to know about Barry is _____.
16] Barry should go and _____.
17] Barry _____ me.

Sevens

Tagged by Tish. Some of these I've answered before in previous memes. But who cares ;)

Seven things that attract me to a woman:

1. Smile
2. Sense of humor
3. Compassion
4. Intensity
5. Devotion
6. Quirkiness
7. Body

Seven Things to Do Before I Die:

1. Hang glide
2. Spend an extended period of time in the Caribbean
3. Visit Scotland/Ireland
4. See as many baseball stadiums as possible
5. Enjoy my kids' weddings and my grandkids
6. Accomplish something meaningful outside my family
7. Travel into space

Seven Things I Cannot Do:

1. Remember things
2. Get back to the gym
3. Control anything
4. Keep myself from getting extremely frustrated at #3
5. Stand the smell or taste of peanut butter
6. Be patient with people who waste time
7. Be all things to all people

Seven Things I Say Most Often:

1. Great Caesar's Ghost!
2. Welcome, Foolish Mortals...
3. Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me
4. Of all the pitiful people in the world...you're the pitifulest.
5. Smile, darn ya, smile!
6. Is Star Trek on yet? (this one is getting increasingly superfluous)
7. I love you

Seven Books (or Book Series) I Love:

1. Dragonlance
2. The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King
3. Alan Gregory series, by Christopher White
4. The Burglar series, by Robert Bloch
5. Death on Demand series, by Carolyn G. Hart
6. Harry Potter series, by JK Rowling
7. Hardy Boys/Three Investigators

Seven Movies I Would Watch Over and Over Again:

1. Star Wars
2. Back to the Future
3. Jurassic Park
4. Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan
5. Contact
6. Mr. Holland's Opus
7. The Wizard of Oz

Seven People I Tag To Do Seven Sevens:

You, you, you, you, you...wait, not you--you--over there to the left (behind the plant), and you.


UPDATE: Heh. I found where I'd done this meme before recently (back in September - see #1 on "Things I Cannot Do" for why I'd forgotten). Check it out and see how it's interesting some things I answered the same, and some were way different...

GrandBlessed

I continue to be amazed sometimes at the volatility of family situations among people I know.

Every Tuesday morning I have breakfast with a group of guys from my church, and we talk about all kinds of things - our work, our lives, UT sports, religion, politics, our wives, our kids, etc. One in particular has an estrangement from his father, which is an open wound to him that refuses to heal. This friend is the one whose younger brother committed suicide a couple years ago, and left behind a pregnant wife. The baby is now pushing two, and my friend's dad (the boy's grandfather) refuses to have anything to do with his grandson or his daughter-in-law.

Another guy has a father who also refuses to have anything to do with a grandson - this grandchild is the son of the friend's brother, who died when he was only 21 or so. For 20+ years, this grandson has grown up only with his mom, but had grandparents who didn't want anything to do with him. Whether the boy was a painful reminder of the son the grandparents had lost, or if there was something else I don't know. The same friend's father-in-law has a set of grandkids that were the result of artificial insemination, and whose mom (their daughter) was disowned for deciding to live with another woman and have kids that way.

Convoluted and strange, huh?

For whatever sins the children may or may not have done, or continue doing, the horrible injustice these grandparents are doing to their grandkids can't be denied, and is in my mind much worse. As much as I try my best to understand, a certain "old school" mentality among people of that generation offers pride as some sort of twisted badge of honor, and much too many people wear it proudly.

Tomorrow night is the kids' Christmas musical at our church. Both mine and my wife's parents will be there, happily, proudly, to watch Tink and Brainyboy sing and perform. We'll all be going to my in-laws house Thursday night for chili after Brainyboy's recital, and we'll be visiting both houses at various times this holiday season where my kids can expect to be showered with love and affection from the grandparents.

I don't say this to be boastful or prideful, only that we are truly blessed and fortunate to have parents who care enough about their grandchildren to always want to be involved, to be part of their lives and to be that link to their heritage. I hope that Laura and I will be the same type of grandparents to our grandchildren someday - and I'm sure we will, because we continue to have great examples to follow.

Our Little Elves

Tink Elf

BrainyElf

The Great Teacup Riot of 2005

Visit Queen of Spain for her hilarious story of a deranged mom at Target.

"SHE TOOK THE PINK ONE! You did NOT just take the last pink one..."

"I'm sorry, are you talking to me?"

"I really wanted that pink one. There are blue ones..here" shoving a blue teacup set in my cart, "take a blue one and give me the pink one."

Baffled, I am staring blankly at a 30-something woman. She's with, what I assume, is her mother. They have two carts filled with toys.

I calmly take the blue teacup set out of my cart and set it on the shelf.

"No, thanks. I really want the pink one. Sorry. Maybe ask someone if they have more pink ones in the back."

At this point I start down to the end of the aisle. She follows me.

"That baby can't even have it. It says 2 and up. Don't you see it says 2 and up? Are you trying to hurt her? She'll get HURT if she plays with that."

"I'm sorry, what???"

Slowly, I'm starting to gather myself. This is been going on for so long now, that the fog of being confronted is lifting, and I'm gaining some composure.

"Did you just call me a bad mother? You don't even know me. And I'm really not giving you this pink teacup set now."

The best part is Queen never got really upset, never lost her temper, never started calling the crazy woman names (out loud) and never got in a shouting match. And her final act of defiance is classic.

Yes, there are crazy people out there these holidays - but you have to know how to deal with them....

Blogbert Update

Scott Adams has posted a few of his favorites in the mini-"finish-my-Dibert-cartoon" competition he held yesterday. Through some technical or administrative oversight, mine was not included among his favorites.

Losers. One glance will tell you my panels were way funnier than any of so-called pretenders, especially the one he actually submitted.

*sigh* True comedy is such an unappreciated art form...

Friday's Feast

Feast Seventy-Three - Friday, December 09, 2005

Appetizer - Name something you'll miss about 2005.

Getting to go out of town to several amusement parks first Busch Gardens with my wife and kids, then Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure with my college roommate I hadn't seen in 13 years. A great summer.


Salad - What is one thought that went through your mind today?

Only one day closer to the weekend, which will contain several holiday parties :)

Another thought, is the continuing head-beating-against-the-wall experience I keep having trying to extract information, graphics, photos and content from the marketing managers that I design websites for. I've been trying for 8 years now to get a regular pipeline of information flow from them to me, and still keep finding small print projects they create that should be on their hospitals' websites, but aren't. You can't win, you can't break even and you can't get out of the game...


Soup - On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how compassionate would you say you are?

I'd say about an 8, although I find it difficult to be compassionate to the homeless. It's a character fault I have that I've tried to work through.


Main Course - If you could invent something, what would it be?

Easy - a flux capacitor for my time travelling Delorean. After that a holodeck.


Dessert - Do you prefer salty snacks or sweet treats?

Give me a salty chip. And then give me another. Forget that, just give me the bag. Now.

Blogbert

Scott Adams has a blog and is running a mini-contest to finish an upcoming Dilbert cartoon. Here's the original:



...and my entry:

Who the Flu?

I'm going to get my flu shot in a few minutes, finally. Now everyone in our family will be up to speed.

I notice that compared to last year, this year (nationally) has been a piece of cake when it comes to flu activity.

I posted last December that as of 12/11/04 flu activity in the US was really gearing up:



If you recall there was a big shortage of vaccines and people were lining up in the rain and cold to get theirs.

Today, as of November 26 it's barely registering on the radar screens:



I don't know if it's better awareness, more people getting shots, kids getting misted or just luck of the draw. Whatever the reason, I hope it lasts.

He'll Leave the Light On For Us

Hussein Refuses to Attend Trial, So Judge Proceeds Without Him

"The trial of Saddam Hussein on crimes against humanity proceeded today without the former ruler, who made good on his threat on Tuesday to boycott the hearing, saying he had been mistreated by the 'unjust court.'"

After listening to two days of witnesses describing grisly tales of torture at the hands of Mr. Hussein's agents, the former dictator complained to the judge that he had not had a shower or been allowed to change clothing in three days. When the chief judge, Rizgar Muhammad Amin, refused his request for a delay, Mr. Hussein flew into a rage.

"I will not be in a court without justice," he said. "Go to hell, you and your agents of America!"

Sorry to be posting about Saddam twice in a row, but this just struck me as funny. I guess a defendant has the right to not attend his own trial, just as he has the right to be present and confront the witnesses against him. But the way these articles have been worded makes it sounds like he's decided to go play golf or something instead. Day off! Yay!

Oh, and Saddam - something tells me you'll be in hell long before the judge and his "American agents". Keep it warm for them, huh?

Saddam: 'I Am Not Afraid of Execution'

You will be.

You will be.

Diary of a Music Director - Part VIII - "Easy Street"

It's over. The final performance was Sunday afternoon, and none too soon.

The cast had a bad case of "Lastshowitis", in which some of the actors took advantage of the last performance to either use some of the bits they'd been saving, or just ham it up one last time. As a result some of the scenes became much more about them than the plot or the main characters. Ah well, it happens. It's a shame for the audience who pays just as much as any other performance and expects a controlled show, but most of the performers are amateurs, so what can you do. You get what you pay for :)

Speaking of audiences...one of my huge pet peeves in any crowd, whether it's a play, a movie, a church service, whatever. If you're in a situation where everyone is trying to listen to one source of sound, if you have a crying child or a misbehaving child...or even a babbling baby, take them out. Or better yet, don't bring them. There's nothing more distracting to performers or other audience members than to try and concentrate on what's going on when someone's little darling is raising the roof, crying for juice or just being a general nuisance. Now sometimes these things can happen - kids get cranky, upset, whatever. I know, I've been through that. But before it escalates, take them outside. Sure, you paid as much for a ticket as the other folks did but you have a responsibility to ensure your party doesn't disrupt the event. You temporarily forfeit the right to see that part of the show if your child is raising a fuss - they have to be removed until they're calmed down. And if your child is too young to come to the show anyway, find a sitter and leave him or her behind. It's that simple. Your right to bring your kids with you wherever you go ends when they affect other people's rights to enjoy the experience without distraction.

Ok, rant over. I have several church-related productions in the next couple weeks, then it's Christmas and New Years - typically those couple of weeks are fairly relaxed as we visit my wife's family out of town for a few days, then come home to a big New Year's Eve party at our house with some good friends.

Looks like "Easy Street" from here on out. :)

I don't have any upcoming theatre plans at the moment, but next time I do something I may do another Diary, if there's interest. What did you think about this particular series? Let me know...

Pumped on Pachelbel

Had a great show last night - the audience was comparatively small, but pumped. The band fit back together quite nicely, after being off for several days. Well, they were - I wasn't. I and the rest of the cast did three mornings of school shows for the kiddies of Knox and Anderson county. Six slightly abbreviated performances over three mornings, and a full one last night.

But the crowd was enthusiastic and the cast picked up on it.

And coming home last night, on a bit of a high from the performance, I heard Pachelbel's Canon on the radio. Which, when done right, can inspire me to new heights. It's just a wonderful piece, I think it's probably the elevator music in heaven. That and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (well, before it was hijacked by every wedding in the last 15 years). And also Respighi's Pines of Rome.

What do you think the elevator music in Hell must be?

Friday's Feast

Feast Seventy-Two - Friday, December 02, 2005

Appetizer - When was the last time you did something you would consider courteous, what was it, and who was it for?

I have tried to make sure all my interactions with other people are courteous - it's just something I was taught early on and have tried to adhere to all my life. For so many people, rudeness and lack of civility seem to be a badge of honor at time. Not for me - if you meet me on the street and I'm in the least bit rude to you, it's probably because you are a deer and just sideswiped my car.


Salad - If you were to have a painting done of you alone, what would you want the background to be?

Sitting in a theatre with a production in rehearsal behind me.


Soup - Describe your voice.

I'll link to one of my (few) podcasts so you can see for yourself. I have a tenor singing voice, although I try to speak in a slightly lower register. It's frustrating when I'm acting, though, because a lot of roles don't lend themselves to my particular voice.

It does come in really handy when I'm doing character voices for my kids, though ;)


Main Course - What is something you would like to do, but you're afraid of the risk(s)?

I'd love to hang glide, and I'd love to scuba dive.


Dessert - What was the last television show you watched?

The Today Show, this morning.

Who Exactly Are We Protecting?

Maybe I'm naive, and maybe I just grew up in the wrong part of the country to be able to understand this, but who exactly are the city officials in Boston thinking they'll offend by calling Christmas "Christmas"?

Boston’s Official Holiday Tree Lighting Coming December 1st

"The heart of the city will be illuminated with seasonal cheer as Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department host Boston’s 64th Official Holiday Tree Lighting on Thursday, December 1, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Boston Common."

Is there actually an ethnic of religious group out there that's offended by the word "Christmas"? I mean, besides Al Quaeda, etc. And why now, after all this time? Was there direct pressure put on the mayor by a powerful atheist campaign donor? Does Tom Cruise have a house on Martha's Vineyard?

And what, exactly, is "cheerful" about the season? I mean, without the actual holiday of Christmas (or the days of Hannukah, I suppose) the only definition of "season" is winter. I've never recalled winter being particularly cheery, and certainly nothing to celebrate by raising a dead tree in the city square.

The holiday decorations throughout Boston Common and The Public Garden will light up in sequence when Mayor Menino throws the switch with Santa Claus. The celebration on Boston Common will include entertainment featuring performers from Nova Scotia and New England with WCVB TV-5 providing live coverage of the festivities.

Ah, I see. There's always Santa Claus as a reason to be cheerful. But then the legend of Santa Claus came about from St. Nicholas, and all that religious imagery - not to mention the gift-giving being centered around the traditional date of Christ's birth.

Scheduled entertainers include Jordan Knight, Jon Secada, The Holy Tabernacle Church Choir, The Magic of Lyn, ParkARTS talent search winner Casey Pollard, vocalist Merle Perkins, The Boston Children’s Choir, an appearance by Santa Claus, and additional surprise guests.

Wait, wait, wait....The Holy Tabernacle Church Choir?? What's the point of inviting a choir who (oh please, don't let the city "gently suggest" they sing "Silver Bells") would presumably sing a couple of religious Christmas carols. After all, that's kind of what choirs do. So if you're not going to have a "Christmas tree" - so as not to offend all those imaginary offendablistas out there - why invite a church choir?

Immediately following the Common tree lighting, Mayor Menino will join Back Bay residents at Arlington Street for the lighting of Commonwealth Avenue Mall at 8:15 p.m.

Well, at least after the 64th Annual Lighting of the Holiday Tree, everyone can attend the really important ceremony, the traditional Lighting of the Mall.

Define your enemies, or your fears will create many, many of them for you.

UPDATE: Boston Mayor Thomas Menino says it wasn't on his orders....

Car Update

Turns out insurance is going to cover the deer damage to my car. Good thing, too, since the estimate is running upwards of $2500.

Yikes.